Position in chronology
SAA 08 102. Mars Near Saturn, Full Moon on 16th Day (RMA 089) [planetary, lunar]
Translation · reference
High confidence(1) Observation of the moon which [was seen] on the 16th day together [with the sun]. (2) The 16th day (refers to) Subartu ... [......]; but in truth, [it is] a bad omen for Akkad. (4) If the moon beco[mes late] at an inappropriate time [and is not seen: attack of a ruling city]. (5) If the moon [is not seen] in Adar (XII) either on the 14th or [on the 15th day ...] Ur [......]. (7) If on the 16th day the moon and sun [are seen together: the king will be shut up] in his palace for the length [of a month; the step of the enemy will be set towards his land; the ene]my will [march around]…
Source: Hunger, H. 1992. Astrological Reports to Assyrian Kings. SAA 8. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa08/P336418/
Why it matters
Transliteration
ta-mar-ti d30 ša UD 16-KÁM it-⸢ti⸣ [dUTU in-nam-ru-ni] / UD 16-KÁM KUR.SU.BIR₄.[KI] ⸢x⸣ e [x x x] / ù kit-tum lum-nu ša KUR—URI.[KI šu-u-tú] / 1 30 ina la si-ma-ni-šú uḫ-⸢ḫir⸣-[am-ma NU IGI te-bé-e URU kiš-šá-ti] / 1 30 ina ITI.ŠE lu UD 14-KÁM lu UD [15-KÁM NU IGI x x] / ŠEŠ.UNUG.KI [x x x x x] / 1 UD 16-KAM d30 u dUTU ⸢it⸣-[ti a-ḫa-meš IGI-MEŠ] / ⸢LUGAL⸣ ina É.GAL-šú ana mi-na-[at ITI ú-ta-sar]…
Scholarly note
Astrological report from a court scholar to an Assyrian king, edited by Hermann Hunger (SAA 8, 1992). Celestial and meteorological observation correlated with omens. ORACC text P336418.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P336418). source
Translation excerpted from Hunger, H. 1992. Astrological Reports to Assyrian Kings. SAA 8. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa08/P336418/.
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