Chapter 00 · 1400 – 1077 BCE

Middle Assyrian

Aššur's first imperial expansion.

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Adad-narari I 01

Lists the cities and peoples — Kassites, Gutians, Lullumê, Šubareans — subjugated by Adad-nārārī I, documenting Assyria's territorial expansion toward the Euphrates and into Mitanni's former heartland around 1300 BCE.

In plain English

Adad-narari, pure prince and chosen favourite of the gods, establisher of temples, who crushed the armies of the Kassites, Qutians, Lullumeans, and Subareans, scattering his enemies in every direction and overrunning their territories — from Lubdu and the region of Rapiqu all the way to Eluḫat — captured the cities of Taidi, Šuri, Kaḫat, Amasaki, Ḫurra, Šuduḫi, and Nabula. The inscription continues but the remaining lines are not preserved in the excerpt provided.

AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.

“Adad-narari, the pure prince, adornment of the gods, pre-eminent one, appointee of the gods, establisher of cult-centres, who slew the mighty Kassite forces, the Qutians, the Lullumeans, and the Subareans, who scattered all enemies above and below, who trampled their lands, from Lubdu and Mount Rapiqu to Eluḫat — conqueror of the city of Taidi, the city of Šuri, the city of Kaḫat, the city of Amasaki, the city of Ḫurra, the city of Šuduḫi, the city of Nabula, [...]”

Source: engine:claude-sonnet-4-6 (2026-05-28/v6-glossary-aware) · claude-sonnet-4-6 · medium confidence

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Religion & MythWriting & Literature

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Adad-narari I 02

In plain English

Anyone who erases Adad-narari's name from these inscriptions and substitutes his own, who destroys or discards his commemorative texts, buries them in earth, burns them, throws them into water, hides them in a sealed chamber where no one can see them, or who recruits someone else to do any of these things — a foreigner, an enemy, a speaker of another language, or anyone at all — and anyone who even conceives of causing harm to these inscriptions, is to be cursed by the god Aššur, the exalted god who dwells in… the text breaks off here.

AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.

“(36) (As for) the one who erases my inscribed name and writes his (own) name, or discards my commemorative inscriptions, hands (them) over for destruction, consigns (them) to oblivion, covers (them) with earth, burns (them) with fire, throws (them) into the water, puts (them) in a Taboo House where there is no visibility, or because of these curses he incites a stranger, a foreigner, a malignant enemy, (a man who speaks) another language, or anyone else (to do any of these things), or conceives of and does anything (injurious), (48) may the god Aššur, the exalted god, the one who dwells in…”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005739/

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Writing & LiteratureReligion & Myth

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Adad-narari I 03

In plain English

Adad-nārārī I, king of the world, strong king, king of Assyria — son of Arik-dīn-ili and grandson of Enlil-nārārī, both kings of Assyria — records his campaign against Šattuara, king of Ḫanigalbat. When Šattuara rebelled and attacked, Adad-nārārī, acting on the command of the god Aššur and the great gods who favored him, captured Šattuara and brought him to the city of Aššur. He made Šattuara swear an oath, then released him to return home; every year after that, for the rest of Šattuara's life, the defeated king came to Aššur and delivered his tribute in person. The inscription breaks off after that.

AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.

“(1) Adad-nārārī (I), king of the world, strong king, king of Assyria, son of Arik-dīn-ili, king of Assyria, son of Enlil-nārārī, (who was) also king of Assyria. (4) When Šattuara, king of the land Ḫanigalbat, rebelled against me and committed hostilities, I seized him by the command of (the god) Aššur, my lord, the one who comes to my aid, and the great gods who decide in my favor, and I brought him to my city, Aššur. I made him take an oath and allowed him to return to his land. Annually, as long as (he) lived, I regularly received his audience gift within my city, Aššur. (15) After his…”

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Writing & LiteratureReligion & Myth

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Adad-narari I 04

In plain English

At that time, a structure in the city of Taidu had fallen into disrepair, so Adad-narari tore out the crumbling sections, rebuilt it from the foundations up to the crenellations, and sealed his commemorative inscriptions inside. He asks that any future ruler who finds the building decayed repair it and restore his inscribed name to its proper place — if they do, the god Aššur will hear their prayers. Anyone who tampers with his inscription or erases his name should expect Aššur to destroy their kingship; a goddess's curse follows, but the surface is too damaged to read her name or the rest of her verdict.

AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.

“(37) At that time, the ... of the city Taidu had become dilapidated and I removed its dilapidated section(s). I restored it. I built (it) from its foundations to its crenellations. Moreover, I deposited my commemorative inscriptions (therein). (42b) In the future, may a future ruler, when that building becomes old and dilapidated, renovate its dilapidated section(s) (and) return my inscribed name to its place. [(The god) Aššur] will (then) listen to his prayers. (46) (As for) the one [who alters] my inscription and [my] name, may Aššur, my lord, [overthrow] his kingship. May the [goddess]…”

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Writing & LiteratureReligion & Myth

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Adad-narari I 05

In plain English

At that time, Adad-narari worked on wells in uncultivated fields — the exact nature of what came before and what he added is lost where the surface breaks. He then built or rebuilt a structure of some kind, from its foundations up to its battlements, beside something else that can no longer be read, and sealed his commemorative inscriptions inside it.

AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.

“(12) At that time, (as for) the wells [in] uncultivated [fields], which [...] before three wells [...] I added [...]. Beside [..., I built (it) from its [foundations to its crenellations. Moreover, I deposited my] commemorative inscriptions (therein).”

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Writing & LiteratureReligion & Myth

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Adad-narari I 06

A building inscription of Adad-nārārī I dedicating a standard to Ištar and invoking Aššur's favour for any future ruler who restores the monument — an early attestation of the Assyrian royal restoration formula that would persist for centuries.

In plain English

The inscription records that Adad-narari captured a standard belonging to a servant of a deity whose name is now lost, then built something — the object or structure is not fully preserved — for Aššur's Ištar, his lady, depositing his commemorative inscriptions inside it. He closes with a charge to future rulers: if any of them repairs the crumbling sections and restores his inscribed name to its proper place, the god Aššur will hear that ruler's prayers.

AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.

“(18') [...] the standard, the servant [of ...] I took and [I built] for the Assyrian Ištar, my lady. [I deposited my commemorative inscriptions (therein)]. (20'b) [In the future], may [a future ruler] renovate its [dilap]idated section(s) (and) [return] my inscribed name [to its place. (The god) Aššur] will (then) listen to his [prayers].”

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Writing & LiteratureReligion & Myth

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Adad-narari I 07

In plain English

The Step Gate of the temple of Aššur — standing opposite the Gate of the Oath of the God of the Land and the Gate of the Judges — had fallen into disrepair: it sagged and shook. Adad-narari cleared the site down to the foundation pit and rebuilt the gate with limestone and mortar quarried from the city Ubasê, then sealed a monumental inscription inside it. He asks any future ruler who finds the structure decayed to restore it and return his inscription and his name to their proper place; if he does, Aššur will hear his prayers. The work was completed on the twentieth day of the month Muḫur-ilāni, during the eponymy of Šulmānu-qarrād.

AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.

“(35) At that time, the Step Gate of the temple of the god Aššur, my lord, which is opposite the Gate of the Oath of the God of the Land and the Gate of the Judges, (and) which was built (some time) ago, had become dilapidated, sagged, and shook. I cleared that site (and) reached its foundation pit. I built (it) with limestone and mortar from the city Ubasê. I restored it. Moreover, I deposited my monumental inscription (therein). (45) In the future, may a future ruler, when that site becomes old and dilapidated, renovate its dilapidated section(s) (and) return my monumental inscription (and) my inscribed name to their (text “its”) places. The god Aššur will (then) listen to his prayers. (80) Muḫur-ilāni, twentieth day, eponymy of Šulmānu-qarrād.”

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Writing & LiteratureReligion & Myth

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Adad-narari I 08

In plain English

The quay wall facing the Tigris River — running from the Ea-šarru Gate at the upper city entrance down to the Tigris Gate at the lower city entrance — had crumbled over time, its limestone and baked brick eaten away by the water. Adad-narari repaired the entire facing with bitumen and baked brick, building it to a thickness of four and a half bricks, then backed it with limestone and mortar brought from the city of Ubasê. He placed his royal inscription inside the structure. The text breaks off at line 32, just as it begins a directive to future rulers.

AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.

“(24) (As for) the facing (of the quay wall), which faces the (Tigris) River from the entrance of the upper city, at the Ea-šarru Gate, to the entrance of the lower city, at the Tigris Gate, which through the (action of the river’s) water had become dilapidated and whose limestone and baked brick flood(s) had eroded away, I repaired that facing using bitumen and baked brick. I made (it) the thickness of four and one half bricks. I faced the back of it using limestone and mortar from the city Ubasê. Moreover, I deposited my monumental inscription (therein). (32) In the future, may a future…”

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