Position in chronology
Sargon II 076
Translation · reference
High confidence(1) [Sargon (II), appointee of the god Enlil, nešak]ku-priest (and) desired object of (the god) Aššur, chosen of the god[s Anu and Dagān, great king, strong king, king of the world, kin]g of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), [favorite of the great god]; (3) [just shepherd, (one) to whom the gods Aššur (and) Marduk] have gran[ted a reign without e]qual [and whose reputation (these gods) exalt/exalted to the heights]; (4) [who (re)-established the šubarrû-privileges of (the cities) Sippa]r, Nippur, and Ba[bylon, ...] ... [...] Lacuna of ca. 4–5 lines (1') [who ...] has me[t…
Source: Frame, G. 2021. The Royal Inscriptions of Sargon II, King of Assyria (721–705 BC). RINAP 2. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap2/Q006557/
Why it matters
Attests Sargon II's claim to have restored the šubarrû tax-exemption privileges of Sippar, Nippur, and Babylon — a calculated bid for Babylonian loyalty after his controversial seizure of power.
Transliteration
[mLUGAL-GI.NA šá-ak-nu dEN.LÍL NU].⸢ÈŠ⸣ ba-ʾi-it AN.ŠÁR ni-ši-it IGI.II d[a-nim ù dda-gan] / [LUGAL GAL-ú LUGAL dan-nu LUGAL KIŠ] ⸢LUGAL KUR⸣ daš-šur ⸢LUGAL⸣ kib-rat er-bet-⸢ti⸣ [mi-gir DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ] / [RE.É.UM ke-e-nu ša da-šur dAMAR.UTU LUGAL-ut la] ⸢šá⸣-na-an ú-šat-li-[mu-šu-ma zi-kir MU-šú ú-še-(eṣ)-ṣu-ú a-na re-še-e-te]1 / [šá-kin šu-ba-re-e] ⸢ZIMBIR⸣.KI NIBRU.KI u ⸢KÁ⸣.[DINGIR.RA.KI…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Sargon II, edited by Grant Frame (RINAP 2, 2021). ORACC text Q006557.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P238097). source
Translation excerpted from Frame, G. 2021. The Royal Inscriptions of Sargon II, King of Assyria (721–705 BC). RINAP 2. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap2/Q006557/.
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