All tablets.

SAA 13 168. The Restoration of Esaggil is Completed (ABL 0119)

(1) To the king, my lord: your servant, Urdu-ahhešu. Good health to the king, my lord. May Aššur and Ešarra bless the king, my lord. May Marduk, Zarpanitu, Nabû, Tašmetu, Nanaya, and all the gods who dwell in Esaggil lengthen the days of the king, my lord. May they firmly establish the throne of the king, my lord. May they grant happiness and physical well-being to the king, my lord. (12) Esaggil, (including) the upper courtyard in the temple in which Bel and Beltia reside, together with its sanctuaries, and the cella of Tašmetu, the lower courtyard, together with its san[ctuaries] — every…

SAA 13 169. Cult Objects Stolen (CT 53 635)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [......] ... (3) [...] greatly [bless the king], my [l]ord. (4) The [...]ians have ta[ken] the [suppor]ts for the pedestals, [the ...], and the wooden water ornaments [for the table of Za]rpanitu. (8) [...] Nabû-ahhe-bulliṭ, [NN, and N]abû-ašared [......]. (Break) (r 3) [...] gold [co]ntainers (r 4) [...] abundant lapis lazuli (r 5) [...] goes there. (r 6) [the ...] is much (r 7) [which ...] will come (r 8) [......] ... gold (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 170. Fragment Mentioning Esaggil

(Beginning destroyed) (1) 150 [......] (2) 5 tables ... [...] (3) Adad-... [...] (4) the king ... [...] (r 1) arm-bands, ri[ngs ...] (r 2) Esaggil [... front] (r 3) and rear [...] (r 4) on the 15th day ... [...] (r 5) in order to a[pply] the plaster (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 171. Killers on the Loose (CT 53 905)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [......] in the hands of m[y] friend (3) Concerning the killing of the men [who conspired with NN] and about whose killing he spoke [with the king], my [lord] — (6) [The ...s who] were sent [with] the letter [...] Asalluhi-ahu-uṣur, the priest of Bel [......], saying: "Capture [and ...] the[se ...]; the men [......]." (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 172. We Have Not Been Selling Sheep (CT 53 876)

(Obverse and beginning of reverse too fragmentary to translate) (r 2) When [......] (r 3) saying: "How many [have you sold] for [silver]? [These are] sheep of [...]." (r 5) The shepherds of regular sheep-offerings told them a[s follows]: "We have not sold [a single sheep] for silver, (nor) [...] from [...]. In truth, we supply (sheep) of our own as food for Bel. This [year], either the [...] sheep or the tamītu-sheep which were presented t[o the ... o]f Bel [...]." (r 13) Concerning the ox which [......] (r 14) [... we shall] perform [......] (r 15) [...] ox [......] (Break) (e. 1) [...] Since he has not brought it [...]

SAA 13 173. We Are Rebuilding Babylon (ABL 0501)

(1) [To the king, my lord]: your servant, Rašil. May [Marduk and Zarpan]itu bless the king, my lord. (3) I [was a dead dog], but the king, my lord, revived me. He helped me conquer [my famine and h]unger. [Now if] I had not written [to] the king, my lord, concerning the house of my lords [and ...], they would not have sought [... from] my [hands, and the king, my lord], would not have stretched out [his hand towar]d me. (9) [And because the]y saw [that we ourselves] are rebuilding Babylon, they too complained. [Just now], when I heard, I wrote [to the king, my lord]. (Break) (r 2) [......] land of the king (r 3) (Break) (r 8) [...... s]ent (r 9) [The king should d]o [as he] deems best.

SAA 13 174. Let Me Have the Gems So I Can Finish My Work (ABL 0498)

(1) To the king, my lord: your servant, Rašil. Good health to the king, my lord. May Marduk and Zarpanitu bless the king, my lord. (5) Your temples are well. I have made the statues which the king, my lord, ordered. I have made the crown of Anu which the king, my lord, ordered. (Both) the sun disks about which I spoke to the king and the ...-emblems have been made. (9) About what I said to the king, my lord: "The 12 minas of gold which came in to me as gifts for Bel I have made into rosettes and ...-ornaments for Zarpanitu." I will now fashion the seals which the king, my lord, gave me. The…

SAA 13 175. The Design for the Bed of the Lord of Heaven and Earth (ABL 0497)

(1) To the king of the lands, my lord: your servant, Rašil. Good health to the king, my lord. May Marduk and Zarpanitu bless the king of the lands, my lord. (6) Concerning the sketch of the bed of the Lord of heaven and earth, about which the king, my lord, wrote to me, saying: "Send it" — I have now [sent it t]o the king, my lord. The king, my lord [... i]n regard to [... wro]te to me [......] (r 1) [...] gold in [...] (r 2) [...] will go (r 3) [...]s ... (r 4) I have now written to the king, my lord. The king, my lord, should do as he deems best.

SAA 13 176. Send Me Assistants for the Clothing Ceremony of Bel (ABL 0496)

(1) [To] the king, my lord: your [servant], Rašil. [Goo]d health to the king, my lord. May Marduk and Zarpanitu grant you long days, everlasting years, happiness, and physical well-being. (8) The 3rd of Elul (VI) is the clothing (ceremony) of Bel; the 4th day is the grand opening of the gate. The king, my lord, knows (this). (12) Iddin-ahi and Ina-qibi-[Bel], the two clergymen about whom [they issue]d an or[de]r [to me], saying: "Send them" — they have gone to the king, my lord. Now let the king, my lord, send them back here so that they can serve with me at this clothing (ceremony). (r 8) The king knows that I myself am taking care of the clothing (ceremony) according to orders and that there is no one else with me. The king should do as he deems best.

SAA 13 177. Send Their Carpenters (ABL 0475)

(1) To the king, my lord: your servant, [Rašil]. May Nabû and Ma[rduk] bless [the king], my lord. (5) Concerning Nadin-ahi and Ina-qibi-Bel, his brother, the two clergymen about whom the king, my lord, issued an order to me, saying: "Send their carpenters (here)" — I have now sent them to the king, my lord.

SAA 13 178. Report to Esarhaddon on Recent Events in Babylonia (BBEA)

(1) To the king of the lands, my lord: your servant Šuma-iddin. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king of the lands, my lord. (3) I was coming to the king, my lord, (but) when Mar-Issar came saying: "I will inscribe the pedestals" — as far as he was concerned there was nothing worth looking at. (So) I was delayed in his presence. As soon as he has finished with me here, I will come and kiss the feet of the king, my lord. (10) The statues of the king which Mar-Issar brought here, saying: "Inspect (them), and let the one which is perfect stand" — when the scholars and I, (all) servants of the king,…

SAA 13 179. More About Events in Babylonia (ABL 0968)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [......] man of [......] (2) [......] men of the king, whe[n ...] (3) [...] all of Babylonia [...] (4) [There is no relative of] mine in the palace of the king, [my] lord. [Should they ...] here, I will disperse their encampment and dw[ellings] here, saying: "The 60+[x men] who have gone must not [...] to the king. Did I myself not say: '10 is all [I commanded], and you who would go, [wait] for me?'" (10) As for the work of the gods of the king in which I was e[arlier] delayed, I have (now) show[n him] the work. In addition to the work which [I have done] on the god…

SAA 13 180. The Statue of Marduk is Coming, They Say (CT 54 395)

(Beginning broken away) (r 3) [......] when he/they returned [......] (r 4) [......] they did [......] (r 5) [...] let [the ki]ng, my lord, identi[fy ......] (r 6) [...] will n[ot] listen and [......] (r 7) [......] are aware ... [..] (r 8) [He ...] and [...] of the feet of [...] (r 9) [Wh]en [...] came, he kept retreating. In the face of [an uprising and] revolt of the people [...] did not go [bef]ore you. (r 12) [Now] they are speaking [abou]t the statue of Marduk, [saying: "The statue] is coming." Whatever he says is gossip for the city. (r 14) [......] and now in the tents (r 15) [......] his gods will [...] (Rest broken away)

SAA 13 181. Troubles with a Chaldean Chieftain (CT 54 506)

(1) [To the king of the lan]ds, [my] lo[rd: your servant, Šuma-id]din. [May Nabû and Marduk] bless the king of the la[nds], my [lo]rd. (5) [The sta]tue of Bel which the king, my lord, made [in] Babylon, is short one-half of a ...-garment and the ...-wood for the .... Had the king indeed sent (them), it would have been finished quickly. (10) The 'Son of Dakuru' has frightened the town(s) of Malilati and Apak which the king gave to Bel (and) the official which the royal delegate and I appointed therein. Moreover, he has tu[rned away] his ears and refuses to give dates to Bel. He has shown no…

SAA 13 182. Broken Letter Mentioning Rašil (ABL 1034)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [......] Beltia [...] (2) [......] you must not sa[y ......] (3) Because you are withholding [...], he c[ame here], saying: "Go and [...] the gods. Moreover, perform the full ilku-duty in the temple [(of) ...]." As soon as I went, the royal bodyguard [of the kin]g, my lord, said: "He will give an accounting." In anger, they took away every single thing that I had re[ceived]. When the city overseer and Issar-na'di, the mayor, joined in the conspiracy with the royal bodyguard, saying: "Fall upon Rašil and take the [...] from him, and with [......]" (Break) (r 1) I have…

SAA 13 183. Fragment Mentioning Rašil (CT 54 467)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) and [......] (2) let him send [...] to Rašil, the clergyman of Be[l ...]. (3) As for what Bel-naṣi[r, the ...-official] of the king, said, I summoned (him) [......]. (r 2) As soon as I [...] into the Inner City, into Ešarra, the garden, which is under the authority of ... The king [should do] as he [deems best]. (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 184. Fragment Mentioning Rašil (ABL 0861)

(1) [To the king, my lord: your servant, NN]. G[ood health t]o the king, [my] lord. May Marduk and Zarpanitu bless the king, my lord. (6) The order came straight from the king, my lord's mouth: "Rašil [will give you] the wooden [...]." Until no[w] no one has issued an order, and he has not given (any) to me. (r 1) May the king, my lord, not [forsake me]! Let the king, my lord, [send] a royal b[odyguard ...] outs[ide ...] (and) [let] the king, my lord, [...] me. (r 6) Now the ki[ng], my [lo]rd, raised me to heaven. Why, (then), from before the feet [of the king], my lord, [......]. (r 10) (Break) (e. 1) If I [cannot see] the face of the king, my lord, why should I live?

SAA 13 185. Threats and Beatings (ABL 1374+)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [... N]N, so[n of ...] (3) [...] his mouth and hands [...] (4) They should hand (him) over. His mouth [...] (5) [...] their wrists ...[...] (6) They should ..., and they should raise the ...[...] in their hands. (8) If he in fact did not attack [me] and they are not handing (me) over, then he should say so before the king! The threat to my person about which I testified against them in the king's presence is the fact that they daily take an oath against me, saying: "Let's kill him!" But because they couldn't kill me they are speaking to the king's magnates, their…

SAA 13 186. The Weavers Have Not Given the Garments (SAAB 02 72)

(1) To the king, lord of kings, [my lord]: your servant, Aplaya, the priest of Kurba'il. Good health to the king, my lord. May Adad, Šala, and Šarrat-nakkanti— the gods who dwell in Edurhenunna — bless the king, my lord, and keep him alive. May they give the king, my lord, happiness and physical well-being. May they grant long days and everlasting years to the king, my lord. (Break) (r 2) [...] I did [n]ot wr[ite/send]. (r 3) [... the we]avers have [not] given the cloth[ing]. Perhaps [the king], m[y lord], will say: "From where did they issue them in the past?" They used to issue the work-quotas from the palace, and the we[av]ers from Arbela used to weave them.

SAA 13 187. The King Had Mercy on his Servant (ABL 0514)

(1) To the king, my lord: your servant, Bel-iddina. Good health to the king, my lord. May Nabû and [Marduk] very greatly bless the king, my lord. May Aššur, Nikkal, and Lord-Crown, who love the name of the king, my lord, ask forever after the health of the king, my lord. May they give to the king, my lord, happiness and physical well-being. (13) May this Sin, (as well as) Nikkal and Nusku, to whom the king, my lord, has been obedient and whom he has revered, [...... to] the king, my lord. (Break) (r 1) [...] to [......] (r 2) [...] the king [...] (r 3) [...with]in [...] (r 4) [...] ... [...]…

SAA 13 188. Thirty Talents (Plus a Few Minas) of Silver for Cultic Objects (CT 53 921)

(1) [To the mother of the kin]g, [my] lor[d], [your servant: NN]. Good [hea]lth to [the mother of the king, my lord. May Sin], Nikkal, [Nusku], Šamaš, Aya, [DN, and DN] bless the king and the mot[her of the kin]g, [my lor]d. (8) I myself, the deputy of the governor, the scribe, the deputy of the treasurer, the temple scribe, the priests of the temples of Harran, together with Šarru-lu-dari, the chariot-driver, weighed out and received 30 talents and [x+]6 minas of silver. (15) [In] Shebat (XI) [...] the month [ ..., we] moved up [......] the works. (18) [...] at the right of the gods (19)…

SAA 13 189. Adad Will Go to the Festival Chapel (ABL 1197)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [To the king, my lord: your servant NN. Good health to the king], my [lord]. (2) The temple[s] of Kili[zi] have been provid[ed with...]s. (5) (In) the month of Iyyar (II), on the 6th day, Adad will set out in procession and take up residence in the Akitu house. (r 1) The king, my lord, [will make] the exorcist and the lamentation priest [g]o, [and they will ta]ke Adad [...] into his temple.

SAA 13 190. These Gods Should Go to Babylon (CT 53 141)

(1) To the king, my lord: your servant, Šamaš-šumu-lešir. Good health to the king, my lord. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king, my lord. (6) When the king, my lord, sent me to the Land of the Chief Cupbearer and gave fields to his servants, in that city to which I ascended, in one temple these six deities were dwelling: Marat-Sin of Eridu, Marat-Sin of Nemed-Lagudu, Marat-Eridu, Nergal, Amurru, and Lugalbanda. (16) The people there told me: "These gods came with the king's father from Issete. The king's father said: 'I will send them with Bel to Babylon.'" (23) No one has spoken about this to…

SAA 13 191. (no title) (ABL 0940)

(1) [To] the king, my lord: [your servant], Bel-šarru-uṣur, [priest of] Ekur. [May DN bl]ess the king, [my lord]. (6) The 12 [...]s which he/they [...] to the king, my lord. [NN and Be]l-ušabši (Break) (r 1) May [...] bless [...]

SAA 13 192. Damage to Divine Furnishings (ABL 1212)

(Beginning destroyed) (r 1) [When NN] and the men with him were bringing Šarrat-samme down from the temple, one of them slipped, and a leg of the ceremonial couch came in contact with the ground. (r 9) [Now] there is [a ...] (r 10) [...] the ground [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 193. (no title) (ABL 1243)

(1) [To the king, my lord: your servant, NN. Good health to the king, my lord. May Bel] and Na[bû] grant l[ong] days, everlasting years, happiness, and physical well-being to the king, my lord. (9) The middle entrance to the courtyard of the temple of Adad which they dismantled is [...]. (r 2) of their [...] (r 3) those who enter [......] (r 4) not [......] (r 5) to (the city of) [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 194. (no title) (CT 53 316)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [......] are strong. (2) [......] ... (3) [... which he/they will s]urround (4) [......] ... (5) [......] ... (6) [......] ... (7) [... in the p]ossession of the palace (8) [... in] the possession of the priest (9) [......] the cooks (r 1) [......] the [...]s (r 2) [...pl]us the storehouse (r 3) [... t]he priest (r 4) [...]

SAA 13 195. Letters to the Palace (CT 53 406)

(Beginning destroyed) (r 1) [... NN], son of the chief singer, is saying: "[......; I heard it] from the mouth of the temple ste[ward]. I and the chief singer have written a letter and sent it [to the pala]ce." (r 5) [NN], the horse trainer, says: "[I heard] from the mouth o[f ......]; the temple steward [wrote] a letter [about it to the palace]. Later [...]" (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 196. A Problem in Samaria? (CT 53 425)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [...] to the king, [my] lord [...] (2) [... NN], his legal [adversary, invoked] the right of appeal to the king concern[ing ..., saying: "[N]N who in Samar[ia comp]letely [...]. I will g[o ...]." Now [the king, my lord, should ...] to [his] servant[(s) le]st I die [......] (Break) (r 1) [... u]s [...] (r 2) [...] he/they do not [...] (r 3) [...] the image of the ki[ng ...] (r 4) [...] I have seen. The king, [my] lo[rd] (r 5) my [...] to the king, [my] lo[rd] (r 6) [...] a break of [...] (r 7) [...] is [in] fear [...] (r 8) [... which he/they] ... the king, my lord [...] (r 9) [...] all not [......] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 197. About a Divine Party (CT 53 452)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [...] The seal [...... the king] (3) my lord should command: "[......]" (4) their 'party' which [......] (5) let them bring; the servants [of ...] (6) should perform [...]. If there is fault [......]. (7) Now the king ... [......]. (8) The eye[s o]f the king are upon [......] (9) [No] one inter[cedes] for me [...] (10) and from th[is] silver [...] (11) [The king], my [lo]rd, knows t[hat ......] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 198. Counting Statues (CT 53 516)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) of/which [......] (2) [...] 2 statues of the king [......] (3) we made [......] (4) Total: 15 ... [......] (5) Total: 16 [......] (6) statue of [......] (Break) (r 1) 3 [......] (r 2) 102 [......] (r 3) 2 ... [......] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 199. (no title) (CT 53 544)

(1) To the k[ing, my lord: your] serv[ant, NN] (Break) (r 1) [in] my presence [...] (r 2) [...] constan[t ...] (r 3) He should [perform] the sacrifice. (r 4) It is the beginning of [...] ... [...].

SAA 13 200. The Sacred Marriage of the Lord of the Lands (CT 53 601)

(Beginning destroyed) (r 1) [......] b[ed]room (r 2) [...] Lord of the Lands, g[em(s)] (r 3) [...] (his) [...] in the bedroom (r 4) [which] he/they [...], he [...] (r 5) [......] there is (r 6) [...... bedr]oom [...] (r 7) a new [...] in the [bed]room (r 8) [...] in ... [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 201. Trampled Writing Boards (CT 53 622)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) writing boar[ds ...] (2) of boxwood [...] (3) was trampled upon [...]. (4) The writing board[s ...] (5) appeara[nces ...] (6) flesh [...] (7) he/they [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 202. Fragment Mentioning Harran (CT 53 653)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) to [......] (3) the gods o[f ......] (4) ... [......] (5) of/which [......] (Break) (e. 1) [...... to] 30 ye[ars ......] (e. 2) [...... to] the king, my lord I [......] (e. 3) [......] ... for the table [......] (e. 4) [......] ... the citizens of Harran [......] (e. 5) [......] ... [......]

SAA 13 203. (no title) (CT 53 662)

(Beginning destroyed) (r 1) On the 10th day, the statues [...] (r 2) Total: statue of Marat-[...] (r 3) we have [...] (r 4) [...] ... [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 204. (no title) (CT 53 681)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [which] he/they [...] (3) [...] their [me]ssenger (4) [...] within the bedro[om] (5) [...] spoke to [us] (6) [...] within ... [...] (7) [...] ... [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 205. (no title) (CT 53 738)

(Beginning destroyed) (r 1) [... the sta]tue of the king [...] (r 2) [...] to [...] (r 3) [...] in the begin[ning ...] (r 4) [... t]o the ki[ng ...] (r 5) [......] ... [...]

SAA 13 206. (no title) (CT 53 896)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) of the images [...] (3) which is before [......] (4) in the morn[ing ...] (5) in the temple [......] (6) they will plac[e ......] (7) of/which the king [......] (8) the magaz[ine ...] (9) in the house/temple [......] (r 1) Ti[......] (and) (r 2) Sin-[......], (r 3) brothers [of ......] (r 4) On the 9th o[f ......] (r 5) saying, "[NN] (r 6) the priest [... t]o [NN] (r 7) the temple steward [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 207. Priests’ Helpers (CT 53 899)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) May [DNN] bless [the king, my lord]. May Bel [and Nabû] give to [the king, my lord], a [life] of [lon]g days. [May the king, my lord, by] the command of [...] and [..., whose] shepherd[ship] is as eternal as [heaven and earth], exercise kingship [...] years of reign. (7) [As to what the king], my lord, wrote to me: "Make known to me the names of the priests [... and] the [...] of their gods [...]" — (11) [......] temple [...] (Break) (r 3) These are the ones who are stand[ing] in for their fathers: Ahu-riba, son of the boatman, Ahušina, chariot-[knight], and…

SAA 13 208. (no title) (CT 53 901)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) We raised [them] from their places and lined them up on ... [...]. On the 16th, we will bring them [into ...].

SAA 13 209. (no title) (CT 53 909)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [...] their [mess]engers [...] (3) [...] as follows [......] (4) [...] meat ... [...] (5) We did not see. The work about which [...] issued [an order] to us [...] (6) As much as we did not [......] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 13 210. (no title) (CT 53 925)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [... A]ssyri[a ...] (3) ... [...] ... to Nabû-iddina, (4) to Nabû-tartiba-uṣur (r 1) (Break) (r 2) [... l]ette[r ...] (r 3) [...] ... [...] (r 4) [...] ... day 14 (r 5) [...] ... day 15 [...] (r 6) I ... [...] of carnelian (r 7) My [sac]rifices to [...] (Remainder destroyed)

SAA 13 211. (no title) (CT 53 957)

(Beginning destroyed) (r 2) to the ki[ng ...] (r 3) in regard to the rite(s) [...] (r 4) let this [...] (r 5) [... o]f someo[ne/somethi[ng ...] (r 6) May [B]el (and) Nabû [bless the king], m[y lord]. (r 8) Nisan 15th day, [epo]nym year of Gabbaru.

Ashurbanipal 001

Documents Ashurbanipal's forced resettlement of conquered populations into Egypt and the Levantine town of Qirbit — a concrete case of Assyrian demographic engineering as an instrument of imperial control.

Ashurbanipal 002

Lists nine deities who legitimise Ashurbanipal's rule, each sponsoring a different royal quality — a snapshot of the theological machinery the Neo-Assyrian court used to underwrite imperial authority.

Ashurbanipal 003

Claims divine sanction for Ashurbanipal's literacy — the gods granted him 'a broad mind' to master the scribal arts — embedding scholarly kingship ideology at the heart of Assyrian royal self-presentation.

Ashurbanipal 004

Claims divine sanction not just for Ashurbanipal's military power but for his scribal learning — one of the clearest royal assertions that literacy itself was a gift of the gods and a mark of legitimate kingship.

Ashurbanipal 005

Claims divine sanction for Ashurbanipal's legendary scribal literacy — a rare royal boast that a king personally mastered cuneiform learning, framing intellectual mastery as a god-given mark of legitimate rule.

Ashurbanipal 006

Claims Ashurbanipal completed Esarhaddon's unfinished temples — including Eḫursaggalkurkurra at Aššur — framing construction piety as dynastic continuity and divine sanction for his kingship.