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~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 201

(1) Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, the one who fashi[oned image(s) of (the god) Aššur] and the great gods: With baked bricks from a (ritually) pure kiln, I [had] the Step Gate [of the Palace in Baltil (Aššur) built] anew [and I] rai[sed (it) as high as a mountain].

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 202

(1) Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, the one who fashioned image(s) of (the god) Aššur and the great gods, I: With baked bricks from a (ritually) pure [kiln], I raised the Step Gate of the Palace in Baltil (Aššur) as high as a mountain.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 203

(1) Palace of Rest, an eternal dwelling, the firmly-founded family house of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 204

(1) Palace of Sleep, a restful tomb, the eternal dwelling of Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 205

(1) Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, the one who fashioned image(s) of (the god) Aššur and the great gods, I: I built a house for Aššur-nādin-šumi, my eldest son, and laid its foundation(s) with limestone, stone from the mountains. I had (it) made with the craft of the god Kulla and I raised (it) as high as a mountain.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 209

(1') [...] of gold, two bull-shaped [son-of-Šamaš figures of ...] I opened [a n]ew [gate ... towards the east], and [named it “The Royal] Gate.” (3') [...] I built (anew) [the ga]te (of) ... and [widened ...] that [gate of the ce]lla had become dilap[idated and ...] of gold, a bull-shaped son-of-Šamaš figure of gold, a scorpion-m[an figure of ..., ...] I widened [the gate of the c]ella and [I named it] “The Gate of the Path of the En[lil-Stars.”] Four bull-shaped son-of-Šamaš figures of reddish bronze ra[ise] up in their hands a sun disk (and) [hold up the roof] above, (while) below, their…

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 210

(1) Palace of Sennach[erib, king of Assyria]: papparmīnu-stone from the land/mountain [...]. Whoever [places (it)] in the service [of a god (or another) person (or) erases] my inscribed name, [may] the deities Aššur, Mullissu, [...] make his name (and) his seed dis[appear].

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 211

(1) Palace of Sennacherib, king of Assyria: One-half mina. (4) One-half (mina).

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 212

(1) The Seal of Destinies [by which] (the god) Aššur, king of the gods, seals (the destinies of) the Igīgū and Anunnakū gods, the heavens, the netherworld, and man[kind]. (6) Whatever he seals cannot be changed. Whoever (tries to) change (what he seals), may (the god) Aššur, king of the gods, (and) the goddess Mullissu, together with their children, kill him with their mighty weapons. (11) I am Sennacherib, king of [As]syria, the ruler who reveres you. (13) Whoever erases (my) [inscr]ibed name (or) alters this Seal of Destinies belonging to you, erase his name (and) his seed from the land.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 213

(1) Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of Assyria, unrivalled king, true shepherd, favorite of 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 rulers, the bridle that controls the insubmissive, (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, after I sat on the lordly…

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 214

(1) For the god Nergal, his lord: I, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, built Egallammes, which is in the city Tarbiṣu, from its foundations to its crenellations for my life, the well-being of my offspring, the overthrow of my enemies, the success of the harvest of Assyria, (and) the well-being of Assyria. [I deposited] (my) clay cones (therein).

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 215

(1) Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, had Egallammes, the temple of the god Nergal, which is in the city Tarbiṣu, built and I made (it) as bright as day.

LawReligion & 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.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 218

(1) Sennacherib, great king, king of the world, king of Assyria, had the (inner) wall (and) the outer wall of the city Kilīzu built anew and raised as high as mountains.

LawReligion & 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.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 222

(1) The deities Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Adad, Ninurta, and Ištar, the great gods who stand at the side of the king, their favorite, and make his weapons prevail over all enemies: (6) Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, the attentive prince (who is) your protégé, who by your [firm] ‘yes’ marched about and who made the insubmissive lands (and) disobedient people of the mountains bow down at his feet: (12) At that time, the cities Tumurrum, Šarum, Ḫalbuda, Kipšu, Ezāma, Qūa, (and) Qana, which were on the border of the land Katmuḫi, which were situated like the…

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 223

(1) Deities Aššur, Anu, Enlil, Ea, Sîn, Šamaš, Adad, Marduk, Nabû, [Nerg]al, Ištar, (and) the Sebetti, the great gods, who install the lord (and) name the ruler to lead the black-headed (people) all over the inhabited world: (3) Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), the prince who provides for them, by your firm ‘yes’ I marched about safely from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, and (then) I made rulers of the (four) quarters (of the world) bow down at my feet and they (now) pull my yoke: (5b) At that time, I greatly…

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 224

(1) The palace of Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 225

(1) The palace of Sennacherib, king of Assyria.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 226

(1) Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria: Over a long distance, I had the water of the two Ḫazur Rivers, the water of the Pulpullia River, the water of the city Ḫanusa, the water of the city Gammagara, (5) (and) water from mountain springs on the right and left sides of it added to it (and thereby) I had a canal dug to the plain of Nineveh. I had an aqueduct constructed (by packing down) white limestone over deep wadis (and thereby) enabled those waters to flow over it.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 227

(1) [Sennacherib ...]: I had a [can]al d[ug] over a long distance, from the Ḫusu[r] River [...] I had an aqueduct constructed (by packing down) limestone [over dee]p [wadis (and thereby) ...] water[s ...].

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 228

(Frgm._A 1) At tha[t t]ime [... I marched] quick[ly] to Babylon [and ...], the king of Karduniaš (Babylonia), who [...] (Frgm._B 1) [...] captured [...] ... [... h]e, Mar­[duk-ap­la]-iddin[a (II) (Merodach-baladan) ... hea]rd about [the advance of my expeditionary force] and fear and [t]err[or fell upon him ...] (Frgm._C 1) [...] his city gates [...] Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan) [...] I brought out [... from] that [...] and I counted (them) as booty. (Frgm._D 1) I brought out [...] precious [stones], utensils of ... [...] attendants, male singers, [...] and [I counted (them) as]…

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 229

(1) Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria: (As for) the three watercourses which (flow) from Mount Ḫāni, a mountain above the city Arbela, I dug out the springs which are on the right and left banks of those watercourses and (thus) added (the springs’ water) to them. I dug a (subterranean) watercourse and directed (all of) their course(s) inside the city Arbela, the dwelling of the goddess Ištar, the exalted lady.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 230

(1) The deities Aššur — great lord, the father of the gods — Anu, Enlil, and Ea, Sîn, Šamaš, Adad, Marduk, Nabû, Nergal, Ištar, (and) the Sebetti, the great gods who stand at the side of the king who reveres them and make his weapons prevail over all enemies: (3) Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), the king who was chosen by you, 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 rulers, the bridle that…

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 231

(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 [god]s, wise prince, [circumspect] rul[er, shepherd of the peop]le, (and) leader of a widespre[ad] population, [I]: (4) [The god Aššur, father of the gods], looked steadfastly upon me [among all of the ru]lers and [made] my [we]apons [greater] than (those of) a[ll who sit on (royal) daises]. He gave me a ju[st] scepter [that widens borders (and) he put in my hand] a merciless [ro]d to fell ene[mies]. (7b) [I]n a pitched battle, I…

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 232

(1) Sennacherib, king of Assyria.

LawReligion & Myth
~695 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 3

Sennacherib 233

(1) [Senn]acherib, king of the world, [king of Assyria], gave (this object) [to] Esarhaddon, his senior-ranking son.

LawReligion & 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 prismatic shape allows the text to be read on six faces, the cuneiform is meticulous, the rhetoric calibrated to terrify potential rebels.

Writing & LiteratureLaw
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 001. Treaty of Šamši-Adad V with Marduk-zakir-šumi, King of Babylon (AfO 08 28)

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [......] horses [......]. (3) If the governor [......] sends troops [to ......], the king [shall ... no]thing [......]. (5) [......] he shall trust [in] their [stead]fast heart ...[...]. (6) [......] he shall not deport [......] Babylonia and Assyria nor seize [......]. (7) He shall [......] to the forts and gar[risons ......]. (8) Šamši-Adad shall not say (any) evil words about Marduk-rimanni [... to] the king, (viz.): "Kill, blind, or se[ize him", nor] shall king Marduk-zakir-šumi listen to him (should he say such things). (11) [He shall not ......] him, [nor ...]…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 002. Treaty of Aššur-nerari V with Mati’-ilu, King of Arpad (AfO 08 17+)

(Beginning destroyed) (i 1) [... may Mati'-ilu], his sons and daughters, his mag[nates and the people of his land become] altogether like [...], may his land [be reduced] to wasteland, may only an area of the size of a brick (be left) for [him to stand upon], may nothing be left for his sons, [his daughters, his magnates and the peo]ple of his land to stand upon. May Mati'-ilu [together with his sons], daughters, magnates and the people of his land [...] like limestone, and may he, together with the people of his land, be cru[shed] like gypsum. (i 10) This spring lamb has not been brought out…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 003. Sennacherib’s Succession Treaty (PKTA 31)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [...... which Sennach]erib, king of Assyr[ia, your lord], has set to you: (2) [If you should hear] improper things, you shall speak out [going] to Sennacherib, king of Assyria, [your lord], and totally devoting yourselves to the king, your lord, (5) if you should not protect [Esarhaddon, the crown prince designate, and] the other princes [whom Sennacherib, king of Assyria, has presen]ted to you; (otherwise): (7) [May Aššur, Mullissu, Šerua], Sin, Nikkal, Šamaš, Nu[r, Anu, Antu, Illil, Adad, Š]ala, Kippat-mati, [Ištar of Heaven, Ištar of Nineveh], Ištar of [Arbela,…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 004. Accession Treaty of Esarhaddon (JCS 39 187)

(Beginning destroyed) (r 1) [...... t]ower[s ...] I shall tell [...] to [... and] trav[ellers, I shall send messengers] to the south and [the north ...]. (r 4) Should I he[ar an ug]ly word about him [from the mou]th of his progeny, [should I hear it] from the mouth of one of the magnates or [governors], [from the mouth of one o]f the bearded or from the mouth of [the eunuchs], I will tell it to Esarhaddon, my lord; (r 8) I [will] be [his servant] and speak good of him, I [will be] loyal to him and [... the fa]ce of Esarhaddon my lord, [...]; (r 10) I will [keep] the oath [of this treaty…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 005. Esarhaddon’s Treaty with Baal, King of Tyre (Ash pl. 3+)

(i 1) [The treat]y of Esarhad[don, king] of Assyria, son of [Sennacherib likewise king of Assyria, with Baa]l, king of Tyre, with [..., his son, and his other sons and grandsons, with a]ll [Tyrians], young and old [... (Break) (i 5) or ...[......] (i 6) or [......] (i 7) or with [......] (i 8) not[......] (i 9) if [......] not ...[......] (i 10) If Assyr[ia ......] (i 11) ... you [......]...[......] (Break) (ii 10) [......] according to [...] (ii 11) [......] let [...] (ii 12) [......] ...[...] (ii 13) [...... t]o the ex[empt] (Break) (iii 1) [......] from ... until [......] (iii 2) [......]…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 006. Esarhaddon’s Succession Treaty (VTE)

(i) Seal of the god Aššur, king of the gods, lord of the lands — not to be altered; seal of the great ruler, father of the gods — not to be disputed. (1) The treaty of Esarhaddon, (king of the world), king of Assyria, son of Sennacherib, (likewise king of the world), king of Assyria, with Humbareš, city-ruler of Nahšimarti (etc.), his sons, his grandsons, with all the Nahšimarteans (etc.), the men in his hands young and old, as many as there are from sunrise to sunset, all those over whom Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, exercises kingship and lordship, (with) you, your sons and your grandsons…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 007. Oath of Loyalty to Esarhaddon (JCS 39 174)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) ..[......] (2) to the ci[ty ......] (3) to Esarh[addon ......] (4) you shall [......] (5) standing [......] (6) his seed and his fa[mily ......] (7) you shall ...[......] (8) has sacrificed yo[u ......] (9) fumigant[s ......] (10) you shall ...[......] (11) king of Assyria [......] (Break) (r 2) not [......] (r 3) you s[hall ......] (r 4) what you [......] (r 5) whol[eheartedly ......] (Rest destroyed)

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 008. Zakutu Treaty (ABL 1239+)

(1) The treaty of Zakutu, the queen of Senna[cherib, ki]ng of Assyria, mother of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, (3) with Šamaš-šumu-ukin, his equal brother, with Šamaš-metu-uballiṭ and the rest of his brothers, with the royal seed, with the magnates and the governors, the bearded and the eunuchs, the royal entourage, with the exempts and all who enter the Palace, with Assyrians high and low: (9) Anyone who (is included) in this treaty which Queen Zakutu has concluded with the whole nation concerning her favourite grandson [Assurba]nipal, (12) anyone (of you) who should [...] fabricate and carry…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 009. Assurbanipal’s Treaty with Babylonian Allies (ABL 1105)

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [We swear by Aššur, Šerua,] Bel[et-ili, ......, a]ll [the gods of Assyria and Babylonia], and [all] the great gods [of heaven and earth, ......], (3) [that] from this day on [for as long as we live we will be subjects of Assurbanipal, king of Assyria], (that) Assurbanipal, king of Assyria [shall be our king and lord, and (that) we will be totally devoted] to Assurbanipal, king of Assyria, [our] lord. (6) We will not conceal nor hide [any message] or messenger whom Šamaš-šumu-ukin, ki[ng of Babylonia] has [sent or] made [... or who has come to us] from the sons of…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 010. Assurbanipal’s Treaty with the Qedar Tribe (JCS 39 159)

(Break) (1) [The treaty of Assurbanipal, king of the world, king of Assyria, son of Esarhaddon, likewise king of the world, king of Assyria, with Abi-yate' son of Te'ri, his sons, grandsons, brothers and nephews, with all Qedarites, young and old, and with ...] son of Yau[ta', in the presence of all the gods of] Assyria and Qedar: (3) [Swear by Aššur], Mullissu and [Šerua]: (4) [Considering th]at Yauta' (your) malef[actor] handed all [Arab]s over to destruction [through] the iron sword, and put you to the sword, (8) [and that Assur]banipal, king of Assyria, your lord, put oil on you and…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 011. Sin-šarru-iškun’s Treaty with Babylonian Allies (BRM 4 50)

(1) The treaty of Sin-šarru-išk[un, king of Assyria], son of Assurbanipal, [king of the world, king of Assyria], with Nabû-apla-iddina [......], with Kanunayu [......], (and) with Aqri [......] in the presence of Ju[piter, Venus ... (Break) (r 1) [By Aššur], augu[st] lord, [defeater of] enemies, lover of [the just], [who] loves the [kin]g and [destroys] his enemy: (r 5) [Whoever] a[lters] the wording of this tablet, or sins against the [trea]ty of the great gods, (r 7) May [......] of heaven and earth cover (sic) them with an evil, irremovable curse. Above, may [he uproot] them from the…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 012. Extract from a Treaty of Sin-šarru-iškun (AfO 13 T14)

(1) If you should sin against this treaty of Sin-šarru-iškun, king of Assyria, your lord, and his sons and grandsons, (6) may Nergal, the perfect lord, (pour out) your blood into ditches and ravines.

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 013. A Vassal Treaty (JCS 39 175)

(Beginning destroyed) (ii 2) [...] him. (ii 3) You will not make peace [with] him (ii 4) nor make [common cause] with him, (ii 5) but will fe[ar] me (ii 6) and do what is [good] to me. (ii 7) [If] you do what is good to me, (ii 8) all [Ar]abia [... (ii 9) (Break) (ii 11) [Should] I march (ii 12) [...] against you (ii 13) [...] his mouth (ii 14) [...] keeping at a distance from you (ii 15) [...] you will bring forth (ii 16) [...] is set to him (ii 17) [... let them] make difficult (ii 18) [...] one of your servants (ii 19) [...] another country (ii 20) [...] ... (iii 1) You will send no…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 014. Esarhaddon’s Treaty Inscription (JCS 39 158)

(i 1) [...] I asked ... Belet-ili, "Why?" ... [...] (i 2) [...]...... exceedingly before [......] (i 3) [... goo]dness with all my strength [......] (i 4) [...] the seven planets of the sky which [...] the oath of the king, (i 5) will curse [...] and not return [to his side]. (i 6) [I obeyed] the divinity of Belet-ili, [trusting] in her holy command. (i 7) At that time, when that treaty was imp[osed] and it was said: "The king my lord has imposed an oath on all [the lands]", Prince Marduk heard it, and turned [his attention to] Assyria to help (it) establish world dominion. (i 11) [He took…

LawReligion & Myth
~685 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 2

SAA 02 015. Tell Tayinat Version of Esarhaddon’s Succession Treaty (JCS 64 091)

(i_T_1) Seal of the god Aššur, king of the gods, lord of the lands — [not to be altered]; seal of the great ruler, father of the gods — not to be disputed. (1_T_i_1) The treaty of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, with the governor of Kunalia, with the deputy, the major-domo, the scribes, the chariot drivers, the third men, the village managers, the information officers, the prefects, the cohort commanders, the charioteers, the cavalrymen, the exempt, the outriders, the specialists, the shi[eld bearers (?)], the craftsmen, (and) with [all] the men [of his…

LawReligion & Myth
~675 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 4

Esarhaddon 001

Esarhaddon justifies his anomalous succession — youngest son elevated over elder brothers — by attributing the choice directly to Aššur, Šamaš, and both Ištars, revealing how Sargonid kings marshalled divine authority to legitimise politically irregular transfers of power.

LawReligion & Myth
~675 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 4

Esarhaddon 002

Esarhaddon's own account of razing Sidon — a coastal Phoenician power — ca. 677 BCE, documenting Assyrian westward expansion and the king's claim to rule 'from the rising sun to the setting sun.'

LawReligion & Myth
~675 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 4

Esarhaddon 003

(i 1') [...] ... [...] they reared [...] they ordered him to his [...]ship [...] ... they went and (i 5') (No translation possible) (i 16') [... Nabû-zēr-kitti-lī]šir, [...] ... [...] ... heard [of the approach of] my campaign and fled like [a fox t]o the land Ela[m]. (i 20′) [Be]cause of the oath of the great gods [which] he had transgressed, the gods [Aš]šur, Sîn, Šamaš, B[ēl], and Nabû imposed a grievous [punishme]nt on him and they [ki]lled him with the sword [in the mi]dst of the land Elam. Naʾid-Marduk, his brother, (i 25′) saw [the] deeds that they had done [to] his brother in Elam,…

LawReligion & Myth
~675 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 4

Esarhaddon 004

(i' 1') (No translation warranted) (i' 2') [Moreover, I struck with] the sword [Teušpa, a Cimmeri]an, [a barbarian whose home is remote, together with his entire army, in the territory of the land Ḫub]ušnu. (i' 5') [The one who treads on the necks of the people of Cili]cia, [mountain dwellers who live in inaccessible mountains in the neighborhood] of the land Tabal, [evil Hittites, who from earliest days had not been] submissive to the yoke — [I surrounded, conquered, plundered, demolished, destroy]ed, (and) burned with fire [twenty-one of their fortified cities and small cities in] their…

LawReligion & Myth
~675 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 4

Esarhaddon 005

Esarhaddon justifies his irregular succession — youngest son elevated over older brothers — by citing divination omens from Šamaš and Adad, documenting how Sargonid kings used extispicy to legitimize contested royal transitions.

LawReligion & Myth
~675 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 4

Esarhaddon 006

(i 1) [...] ... [... I cried out in] mourning, [I raged like a lion, and my] mood [became furio]us. [In order to exercise kingship (over) the house of my father I beat] my hands together. [I prayed to the gods Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Bēl, Nabû, and Nergal], Ištar of Nineveh, (and) [Ištar of Arbela and they accepted] my word(s). [With their firm ‘yes’], they were sending me [reliable omen(s), (saying): ‘Go! Do not hold back! We] will go and [kill your enemies].’ (i 9b') I did [not] hesitate [one day (or) two days. I did not wait for my army. I did not] look [for my rear guard. I did not check the…

LawReligion & Myth
~675 BCE·Neo-AssyrianRINAP 4

Esarhaddon 007

(i' 1') [and its army; I put] to the sword [Išpakāia], a Scythian, [an ally who could not save himself]. (i' 3') [I plundered the land Bīt-Dakkūri, which is in Chaldea, an] enemy of Babylon. [I captured Šamaš-ibni, its king, a rogue] (and) outlaw, (i′ 5′) [who did not respect the oath of the lord of lords, who took away fields of the citizens] of Babylon [and Borsippa by force and turned (them) over to] himself. [Because I know the fear of the gods Bēl and Nabû, I returned those fields and entrusted (them) to the citizens of Baby]lon [and Borsippa. I placed Nabû-šallim, son of Ba]lāssu, [on…

LawReligion & Myth