Position in chronology
Sennacherib 154
Translation · reference
High confidence(1') [...] ... [...] who before [...] ... seas [..., who] does not have a ri[v]al [in ...] lands, ... [...] who loves justice, goes to the aid of the weak, [...] ... [... the bridle that co]ntrols the insubmissive, (and) the one who strikes [enemies] with lightning, [...] whose dominion is more praised, the builder of [Assyria, ... the one who destroys] its settlements, the one who has canals dug, the one who op[ens up streams, ..., the one who establishes abun]dance and plenty ... [...] Assyria [...] (r 1') [...] ... [...] Its [(sluice) gate] was not open[ed through the work of human hands.…
Source: Grayson, A.K. & Novotny, J. 2012–2014. The Royal Inscriptions of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (704–681 BC). RINAP 3. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap3/Q003959/
Why it matters
Preserves Sennacherib's self-presentation as champion of justice and hydraulic engineer — the same ideological pairing of cosmic kingship and canal-building that his annals use to legitimise the destruction of Babylon in 689 BCE.
Transliteration
[...] x x [...] / [...] ⸢šá⸣ pa-⸢an⸣ [x x] x x ⸢ta-ma-a-ti⸣ [...] / [... ša ina ...] ma-ta-a-ti ma-[ḫi]-ra la i-šu-ú x [...] / [...] ra-ʾi-im mi-šá-ri a-lik tap-pu-ut a-ki-⸢i⸣ [...]1 / [...]-dun-ni zaq-ru ú-[...] / [... rap-pu la]-⸢ʾi⸣-iṭ la ma-gi-ri mu-šab-ri-qu [za-ma-a-ni] / [...] x nu-ʾu-da-at be-lut-su e-piš KUR [aš-šur.KI] / [... mu-ab-bit] da-ád-me-šú mu-šaḫ-⸢ru⸣-ú ÍD.MEŠ pe-[tu-u…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Sennacherib, edited by A. Kirk Grayson & Jamie Novotny (RINAP 3, 2012–2014). ORACC text Q003959.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P424743). source
Translation excerpted from Grayson, A.K. & Novotny, J. 2012–2014. The Royal Inscriptions of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (704–681 BC). RINAP 3. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap3/Q003959/.
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