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Page 161 / 223

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 146

Sennacherib frames his destruction of Babylon as justified punishment by casting its king Šūzubu — a runaway Chaldean slave who seized the throne — as a usurper whose illegitimacy condemned the city itself.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-Assyrian

RINAP 3

Sennacherib 147

Sennacherib frames the rebel Šūzubu's rise from runaway slave to king of Babylon as proof of Babylon's moral disorder — a rare royal justification for the city's destruction in 689 BCE.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 148

Preserves Sennacherib's own account of invoking Aššur, Ištar, Bēl, and five other deities before battle, documenting the full divine pantheon a Neo-Assyrian king enlisted to legitimise military campaigns circa 695 BCE.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 149

Sennacherib's own account of campaigning through terrain so harsh 'no other living man had ever pitched a tent there,' recording the flight of Marduk-apla-iddina II — Merodach-baladan of the Hebrew Bible — before Assyrian arms.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 150

Records Merodach-baladan's flight from Babylon before Sennacherib's advance, corroborating the Biblical account (2 Kings 20) while framing the conquest as a joyful royal entry — Assyrian propaganda at its most pointed.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 151

Preserves precise aslu-cubit measurements for Sennacherib's palace terrace beside the Tigris, offering rare metrological data for reconstructing the actual dimensions of a Neo-Assyrian royal building project.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 152

Attests Sennacherib's building activity at the Rear Palace in Nineveh alongside his standard universal-dominion titulary, anchoring both the structure's chronology and the ideological framework Assyrian kings used to legitimise conquest.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 153

Invokes Aššur, Mullissu, Sîn, Šamaš, and Anu in the preamble of a Sennacherib royal inscription, mapping the precise divine hierarchy that legitimated Assyrian kingship around 695 BCE.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 154

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.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 155

Attests Sennacherib's claim that Aššur elevated his weapons above all rival kings and subjected rulers from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf — framing universal empire as divine mandate.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 157

Prescribes the curse formula to be engraved on a small bead-seal, invoking Aššur, Sîn, and Šamaš against anyone who erases Sennacherib's name — direct evidence that Assyrian royal identity was stamped onto personal ornaments, not only monumental stone.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 158

Attests Sennacherib's elevation of Aššur by transferring to him the Tablet of Destinies — a theological maneuver that repositioned the Assyrian city-god as supreme ruler over both Igīgū and Anunnakū, displacing Marduk's traditional cosmic authority.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 159

Sennacherib's hymnic titulature for Aššur absorbs the roles of Anu and Enlil into a single deity — an early cuneiform witness to Assyrian theological centralisation of the pantheon around a national god.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 160

Attests Sennacherib's construction of an akītu-house for a festival whose rites had lapsed, naming its cella after Tiāmat's defeat — linking live royal cult revival directly to the Babylonian creation myth.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 161

Addresses Aššur as supreme regulator of fate and wielder of deluge-force against negligent lands — evidence that Sennacherib recast the Assyrian state god in cosmological terms to legitimise royal punishment campaigns.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 163

Records Sennacherib's refurbishment of Aššur's cult images and Ešarra's rites, explicitly invoking Sargon II as a legitimising precedent — and uniquely notes its own placement on the alallu-stone pavement where the king prostrated himself.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 191

Sennacherib records installing cedar doors on kasurrû-stone thresholds at the Gate of the Wagon Star, anchoring the renovation of an Aššur temple gate to a datable reign and a named astronomical feature.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 216

Records Sennacherib's construction of Egallammes, the temple of Nergal at Tarbiṣu — fixing the god's cult site to that city and the building's completion within Sennacherib's reign.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 219

Attests Sennacherib's construction of Kilīzu's outer fortification wall in baked brick — locating this otherwise obscure Assyrian provincial town within the king's broader programme of imperial infrastructure.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 087

A royal titulary inscription of Sennacherib (~695 BCE), preserving the ceremonial formula — great king, strong king, king of the world — through which Assyrian monarchs projected cosmic authority over conquered territories.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 004

One of Sennacherib's campaign annals, preserving his titulary and the theological claim that Aššur personally granted him unrivalled sovereignty — a template for legitimising Assyrian imperial conquest.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 042

Records Sennacherib's account of defeating Marduk-apla-iddina II at the Battle of Kish (~703 BCE), one of the few Assyrian royal texts to name the Chaldean-Elamite coalition that twice seized the Babylonian throne.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianEditorial

Sennacherib's Annals (Taylor Prism)

One of the rare cuneiform texts that explicitly cross-references the Hebrew Bible: the same historical event narrated by both sides. The Taylor Prism gives us the Assyrian view of a moment the biblical authors framed as divine deliverance. It is also a masterpiece of imperial propaganda — the prisma…

Writing & Literature·Law

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 009

(1) [Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of Assyria, unrivalled king, pious] shepherd [who reveres the great gods, guardian of truth who loves justice, renders assistance], goes to the aid of the weak, (and) [strives after good deeds, perfect man, virile warrior, foremost of all rul]ers, the bridle that controls the in[submissive, (and) the one who strikes enemies with lightning]: (4) [The god Aššur, the great mountain, granted to me unrivalled sovereignty and made my weapons greater] than (those of) all who sit on (royal) daises. (5) [At the beginning of my kingship, I brought about…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 019

(i' 1') [I added ... pay]ment [and] imposed (it) [upon them]. (i' 3'b) [As for him, He]zekiah, [fear of] my lordly [brilliance (i´ 5´) overwhelmed him and he had] the auxiliary forces [and his] elite [troops whom he] had brought [inside the city Jeru]salem, [his royal city, along with 30 talents of gold], 800 talents of silver, (i´ 10´) [every kind of treasure] of his palace, [as well as his daughters], his palace [women, male singers, (and) female singers brought in]to Nineveh and he sent a moun]ted messenger of his to me [to deliver (this) pay]ment. (i' 15') [On my fourth campaign, I…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 021

(i' 1') [... they became frightened on acc]ount of the vill[ainous acts they had committed. They formed a confederation with] the kings of [Egypt (and) the archers, c]hariots, (and) hors[es of the king of the land Meluḫḫa], forces without number. (i' 5'b) In the plain of [the city Elteke]h, [I fought] with them [and] defeated them. (ii' 1') [...] ... [... He] — Marduk-apla-[iddina] (II) (Merodach-baladan), whom I had defeated during my fir[st] campaign — (ii´ 5´) became frightened by the clangor of [my] mighty weapon[s] and fl[ed] to (the city) Nagī[te]-raqqi, which is in the midst of the…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 023

(i 1) Sennacherib, great king, [strong] king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the fou[r] quarters (of the world), capable shepherd, favorite of the grea[t] gods, guar[dian of truth] who lov[es] justi[ce, (i 5) renders assis]tance, goes to the aid of the w[eak], (and) str[ives after] good deeds, perfect man, virile warrior, foremost of all rulers, the bridle that controls the insubmissive, (and) the one who strikes enemies with lightning: (i 9b) The god Aššur, the great mountain, granted to me unrivalled sovereignty and made my weapons greater than (those of) all who sit on (royal)…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 025

(i' 1') [...] ... [(...) (As for) the rest of his magnates, including Nabû]-šuma-iškun, [a son of Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), who had raised their arms because they were terrified of] doing battle with me, I [captured them ali]ve [in the thick of battle]. (i' 6') [I b]rought back [all together the chariots along with their horses, whose drivers had been killed i]n the thick of (that) [mighty battle and which had themselves been released so that they galloped about on] their [ow]n. [When the second double-hour of the night had passed], I stopped [their slaughter]. (i' 11') [(As…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 034

(1) Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), favorite of the great gods, wise prince, circumspect ruler, shepherd of people, (and) leader of a widespread population, I: (3b) The god Aššur, father of the gods, looked steadfastly upon me among all of the rulers and made my weapons greater than (those of) all who sit on (royal) daises. He gave me a just scepter that widens borders (and) he put in my hand a merciless rod to fell enemies. (6b) In a pitched battle, I overwhelmed like the Deluge Marduk-apla-iddina…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 035

(1') [...] ... [... I carried off the people of the land Bīt-Yakīn and their gods, together with sol]diers of [the king of the land Elam, and I brought (them) to Assyria]. (3'b) Afterwards, the [Babylonians — ..., who along with Mar]duk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan) [had gr]oveled [in the face of] my mighty [we]apons dur[ing the course of a previous campaign of mine, ...] ..., had gone out, and had fled to (the land) Elam — brought [..., the E]lamite, to Babylon [and] he (the king of Elam) pla[ced Šūzubu (Nergal-ušēzib), son of Gaḫul (Gaḫal), o]n the royal throne over them. (9') [I…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 036

(1) [The god] Aššur, the great mountain, father of the gods, the one who decrees [fates, ..., who deli]berates (only) with himself; the gods Anu, Enlil, (and) E[a, ...] the designs of heaven and earth, who designates ... [...; the god Sîn (...)], the one who constantly renews himself, the pure god whose signs are inscrutab[le, ...], (5) the one who makes decisions, the one who makes [ast]rological signs [known; the god Šamaš, ...], great judge of the great gods, whose [lordly] splendor [overwhelms all of] the lands everywhere; the god Adad, canal inspector of heaven (and) earth, [...], the…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 037

(1) Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), (and) favorite of the great gods: (4b) The god Aššur, father of the gods, looked steadfastly upon me among all of the rulers and he made my weapons greater than (those of) all who sit on (royal) daises. He gave me a just scepter that widens borders (10) (and) he put in my hand a merciless rod to fell enemies. [He] made rulers of the four quarters (of the world), from east to west, bow down at my feet and they (now) pull my yoke. (14) [The akītu-house which] from…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 038

(1) Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), (and) favorite of the great gods: (5) The god Aššur and the goddess Ištar granted me a weapon without equal and gave me the strength (lit. “opened my arms”) to destroy those hostile to Assyria. With their great support, (10) I constantly directed my troops in safety from east to west and I made all of the rulers who sit on (royal) daises throughout the four quarters (of the world) bow down at my feet and they (now) pull my yoke. (13b) At that time, I enlarged the site of…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 039

(1) Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), favorite of the great gods: (7) The god Aššur, father of the gods, looked steadfastly upon me among all of the rulers and he made my weapons greater than (those of) all who sit on (royal) daises. (11) At that [time], the palace in the citadel of Nineveh, which the kings, my ancestors, had had constructed and whose site was too small; alongside of which the Tebilti River had flowed and which had shaken its base when its flood was in full spate: (17) I tore down that…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 040

(1') [I ra]ised its superstructure [in its entirety 190 courses of brick]. I en[larged] the structure of the palace [to 700 large cubits along (its) longer side and 440 large cubits along (its) shorter side and (thus) I made its site bigger]. (2'b) I built [palatial halls of breccia, alabaster], elephant ivory, ebony, boxwood, [musukkannu]-wood, [cedar, cypress, juniper, (and) elammaku-wood] there[on as my lo]rdly [residence]; (then) I had a port[ico, a replica of a Hittite palace], constructed [opposite (its) gates]. (5') I [roofed them (the palatial halls) with] beams of ced[ar] (and)…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 041

(1') [I made (them) an obj]ect of wonder. (2'b) I decorated them (the doors) with silver [and copper] knobbed [nails]. I adorned the arches, friezes, and all of their copings with baked bricks (glazed in the color of) obsidian (and) lapis lazuli. (7'b) So that the construction of my palace might be carried out correctly and that my handiwork be completed, at that time, the god Aššur and the goddess Ištar, who love my priestly service (and) who selected me (lit. “who called my name”), revealed to me a source of trunks of cedar, which since distant days grew tall and very thick as they stood in…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 043

(1) Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), favorite of the great gods, wise prince, circumspect ruler, shepherd of the people, (and) leader of a widespread population, I: (3) The goddess Bēlet-ilī, the lady of creation, looked steadfastly upon me and created my features (while I was still) in the womb of the mother who gave birth to me. Moreover, the god Ninšiku gave me wide understanding equal to (that of) the sage Adapa (and) endowed me with broad knowledge. (4b) The god Aššur, father of the gods, made…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 044

(1) Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), (and) favorite of the great gods: (5) The god Aššur, father of the gods, looked steadfastly upon me among all of the rulers and he made my weapons greater than (those of) all who sit on (royal) daises. (7b) In a pitched battled, I repulsed Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), the king of Karduniaš (Babylonia), (and) took away his rulership. I killed with the sword all of the Chaldeans, together with the massed body of Elamite troops, his allies. (11b) I…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 045

(1') a dangerous enemy. [I ruined the land Ellipi and destroyed its settlements. Moreover, Lulî], the king of the city Sidon, [became frightened of doing battle with me], fl[ed] like a fish [to Yadnana (Cyprus), which is in the midst of the sea, and took refuge (there). In that same land, he disappeared] on account of the awesome terror of the w[eapon of the god Aššur, my lord]. I p[laced Tu-Baʾlu on] his [roy]al [throne and imposed upon him payment (in recognition) of my overlordship]. (6') [I rui]ned [the] wi[de district of the ... land Judah (and) ...]

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 046

(1) Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), the wise (and) capable favorite of the great gods, virile warrior, [fo]remost of all rulers, the bridle that controls the insubmissive, (and) the one who strikes enemies with lightning: (2b) The god Aššur, the great mountain, granted to me unrivalled sovereignty and made my w[eapon]s greater than (those of) all who sit on (royal) daises. He made all of the rulers of the (four) quarters (of the world) from the Upper Sea of the Setting Sun to the [Lo]wer Sea of the…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 047

(1') [...] ... [... In the uplands of Mount Ammanāna (northern Anti-Lebanon), they (Aššur and Ištar) disclosed to me the location of alabaster, which in the time of the king]s, [my] ancestor[s, was too expensive (even) for the pommel of a sword]. (3'b) [Moreover, breccia], as much as is needed (for making) bur[zigallu-bowls, (a stone) that had never been seen before, revealed itself at Kapridargilâ (“Dargilâ Village”)]. (4'b) [Near Nineveh, in the territory of the city Balāṭāya, b]y [divine] will, [white limestone was discovered in abundance, and (then) I created bull colossi of alabaster…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 049

(1) [Palace of Sennacherib], great [king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), favorite of the great gods, wise prince], circumsp[ect ru]ler, shepherd of [the pe]op[le, (and) leader of a widespread population, I]: (3b) [The goddess Bēlet-ilī, the lady of creat]ion, [looked steadfastly upon me and created my features] (while I was still) in the womb of the mot[her who g]ave birth to [me. Moreover, the god Ninšiku ga]ve me wide understanding equal to (that of) the sage Ada[pa (and) endowed me with broad knowledge]. (5) [The god Aššur, father…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 050

(1) [Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world)], favorite of [the great gods, wise prince, circumspect ruler, shepherd of the people, (and) leader of a widespr]ead [population, I]: (3b) [The goddess Bēlet-ilī, the lady of creation, looked steadfastly upon me and cre]ated [my features (while I was still) in the womb of the mother who gave birth to me. Moreover, the god Ninšiku gave me wide understanding equal to (that of) the sage Adapa (and) endowed me with broad kn]owledge. (5) [The god Aššur, father of the…

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 051

(1) Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria: pendû-stone, whose appearance is as finely granulated as mottled barley (and) which in the time of the kings, my ancestors, was considered valuable enough to be an amulet, made itself known to me at the foot of Mount Nipur. I had (it) fashioned into sphinxes and had (them) dragged into Nineveh.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 052

(1) [(Palace of) Sennac]herib, [...], favorite of the great gods: (2b) [(The god) Aššur granted] me [...] and, from ea[st] to [west he made ... bow d]own [at my feet] and they (now) pull my yoke. (4b) At [that time, ... which earlier kings], my ancestors, had had built [and ...] its construction [...]. Moreover, from [...]

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 053

(1) [Sennacherib], king of the world, king of As[syria: Maniy]e, [the king of the city Uk]ku, [became frightened by my] batt[le] array, abandoned [the city Ukku], a city upon which he relied, [and] fled [far] away. (As for) the populati[on living] inside it, [who] had flown away like [bir]ds to the peak of a [rug]ged mountain, [I pu]rsued them and [def]eated them on the peak of (that) mountain. [I burned] the city Ukku, his royal city, with fi[re].

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 054

(1) [Sennacherib], king of the world, king of Assyria, marches to conquer [...]ti.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 055

(1') [I plun]dered, destroyed, devastated, (and) [bur]ned with fire.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 056

(1) I surrounded, conquered, plundered, (and) burned with fire the city Bīt-Kubatti.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 057

(1) I surrounded, conquered, (and) plundered (the city) Dilbat.

Writing & Literature·Religion & Myth

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