RECORD

..:..jlunuu)Uiwmuuumui

THE PAST

VOL I
Goldwin Smith
R3HT

RECORDS OF THE PAST

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

ASSYRIAN AND EGYPTIAN MONUMENTS.

PUBLISHED UNDER THE SANCTION

THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCH/EOLOGY.

VCC. I.

LONDON:
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS,
15, PATERNOSTER ROW.
RECORDS OF THE PAST

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

ASSYRIAN AND EGYPTIAN MONUMENTS.

VOL. I.

ASSYRIAN TEXTS.
 NOTE.

Every Text here given is either now translated for \hzfirst

by the Author to the date of

time, or has been specially revised

this publication.
 PREFACE
THE present volume of translations of Babylonian
and
Assyrian inscriptions, in the cuneiform or arrowheaded
character, is of a series intended to place
the first

before the public the important results of the study

and interpretation of these and Egyptian monuments,
by English and foreign students. The value of these

translations, to those interested in Biblical history and

archaeology, cannot be estimated too highly by all
who have turned their attention to the language,
and history of the nations of the East con-
literature,

temporaneous with the Hebrews, and conterminous to

the land of Palestine. As many of the texts are of
the most remote antiquity, they derive from that fact
alone the greatest importance, detailing contempo-
raneous events which had hitherto escaped notice,
been lost, or else imperfectly transmitted by secondary
sources. In order to render the volume as popular as

possible, and make the information afforded as simple

as it can be given, the translations are only accom-
panied by such notes as are absolutely required to
explain intelligibly a few of the more obscure passages.
The doubtful portions of the translations are printed
in italics, and additional words are indicated by
brackets. The translations have been printed as

received, and each translator is only responsible for

 ii PREFACE.

his own
portion of the work. In the short introduc-
tion placed at the head of each, will be found a notice
of where the text exists, and has been published, and
if it has been previously translated but no philological
;

exegesis has been given. Owing to the discrepancies

and difficulties which are attendant on the different
systems of chronology, it has hot been deemed ad-
visable to give the exact dates B.C. of the documents,
but an indication of general period to which each
belongs is denoted by the title or heading. The
nature of each monument is also mentioned, whether
it is inscribed on stone, or a tablet, or cylinder of terra

cotta, or object of other material employed for the

purpose.
The form of the cuneiform characters varied con-

siderably, according to age, locality, and the hand of

the script in which it was inscribed, the oldest mounting
to the earliest age of the Babylonian and Assyrian

monarchies; this style of writing not having been

entirely discontinued at the commencement of the
Roman empire.
Ithas not been possible to arrange the materials
in chronological order, but the list appended of the

known texts and monuments, will convey to the

reader some idea of their relative age, and extent of
the literature, of Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, and other
Eastern nations of antiquity.
S. BIRCH.
London, December 25, 1873.
 CONTENTS.

Inscription of Rimmon-Nirari ... ... ... i

By the Rev. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

Inscription of Khammurabi ... ... ... ... 5

By H. Fox TALBOT, F.R.S., etc.

Monolith Inscription of Samas-Rimmon 9

By the Rev. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
Bellino's Cylinder of Sennacherib ... ... ... 23
By H. Fox TALBOT, F.R.S., etc.

Taylor's Cylinder of Sennacherib ... ... ... 33

By H. Fox TALBOT, F.R.S., etc.

Annals of Assurbanipal 55
By GEORGE SMITH.
Behistun Inscription of Darius ... ... ... 107
By Sir H. RAWLINSON, K.C.B., D.C.L.
Babylonian Exorcisms ... ... ... ... 131
By the Rev. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

Private Will of Sennacherib ... ... ... 136

By the Rev. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

Assyrian Private Contract Tablets ... ... ... 137

By the Rev. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
Legend of the descent of Ishtar ... ... ... 141
By H. Fox TALBOT, F.R.S., etc.

Assyrian Astronomical Tablets ...

151
By the Rev. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

Assyrian Calendar 164

By the Rev. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

Tables of Assyrian Weights and Measures ... 166

By the Rev. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
Lists of further Texts, Assyrian and Egyptian ... 167
Selected by GEO. SMITH, and P. LE PAGE
RENOUF, F.R.S.L.
/
 INSCRIPTION

RI M M ON-N I R A RI

TRANSLATED BY

REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

T^HE following Inscription is found upon a Pavement Slab

from Nimrud, which was discovered at the edge of the

mound between the North-West and South-West Palaces.

A lithographed copy of it is contained in the first volume of

" No.
the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia," p. 35, 3.

The first 25 lines were originally published in the volume

of Cuneiform Inscriptions edited by Mr. Layard, p. 70, With

9
 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

the exception of the last 6 lines, the Inscription was printed

in Bonomi's popular work on Nineveh, p. 339. Its genea-

logical value is great, and it contains a notice of the founder

of the Assyrian Monarchy who is otherwise unknown.

 TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION.

1 The Palace of Rimmon-Nirari, the great king, the

powerful king,
2 The mighty king, king of the land of Assyria, the king
whom, as his own son, Assur
3 King of the Gods of Heaven has favoured and with
the kingdom
4 Of the World has filled
5 From the great sea
His hand.
1
Of the Rising Sun to the great sea
6
2
7 Of the Setting Sun
8 His hand has conquered and ruled it
9 Wholly and throughout. The son of Samas-Rimmon,
10 The great king, the powerful king, the mighty king,
king of the land of Assyria,
1 1 King of the World, son of Shalmaneser

King of the Four Races, who on the land of his foes

3
1 2

13 Laid (his) yoke, and swept (them) like a whirlwind.

14 Grandson of Assur-natsir-pal, the warrior priest,
1
5 The enlarger of glorious habitations.
1 6 Rimmon-nirari, the glorious prince, to whose help
17 The gods Assur, Samas (the Sun), Rimmon, and
Merodach
Have gone, and have enlarged his country
18
4
19 (Is) the descendant of the grandson of Tiglath-Adar,
king of Assyria,
1
That is either the Persian Gulf or the Caspian Sea.
2
The Mediterranean.
3
The Four Races was an old title of Syria, which was peopled, accord-

ing to Gen. x. 23, by Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash.

4
He was the father of Assur-natsir-pal.
 \.
RECORDS OF THE PAST.
1
20 King of the country of Sumeri and Accad,
2
21 Descendant of Shalmaneser, the powerful king,
22 The erecter of the Temple of Kharsak-Kurra, 3
23 The mountain of the world ; descendant
24 Of Bel-sumili-capi, a former king
25 Who went before (me), the founder of the monarchy,
26 Of which for its exaltation from
27 Ancient times Assur has proclaimed the glory.

1
This denoted Babylonia. Sumeri is perhaps the Shinar of Scripture.
9 "
offspring of the offspring"."
Literally
3 "
This signifies the mountains of the East," that 'is to say, the high-
lands of Elam from which the Accadai or "Highlanders" had originally
descended.
 THE

INSCRIPTION OF KHAMMURABI.
TRANSLATED BY

H. F. TALBOT, F.R.S., ETC.

PHIS inscription is valuable from its extreme antiquity.

Khammurabi lived before the time of Moses, but how

many centuries earlier has not yet been ascertained. His

inscriptions are, with one exception, written in the Accadian

language which as yet is very imperfectly understood.

Very fortunately the Museum at Paris possesses one in-

scription written in the Babylonian language, and this is

the one of which I have here given the translation. It was

first translated by Oppert and Menant, and afterwards

M. Menant wrote a special work on the subject, entitled

Inscriptions de Hammourabi roi de JBabylone, traduites et

puUi'ees avec un commentaire a Pappui par M. Joachim

Menant (Paris 1863). This work is accompanied by

facsimiles of the inscriptions. I published a version of

the inscription in 1863 in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic

Society, vol. 20 p. 445 and a somewhat better one in 1865,

 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

aided by the facsimile, in the Transactions of the Royal

Society of Literature, vol. 8, p. 234.

The great importance of this inscription resides, not in

the events treated of, but in the language itself: for, we

have here the proof that the Babylonian language was the

same in the days of Khammurabi as it was a thousand

years later in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. There are a

few archaisms but they are very trifling. The amount of

difference is perhaps as much as exists between the English

of Queen Elizabeth's time and that of the present day.

How far then must we recede into antiquity, if we wish to

find the beginnings of the Semitic tongue ! In all the

inscriptions which have come down to us we find sub-

stantially the same language.

Other languages, and totally different ones, existed at the

same time, of which the most important was the Accadian,

in which the greater number of Khammurabi's inscriptions

are written. That monarch evidently ruled over two races,

which lived side by side, or perhaps intermixed, in ancient

Babylonia.
 TRANSLATION OF

THE INSCRIPTION.

COLUMN I.

Khammurabi the exalted king, the king of Babylon,

the king renowned throughout the world :
conqueror of the
enemies of Marduk : the king beloved by his heart, am I.

The favour of God and Bel the people of Sumir and

Accad gave unto my government. Their celestial weapons

unto my hand they gave.

The canal Khammurabi, the joy of men, a stream of

abundant waters, for the people of Sumir and Accad I

excavated. Its banks, all of them, I restored to newness :

new supporting walls I heaped up :

perennial waters for the

people of Sumir and Accad I provided.

 COLUMN II.

The people of Sumir and Accad, all of them, in general

assemblies I assembled. A review and inspection of them

I ordained every year. In joy and abundance I watched

over them, and in peaceful dwellings I caused them to

dwell.

By the divine favour I am Khammurabi the exalted

king, the worshipper of the supreme deity.

With the prosperous power which Marduk gave me, I

built a lofty Citadel, on a high mound of earth, whose sum-

mits rose up like mountains, on the bank of Khammurabi

river, the joy of men.

To that Citadel I gave the name of the mother who

bore me and
'
the father who begot me.
In the holy name of Ri the mother who bore me, and
of the father who begot me, during long ages may it last !

1
He named it the fortress of Ri-Marduk, the god and goddess whom he
called his father and mother, according to a fantastic custom of which the
inscriptions offer many examples.
 MONOLITH
INSCRIPTION OF SAMAS-RIMMON.
TRANSLATED BY

REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

HP HE Inscription translated below is engraved upon an

Obelisk found in the South-East Palace of Nimrud, the

ancient Calah, and now in the British Museum. It is

written in archaic characters, which differ greatly from those

ordinarily met with on the Assyrian monuments. They are

more picturesque than the latter, and were therefore some-

times preferred for the same reason that makes us occa-

sionally adopt the old black-letter type. The Inscription is

given in the First Volume of the " Cuneiform Inscriptions of

Western Asia," edited by Sir H. Rawlinson and Mr. Norris

in 1861, pp. 29-34. It has already been translated by Dr.
"
Oppert in his Histoire des Empires de Chaldee et d'Assyrie

d'apres les monuments" (1865) ;

but the present Translation

is the first that has been made into English. Shalmaneser,

the father of the king who had the Inscription engraved, was

one of the greatest monarchs of the Middle Assyrian Empire.

He reigned 35 years, and was a cotemporary of the Israelite

 10 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

kings Ahab and Jehu, and of Hazael of Syria. Ahab is

mentioned in an Inscription which Shalmaneser caused to

be set up at Kurkh, and the names of Jehu and Hazae

occur on an Obelisk of Black Marble, adorned with sculp-

tures of tribute-bearers, which occupies a conspicuous place

in the British Museum. The reign of Samas-Rimmon

lasted 13 years; and the inscription itself gives an account

of his successful suppression of a revolt raised by his brother

Assur-dayan, which, like that of Adonijah, threatened to

deprive Samas-Rimmon of the crown that had been destined

for him.
 TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION.

COLUMN I.

1 To 1
Adar, the courageous lord
2 of mighty chiefs, the lord,

3 the hero of the gods, the roller of the globe of heaven

4 and- earth, the urger on of all,
5 the supporter of the Deities of Heaven (and) of rain-
storms,
6 the bright one, whose powers
2
7 are unequalled, chief of the Annunaci,
8 the most powerful of the gods, the oracle,
9 the high ruler of the Southern Sun,
10 Lord over the force of the whirlwind,
1 1 who, like the destroying sun, the threshhold of the gods

1 2 crosses, and the regions of the leaders

13 of the gods, who diffuse glory,

fills with the abundance of all powers,
14
15 (and) the strength (of them); First-born of Bel, the
servant
3
1 6 of the gods, his superiors, offspring of Beth-Eser,
the son

1
The name of this god is variously read as Nin-ip, Bar, and Ussur.
9
The Anunnaci, the offspring- of Anu or the Sky, had their seat in the
Lower world. They are called the Deities of the Earth.
"
Beth-Eser, The Temple of Uprightness," was the name given to
3
the
Temples of Adar.
 12 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

17 the ruler, who among the fragments of broken diadems

1 8 launches the arrow, offspring of Bit-Kur(t\ receiver
of the instructions of
19 Anu and the Great Goddess, who change not
1
20 the utterance of his mouth, the mighty chief, the
supreme (one), the magnified,
21 Lord of the divine-powers, who the sinews of the
hands and feet
22 binds together [and] brings the design to completion,
23 high among the gods, the lord who dwells in Calah,
24 the crown of perfect places,
25 the seat of the Southern Sun ;
2
26 Samas-Rimmon the mighty king, king of multitudes
27 unequalled (in number), the shepherd of (sacred)
places, bearer of the sceptre
28 of the shrines, the descender into all lands, the urger on
29 of all whom from former days
30 the gods have called by name, the protector, the
restorer

31 of Beth-Eser he who transgresses not, the roller

of the front of Bit-Kur.

32 (As to) whom, for the embellishment of Bit-Kharsak-
Kurra (and) the Temples 3 of his land
33 his heart is established and his ears exist ;

34 the' son of Shalmaneser, the king of the Four Races,

35 the opponent of kings of all (countries), the trampler
on the world,
36 the grandson of Assur-natsir-pal
37 the receiver of the tribute
38 and the riches of all regions.
1
Or " the utterance of whose mouth shall never be changed."
2
Samas is the Sun-god. Rimmon is the god of the atmosphere, whose
name has been variously read Iva, Ao, Vul, and Bin.
3
The word used here is the Plural of Bit-kur which literally signifies
Temple of the Country."
 INSCRIPTION OF SAMAS-RIMMON. 13

39 It came to pass that Assur-dayin, the son, in the time

of Shalmaneser
40 his father, made war. The overthrow of fealty
wickedly
41 he brought about and caused the country to rebel,
and made ready
42 battle. The men of the country of Assyria above and
below with him
43 he collected, and he fortified the habitable towns.
The cities he caused to be counted over, and
44 to make conflict and battle he set his face.
45 The cities of Nisura, Adia, Sibaniba, Imgur-Bel,
1

Issabri,
46 Beth-Imdira, Simu, Sibkhinis, Parnusur, Kipsuna,
2
47 Kurban, Tidu, Napulu, Capa, Assur, Huracca,
3
48 Sallad (?), Khuzirina, Dur-baladh, Dariga, Zab,
4
49 Lubdu, Arapkha, Arbela, as far as Amida, Tel-Abni,
5

(and)
50 Khin-makhnu, in all 27 fortified towns with their
citadels, which from

5 1 Shalmaneser, king of the Four Races, my father, had

revolted (and)

5 2 on the side of Assur-dayan, the son, had ranged them-

selves, by the will of the great gods, my lords,
53 my feet I made them kiss in my campaign, when
first
6
to the country of Nahri (Continued on Column \\.)

1
Imgur-Bel was the name of the walls of Babylon.
3
Assur, the original capital of Assyria, is the modern Kalah-Shergat.
3
This means " The Fortress of Life."
4 The name of the city has hitherto been read in this way, and the
classical Arrapachitis compared with it. It ought, however, to be either
Sanakha or Arbanun.
5
That is "The Mound of Stones."
6 " The Country of Rivers." It corresponds
Literally with Northern
Mesopotamia, the Aram Naharaim of Scripture.
 COLUMN II.

1 I went up. Tribute (in the shape of)

2 horses harnessed to the yoke
3 from all the kings of
4 Nahri I received at the same time.

5 The land of Nahri to its frontiers

6 like shavings I swept.

7 The border of Assyria, which (extended) from the city
of Paddira
8 in Nahri as far as
9 Kar-Shalmaneser, near
10 Carchemish, from the country of Zaddi,
1 1 the border of Accad, as far as

1 Enzi, from the country of Aridi as far as

2

13 the country of the Sukhi, by the will of Assur, Samas,

14 Rimmon, (and) Istar, the gods, my protectors,
15 with shame of face, my feet
1 6 kissed. In my second campaign

17 Mulis- Assur, chief

of the commanders,
1 8 a leader skilful in righting, a man of authority,
1

19 with my war-engines and my camp

20 to Nahri I urged on, and
21 sent it forth. Unto the sea of the setting sun he
went.
22 Three hundred cities
23 of Khirtsina, the son
24 of Migdi-ara (and) eleven fortresses
25 as well as 200 cities
26 of Uspina he cut off; their fighting men
27 he slew; their spoil, their treasure, their goods,
28 their gods, their sons, (and) their daughters
29 he carried off; their cities he threw down,
1 " man of command."
Literally
 INSCRIPTION OF SAMAS-RIMMON. 15

30 dug up (and) burned with fire. On his return

31 the fighting men of the country of the Sunbai he
slaughtered.
32 A
multitude of horses, trained
33 (to) the yoke, belonging to the kings of Nahri,
34 all of them I received. In my third campaign the
river Zab
35 The country of Tsilar I passed through.
I crossed.

36 To the land of Nahri I went up. The tribute

1

37 of Dadi of the country of the Khupuscai,

38 of Khirtsina, the son of Migdi-ara,
39 of the country of the Sunbai, (of) the country of the
2
Manai,
40 (of) the country of the Parsuai (and of) the country
of the Taurlai,
41 (namely) horses trained (to) the yoke,
42 I received. (As to) the country of the Mi'sai, ex-
ceeding fear
43 of Assur my lord overwhelmed them.
44 Before the brightness of my mighty arrows
45 they had fear, and their cities they abandoned.
46 A
mountain difficult (of access) they occupied.
47 Three mountain peaks, which like the mist
48 reached unto heaven, over which no bird
3
49 could find its passage, the place

50 as their stronghold they made. 4 After them I rode.

5 1 At those mountain peaks I arrived.

5 2 In a single day like an eagle over them I rushed.

1
Khupusca lay to the North-East of Assyria, among the mountains of
Armenia.
2
The Manai or Mannai, called Minni in the Old Testament, inhabited
the neighbourhood of Lake Van in Armenia.
3
Literally "which a bird his crossing came not (to)."
4 " them the mountain-peaks) for their strong-
Literally the place of (i. e.

hold they made."

 1 6 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

53 Multitudes of their soldiers I slew: their spoil,

54 their treasure, their goods, their oxen, their asses,
55 their sheep, horses trained (to) the yoke,
1

56 bulls which (have) two humps

57 (and) horns to a countless number from the midst of
the mountains I caused to be brought down.

58 Five hundred cities which (were) dependent upon

them I threw down, dug up,

5 9 (and) burned with fire. To the country of Girubbunda 2

( Continued on Column III.)

1
7. e. Camels.
3
Girubbunda lay to the east of the Par'suai, who are probably the
Parthians, and to the west of the Medes, at that time considerably eastward
of the country afterwards called after their name.
 COLUMN III.

1 I went. The city of Cinaci I cut off,

2 threw down, dug up (and) burned with fire.

3 The countrythat belonged to Nirisbizida

4 I passed through. The tribute of Titamasca

5 of the city of the Samasai, (and of) Ci-ara of the city
of the Kar-'sibutai,
6 (namely) horses trained (to) the yoke, I received.
7 (As to) the country of Girubbunda, all its inhabitants
the fear of my lordship
8 and the onset of my mighty battle overwhelmed, and
9 their cities they abandoned. To
10 the city Huras, their fortified stronghold, I went
down; and
1 1 this city I besieged, I captured. The corpses
1 2 of their warriors, like rubbish I scattered. Their city
13 I laid in heaps ;
600 of their warriors I slew.
14 Pirisati their king, with 1,200 of his fighting men
15 into bondage I took. Their spoil, their treasure,
their goods,
1 6 their oxen, their
sheep, their horses, property
17 (in) silver, (and) gold mingled with bronze, to
1 8 a countless amount, I carried off. I
pulled down, dug up
19 (and) burned with fire. The tribute of Engur
20 of the city of the Tsibarai I received. An image
21 of my magnified royalty I made. 1 The laws
22 of Assur my lord, the decrees of my ascendancy
23 and the full history of the deeds of my hand, which in
24 the country of Nahri I wrought, upon it
25 I wrote. Into the city of Tsibara,
26 their fortified stronghold in the country of the
Girubbundai,
1
That is, he had a statue of himself erected.
3
 1 8 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
*

27 I caused (it)
to be brought. To the country of the
1
Matai I went
28 Before the mighty arrows of Assur, and the trial

29 of my terrible battle, which had not rest,

30 they had fear ;
and their cities they abandoned.
3 1 To
the country of Epitse after them
32 I rode 2,300 soldiers of Khanatsiruca
:

33 of the country of the Matai I slew; 140 of his war-carriages

34 I seized. His treasure his goods to a countless amount
35 I brought back to the city Sagbita, the capital. As many as

36 1,200 of his cities I threw down, dug up, (and) burned

with fire.

37 On my return the passes of the mountains I made my

way through.
2
38 Munir'suarta of the country of the Araziasai, together
with
39 1,070 of his fighting-men with arrows I slaughtered.
40 (With) their corpses the successive valleys of the high
country
41 I filled their sons, their daughters, their treasure,
:

42 their goods, their oxen, (and) their sheep the armies

43 of my country as tribute carried away. Their cities
I threw down,
44 dug up (and) burned with fire. At that time the tribute

45 of Sirasmi of the country of the Babarurai, of

Amakhar
46 of the city of the Kharmis-andai, of Zarisu of the
country of the Par'saniyai,
47 of Zarisu of the city of the Khundurai, of Sanisu
48 of the country of the Cipabarutacai, of Ardara
40 of the country of the Ustassai, of Suma of the country
of the Cinucai,

1
These are the Medes.
*
The Araziasians are placed by Lenormant in Sagartia.
 INSCRIPTION OF SAMAS-RIMMON. 19

50 of Tatai of the country of the Ginginai,

5 1 of Bi'sirain of the country of the Arimai, of Parusta
5 2 of the country
of the Cimarusai, of Aspastatauk

53 of the Huilai, of Amamas of the country of the

*

Cingistilinzakharai
54 of Kha's'sikhu of the country of the Matsirausai, of
Mamanis
55 of the country of the Luk'sai, of Zabel of the country
of the Dimamai,
56 of Sirasu of the country of the 'Singuriai, of Gista
57 of the country of the Abdanai, of Adadanu of the
country of the A'satai,
58 of Ur'si of the country of the Ginkhukhtai, of Bara
59 of the country of the Ginzinai, of Aruaof the country
of the Cindutausai,
60 of Dirnacus of the country of the Marruai, of Zabanu
6 1 of the country of the Zuzarurai, of Irtizati of the

country of the Ginkhidai

62 of Bazzuta of the country of the Taurlai, of Sua
63 of the country of the Nanikirians (?), of 'Satiriai, (and)
of Arta'sirari
64 kings of the country of Nahri all of them, by the will
of Assur, Samas,
65 (and) Rimmon, the gods my defenders, a fixed tribute
66 of horses trained (to) the yoke for the future
67 over them I appointed. At that time from the country
of Tsilar
68 (and) the land of Edanni as far as the sea of the

setting sun, like Rimmon,

69 my storm over them I poured. Exceeding fear

70 into them I infused. In my fourth campaign, (in the

month) Si van* (Continued on Column IVJ

1
The latter part of this word seems to be the Assyrian Zakharu "small."
8
Sivan, the 3rd month of the year, answered roughly to our May.
 COLUMN IV.
1
1
(on) the 1
5th day to Car-Duniyas (my troops) go, and
2 the river Zab I crossed. Between the cities of Zaddi
and Zaba
3 fragments of rock I passed. Three fierce lions I slew.
4 The country of Ebikh I passed through. The city of the
waters of the Dhurnat" I approached.
5 Exceeding fear of Assur and Merodach, the great gods,
6 my lords, overwhelmed them. My feet they took. 3
These men
7 I caused to go out, and with their goods (and) their
gods to the midst
8 of my own country I brought them. As men of my
own country I counted (them).
9 The Dhurnat I crossed in its upper part. The city
4

Karne,
10 the capital of the country, 5 as well as 200 towns de-
pendent upon it I threw down, [dug up]
'n (and) burned with fire. The country of Yalman I
passed through. The city Diahbina
12 I approached. The fear of Assur overwhelmed the
inhabitants. My
feet they took.

13 Three thousand cities with their men, their treasure (?)

their goods, from the midst

14 of that city I took. The cities of Datebir (and)

Iz . . .
ya
1
5 which (are) beside the city Ganasuticanu, together with
200 cities

1
Car-duniyas was the name usually given to Lower Chaldea.
a
This river is the Tornadotus of classical geographers.
3 As a token of
homage and submission.
4 Or " in its flood."
5 " its
Literally, royal city."
 INSCRIPTION OF SAMAS-RIMMON. 21

1 6 that
(are) dependent on them I conquered: 330 of
their soldiers I slew :

17 Their spoil, their treasure, their goods, (and) their

gods I carried off: their plantation,
1 8 I cut down their towns I threw down, dug up r (and)
:

burned with fire. The men who from, the face

19 of my mighty arrows fled, into a city in the midst of

(their other) cities, their fortified (stronghold,)
20 entered. That city I besieged,. I captured. Five
hundred of their soldiers I slew. Their spoil,.
21 their treasure, their goods, their gods, their oxen
(and) their sheep I carried off. The city
22 I threw down, dug up, (and) burned witb fire. As
to all the land of Accad, which before the fear

23 of my terrible arrows (and) the trial of my mighty

battle, which cessation had not,
24 had fear, and into the city of Dur-Papsukul (?) the
capital, which like a crag in the river
25 in a flood of waters was situated [so that] for the
attack of my army
26 it
[was] not good, (and into) 447 cities round about
(it)
had entered,
27 that city in my passage I captured. Thirteen thousand
28 of its fighting-men with arrows I slew. Their dead
bodies
29 like water I scattered. Their city I demolished.
The ranks
30 of their warriors into heaps I heaped.
31 Three thousand lives with a measuring-line I took:
its royal divan, the treasures of its palace,
32 the guards of its high altar, the amazons of its high
altars, its stores,

33 its goods, its gods, the of its high altar, to. a

countless number,
 22 ,
RECORDS OF THE PAST.

34 from the midst of that town I carried off. The ranks

of its warriors,
1
35 like flocks of birds, to the armies of my country
36 yielded. That city I pulled down, dug up (and)
burned with fire.
37 Merodach-baladhsu-ikbi to the strength of his troops
38 trusted, and the country of Chaldsea, the country of
Elam, the country of Zimri,
39 (and) the country of Arumu, with their numerous
troops to a countless amount,
40 summoned together. To make conflict and battle

against me he came.
41 Over against Ahdaban, in the neighbourhood of the
city of Dur-Papsukul (?) a fortified town,
42 where he marshalled his troops, with him I fought
A destruction of him I made.

43 Five thousand of the ranks of (his) men I destroyed.

Two thousand lives in the hands I took.

44 One hundred of his chariots, 200 of his war-carriages,
his royal pavilion, (his) divan, (and)

45 his camp I seized

1
I think a character has fallen out of the text here. Otherwise we
must translate (with Norris) ."as if by destiny."
 THE

INSCRIPTION ON BELLINO'S CYLINDER,

COMPRISING THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE

REIGN OF SENNACHERIB.

TRANSLATED BY

H. F. TALBOT, F.R.S., ETC.

'"THIS inscription is preserved in the British Museum.

It was published, by Layard, in the first volume of the

British "Museum Inscriptions, plate 63.

An admirable facsimile of it was made by Bellino, and

engraved by the care of Grotefend, in "Abhandlung der

k. Ges. d. Wissensch, zu Gottingen"

 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

In 1866 I presented a translation of it to the Royal

Society of Literature, which is printed in their Transactions

(vol. viii. p. 369).'

1
I had made a previous attempt in 1860 (Journal of the
Royal Asiatic
Society, vol. xviii. p. 76).
 TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION.

Line i Sixty-three inscribed lines :

(written] in the
seventh month of the year whose eponym was Nebo-liha,
prefect of Arbela.

2 SENNACHERIB, the great king, the powerful king, the

king of Assyria, the king unrivalled, the pious monarch, the
worshipper of the great gods.
3 The protector of the just: the lover of the righteous:

4 The noble warrior, the valiant hero, the first of all

kings, the great punisher of unbelievers, who are breakers of

the holy festivals.
5 Ashur, the great Lord, has given to me an unrivalled
monarchy. Over all princes he has raised triumphantly my
arms.
6 In the beginning of my reign I defeated Marduk
Baladan, king of Babylonia, and his allies the Elamites, in
the plains near the city of Kish.

7 In the midst of that battle he quitted his camp, and

fled alone he escaped to the city of Gutzumman he got
: :

into the marshes full of reeds and rushes, and so saved his
life.

8 The chariots, waggons, horses, mules, camels, and

dromedaries, which in the midst of the battle he had
abandoned, were captured by my hands.
9 I entered rejoicing into his palace in the city of
Babylon : I broke open his royal treasury: gold and silver :

vessels of gold and silver :

precious stones of every kind :

goods and valuables, and much royal treasure,

1
Some words here follow, in praise of the king, whose meaning is uncertain.
 26 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

10 his wife the men and women of his palace

: the :

noblemen and those who ranked first among all his men of
:

trust, and were clothed with the chief authority in the palace,
I carried off, and I counted them as a spoil.
ill marched after him to the city Gutzumman, and I
sent off my soldiers to search through the marshes and
reeds. Five days they moved about rapidly, but his hiding
place was not discovered !

12 In the power of Ashur, my lord, 89 large cities,

and royal dwellings in the land of Chaldea, and 820 small
towns in their neighbourhood I assaulted, captured, and
carried off their spoils.

13 The Urbi [Arabians], Aramaeans, and Chaldseans who

were in the Erech, Nipur, Kish, Harris-kalama, and
cities of

Tiggaba, and the people of the cities which had been in

rebellion I carried away, and I distributed them as a spoil.

14 Belibus, the son of a Rabbam, who was prefect (?) of

Suanna city, who as a young man had been brought up in
1

my palace, I placed over them as king of Leshan and

Akkadi.
15 During my return, the tribes of the Tuhamuna, Rihi-

khu, Yadakku, Hubudu, Kipri, Malikhu, Gurumu, Hubuli,

Damunu,
1 6 Gambulu, Khindaru, Ruhuha, Bukudu, Khamranu,
Hagaranu, Nabatu, and Lihutahu (Aramaeans all of them,
and rebels), I completely conquered.
17 208,000 people, male and female: 7,200 horses and
mules; 11,173 asses; 5,230 camels; 80,100 oxen; 800,600
sheep ; a vast spoil, I carried off to Assyria,
1 8 In the course of my expedition I received the great
tribute of Nebo-bil-zikri, chief of Ararat gold, silver,
:

k&v fauL*} meshukan wood of great size, mules, camels, oxen and
sheep.
1
Suanna was the name of a part of Babylon, accounted sacred.
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 27

19 The people of the city Khirimmi, obstinate enemies,

who from old times had never bowed down to my yoke, I
destroyed with the sword. Not one soul escaped.
20 That district I settled again. One ox, ten sheep, ten
goats (?) (these twenty beasts being the best of every kind), I
appointed [as a sacrifice\ to the gods of Assyria, my lords,
1
in every township.
21 In my second expedition, Ashur, the lord, giving me
confidence, I marched against the land of the Kassi and
2
Yatsubi-galla,obstinate enemies, who from old times had
never submitted to the kings, my fathers.
22 Through the thick forests and in the hilly districts I
rode on horseback, for I had left my two-horse chariot in
the plains below. But in dangerous places I alighted on
my feet, and clambered like a mountain goat.
23 The city of Beth-Kilamzakh, their great city, I
attacked and took. The inhabitants, small and great,
horses, mules, asses, oxen, and sheep, I carried off from it

and distributed them as a spoil.

24 Their smaller towns without number I overthrew, and
reduced them to heaps of rubbish. A vast building, which
was their Hall of Assembly, I burnt with fire, and left it in
ruins.

25 I rebuilt that city of Beth-Kilamzakh, and I made it

into a strong fortress. Beyond former times I strengthened
it and People drawn from lands subdued by my
fortified
it.

arms placed to dwell within it.

I
26 The people of Kassi and Yatsubi-galla, who had fled
away from my arms, I brought down from the mountains,
and in the cities of Kar-Thisbe and Beth-Kubitti I caused
them to dwell.
1
Into the conquered country he introduced the Assyrian worship, and of
course made due provision for the support of the priests, and sacrifices
to the gods.
3
/. e. 'Men of great stature.' Name of a tribe.
 28 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

27 In the hands of my general, the prefect of Arrapkha,

I placed them. A made I wrote on it the
stone tablet I :

victories which I had gained over them, and within the city
I set it up.
28 Then I turned round the front of my chariot, and I

took the road to the land of Illipi. Before me Ispabara

their king abandoned his strong cities, and his treasuries,
and fled to a distance.

29 All his broad country I swept like a mighty whirlwind.

The city Marupishti, and the city Akkudu, his royal resi-
dences, and 34 great cities, with numberless smaller towns
in their neighbourhood,
30 I ravaged, destroyed, and burnt them with fire. I cut
down their woods. Over their corn fields I sowed thistles.
In every direction I left the land of Illipi a desert.
31 The inhabitants, small and great, male and female,
horses, mules, asses, oxen, and sheep beyond number, I
carried and sent them away until none were left.
off,

32 The strong cities of Sisirta and Kummakhli, and the

smaller towns in their neighbourhood, together with the
whole province of Beth-Barrua, I cut off from his land, and
added them to the empire of Assyria.
33 I established the city of Ilinzash to be the royal
city and metropolis of that province. I abolished its

former name, and I gave it the name of the city of Senna-

cherib.

34 During my return I received a great tribute from

the distant Medians, who, in the days of the kings, my

fathers, no one had ever heard even the name of their

country ;
and I made them bow down to the yoke of my
majesty.
35 In those days, Niniveh, the exalted city, the city
beloved by Ishtar within which dwells the worship of all
:

the gods and goddesses,

 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 29
'

36 The ancient timin of its palace, those of old time

had stamped its clay with sacred (?) writing, and repeated it
in the companion-tablets.

37 A splendid place, a storehouse of every kind, and

a treasury for all their jewels and regalia, they erected
within it.

38 Of all the kings of former days, my fathers who went

before me, who reigned before me over Assyria, and governed
the city of Bel (Y. e. Niniveh),
39 And
every year without fail augmented its interior
rooms, and treasured up in them all their revenues which
they received from the four countries,
40 Not one among them all, though the central palace
was too small to be their royal residence, had the know-
ledge, nor the wish to improve it.
41 As to caring for the health of the city, by bringing
streams of water into it, and the finding of new springs, none
turned his thoughts to it, nor brought his heart to it.

42 ThenSennacherib, king of Assyria, by command

I,

of the gods, resolved in my mind to complete this work,

and I brought my heart to it.
43 Men of Chaldsea, Aram, Manna, Kue, and Cilicia,
who had not bowed down to my yoke, I brought away as

captives, compelled them to make bricks.

and I

44 In baskets made of reeds which I cut in the land of

Chaldsea, I made the foreign workmen bring their appointed
tale of bricks, in order to
complete this work.
45 The former palace, of 360 measures long, adjoining the
gardens of the Great Tower 80 measures wide, adjoining
:

the watchtower of the temple of Ishtar 134 measures wide, :

1
Thetimin was the clay tablet or cylinder deposited in (he foundation
stone, or sometimes at the four corners of a building-. It was regarded
with peculiar reverence. So the Hebrews appear to have regarded the
"corner stone." It was intended to remain for ever. If found by a sub-
sequent king, it was to be read with reverence, and restored to its former
place.
 30 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

adjoining the watchtower of the house of worship : and

'

95 measures wide, . . . .

46 Which the kings, my fathers, who went before me had

built for their royal residence, but had not beautified its

front.
2
47 The river Tibilti had ruined the brickwork of it when
itravaged the quays of the central city.
3
The trees of its.

gardens had been burnt for firewood years ago.

48 For a long time this river had undermined the front
of the palace. In the high water of its floods it had made
great rents in the foundations, and had washed away the
timin.

49 That small palace I pulled down, the whole of it. I

made a new channel for the river Tibilti, I regulated its

water, I restrained its flow.

50 Within its old limits I walled up its stream. The low

platform
4
I raised higher, and paved it firmly with stones of
great size, covered with bitumen, for a space of 354 measures
in length, and 279 in breadth. 5 That space I elevated
above the waters, and restored it to be again dry ground.
51 1700 measures long: 162 measures wide, on the
upper side towards the north 217 measures wide in the :

centre,

1
The scribe has left this line unfinished, from its length, notwithstanding
that he wrote the letters as close together as possible. He might have
continued it in the following line, but would not do so. This is a clear
proof that the sense was sometimes sacrificed to beauty of writing.
2 "
Perhaps another name for the Tigris, meaning The Stream of Fer-
tility." Most of the rivers appear to have had fanciful or poetical names,
a list of which is given in 2R, plate 51. We
there read that the Euphrates
was called, "Life of the Land;" and the Tigris, "Babilat Nukhsi," or
"
Stream of Gladness," etc., etc.
3
The old palace is called in the Bull inscription, "The Palace of the
Central City." See 3 R, 13, line 4 of the second column.
4 The
old palace being pulled down, its platform remained, but so low
as to be nearly on a level with the neighbouring river.
5
This measurement is added from another account (Layard's
Inscrip-
tions, plate 38, line 16, confirmed by the Bull inscription, Layard, plate 62,
line 23).
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 31

52 386 measures wide, on the lower side towards the

south, fronting the river Tigris, I completed the mound, and
I measured the measure.
53 The timin of old times had not been forgotten, owing
1
to the veneration of the people. With a layer of large
stones I enclosed its place, and I made its deposit secure.
54 The written records of my name, 160 fathoms of bas-
reliefs, I sculptured in the palace, but the lower part of the
wall, next to the ground, I left to be filled up in future
times.

55 Afterwards I resolved to have more tablets carved.

I sculptured twenty fathoms of them in addition to the
former ones, so that I formed 180 fathoms of them alto-
gether.
56 The enclosure itself I increased beyond what it was
in former days above the measure of the former palace I
:

2
enlarged it, and I liberally augmented its dwellings,
57 And its fine buildings of ivory, dan wood, ku wood,
meshukan wood, cedar wood, cypress wood, and pistachio
wood. And in the midst I placed my royal residence, the
palace of ZAKDI' NU ISHA.
S

58 Around it I planted the finest of trees, equal to those

of the land of Khamana, which all the knowing prefer to
those of the land of Chaldaea.
59 By my care I caused the uprising of springs in more
than forty places in the plain I divided them into irrigating
:

canals for the people of Niniveh, and gave them to be their

own property.
1
This does not seem to contradict what was said before (line 48) that
the old timin was washed away for its memory may have survived in the
:

traditions of the people, and a new copy may have been deposited in the
platform of Sennacherib's palace.
2
The palace enclosure contained many separate building's, appropriated
to various uses, and some of them were, perhaps, the dwellings of the
great officers of state.
3
/. . HAS NOT AN EQUAL.
 32 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

60 To obtain water to turn the flour mills, I brought it

in pipes from Kishri to Niniveh, and I skilfully constructed

water-wheels.
61 I brought down the perennial waters of the river
1
Kutzuru, from the distance of half a Kasbu? into those
reservoirs, and I covered them well. 3

62 Of Niniveh, my royal city, I greatly enlarged the

dwellings. streets, I renovated the old ones, and I
Its

widened those which were too narrow. I made them as

splendid as the sun.
63 In future days, if one of the kings, my sons, whom
Ashur shall sovereignty over this land and
call to the

people when;
this palace shall grow old and decay,
64 Shall repair its injuries, shall see the written record of
my name, shall raise an altar, and sacrifice a male victim,
and shall then replace it in its place : Ashur will hear and

accept his prayers.

*
Still called the Khausser. Three miles and a half.

3
In the East it is essential to keep wells covered.
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB:

CONTAINING

THE ANNALS OF THE FIRST EIGHT

YEARS OF HIS REIGN.

FROM

AN HEXAGONAL CLAY PRISM FOUND AT NINIVEH IN 1830,

AND NOW IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

in the first volume of Sir H. Rawlinson's

PUBLISHED
British Museum inscriptions, plates 37 to 42. I presented

a translation of it to the Royal Asiatic Society in October

1859, which was published in their Journal, vol. xix,

p. 135. I have understood that a translation has since

been published in France by M. Oppert, but I have not

seen it.

I commence the present translation with the Third Cam-

paign, the war with Hezekiah, because the history of the

4
 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

first two campaigns is the same as on the Bellino Cylinder

which I have already translated in this volume. It is for

the most part a verbatim copy of it, which therefore I need

not give again. But since these two inscriptions were

written at an interval of several years, and by different

scribes, we see that yearly Annals must have been published

by Authority, to which the scribes were expected closely to

adhere.

One remarkable deviation however occurs. In the

Bellino cylinder we read that Belibus, a young nobleman,

was made King of Babylonia, but in the later Annals this

is struck out It is evident that Belibus had proved a

failure.

This interesting inscription is usually called the Taylor

cylinder, from the name of its former possessor.

 TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION,
BEGINNING WITH THE THIRD CAMPAIGN.

COLUMN II.

Line 34 IN my Third Campaign to the land of Syria I went.

1

35 Luliah king of Sidon (for the fearful splendour

36 of my majesty had overwhelmed him) to a distant spot
37 in the midst of the sea fled. His land I entered.
38 Sidon the greater, Sidon the lesser,
2
39 Beth-Zitti, Sarepta, Makalliba,
3 4
40 Usu, Akziba, Akku,
41 his strong cities, and castles, walled
42 and fenced ; and his finest towns (for the flash of the
weapons
43 of Ashur my lord had overcome them) made submission
44 at my feet Tubaal upon the throne
45 over them I seated. A fixed tribute to my Majesty,
46 paid yearly without fail, I imposed upon him.
47 Then Menahem king of Ussimiruna
48 Tubaal king of Sidon
49 Abd-iliut king of Arvad
50 Uru-milki king of Gubal
5 1 Mitinti king of Ashdod
52 Buduel king of Beth-Ammon
53 Kammuz 5
-natbi king of Moab
6
54 Airammu king of Edom
1
Elulaeus of classical authors.
3
I.e., the city of Olives.
3
Achzib of Joshua xix. 29. Ecdippa of classical authors.
4
Accho of the book of Judges i.
31. Akka of the Arabs. The modern
St. Jean d'Acre.
5
Kammuz (or Chemosh) was the chief god of the Moabites.
6
Perhaps the same name as Hiram.
 36 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

all of them
55 the kings of the west country,
56 . . . . and wealth
their great presents

57 to my presence brought, and kissed my feet

58 And Zedek king of Ascalon

59 who had not bowed down to my yoke, the gods of his
father's house, himself,
60 his wife, his sons, his daughters, his brothers, the race
of his father's house
6 1 I carried off and brought them to Assyria.
62 Sarludari son of their former king Rukipti
63 over the men of Ascalon I placed ;
a fixed gift

64 of offerings to my majesty I imposed on him

65 In the course "of my expedition, the cities of Beth-
1
Dagon
66 Joppa, Banai-barka 2 and Hazor, 3
67 cities of Zedek, which to my feet
68 homage had not rendered, I attacked, captured, and
carried off their spoils.

69 The chief priests, noblemen, and people of Ekron

70 who Padiah their king (holding the faith and worship
7 1 of Assyria) -had placed in chains of iron, and unto
Hezekiah
72 King of Judah had delivered him, and had acted
towards the deity with hostility :

73 these men now were terrified in .their hearts. The

kings of Egypft
74 and the ^soldiers, archers, chariots, and horses of
Ethiopia,
75 forces innumerable, gathered together and came

1
Beth-Dagon in Judah is probably meant. Josh. xv. 41.
3
Named in Joshua xix. 45.

3
Hazor in Naphthali, Josh. xix. 36, seems too far north :
perhaps
Hazar Shual is meant.
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 37
1
76 to their assistance. In the plains of Altaku
77 in front of me they placed their battle array: they
discharged
78 their arrows : with the weapons of Ashur ray lord, with
them
79 I fought, and I defeated them.
80 The chief of the chariots and the sons of the king of
Egypt,
8 1 and the chief of the chariots of the king of Ethiopia,
alive
82 in the midst of the battle my hands captured. The
city of Altaku
83 and the city of Tamna 2
I attacked captured and
carried off their spoil.

(Continued on Column III.)

1
Eltekon of Josh. xv. 59.
2
Timnah was in Judah near Ekron. Joshua xv. 10. Its name signifies
"The South" : it was near the south border of Palestine.
 COLUMN III.

Line i THEN I drew nigh to the city of Ekron. The

chief priests
2 and noblemen, who had committed these crimes, I

put to death :

3 on stakes all round the city I hung their bodies :

4 the people of the city who had done likewise, together

with their wives
5 to slavery I gave. The rest of them
6 who had not been guilty of faults and crimes, and who
sinful things against the deity

7 had not done, to reward them I gave command.

Padiah
8 their king from the midst of Jerusalem
9 I brought out, and on a throne of royalty over them
10 I seated. Tribute payable to my majesty
ill fixed upon him. And Hezekiah
1 2 King of Judah, who had not bowed down at my feet

13 Forty six of his strong cities, his castles, and the

smaller towns
14 in their neighbourhood beyond number
1
15 with warlike engines
16
17 I attacked and captured. 200,150 people small and
great, male and female,
1 8 horses, mares, asses, camels, oxen
19 and sheep beyond number, from the midst of them I

carried off
20 and distributed them as a spoil. He himself, like a
bird in a cage, inside Jerusalem
2 1 his royal city I shut him up :
siege-towers against him
1
Several of these are named, but they cannot at present be identified.
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 39

22 I constructed. The exit of the great gate of his city,

1
to divide it

23 He had given command. His cities which I plundered,

from his kingdom
24 I cut off, and to Mitinti king of Ashdod
25 Padiah king of Ekron, and Izmi-Bel
26 King of Gaza I gave them. I diminished his kingdom.
27 Beyond the former scale of their yearly gifts
28 their tribute and gifts to my majesty I augmented
29 and imposed them upon them. He himself Hezekiah
30 the fearful splendour of my majesty had overwhelmed
him :

31 The workmen, soldiers, and builders

32 whom for the fortification of Jerusalem his royal city

33 he had collected within it, now carried tribute

34 and with thirty talents of gold, 800 talents of silver ;

woven cloth,

35 scarlet, embroidered; precious stones of large size;

36 couches of ivory, moveable thrones of ivory, skins of

buffaloes,

37 teeth of buffaloes, dan wood, ku wood, a great treasure

of every kind,

38 and his daughters, and the male and female inmates

of his palace, male slaves
39 and female slaves, unto Niniveh my royal city
40 after me he sent ;
and to pay tribute
41 and do homage he sent his envoy.

42 IN my Fourth Campaign, Ashur my lord gave me

confidence.

1 " To
divide, or unloose, what is chained together," is the sense of the
term according to Fiirst It means, I think, that Hezekiah had com-

manded the drawbridge to be raised.

 40 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

43 I assembled my numerous army : to the city of Beth-

Yakina
44 to advance I gave command. At the commencement
of my expedition
45 of Suzubi the Chaldean, dwelling within the marshes
46 in the city Bittutu I accomplished the defeat.
47 He himself, for the fury of my attack overwhelmed
him,
48 lost heart, and like a bird fled away alone
49 and his place of refuge could not be found. I turned
round the front of my chariot
50 and took the road to Beth-Yakina
51 He himself, Merodach-Baladan whom in the course
52 of my first campaign I had defeated
53 and had cut to pieces his army, the noise of my
powerful aims
54 and' the shock of my fiery battle he now fled from j
55 The gods, rulers of his land, in their Arks he collected,
and in ships

56 he transported them, and to the city of Nagiti-

Rakkin
57 which is on the sea coast, like a bird he flew. His
brothers, the seed of his father's house
58 whom he had left on the seashore, and the rest of the
people of his land
59 from Beth-Yakina within the marshes and morasses
60 I brought away and distributed them as slaves, Once
more his cities I destroyed
6 1 overthrew them and left them in heaps of ruins To
his protector
62 the king of Elam I caused terror
63 On my return, Ashur-nadin-mu my eldest son,
64 brought up at my knees, I seated upon the throne of
his kingdom :
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 41

65 all the land of Leshan and Akkad I entrusted to him.

66 IN my Campaign the people of Tocharri

Fifth

67 Sharum, Ezama, Kipsu, Kalbuda,

68 Kua and Kana, who like the nests of eagles
69 on the highest summits and wild crags of the Nipur
mountains
70 had fixed their dwellings, refused to bow down to my
yoke.
71 At thefoot of Mount Nipur I pitched my camp :

72 with native guides who had kissed my feet [submitted]

73 and a band of my soldiers who were irregulars,
74 I, like the leader Bull, took the front of them.
75 In the ,
in the mountain vallies, and through
flooded lands
76 I travelled in my chariot : but in places which for my
chariot were dangerous

77 I alighted on my feet; and like a mountain goat

among the lofty cliffs
78 clambered up them. Where my knees '
I

79 took rest, upon a mountain rock I sat down,

80 and water, cold even to freezing, to assuage my thirst

I drank.
81 To the tops of the mountains I pursued them
8 2 and completely defeated them. Their cities I captured ;

(Continued on Column IV.)

 COLUMN IV.
Line CARRIED off their spoils I ravaged, destroyed,
i I ;

and burnt them with fire.

2 Then I turned round the front of my chariot, and

against Maniah
3 King of Ukku, chief of the rebellious Dahae, I marched
4 by ways which had never been opened, lofty summits,
where by reason of
5 the rocky mountains, no former king
6 had ever penetrated, of all those who reigned before me.
1
7 At the foot of Anara and Uppa, fortified hills,
8 I pitched my camp ;
but I myself in my travelling
Chair
9 together with my light soldiery
10 into their narrow gorges with precaution I entered
1 1 and laboriously I climbed up to the tops of the high

mountains.
12 He himself, Maniah, the multitude of my army
13 saw, and abandoned Ukku his royal city

14 and fled to a distance. I besieged Ukku and

it
captured :

15 I carried off its spoils every kind of goods and wealth,

:

1 6 the treasures of his palace, from the midst of it

17 I brought out and distributed them as a spoil. And

33 cities

8 belonging to that province I captured.

1 Men, cattle,
19 oxen and sheep, from the midst of them
20 I carried off: and I ravaged, destroyed and burnt
them with fire.

21 IN my Sixth Campaign, the rest of the men of Beth-

Yakina
1
Probably the Aornos of the Greeks, besieged long afterwards by
Alexander the great.
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 43

22 who from before my powerful arms like birds

23 had fled away, the gods who rule over their land into
their Arks
1
24 had collected, the great sea of the Rising Sun
25 had crossed over, and in a city just opposite, in the
land of Elam had placed
26 their dwellings. In Syrian ships I crossed the sea:
27 the cities of Nagitu, Nagitu-Dihubina, Khilmu,
28 Billatu, and Reshpan, cities of
29 Elam, I captured. The men of Beth-Yakina and
theirgods
30 and the men of Elam I carried away. Not even a
remnant of them was left.
3 1 In ships I embarked them to the other side
:

32 I caused them to cross: and I made them take the

road to Assyria.
33 The cities in those provinces I ravaged, destroyed
34 and burnt with fire. I reduced them to ruins and
rubbish.

35 In my return, Suzub the Babylonian

36 who to the sovereignty of the lands of Leshan and
Accad
37 had restored himself, in a great battle

38 defeated him, I captured him alive

I

39 strong chains of iron I placed on him and to Assyria :

40 I carried him off. The king of Elam who had en-

couraged him
41 and come to his assistance, I defeated

42 I
dispersed his expedition and cut to pieces his army.

43 IN my Seventh Campaign, Ashur the lord gave me

courage.
44 I advanced against Elam. The cities of Beth-Khairi
1
The Persian Gulf.
 44 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

45 and Raza, cities of the Assyrian empire

46 which, in the days of my father, the Elamite had
seized by violence
47 in the course of my advance I captured and carried
off their spoils :

48 soldiers devoted to me I placed within them

49 and restored them to the Assyrian empire.
50 In the hands of the governor of the fortress of Dur-el-
ki I placed them
5 1 Then I destroyed the cities of Bubi, Dunni-Shemesh,
Beth-Ritsiah,
52 Beth-Aklami, Duru, Kaltitsulaya,
53 Silibta, Beth-Assutsi, Kar-Mibasha,

54 Beth-Gitsi, Beth-Katpalani, Beth-Imbiah

55 Kamanu, Beth-Arrabi, Buruta,
56 Dinta-sha-Zuliah, Dinta-
57 sha-Antarbit-Karsa, Karrislaki, Rabaya,
58 Rassu, Akkabarina, Til-Ukhuri,
59 Kamran, Naditu, with the other cities of the gate
(or Entrance)
60 of Beth-Bunaki. Til-Khumbi, Dinta-
6 1 sha-Dumian, Beth-Ubiah, Baiti-lishir,
62 Tagab-lishir which is the city of the Nakindati,
63 Massut the lower, Sarkudiri, Zalisha-tarbit,
64 Beth-Akhi-adanna, and Iltimarba. All these large

cities, thirty-four in number

65 and smaller towns in their neighbourhood
66 beyond number, I attacked and captured, and carried
off their spoils,

67 I ravaged, destroyed them, and burnt them with fire.

68 The smoke of their burning like a mighty cloud

69 obscured the face of high heaven. When he heard of
the capture
70 of his cities, Shadu-Nakhunda king of Elam was struck
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 45

71 with terror; into the rest of his cities he threw

garrisons :

72 he himself abandoned Madakta his royal city

73 and towards Khaidala which is among high mountains

74 he took the road. To the city Madakta, his royal
city,

75 "Advance!"! commanded. In the month of De-

cember a terrible storm
76 arrived, a vast cataract poured down,
77 rains upon rains, and snow, caused the torrents to burst
forth.

78 Then I quitted the mountains. I turned round the

front of my chariot

79 and I took the road to Niniveh. In those same days

80 by the will of Ashur my lord, Shadu-Nakhunda

('Continued on Column V.)

 COLUMN V.

Line i king of Elam, did not complete three months [more

oflife\
1
2 on a day which was not fated for him he was violently
put to death.
3 After him Umman-Minan who was no friend to religion
and law,
4 his brother illegitimate, sat upon his throne.

5 IN my Eighth Campaign, after Suzub had escaped,

2
6 the children of Babylon, wicked devils, the great

gates of their city

3
7 hoisted up, and hardened their hearts to make war
8 Suzub the Chaldaean, Lidunnamu
9 a man who had no education, Kilpan prefect
10 of Lakhiri a refugee from Arrapkha,
1 1 and a band of dissolute men around him he assembled
12 He entered among the marshes, and made there a
hiding place :

13 then, to collect more men, he went back by himself

14 and passed into Elam, over the bounds and frontiers,
15 then, with the men and women who were with him
1 6 from Elam he returned rapidly, and entered the city
of Suanna. 4
17 The men of Babylon, in their folly, upon the throne
1 8 seated him, and the crown of Leshan and Accad

bestowed upon him.

19 The treasury of the Great Temple they opened. The
gold and silver
1 3
Flz,, in the course of nature. This is a literal translation.
3 4
Lifted the drawbridges. Suanna was the most sacred part of Babylon.
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 47

20 of Bel and Zarpanita and the wealth of their temples

they brought out
21 and to Umman-Minan
king of Elam who had
22 no right to it, they sent it as a bribe :

"
23 (saying) Collect thy army strike thy camp
! !

"
24 make
haste to Babylon stand by our side
! !

25 "swear to help us !" Then he, the Elamite,

26 whom in the course of my former campaign into Elam
27 Ihad captured his cities and reduced them to ruins,
28 showed that he had no sense he accepted the bribe.
:

29 He assembled his army in his camp. His chariots and

waggons
30 he collected. Horses and mares he harnessed to
their yokes :

31 the nations Parzush, Anzan, Pasiru, Illipi,

32 and the men of Yashan, Lakabri, Karzun,
33 Dummuku, Zulai, and the city of Samuna
34 (who was the son of Merodach Baladan) ;
and the
cities Beth-Adini, Beth-Amukkan,

35 Beth-Kutlan, Beth-Salatakki, Lakhiru,

36 Bukudu, Gambuli, Kalatu, Ruhua,
37 Ubuli, Malaku, Rapiku,
38 Khindaru and Damunu, a vast host of allies

39 he led along with him. They assembled themselves,

and the road
40 to Babylonia they took. They rushed upon Babylon.
41 Unto Suzub the Chaldaean, king of Babylon
42 they approached and met him. They united their
armies
1
43 Then, as a mighty swarm of locusts covers the face
of the earth
44 in destroying multitudes they rushed
1
See chapter 2 of the prophet Joel, where this fine simile of a destroying-
army is also found.
 48 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

45 against me. The dust of their feet like a mighty cloud

46 as they drew nigh to me, the face of heaven
47 darkened before me. In the city of Khaluli*
48 which is on the bank of the Tigris they drew out their
battle array

49 The front of my fenced camp they seized, jind dis-

charged their arrows.
50 Then I to Ashur, the Moon, the Sun, Bel, Nebo,
Nergal,
5 1 Ishtar of Niniveh, and Ishtar of Arbela, the gods my
protectors
52 that I might conquer my powerful enemies I prayed
unto them.
53 My earnest prayers they heard, and came

54 to my assistance. From my heart I vowed a thank-

offering for it. .

55
56 In my great War Chariot
57 (named) "Sweeper away of enemies," in the fury of
my heart
58 I drove rapidly :
my great Bow
59 which Ashur gave me, in my hand I took :

60 with greaves of showy workmanship I enclosed my

legs;
61 and rushing on the whole army of those wicked
enemies
62 in crowded confusion I crushed them together, and
god Im
2
like the 1 thundered.
63 By command of Ashur the great lord, my lord, both to
my side and front

1
This account of the battle of Khaluli is the most elaborate that has
yet been found in the Assyrian annals.
a
Im was the god of the sky. He wielded the thunderbolt, like the
Jupiter Tonans of the Latins.
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 49
1
64 as it were fiery darts against my enemies I hurled.

65 In the arms of Ashur my lord, and the shock of my

battle
66 furious, I
67 The hostile troops with the revolving blades
2

68 I overthrew : their dead bodies I rolled over

69 in the mire. Khumban-undash an engineer

70 whom the king of Elam had made general of his army,
71 (had) his liberation for a great ransom. His chief
officers,

72 who wore gold handled daggers, and with rings

73 heavy of bright gold encircled their legs,
74 like a herd of sleek oxen of abundant fatness
75 eagerly I attacked and defeated them.
76 Their heads I cut off, like victims,
77 their highly worked decorations I tore off with
derision.

78 Like the fall of a great shower, their rings and

bracelets

79 I cast down upon the earth in a lofty heap.

80 My faultless horses yoked to my chariot
8 1 through the deep pools of blood stepped slowly.
82 Of my chariot, as it swept away the slain and the
fallen,

83 with blood and flesh its wheels were clogged.

84 The heads of their soldiers, like urkiti
85 I salted, and into great wicker baskets I stuffed them.
3

Frequently spoken of. Some composition like Greek fire was employed
1

in war.
a
His chariot wheels were armed with iron scythes so I understand the
passage See 2 Maccabees xiii. 2, and Xenophon's Anabasis.
3
To be sent to Nineveh, doubtless, and there exposed on the walls as
trophies of his victory.
 COLUMN VI.
Line i

2 The bracelets I cut off from their hands

3 The
rings heavy of gold, of beautiful workmanship, I
took off from their feet
4
5 the gold and silver handled daggers from their girdles
I took.

6 The rest of the Chiefs, and Nebo-zikir-iskun

7 son of Merodach-Baladan who from my battle
8 had fled, but had rallied their forces, alive
9 in the battle my hands seized them. The chariots
10 and horses, whose drivers in the great battle
i T had been killed,
1 ran away by themselves, in multitudes.
2

13 I returned when the fourth hour of the night was past,

14 and stopped the slaughter. He himself, Umman-
Minan
15 king of Elam, and the kings of Babylon, and the
princes
L6 of Chaldsea who had come with him, by the tumult of

my battle
1 7 were overwhelmed :
they abandoned their tents
1 8 and to save their lives, the dead bodies of their own
soldiers they trampled underfoot

19 and fled like frightened birds who had lost all heart.

20 In double numbers they crowded into their chariots,

21 set off, and fled away to their own dominions.
22 My chariots and horses I despatched after them,
23 and those fugitives who fled for their lives

24 wherever they came up with them, they put them to

the sword.

25 In the course of those days, after that the Central

palace of Niniveh
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 51

26 formy royal residence I had finished,

27 and had filled it with beauties to the admiration of
mankind,
28 (I turned to) the Kurili palace, which for the lodging
of a garrison,
26 the care of horses, and for other needs of every kind
30 the kings my fathers, who went before me, had made
31 Its mound had never been finished; of its small
building
32 the fabric had never been repaired for a long time
:

33 its timin had been lost : its foundations were laid bare :

its summits had fallen down.

34 That palace I pulled down the whole of it.
35 A great quantity of earth from the low lying fields

36 and outskirts of the city, in baskets I took, and

upon it

37 I added what was left of the ruins of the former

palace :

38 then with the earth of the low grounds which I took

from the river side,
39 I completed the mound. Two hundred fathoms
40 altogether, I extended its wall. In a prosperous
month
41 and on a lucky day, upon that mound, with the
skilfulness of my mind

42 a Palace of stone and cedar wood in the building

style
43 of the land of Syria, and a Palace of the lofty archi-
tecture of Assyria

44 which beyond the former one was much finer, larger,

45 and more beautiful, in the year of the Eponymy of my
great bow bearer
46 the master of my arms, for my royal dwelling I began
to build.
 52 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

47 Long beams of cedar wood, the growth of the land of

Khamanu
48 and its lofty mountains, I laid as a roof over them.
49 doors of liari wood, inlaid with shining brass
50 I framed, and I fitted them to the gates
5 1 Of the white stone which in the district

5 2 of Balada is found, great bulls and lions

53 I made, and I placed them right and left
54 of the gates. For the reception of royal guests 1 ^
destined it), and also for the care

55 of horses, mules, cattle, flocks,

to make wine,
56 chariots, wine presses
57 bows and arrows, and every kind of implement of
war,
58 harnesss of horses and mules
59 which had great strength, and were trained to the
yoke.
60 The courts of the building I enlarged greatly
6 1 That palace from its foundations to its summit
6,2 I built and finished. The written records of my
name
63 I placed within it. In future days,
64 under the kings my sons, whom Ashur and Ishtar

65 unto the sovereignty of this land and people shall

call
66 their names ;
when this Palace shall grow old
67 and decay, the future King who shall repair its

injuries,
68 who shall see the written records of my name,
69 who -shall build an altar, sacrifice a male victim,
'
and
replace it in itsplace,
70 Ashur and Ishtar will receive his prayers
1
In fact, -another inscription (R. 44, 68), says "that all the kings of
Phosnicia came there at the same time.
 INSCRIPTION OF SENNACHERIB. 53

71 The destroyer of my writings and my name

72 may Ashur, the great lord, the father of the gods,
deliverhim to his enemies,
73 his sceptre and his throne take away from him, and
destroy his life !

74 In the month of Adar, day the twentieth, in the

eponymy of Bel-silal-ani

75 prefect of Karkamish.
 THE

ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL,
THE SARDANAPALUS OF THE GREEKS.

BY GEORGE SMITH.

CYLINDER A.

HP HE text of Cylinder A of Assurbanipal is compiled from

a terra cotta cylinder found by Mr. Loftus in the North

Palace, Kouyunjik, and the fragments of several duplicate

cylinders from the same place. All these inscriptions are

now in the British Museum.

A copy of this text was published in the Cuneiform In-

scriptions of Western Asia, Vol. til p, 17-26.

Translations of parts of the Egyptian campaigns were

" Transactions
published by Sir H. C. Rawlinson, in the of

the Royal Society of Literature? Vol. vii. 137; and by

M. Oppert, "
in his Memoire sur les rapports de PEgypte
 56 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

et rAssyrie, dans Fantiquite eclaires par Fetude des texts

Cuneiformes ;"* and the complete text of the Cylinder,

accompanied by an interlinear transcription and transla-

tion, was published by Mr. G. Smith in his "History of

Assurbanipal"

1
Accompanied by parts of the texts.
 TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION.

COLUMN I.

I AM Assurbanipal, the progeny of Assur and Beltis,

1
x
son of the great king of Riduti,
2

3 whom Assur and Sin the lord of crowns, from days

remote,
4 prophesying his name, have raised to the kingdom,
5 and in the womb of his mother, have created him to
rule Assyria.
6 Shamas, Vul, and Ishtar, in their supreme power,
7 commanded the making of his kingdom.
8 Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, the father my begetter,
9 the will of Assur and Beltis the gods his protectors
praised,
10 who commanded him to make my kingdom.
11 In the month lyyar the month of Hea, lord of
mankind,
12 on the 1 2th day, a fortunate day, the festival of Bel;
13 in performance of the important message which
Assur,
14 Beltis, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo,
2
15 Ishtar of Nineveh, Sarrat-Kitmuri,
1 6 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal, and Nusku had
spoken,
17 he gathered the people of Assyria, small and great,
1
Riduti is the name of the north palace Kouyunjik.
2
Kitmuri was a temple at Nineveh.
 58 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

1 8 and of the upper and lower sea ;

19 to the consecration of my royal sonship,

20 and afterwards the kingdom of Assyria I ruled.
2 1 The worship of the great gods I caused to be offered
to them,
22 I confirmed the covenants.
23 With joy and shouting
24 I entered into Riduti the palace,
25 the royal property of Sennacherib, the grandfather
my begetter,
26 the son of the great king, who ruled the kingdom
within it,

27 the place where Esarhaddon, the father my begetter,

28 within it grew up, and ruled the dominion of Assyria.
29 and the family increased
30
31 I Assurbanipal within it, preserved
32 the wisdom of Nebo, all the royal tablets,
33 the whole of the clay tablets, all there were, their
subjects I studied.
34 I collected arrows, bows, carriages, horses,
35 chariots, their furniture and fittings. By the will of
the great gods
36 who I proclaimed their laws,

37 they commanded the making of my kingdom,-

38 the embellishing of their temples they entrusted to me,
39 for me they exalted my dominion, and destroyed my
enemies.
40 The man of war, the delight of Assur and Ishtar,
41 the royal offspring am I.
42 When Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo, Ishtar of
Nineveh,
43 Sarrat-Kitmuri, Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal, and
Nusku
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 59

44 firmly seated me on the throne of the father my

begetter,
45 Vul poured down his rain, Hea feasted his people,
1

46 fivefold the seed bore in its ear,

47 the surplus grain was two-thirds, the crops were

excellent,
48 the corn abundant, my face was pleased with the
raising of the harvest,
49 the cattle were good in multiplying,

50 myin seasons there was plenty, in my years famine

was ended.

51 In my first expedition to Makan"

3
52 and Milukha I went. Tirhakah king of Egypt and
Ethiopia,
53 of whom, Esarhaddon king of Assyria, the father my
begetter, his overthrow had accomplished ;

54 and had taken possession of his country ;

he
Tirhakah,
55 the power of Assur, Ishtar, and the great gods my lords
56 despised, and trusted to his own might.
57 Of the kings and governors, whom in the midst of

Egypt,
58 the fathermy begetter had appointed; to slay, plunder,
59 and to capture Egypt, he came against them;
60 he entered, and sat in Memphis, the
6 1 city which the father my begetter had taken, and to
the boundaries
62 of Assyria had added. I was going in state in the
midst of Nineveh,
1 *
Variant reading : fourfold. Makan supposed to be Egypt.
3
Milukha supposed to be Merre.
 60 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

63 and one came and repeated this to me ;

64 over these things
65 my heart was bitter and much afflicted ;
66 by the command of Assur and the goddess Assuritu,
67 I gathered my powerful forces,
68 which Assur and Ishtar had placed in my hands,
69 to Egypt and Ethiopia I directed the march.
70 In the course of my expedition, 22 kings
71 of the side of the sea and the middle of the sea, all

72 tributaries dependent on me,

73 to my presence came and kissed my feet.
74 Those kings
75 on sea and land their roads I took,

76 the level path

7 7 for the restoration of the kings and governors
78 who in the midst of Egypt were tributaries dependent
on me ;

79 quickly I descended and went to Karbanit.

80 Tirhakah king of Egypt and Ethiopia, in the midst
of Memphis,
8 1 of the progress of my expedition heard ;
and to
make war,
82 fighting and battle, to my presence he gathered the
men of his army.
83 In the service of Assur, Ishtar, and the great gods,
my lords,
84 on the wide battle field I accomplished the overthrow
of his army.
85 Tirhakah in the midst of Memphis, heard of the
defeat of his army ;
86 the terror of Assur and Ishtar overcame him, and
87 he went forward; fear of my kingdom
88 overwhelmed him, and his gods glorified me before

my camp.
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 61

89 Memphis he abandoned, and to save his life

90 he fled into Thebes. That city I took,
91 my army I caused to enter, and rest in the
midst
of it.
1
92 Necho king of Memphis and Sais.

93 Sarludari king of Pelusium.

94 Pisan-hor king of Natho.
a

95 Paqruru king of Pi-sup t

96 Pukkimanni-hapi king of Athribis.
97 Nech-ke king of Henins.
98 Petubastes king of Tanis.
99 Unamunu king of Natho.
100 Horsiesis king of Sebennytus.
10 1 Buaiuva king of Mendes.
102 Sheshonk king of Busiris.
3
103 Tnephachthus king of Bunubu.
104 Pukkunanni-hapi king of Akhni.
105 Iptikhardesu king of Pizatti-hurunpiku.
106 Necht-hor-ansini king of Pi-sabdinut.
107 Bukur-ninip king of Pachnut.
108 Zikha king of Siyout.
109 Lamintu king of Chemmis.
no Ispimathu king of Abydos.
in Munti-mi-anche king of Thebes.
112 These kings, prefects, and governors,
113 whom in the midst of Egypt, the father my begetter
had appointed ;

114 who before the advance of Tirhakah

115 their appointments had left, and fled to the desert,
116 I restored; and the places of their appointments
1
Necho was father of Psammitichus I.

a
Mentioned in the stele of Mt. Barkal.
3
See Penub the modern Badnub in the "Inscription of Pianchi" by
Canon Cook, p. 17.
 62 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

7 in their possessions, I appointed them.

1 1

118 Egypt and Ethiopia, .which the father my begetter

had captured,
119 again I took, the bonds more than in former days
120 I strengthened, and I made covenants.
121 With abundant plunder and much spoil
122 in peace I returned to Nineveh.
123 Afterwards all those kings whom I had appointed,
124 sinned against me; they did not keep the oath of
the great gods,

(Continued on Column II.)

 COLUMN II.

1 the good I did to them they despised,

2 and their hearts devised evil ;

3 seditious words they spoke, and

4 evil council they counselled among themselves ;
" Tirhakah from the midst of
5 thus :
Egypt
6 is cut off, and to us our seats are numbered."
7 Unto Tirhakah king of Ethiopia
8 to make agreement and alliance
9 they directed their messengers,
10 thus " May an alliance by this treaty be established,
:

and
1 1 we will help each other ;

1 the country on the other side we will strengthen, and

2

13 may there not be in this treaty any other lord."

14 Against the army of Assyria the force of my dominion,
15 which to their aid had been raised, they devised
1 6 a wicked
plot. My generals of this plot
1 7 heard ;
their messengers
1 8 and and saw
their dispatches they captured,
These kings
19 their seditious work.
20 they took and in bonds of iron and fetters of iron,
;

21 bound their hands and feet. The oath of Assur

king of the gods
22 took them who sinned
23 against the great (gods); who had sought the good of
their hands,and
24 who had given them favours ;
25 and the people of Sais, Mendes, Zoan,
26 and the rest of the cities, all with them revolted
27 devised an evil design. Small and great with the
sword they caused to be destroyed
28 one they did not leave in the midst.
 64 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

29 Their corpses they threw down in the dust,

30 they destroyed the towers of the cities.

3 1 These kings, who had devised evil

33 against the army of Assyria, alive to Nineveh
33 into my presence they brought.
34 To Necho of them,

35 favour I granted him, and a covenant ....

36 Observances stronger than before I caused to be
restored, and with him I sent.

37 Costly garments placed upon him, ornaments of gold,

I

38 his royal image I made for him, rings of gold I

fastened on his feet,
39 a steel sword its sheath of gold,
40 in the glory of my name more than I write I gave him.
41 Chariots, horses, and mules
42 for his kingdom I appointed ;

43 generals as governors,
my
44 to Egypt with him I sent.
45 The place where the father my begetter, in Sais to the

kingdom had appointed him,

46 to his district I restored him ;

47 (and) Neboshazban his son in Athribes.

48 Benefits and favours, beyond those of the father my
begetter,
49 I caused to restore, and gave to him,

50 Tirhakah to Ethiopia fled;

51 the might of the soldiers of Assur my lord over-
whelmed him, and
1

52 he went to his place of night.

53 Afterwards Rudammon, son of his sister,

54 on his royal throne.

sat

55 Thebes his fortified city he made, and

56 he gathered his forces
1
7. e. he died.
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 65

5 7 to fight my army, the sons of Assyria ;

58 who within Memphis gathered in the midst .of//.

59 .... and besieged and took the whole of them.

60 . . came and told me.

6 1 In my second expedition, to Egypt and Ethiopia

62 I directed the march. Rudammon of
63 the progress of my expedition heard, and that I had
crossed over
64 the borders of Egypt. Memphis he abandoned, and
65 to save his life he fled into Thebes.
66 The kings, prefects, and governors, whom in Egypt I
had set up,
67 to my presence came, and kissed my feet.
68 After Rudammon the road I took ;
69 I went to Thebes, the strong city ;
70 the approach of my powerful army he saw, and
Thebes he abandoned,
1
7 1 and fled to Kipkip. That city
72 the whole of it, in the service of Assur and Ishtar my
hands took ;
73 silver, gold, precious stones, the furniture of his palace,
all there was-;
74 garments costly and beautiful, great horses,
75 people male and female,
76 two lofty obelisks covered with beautiful carving,
77 .. hundred talents their weight, set up before the
gate of a temple,
78 with them I removed, and brought to Assyria.
79 Its spoils unnumbered I carried off. From the
midst of Thebes,
80 over Egypt and Ethiopia ;
1
Thebes.
6
 66 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

81 my servants I caused to march, and

82 I acquired glory. With the tributes

83 peacefully I returned to Nineveh, the city of my

dominion.

84 In my third expedition against Bahal king of Tyre

85 ... went ; who my royal will
I
86 disregarded, and did not hear the words of my lips ;

87 towers round him I raised ;

88 on sea and land ; his roads I took ;
89 their spirits I humbled and caused to melt away ;
90 to my yoke I made them submissive. The
91 daughter proceeding from his body, and the daugh-
ters of his brothers

92 for concubines he brought to my presence.

93 Yahimelek his son, the glory of the country, of
unsurpassed renown
94 at once he sent forward, to make obeisance to me.

95 His daughter and the daughters of his brothers,

96 with their great dowries I received.
97 Favour I granted him, and the son proceeding from
his body
98 I restored and gave him. Yakinlu
99 king of Arvad, dwelling in the midst of the sea,
100 who to the kings my fathers was not submissive,
101 submitted to my yoke, his daughter
102 with many gifts, for a concubine
103 to Nineveh he brought, and kissed my feet
104 Mugallu king of Tubal, who against the kings my
fathers

105 made attacks, the daughter proceeding from his

body,
1 06 and her
great dowry, for a concubine
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 67

107 to Nineveh he brought, and kissed my feet

1 08 Over Mugallu great horses

109 an annual tribute I fixed upon him.

no Sandasarmi of Cilicia,
in who to the kings my fathers did not submit,
112 and did not perform their pleasure,
113 the daughter proceeding from his body, with many
114 gifts, for a concubine
115 to Nineveh he brought, and kissed my feet.

116 When Yakinlu king of Arvad,

117 had met his death. Azibahal, Abibahal,
118 Adonibahal, Sapadibahal, Pudibahal,
119 Bahalyasup, Bahalhanun,
120 Bahalmaluk, Abimelek, and Ahimelek,
121 sons of Yakinlu, dwelling in the midst
122 of the sea, from the midst of the sea arose, and
123 with their numerous presents
124 came and kissed my feet.

125 Azibahal gladly I received, and

126 to the kingdom of Arvad appointed.
127 Abibahal, Adonibahal, Sapadibahal,
(Continued on Column III.)
 COLUMN III.

T Pudibahal, Bahalyasup, Bahalhanon,

2 Bahalmelek, Abimelek, and Ahimelek ;

3 costly clothing .... rings

4 in my presence
5 Gyges king of Lydia,
6 a district which is across the sea, a remote place,

7 of which the kings my fathers had not heard speak of

name;
8 the account ofmy grand kingdom in a dream was
related to him by Assur, the god my creator,
9 thus: "The yoke .

10 (when) in remembrance
1 1 the day he saw that dream,

12 his messenger he sent, to pray for my friendship.

1 3 that dream which he saw,

14 by the hand of his envoy he sent, and repeated

to me.

15 From the midst of the day when he took the yoke

of my kingdom,
1 6 the Cimmerians, wasters of his people,
1 8 who did not fear my fathers
1 8 and me, and did not take the
yoke of my kingdom,
he captured,
19 in the service of Assur and Ishtar the gods my lords.
20 From the midst of the chiefs of the Cimmerians,
whom he had taken,
2 1 two chiefs in strong fetters of iron, and bonds of iron,
22 he bound, and with numerous presents,
23 he caused to bring to my presence.
24 His messengers whom, to pray for my friendship
25 he was constantly sending, he wilfully discontinued
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 69

26 as the will of Assur, the god my creator, he had

disregarded ;

27 to his own power he trusted and hardened his heart

28 His forces to the aid of Psammitichus (king) of Egypt,
29 who had thrown off the yoke of my dominion, he sent;
and
30 I heard of it, and prayed to Assur and Ishtar
Thus "
31 : Before his enemies his corpse may they cast,
and
32 may they carry captive his attendants." When thus
to Assur
33 I had prayed, he requited me. Before his enemies
his corpse

34 was thrown down, and they carried captive his

attendants.

35 The Cimmerians whom by the glory of my name he

had trodden under him ;
36 conquered and swept the whole of his country after
him his son
37 sat on his throne, that evil work at the lifting up of
my hands,
38 the gods my protectors in the time of the father his
begetter had destroyed.
39 By the hand of his envoy he sent and took the
"
40 yoke of my kingdom thus The king whom God
:

has blessed art thou ;

41 my father from thee departed, and evil was done in

his time ;

42 I am thy devoted servant, and my people all perform

thy pleasure."

43 In my fourth expedition, I gathered my army ;

1
44 against Akhseri king of Minni
1
Minni bordered on Armenia.
 70 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

45 I directed the inarch.

46 By command of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo,
47 Ishtar of Nineveh, Sarrat-Kitmuri,
48 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal, Nusku ;
49 into Minni I entered, and marched victoriously ;
50 his strong cities and smaller ones, which were without
number,
5 1 to the midst of Izirtu, I took ;

52 I threw down, destroyed, and in the fire I burned.

People, horses,
53 asses, oxen, and sheep, from the midst of those
54 cities I brought out, and as a spoil I counted.
55 Ahseri of the progress of my expedition heard ;
and
56 abandoned Izirtu his royal city;

57 to Istatti his castle he fled, and

58 took refuge. That district I took ;
1
59 for fifteen days' journey I laid waste, and
.
60 the highlands I conquered.
6 1 Ahseri, not fearing my power,
62 by the will of Ishtar dwelling in Arbela, who from the
first had spoken
63 thus "I am: the destroyer of Ahseri, king of
Minni."
64 When I had commanded it, it was accomplished.
Into the hands of his
65 servants she delivered him, and the people of his
country a revolt against him made, and
66 in front of his city his attendants threw down and
67 tore in pieces his corpse. His brothers, his relatives,
68 and the seed of the house of his father, they destroyed
with the sword.
69 Afterwards Vaalli his son sat on his throne ;
70 the power of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo,
1
A day's journey was about fourteen or fifteen miles.
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 71

71 Ishtar of Nineveh, Sarrat-Kitmuri,

72 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal, and Nusku,

73 the great gods my lords, he saw, and submitted to
my yoke.
74 To preserve his life his hand he opened and besought
75 my power. Erisinni, his eldest son,
76 to Nineveh he sent, and kissed my feet.

77 Favour I granted him, and my messenger for friend-

ship
78 I sent to him. The daughter proceeding from his body
79 he sent for a concubine.
80 The former tribute, which in the time of the kings
my fathers
8 1 they had broken off, he had brought to my presence.
82 Thirty horses, beside the former tribute, I added and
fixed upon him.

83 In my fifth expedition, to Elam I directed the

84 march. By the command of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul,
Bel, Nebo,
85 Ishtar of Nineveh, Safrat-Kitmuri,
86 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku ;
87 in the month Elul, the month of the king of the gods,
Assur,
88 the father of the gods, the glorious prince like the :

shock of a terrible storm,

89 I overwhelmed Elam, through its extent.
90 I cut off the head of Teumman, their wicked king ;
91 who devised evil. Beyond number I slew his soldiers ;

92 alive in hand, I captured his fighting men.

93 Their wives, like bows and arrows,
94 filled the vicinity of Shushan.
1

95 Their corpses the Ulai, I caused to take,

1
The Ulai is the river mentioned in Daniel.
 72 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

96 its waters I made to consume like chaft,

97 Ummanigas son of Urtaki, king of Elam,

98 who from the face of Teumman to Assyria
99 fled, and had taken my yoke ;
100 with me I brought him to Elam.
1 01 I seated him on the throne of Teumman.
102 Tammarit his third brother, who with him
103 fled; in Hidalu I appointed to the kingdom.
104 Then the servants of Assur and Ishtar, over Elam
105 I caused to march; I acquired power
1 06 and glory. On my return
1
107 against Dunanu the Gambulian, who to Elam
1 08 trusted ;
I set my face. Sapibel
109 the fortified city of Gambuli, I took;
no into that city I entered, its people entirely
1 1 1 I carried off. Dunanu and Samgunu,
112 opposers of the work of my kingdom,
113 in strong fetters of iron, and bonds of iron,
114 I bound their hands and feet The rest of the sons
of Belbasa,
115 his kin, the seed of his father's house, all there were,
116 Nabonidus and Beledir, sons of Nebozikiresses
117 the tigenna, and the attendants of the father their
begetter ;

(Continued on Column IV.)

1
Gambuli was in the marshes south of Babylonia.
 COLUMN IV.

with the and Tebe,

2 people of Gambuli, oxen, sheep, asses,
3 horses, and mules ; from the midst of Gambuli,
4 / carried off to Assyria. Sapibel, his
5 fortified city, / pulled down, destroyed, and into the
waters I turned.

6 Saulmugina my younger brother; benefits I

had given to him, and
7 had appointed him to the kingdom of Babylon
and gave him
8 chariots I fixed, and
9 cities, fields and plantations.
10 Tribute and taxes, I caused to return, and more than
the father my begetter,
11 / didfor him. And he these favours
12 disregarded,and devised evil.
13 The yoke of my dominion, he threw off, the benefits

14 strengthen er of men
15 over Assyria I ruled.

16 To pray for vny friendship ceased, and

17 enemies in ships with them,
. . .

18
pretending to pray for my friendship ;
19 to Nineveh, to my presence he sent them.
20 I am Assurbanipal king of Assyria, to whom the great
gods' excellent fame have
2 1 renowned him. His might in ... and dominion.
22 The sons of Babylon of them in state chairs
23 I set them up ; costly garments
24 placed upon them, rings of gold I fastened on
I

25 their feet, and the sons of Babylon of them

 74 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

26 in Assyria they were set up, they were honoured

27 before the giving of my command. And he Saul-
mugina
28 my younger brother; who did not keep my agreement,
29 the people of Akkad, Chaldea, Aram, and the sea
coast,
30 from Aqaba to Babsalimitu,
3 1 tributaries dependent on me ; he caused to revolt

against my hand.
32 And Ummanigas the fugitive, who took
33 the yoke of my kingdom, of whom in Elam,
34 I had appointed him to the kingdom ; and the kings
of Goim,
35 Syria and Ethiopia,
36 which, by command of Assur and Beltis, my hands
held;
37 all of them against me he caused to rebel, and

38 with him they set their faces. The people of Sippara,

39 Babylon, Borsippa, and Kutha, broke off the brother-
hood,
40 and the walls of those cities his fighting men he
41 Caused to raise ; with me they made war,
42 making .... my, from the face of Bel son of Bel,
43 the light of- the gods Shamas, the warrior Ninip, he
revolted and
;

44 he caused to cease .... gift of my fingers,

45 to capture the cities, seats of the gods, of whom their

temples
46 I had restored, adorned with gold and silver,

47 and within them had fixed images ; he devised evil.

48 In those days, then a seer in the beginning of the
night, slept and
"
49 dreamed a dream, thus :
Concerning the matter
which Sin was arranging, and
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 75

50 of them who against Assurbanipal king of Assyria,

5 1 devised evil. Battle is prepared ; a

52 violent death I appoint for them. With the edge of

the sword,
53 the burning of fire, famine, and the judgment of
Ninip, I will destroy
54 their lives." This I heard, and trusted to the will of Sin
55 my lord. In
my sixth expedition I gathered my army;
56 against Saulmugina I directed the march.
57 Within Sippara, Babylon, Borsippa, and Kutha,
58 him and part of his fighting men I besieged, and
captured
59 the whole of them in town and country, without
number.
60 I accomplished his overthrow. The rest,
6 1 in the judgment of Ninip, drought and famine
62 passed their lives. Ummanigas king of Elam,
63 appointed by my hand who ; the bribe received, and
came to his aid.

64 Tammaritu against him revolted, and him

65 and part of his family he destroyed with the sword.
66 Afterwards Tammaritu, who after Ummanigas,
67 sat on the throne of Elam,
68 did not seek alliance with my kingdom. To the
help of
1
69 Saulmugina my rebellious brother, he went and
70 to fight my army, he prepared his soldiers.
7 1 In prayer to Assur and Ishtar, I prayed ;
2
72 my supplications they received, and heard the words
of my lips.

73 Indabigas his servant, against him revolted, and

74 in the battlefield accomplished his overthrow. Tam-
maritu king of Elam,
1 a
Variant :
younger brother. Variant : took.
 76 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

75 who over the decapitated head of Teumman untruth

had spoken ;
76 which he had cut off in the sight of my army,
77 thus "I have not cut off the head of the king of
:

Elam
78 . . . . in the assembly of his army." Again he said :

79 "And Ummanigas only, kissed the ground ;

80 in the presence of the envoys of Assurbanipal king of
Assyria."
8 1 For these matters, which he had mocked,
82 Assur and Ishtar turned from him ; and Tammaritu
83 his brothers, his kin, the seed of his father's house
with eighty-five princes
84 going before him from the face of Indabigas
85 fled, and their bitterness within their hearts
86 raged, and they came to Nineveh.
87 Tammaritu my royal feet kissed, and
88 earth he threw on his hair, standing at my footstool

89 He to do my service himself set,

90 for the giving of his sentence, and going to his help.
91 By the command of Assur and Ishtar, he submitted
to my dominion.
92 In my presence he stood up, and glorified the
93 might of my powerful gods, who went to my help.
94 I Assurbanipal, of generous heart,

95 of defection the remover, forgiver of sin ;

96 to Tammaritu favour I granted him, and
97 himself, and part of the seed of his father's house
within my palace,
98 I placed them. In those days the people of Akkad,
99 who with Saulmugina were placed,
100 and devised evil ; famine took them,
101 for their food the flesh of their sons and their
daughters,
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 77

102 they did eat, and divided the

103 Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo,
104 Ishtar of Nineveh, the divine queen of Kitmuri,
105 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku,
1 06 who in my presence marched and destroyed my
enemies :

107 Saulmugina my rebellious brother,

1 08 who made war with me ; in the fierce burning fire
109 they threw him, and destroyed his life,

no And the people who to Saulmugina

in my rebellious brother, he had caused to join,
112 and these evil things did ;

113 who death deserved, their lives

114 before them being precious :

115 with Saulmugina their lord,

116 they did not burn in the fire, before the edge of the
sword,
117 dearth, famine, and the burning fire, they had fled,
and
118 taken refuge. The stroke of the great gods

119 my lords, which was not removed

1 20 overwhelmed them. One did not flee,
121 a sinner did not escape from my hands,
122 my hands held them. Powerful war chariots,
123 covered chariots, his concubines and
(Continued on Column V.)
 COLUMN V.
r
1 the goods of his palace, they brought to my presence.
2 Those men who the curses of their mouth,
3 against Assur my god curses uttered ;

4 and against me, the prince his worshipper, had

devised evil :

5 their tongues I pulled out, their overthrow I accom-

plished.
6 The rest of the people alive among the stone lions and
bulls,

7 which Sennacherib the grandfather my begetter, in the

midst had thrown ;

8 again I in that pit, those men

9 in the midst threw. The limbs cut off
10 I caused to be eaten by dogs, bears, eagles,
1 1vultures, birds of heaven, and fishes of the deep.
1 2 By these things which were done,

13 I satisfied the hearts of the great gods my lords.

14 The bodies of the men whom Ninip had destroyed,
15 and who in drought and famine had passed their
lives ;

1 6 dogs, bears,
17 saturi, burru .... grew fat
1 8 Their attendants from the midst of Babylon,

19 Kutha and Sippara, I brought out

20 and placed in slavery.
1 In
2 splendour, the seats of their sanctuaries I built.

22 I raised their glorious towers.

23 Their gods dishonoured, their goddesses desecrated

24 I rested in purple and hangings.

25 Their institutions, which they had removed, like in

days of old,
1
Variant : furniture.
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 79

26 in peace I restored and settled.

27 The rest of the sons of Babylon, Kutha,
28 and Sippara, who under chastisement, suffering,
29 and privation had fled ;
30 favour I granted them, the saving of their lives I

commanded :

31 in Babylon I seated them.

32 The people of Akkad, and some of Chaldea, Aram and
33 the sea ; whom Saulmugina had gathered,
34 .. returned to their own districts.
35 They revolted against me. By command of Assur and
Beltis

36 and the great gods my protectors, on the whole of

them I trampled,

37 the yoke of Assur which they had thrown off, I fixed

on them ;

38 prefects and rulers appointed by my hand,

39 I established over them.
40 The institutions and high ordinances of Assur and Beltis,
41 and the gods of Assyria, I fixed upon them ;

42 taxes and tribute tomy dominion,

43 of the country the sum undiminished I fixed on them.

44 In my seventh expedition, in the month Sivan the

month of Sin lord of might,

45 eldest son and first of Bel I gathered my army,

:

'

46 against Ummanaldas king of Elam I directed

47 the march. I brought with me Tammaritu king of

Elam,
48 who from the face of Indabigas his servant had fled, and
49 taken my yoke. The people of Hilmi, Billati,
50 Dummuqu, Sulai, Lahira and Dibirina,
1
Ummanaldas was son of Attamitu, commander of the archers; he
murdered and succeeded Indabigas.
 8o RECORDS OF THE PAST.

51 the force of my fierce attack, heard of, as I went to

Elam.
52 the terror of Assur and Ishtar my lords, and the fear
of my kingdom
53 overwhelmed them. They, their people, their oxen
and their sheep,

54 to do my service to Assyria they struck, and

55 took the yoke of my kingdom. Bitimbi the former
56 royal city, the fortress of Elam ;

57 which like a wall the boundary of Elam divided,

58 which Sennacherib king of Assyria, the grandfather
my begetter,
59 my predecessor, had captured and he the Elamite, :

60 a city in front of the former Bitimbi,

6 1 another had built, and its wall he had strengthened,
and
62 had raised its outer wall Bitimbi

63 he had proclaimed its name : in the course of my

expedition I took.
64 The people dwelling in it, who did not come out, and
did not pray for
65 alliance with my kingdom, I felled. Their heads I
cut off, their lips
66 I tore out, and for the inspection of the people of my
country, I brought to Assyria.
1
67 Imbaappi governer of Bitimbi,
68 the relative of Ummanaldas king of Elam ;

69 alive from the midst of that city

70 I brought out and hand and foot in bonds of iron I

placed him, and

7T sent to Assyria. The women of the palace, and sons
72 of Teumman king of Elam ;
whom by the command
of Assur,
1
Variant : commander of the archers.
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 81

73 In my former expedition I had cut off his head ;

74 with the rest of the people dwelling in Bitimbi,
75 I brought out and as spoil I counted. Ummanaldas
king of Elam,
76 of the progress of my army, which into Elam entered ;

heard,and
77 Madaktu his royal city he abandoned, and fled and
hismountains ascended.
1
78 Umbagua who from Elam, from a revolt,
79 to Bubilu had fled, and against Ummanaldas
80 had sat on the throne of Elam like him also heard, and :

8 1 Bubilu the city the seat .of his dominion he abandoned,

and
82 like the fishes took to the depths of the remote waters.
83 Tammaritu who fled and took my yoke,
84 into Shushan I caused to enter, I appointed him to
the kingdom.

85 The good I had done to him and sent to his aid, he

rejected and
86 devised evil to capture my army.
87 Even he said in his heart thus "The people of Elam
:

88 for a spoil have turned, in the face of Assyria.

89 Their . . . has been entered and they have carried
away
90 the plunder of Elam." Assur and Ishtar who before
me 9
march,
91 and exalt me over my enemies ;

92 the heart of Tammaritu hard and perverse they broke,

and
93 took hold of his hand, from the throne of his kingdom
94 they hurled him, and overwhelmed him, a second time
95 they subdued him to my yoke.
96 concerning these matters, in vexation was my heart ;

1 a
Variant :
Ambagua. Variant : in my presence.
7
 82 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

97 which Tammaritu the younger offended.

98 In the glory and power of the great gods my lords,
99 within Elam, through its extent I marched vic-
toriously.
100 On my return, peace and submission
1 01 to my yoke, I restored to Assyria.
102 Gatudu, Gatuduma, Daeba,
103 Nadiha, Duramnani, Duramnanima,
104 Hamanu, Taraqu, Haiusi,
105 Bittagilbitsu, Bitarrabi,
1 06 Bitimbi Madaktu, Shushan,
107 Bube, Temaruduksaranni,
1 08
Urdalika, Algariga,
109 Tubu, Tultubu,
no Dunsar, Durundasi, Durundasima,
in Bubilu, Samunu, Bunaki,
112 Qabrina, Qabrinama and Haraba,
113 their cities I captured, pulled down, destroyed,
114 in the fire I burned ; their gods, their people,
.115 their oxen, their sheep, their furniture, their goods,
116 carriages, horses, mules,
117 and weapons, instruments of war, I carried off to
Assyria.

118 In my eighth expedition, by command of Assur and

Ishtar,
119 I gathered my army, against Ummanaldas
120 king of Elam I directed the march.
121 Bitimbi, which in
my former expedition
122 I had captured, again Rasi, Hamanu,
123 and that district I captured ; and he Ummanaldas
124 king of Elam, of the capture of Rasi and Hamanu
125 heard, and fear of Assur and Ishtar going before me
(Continued on Column VI.)
 COLUMN VI.

overwhelmed him, and Madaktu his royal

1 city
2 he abandoned, and fled to Durundasi.
3 The Itite, he crossed, and that river
4 for his stronghold he fixed,
5 and arranged in ranks to fight me.
6 Naditu the royal city and its district I captured,
7 Bitbunaki the royal city ditto,
8 Hardapanu the
royal city ditto,
9 Tubu
the royal city ditto,
10 beside all the river, Madaktu the royal city ditto,
1 1 Haltemas his
royal city I captured,
12 Shushan his royal city I captured,

13 Dinsar, Sumuntunas ditto,

14 Pidilma his royal city, Bubilu ditto,
1
5 Kabinak
his royal city ditto.
1 6 In the service of Assur and Ishtar I marched and
went
1 7 after Ummanaldas king of Elam,
1 8 who did not submit to my yoke. In the course of
my expedition,
19 Durundasi his royal city I captured.
20 My army the Itite in high flood
21 saw, and feared the crossing.
22 Ishtar dwelling in Arbela, in the middle of the night
to my army
23 a dream sent, and even told them,
"
24 thus I march in front of Assurbanipal, the king
:

25 whom my hands made." Over that vision

26 my army rejoiced, and the Itite crossed peacefully.
27 Fourteen cities royal seats, and smaller cities
28 the numbers unknown, and twelve districts
 84 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

29 which are in Elam, all of them I took,

30 I pulled down, destroyed, in the fire I burned, and to
mounds and heaps I reduced.
3 1 Without number I slew his warriors,
32 with the sword I destroyed his powerful fighting men.
33 Ummanaldas king of Elam
34 in his bitterness fled, and took to the mountain.
35 Banunu and the districts of Tasara
36 all, twenty cities in the districts
37 of Hunnir, by the boundary of Hidalu, I captured.
38 Balimmu and the cities round it,
39 I pulled down and destroyed. Of the people dwelling
within them,
40 their misfortune I caused, I broke up their gods,
41 I set at liberty the great goddess of the lord of lords,
42 his gods, his goddesses, his furniture, his goods,
people small and great,
j
43 I carried off to Assyria. Sixty kaspu of ground,
44 by the will of Assur and Ishtar who sent me,
45 within Elam I entered and marched victoriously.
46 On my return, when Assur and Ishtar exalted me
47 over my enemies, Shushan the great city,
48 the seat of their gods, the place of their oracle, I
captured.
49 By the will of Assur and Ishtar, into its palaces I
entered
50 and sat with rejoicing. I opened also their treasure

houses,
5 1 of silver, gold, furniture and goods, treasured within
them ;

52 which the kings of Elam the former,

53 and the kings who were to these days,
54 had gathered and made ;
which any otlier enemy
1
A kaspu was about seven miles. ,
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 85

55 beside me, his hands had not put into them,

56 I brought out and as a spoil I counted.
5 7 Silver, gold, furniture and goods, of Sumir Akkad
58 and Gandunias, all that the kings of
59 Elam, the former and latter, had carried off
60 and brought within Elam ; bronze hammered,
61 hard, and pure, precious stones beautiful and
valuable,
62 belonging to royalty; which kings of Akkad former
ones
63 and Saulmugina, for their aid had paid
64 to Elam :
garments beautiful, belonging to royalty,
65 weapons of war, prepared for one to make battle,
66 suited to his hand, instruments furnishing his palaces,
67 all that within it was placed, with the food
68 in the midst which he ate and drank, and the couch
he reclined on,
69 powerful war chariots,
70 of which their ornaments were bronze and paint,
71 horses and great mules,
72 of which their trappings were gold and silver, I
carried off to Assyria,

73 The tower of Shushan which in the lower part in

marble was laid,

74 I destroyed. I broke through its top, which was

covered with shining bronze.
75 Susinaq the god of their oracle, who dwelt in the

groves ;

76 whom any one had not seen the image of his divinity,
77 Sumudu, Lagomer, Partikira,
78 Ammankasibar, Uduran and Sapak ;
79 of whom the kings of Elam worship their divinity.
80 Ragiba, Sumugursara, Karsa,
8 1 Kirsamas, Sudunu, Aipaksina,
 86 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

82 Bilala, Panintimri, Silagara,

83 Napsa, Nabirtu and Kindakarbu,

84 these gods and goddesses, with their valuables,
85 their goods, their furniture, and priests, and
86 worshippers, I carried off to Assyria.

87 Thirty-two statues of kings, fashioned of silver, gold,

bronze
88 and alabaster, from out of Shushan,
89 Madaktu and Huradi,
90 and a statue of Ummanigas son of Umbadara,
91 a statue of Istarnanhundi, a statue of Halludus
92 and a statue of Tammaritu the later,
93 who by command of Assur and Ishtar made sub-
mission to me,
94 I brought to Assyria. I broke the winged lions

95 and bulls watching over the temple, all there were.

96 I removed the winged bulls attached to the gates of
97 the temples of Elam, until they were not, I over-
turned.

98 His gods and his goddesses I sent into captivity,

99 their forest groves,
100 which any other had not penetrated into the midst,
101 had not trodden their outskirts ;
102 my menof war into them entered,
103 saw their groves, and burned them in the fire.
104 The high places of their kings, former and latter,
105 not fearing Assur and Ishtar my lords,
1 06
opposers of the kings my fathers,
107 I pulled down, destroyed and burnt in the sun.
1 08 their attendants I
brought to Assyria,
109 their leaders without shelter I placed.
1 10 The wells of
drinking water I dried them up,
in for a journey of a month and twenty-five days the
districts of Elam I laid waste,
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 87

112 destruction, servitude and drought I poured over

them.
113 The daughters of kings, consorts of kings,
114 and families former and latter
115 of the kings of Elam, the governors and
1 1 6 citizens of those cities,

117 all I had captured ; the commanders of archers,

prefects,
118 directors of . .
,
three horse charioteers

119 chariot drivers, archers, officers,

120 camp followers and the whole of the army, all there
was,
121 people male and female, small and great, horses,
122 mules, asses, oxen and sheep,
123 beside much spoil, I carried off to Assyria.
 COLUMN VII.

1 The dust of Shushan, Madaktu,

2 Haltemas, and the rest of their cities,
6 entirely I brought to Assyria,
4 For a month and a day, Elam to its utmost extent I
swept ;

5 the passage of men, the treading of oxen and sheep,

6 and the springing up of good trees I burnt off the
fields.

7 Wild asses, serpents beasts of the desert and ugalhus,

8 safely I caused to lay down in them.

9 Nana, who 1,635 years

1

10 had been desecrated, had gone, and dwelt

1 1 in Elam, a place not
appointed to her ;
12 and in those days, she and the gods her fathers,

13 proclaimed my name to the dominion of the earth.

14 The return of her divinity she entrusted to me,
15 thus: "Assurbanipal, from the midst of Elam (wicked),
16
bring me out, and cause me to enter into Bitanna."
17 The will commanded by their divinity, which from
days remote
18 they had uttered ; again they spoke to later people.
19 The hands of her great divinity I took hold of, (and)
20 the straight road rejoicing in heart,
21 she took to Bitanna.
22 In the month Kislev, the first day, into Erech I caused
her to enter, and
23 In Bithilianni which she had delighted in,

24 I set her up an enduring sanctuary.

1
The image of the goddess Nana was carried away by Kudur-nanhundi,
king of Elam.
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 89

25 People and spoil of Elam,

26 which by command of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel,
Nebo,
27 Ishtar of Nineveh, the divine queen of Kitmuri,
28 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku, I had
carried away ;
29 the first part to my gods I devoted.

30 The archers, footmen,

31 soldiers and camp followers

32 whom I carried off from the midst of Elam ;

33 over the body of my kingdom I spread.

34 The rest to the cities seats of my gods,

35 my great men, and all my camp,
prefects, my
36 like sheep I caused to overflow.
3 7 Ummanaldas king of Elam,
38 who the vigour of the powerful soldiers of Assur and
Ishtar had seen ;

39 from the mountain, the place of his refuge, he

returned and
40 into Madaktu, the city which by command of Assur
and Ishtar
41 I had pulled down, destroyed and carried off its spoil ;

42 he entered and sat in sorrow, in a place dishonoured.

43 Concerning Nebobelzikri, the grandson of Merodach-
baladan ;

44 who against my agreement had sinned, and thrown

off the yoke of my dominion :

45 who on the kings of Elam to strengthen him had

relied,
46 had trusted to Ummanigas, Tammaritu,
47 Indabigas, and Ummanaldas,
48 kings who had ruled the dominion of Elam.
49 My envoy about the surrender of Nebobelzikri,
50 with determination of purpose I sent
 90 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

51 to Ummanaldas. Nebobelzikri, grandson of Mero-

dachbaladan,
52 of the journey of my envoy who into Elam had entered
53 heard, and his heart was afflicted. He inclined to
despair,
54 his life before him he did not regard, and
55 longed for death ;

56 to his own armour-bearer he said also

57 thus "Slay me with the sword."
:

58 He and his armour-bearer with the steel swords of

their girdles pierced through
59 each other. Ummanaldas
feared, and the
60 corpse of that Nebobelzikri who benefits trampled on,
6 1 with the head of his armour-bearer who destroyed
him with the sword,
62 to my envoy he gave, and he sent it to my presence.
63 His corpse I would not give to burial
64 more than before his death I returned, and
65 his head I cut off; round the neck of Neboqatizabat
66 the munmakir of Saulmugina
67 my rebellious brother, who with him to pass into
68 Elam had gone ; I hung.
69 Pahe who against Ummanaldas,
70 had ruled the dominion of Elam,
71 the terror of the powerful soldiers of Assur and
Ishtar,
72 who the first, second, and third time had trampled
over Elam
73 covered him, and he trusted to the goodness of my
heart,
74 from the midst of Elam he fled and
75 took the yoke of my kingdom.
76 The people, sinners of Bitimbi,
77 Kuzurtein, Dursar,
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 91

78 Masutu, Bube.
79 Bitunzai, Bitarrabi.
80 Iprat, Zagar of Tapapa,
8 1 Akbarina, Gurukirra,
82 Dunnushamas, Hamanu,
83 Kanizu, Aranzese,
84 Nakidati, Timinut of Simami,
85 Bitqatatti, Sakisai,
86 Zubahe, and Tulhunba,
face of the
87 who in my former expedition, from the
powerful soldiers
88 of Assur and Ishtar fled and
89 took to Saladri, a rugged mountain ;
90 those people who on Saladri
91 the mountain fixed their stronghold,
92 the terror of Assur and Ishtar my lords overwhelmed
them;
fled
93 from the mountain the place of their refuge they
and
94 took my yoke ;
to the bow I appointed them,
95 over the body of my kingdom
96 which filled my hand I spread.

97 In
my ninth expedition I gathered my army,
98 against Vaiteh king of Arabia
99 I directed the march, who against my agreement
100 had sinned; the benefits done to him he did not
regard, and
10 1 threw off the yoke of my dominion.
102 When Assur had set him up to perform my pleasure,
103 to seek my alliance his feet broke off, and
104 he ended his presents and great tribute.
 92 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

105 When Elam was speaking sedition with Akkad, he

heard and
1 06 disregardedmy agreement Of me Assurbanipal,
107 the king, the noble priest, the powerful leader,
1 08 the work of the hands of Assur, he left me, and

109 to Abiyateh and Aimu, sons of Tehari,

no his forces with them to the help of
in Saulmugina my rebellious brother he sent, and
112 set his face. The people of Arabia
113 with him he caused to revolt, and carried away the
114 plunder of the people whom Assur, Ishtar, and the
great gods
115 had given me, their government I had ruled,
116 and they were in my hand.
ax; By command of Assur and Ishtar my army in the

region of
118 Azaran, Hirataqaza,
119 in Edom, in the neighbourhood of Yabrud,
120 in Beth Ammon, in the district of the Hauran,
121 in Moab, in Saharri,
122 in Harge, in the district of Zobah.
 COLUMN VIII.

1 His numerous fighting men I slew without number, I

accomplished
2 his overthrow. The people of Arabia, all who with
him came,
3 I destroyed with the sword j
and he from the face
of the
4 powerful soldiers of Assur, fled and got away

5 to a distance. The tents, the pavilions,

6 their dwellings, a fire they raised, and burned in the
flames.

7 Vaiteh, misfortune happened to him, and

8 alone he fled to Nabatea.
9 Vaiteh son of Hazael, brother of the father
10 of Vaiteh son of Birvul, whom the people of his
country
1 1 appointed to the kingdom of Arabia ;
1 2 Assur king of the gods the strong mountain, a decree
13 repeated, and he came to my presence.
14 To satisfy thelaw of Assur and the great gods
15 my lords, a heavy judgment took him, and
1 6 in chains I placed him, and with asi and dogs
1 7 I bound him, and caused him to be kept in the
1 8 great gate in the midst of Nineveh Nirib-barnakti-
adnati
1
19 and he Ammuladi king of Kedar,
20 brought to fight the kings of Syria,
21 whom Assur and Ishtar the great gods had entrusted
to me.
22 In the service of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo,
23 Ishtar of Nineveh Sarrat-Kitmuri,
1
Ammuladi was captured by the king of Moab, who sent him to
Assyria.
 94 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

24 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku,

25 his overthrow I accomplished. Himself alive with
Adiya
26 the wife of Vaiteh king of Arabia,
27 they captured and brought to my presence.
28 By command of the great gods my lords, with the dogs
29 I placed him, and I caused him to be kept chained.
30 By command of Assur, Ishtar, and the great gods my
lords,
3 1 of Abiyateh and Aimu sons of Tehari,
32 who to the help of Saulmugina my rebellious brother

33 to enter Babylon went ;

34 his helpers I slew, his overthrow I accomplished.

The remainder
35 who into Babylon entered, in want and
36 hunger ate the flesh ,of each other.
3 7 To save their lives, from the midst of Babylon
38 they came out, and my forces which around Saul-
mugina
39 were placed, a second time his overthrow accom-
plished ; and
40 he alone fled, and to save his life
41 took my yoke. Favour I granted him and
42 an agreement to worship the great gods I caused him
to swear, and

43 instead of Vaiteh or anyone,

44 to the kingdom of Arabia I appointed.
45 And he with the Nabateans
46 his face set, and the worship of the great gods did
not fear, and
47 carried away the plunder of the border of my country.
48 In the service of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo,
49 Ishtar of Nineveh Sarrat-Kitmuri,
50 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku,
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 95

5 1 Nathan king of Nabatea, whose place was remote,

52 whom Vaiteh to his presence (had) fled ;
of
53 heard also of the power of Assur who protected me :

54 who in time past to the kings my fathers,

55 his envoy did not send, and did not seek
56 alliance with their kingdom ;
in fear of the soldiers of
Assur
57 capturing .... he tore and sought alliance
58 with my kingdom. Abiyateh
59 son of Teheri did not benefits, disregarding the
. . .

60 oath of the great gods, seditious words against me

6 1 he spoke, and his face with Nathan
62 king of Nabatea he set; and their forces
63 they gathered to commit evil against my border.

64 By command of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo,

65 Ishtar of Nineveh Sarrat-Kitmuri,
66 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku,
67 my army I gathered ; against Abiyateh
68 I directed the march. The Tigris
69 and the Euphrates in their flood (strong) peacefully
they crossed,
70 they marched, a distant path they took, they ascended
7 1 the lofty country they passed through the forests,

72 of which their shadow was vast, bounded by trees

great and strong,
73 and vines a road of mighty wood.
74 They went to the rebels of Vas, a place arid and
75 very difficult, where the bird of heaven had not
76 wild asses they found not in it.
77 100 kaspu of ground, from Nineveh
78 the city the delight of Ishtar, wife of Bel ;
1
79 against Vaiteh king of Arabia
80 and Abiyateh with the forces
1
Variant : after.
 96 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

8 1 of the Nabateans, they went

82 They marched and went in the month Si van, the
month of Sin
83 the eldest son and first of Bel,
84 the twenty-seventh day, on the festival of the lady of
Babylon,
85 the mighty one of the great gods.
86 From Hadatta I departed ;
87 in Laribda a tower of stones,
88 over against lakes of water ; I pitched my camp,
89 My army the waters for their drink desired, and
90 they marched and went over arid ground, a place
very difficult,

91 to Hurarina near Yarki,

92 and Aialla in Vas, a place remote,
93 a place the beast of the desert was not in,

94 and a bird of heaven had not fixed a nest

95 The overthrow of the Isammih, the servants
96 of Adarsamain, and the Nabateans
97 I accomplished. People, asses, camels,
98 and sheep, their plunder innumerable ;
I carried

away.
99 Eight kaspu of ground my army
IOQ marched victoriously, peacefully they returned, and
101 in Aialli they drank abundant waters ;
102 from the midst of Aialli to Quraziti.
103 six kaspu of ground, a place arid and very difficult,

104 they marched and went The worshippers of

Adarsamain,
105 and the Kidri of Vaiteh,
1 06 son of
Birvul'king of Arabia, I besieged;
107 his gods, his mother, his sister, his wife, his kin,
1 08 the
people in the midst all, the asses,
1
Variant : Birdadda.
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 97

109 camels, and sheep ;

no all in the service of Assur and Ishtar my lords
in my hands took. The road to Damascus
1 1 2 I caused their feet to take. In the month Ab, the
month of Sagittarius
113 daughter of Sin the archer; the third day, the
festival

114 of the king of the gods, Merodach, from Damascus

115 I departed. Six kaspu of ground in their country
all of it.
116 I marched, and went to Hulhuliti.
117 In Hukkuruna, the rugged mountain,
1 1 8 the servants of
Abiyateh son of Tehari of
119 Kedar I captured ; his overthrow I accomplished,
120 I carried off his spoil. Abiyateh and Aimu,
121 sons of Tehari, by command of Assur and Ishtar my
.lords,
1 22 in the midst of battle alive I captured in hand.

123 Hand and foot in bonds of iron I placed them,

{Continued on Column IX.)
 COLUMN IX.

1 with the spoil of their country I

brought them
2 to Assyria. The fugitives, who from the iace of my
soldiers

3 fled, ascended and took to

4 Hukkuruna the rugged mountain.

5 In Laanhabbi
6

Lines 7/025 are lost, only the following ends of eight lines
remain :

a . . . e . .
strong
b . , . and / . . camels
c - -
g-
d . . them h
26 oxen, sheep, asses, camels
27 and men, they carried off without number.
28 The sweeping of all the country through its extent,
29 they collected through the whole of it.
30 Camels like sheep I distributed and
3 1 caused to overflow to the people of Assyria
32 dwelling in my country. camel A
33 for half a shekel, in half shekels of silver, they valued
in frorit of the gate ;

34 the spoil in the sale of captives among the strong

35 which were gathered in droves,

36 they bartered camels and men.

37 Vaiteh and the Arabians,
38 who my agreement
39 who from the face of the soldiers of Assur my lord,
40 fled and got away ;
41 Ninip the warrior destroyed,
42 in want andfamine their lives were spent, and
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 99

43 for their food they eat the flesh of their children.

44 With a curse mud of the earth
45 in the house of Assur father of the gods them
. . .

46 Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo,

47 Ishtar of Nineveh, Sarrat-Kitmuri,
48 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal, Nusku,
49 camels strong, oxen and sheep,
50 more than seven the sacrificers sacrificed, and
5 1 for eating they did not eat their carcases.
52 The people of Arabia one to another, addressed each
other
"
53 thus: Concerning the number of these
54 evil things which happened to Arabia,

55 because the great agreements with Assur we have not

regarded ;

56 and we have sinned against the benefits of Assur-

banipal,
57 the king, the delight of the heart of Bel."
58 Beltis the consort of Bel,
59 the guardian of divinity ;
60 who with Anu and Bel in dominion
61 is established pierced my enemies with horns of
: iron.
62 Ishtar dwelling in Arbela, with fire clothed ;
63 drought upon Arabia poured down.
64 Dabara the warrior, mourning caused and
65 destroyed my enemies.
66 Ninip fierce, the great warrior,
67 the son of Bel ; with his mighty arrows
68 destroyed the life of my enemies.
69 Nusku the glorious messenger, sitting in dominion ;

70 who by command of Assur and Beltis ....

71 The archer, the goddess of
72 my forces preceded, and place of my
kingdom,
 100 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

73 the front of my army took and

74 destroyed my enemies.
75 The stroke . . .
Assur, Ishtar,
76 and the great gods my lords,
77 who in making war, went to the help of
78 my army Vaiteh heard of, and
:

7 9 over these things feared, and

80 from Nabatea I brought out, and
8 1 in the service of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel,
Nebo,
82 Ishtar of Nineveh Sarrat-Kitmuri,
83 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku,
84 .... him, and sent him to Assyria.
85 who to capture my enemies
86 ... fought By command of Assur and Beltis

87 with a mace which was grasped by my hand,

88 the flesh coming out of him, his son,
89 in sight of his eyes I struck down.
90 With the dogs I did not place him,

91 in the gate of the rising sun, in the midst of

Nineveh,
92 which Nirib-parnakti-adnati is called
1
its name ;

93 I caused to keep him chained,

94 to exalt the will of Assur Ishtar and the great gods
95 my lords. Favour I granted him, and saved his life.
96 On my return Hosah,
97 which by the side of the sea has its place, I captured.
98 The people of Hosah, who to their prefects
99 were not reverent, and did not give the tribute,
100 the gift of their country, I slew. Amongst the
people
101 unsubmissive, chastisement I inflicted.
102 Their gods and their people I carried off to Assyria.
1
The name of the eastern gate of Nineveh.
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. IOI

103 The people of Akko unsubmissive I destroyed.

104 Their bodies in the dust I threw down; the whole
of the city
105 I quieted. The rest of them I brought
1 06 to Assyria, in rank I arranged, and
107 over my numerous army,
1 08 which Assur strengthened, I spread

109 Aimu son of Tehari, with Abiyateh

no his brother had risen, and with my army had made
war.
In the midst of battle, alive in hand I captured ;
1 1 r

112 in Nineveh the city of my dominion his skin I tore off.

113 Ummanaldas king of Elam,

114 whom from of old Assur and Ishtar my lords

115 had commanded to make submission to me ;

1 1 6 by command of their great divinity who were un-

changed,
117 afterwards his country against him revolted, and
118 from the face of the tumult of his servants which
theymade against him,
119 alone he fled and took to the mountain.
120 From the mountain, the house of his refuge,
121 the place he fled to,
122 like a raven I caught, and

(Continued on Column X.)

 COLUMN X.

1 brought him to Assyria.

alive I
2 Tammaritu, Pahe and Ummanaldas,
3 who after each other ruled the dominion of Elam ;
4 whom, by the power of Assur and Ishtar my lords,
5 I subjugated to my yoke. Vaiteh
6 king of Arabia, of whom, by command of Assur and
Ishtar, his overthrow
7 I had accomplished ; from his country I brought
him to Assyria.

8 When to ... sacrifices and libations I had offered up

Masmasu, the seat of their power,
9 in
10 before Beltis, mother of the great gods,
1 1 beloved wife of Assur, had made to the gods of
I
1 2 Idkid. To the yoke of war chariot
my
1 3 I caused to fasten them, and to the gate of the temple

14 they drew it. On my feet I made invocation,

15 I glorified their divinity, I praised
1 6 their
power, in the assembly of my army ; of Assur,
Sin,
1 7 Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo, Ishtar of Nineveh
18 Sarrat-Kitmuri, Ishtar of Arbela,
19 Ninip, Nergal and Nusku, who the unsubmissive to me,
20 subjugated to my yoke, and in glory
21 and power established me over my enemies.

22 Saduri, king of Ararat; who the kings his fathers

23 to my fathers had sent in fellowship.

24 Again, Saduri, the mighty things

25 for which the great gods had caused renown to me,
heard, and
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 103

26 like a son to his father, he sent to my dominion ;

27 and he in these words sent

" Salutation to the
28 thus :
king my lord."

29 Reverently and submissively his numerous presents

30 he sent to my presence.

1 Now Riduti, the private palace of Nineveh,

3
32 the grand city, the delight of Ishtar ;
33 which Sennacherib king of Assyria, the grandfather
my begetter
34 built for his royal seat ;

35 that Riduti in days my

36 became old, and its chamber-walls decayed.
37 I, Assurbanipal, the great king, the powerful king,
38 king of nations, king of Assyria, king of the four
regions,
39 within that Riduti grew up.
40 Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nebo, Ishtar of Nineveh
Sarrat-Kitmuri,
41 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku,
42 my royal sonship
43 ... their good protection,
44 over me
45 fixed, when on the throne of the father my begetter
I sat.

46 They were made (?).... and many people

47 my hands
48 me within it
49, On my couch at night my
50 in
51 that mastaku -. . . .

52 the great gods its renown have heard . . .

good,
53 its decay ... to enlarge it
104 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

54 .... the whole of it I destroyed.

55 ... Fifty tipki the building its sculpture

56 .... the work of the mound I completed.
57 Before the temples of the great gods my lords
58 I worshipped. ... Of thatmound
59 its sculpture I did not cut down its top.
60 In a good month and a prosperous day, upon that
mound its

6 1 foundation I placed, I fixed its brickwork.

62 In biris and kamis its face I ....
63 I divided in three . . .

64 in chariots of Elam,
65 which by command of the great gods my lords
66 I carried off; to make that Bitriduti,
67 the people of my country in the midst, took its

bricks.
68 The kings of Arabia who against my agreement sinned
69 whom in the midst of battle alive I had captured in
hand,
70 to make that Bitriduti
7 1 heavy burdens / caused them to carry, and
72 I caused them to take ....
73 building its brickwork ....
74 with dancing and music ....
75 -with joy and shouting, from its foundation to its

roof
76 I built. More than before
77 I extended ....
78 beams and great planks from Sirara
79 and Lebanon, I fixed over it
80 Doors of forest trees, their wood excellent,
8 1 a covering of copper I spread over, and hung in its

gates.
82 Great columns of bronze .
 ANNALS OF ASSURBANIPAL. 105

83 at the sides of the gates

84 That Riduti, my royal seat,
85 the whole of it I finished, entirely

86 I completed. Plantations choice,

87 for the glory of

88 my kingdom I planted like walls.
89 Sacrifices and libations precious I poured out to the
gods my lords.
90 With joy and shouting I completed it,

91 I entered into it in a state palanquin.

92 I after days, among the kings my sons,

93 whomever Assur and Ishtar to the dominion of the

country and people
94 shall proclaim his name ;
95 when this Riduti becomes old and

96 decays, its decay he shall repair,

97 the inscription written of my name my father's and

my grandfather's,
98 the remote descendant who .... may he see, and
99 an altar may he raise, sacrifice and libations may he
pour out,
100 and with the inscription written of his name may he
place ;
10 1 may the great gods all in this inscription named,
102 like me also, establish to him
103 power and glory.
104 Whoever the inscription written of my name,
105 my father's and my grandfather's, shall destroy,
1 06 and with his inscription shall not place,

107 Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel, Nabu,

1 08 Ishtar of Nineveh, Sarrat-Kitmuri,

109 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal and Nusku,

no a judgment equal to the renown of my name, may
they pass on him.
106 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

in Month Nisan, ist day,

1
112 eponym Shamasdainani prefect of Akkad.

DATE ON ANOTHER COPY.

a Month Elul, 28th day,
b eponym Shamasdainani prefect of Babylon.

1
The eponyms were annual officers, after whom the years were named.
 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS
ON THE ROCK

AT BEHISTUN.
TRANSLATED BY

SIR H. RAWLINSON, K.C.B., D.C.L., ETC.

'T'HE great triumphal tablet of Darius Hystaspes, ex-

hibiting the figures of the victorious king and his attend-

ants and of ten vanquished Chiefs, and accompanied by

a record in three languages, which extends to nearly a

thousand lines of Cuneiform writing, is engraved on the

1
face of a precipitous rock at Behistun near the town of

Kermanshah on the Western frontiers of Media.

The inaccessibility of the Sculptures, which are at the

height of at least 400 feet above the plain, had deterred all

the early Persian travellers from attempting to copy the

Inscriptions. At length however Major Rawlinson, who

was employed on military duty in the province, succeeded
1
TO BayiVravoi' 6pos of the Greek; i.e. Baz-istan or " Place of the God."
 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

in scaling the rock in the autumn of 1835 ;

and between
that period and the close of 1837 when his services were

transferred to Teheran, having repeatedly visited the spot,

he contrived to make a copy of a considerable portion of

the Arian version of the record. During the two following

years he was busily employed in decyphering and translat-

ing the portion which he had thus copied, and his various

letters on the subject were read before the Royal Asiatic

Society on January 4, 1840, as reported in the Athenceum,

No. 639, p. 79. An interval of inaction now occurred, as

Major Rawlinson was summoned to take part in the Afghan

war; but in 1843 ne returned to Baghdad, and in the sum-

mer of the following year he once more visited Behistun ;

and on this occasion as he was furnished with ladders,

he completed his copy of the Arian text, and also recovered

considerable portions both of the Scythic and Semitic

versions.

The long expected Memoir on the Arian or Persian text

of the great Behistun Inscription was completed in 1845,

and was published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic

Society for 1846. There were still however some pas-

sages in the Arian text which required verification and

completion, while of the other versions especially of

the Semitic version, the value of which as a key to the

 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS.

decypherment of the independent Inscriptions of Assyria

and Babylonia was becoming daily more apparent large

portions were entirely uncopied, so that one more visit to

the Behistun rock was deemed indispensable. This was

accordingly accomplished in 1848, when Major Rawlinson

not only obtained a large list of emendations and restorations

of the published Arian text, but also carried off his most

valuable trophy in a complete set of paper casts of the entire

Scythic and Semitic versions, so far as the writing could-

be

at all distinguished on the rock.

In the following year Major Rawlinson returned to

England and published the latest results of his labours, the

corrections of the Persian text appearing in the Journal

of the Royal Asiatic Society under date Feb. i, 1850, and
the Semitic text being given at length with an analysis in

the 1 4th volume of the Journal early in the ensuing year.

On returning to Baghdad at the close of 1851, Major

Rawlinson handed over his casts of the Scythic version to

Mr. E. Norris, the well known Oriental scholar, who pub-

lished from them an independent translation of the great

Behistun Inscription in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic

Society for 1852.

The translation which here follows is based upon Major

Rawlinson's original reading of the Arian text as published

 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

in 1846, but it also includes his emendations of 1850, and

is further strengthened by additions from Mr. Norris's

Scythic Memoir of 1852, while in a few instances advan-

tage has been taken of Monsieur Jules Oppert's matured

dissection of the Semitic version published in 1858, to

give greater completeness to the record.

The translation given by Professor Rawlinson in his

Herodotus Vol. ii.

p. 590, has also been compared, and
German criticism has occasionally furnished an improved

reading.
 TRANSLATION OF THE INSCRIPTION.

COLUMN I.

Paragraph i I am Darius, the great King, the King of

Kings, the King of Persia, the King of the provinces, the son
Hystaspes, the grandson of Arsames, the Achaemenian.
2 Says Darius the King My father was Hystaspes ;
:

of Hystaspes the father was Arsames ; of Arsames the father

was Ariyaramnes; of Ariyaramnes the father was Teispes;
of Teispes the father was Achaemenes.

3 Says Darius the King On that account : we are

called Achaemenians from antiquity we have descended ;
;

from antiquity those of our race have been kings.

4 Says Darius the King There are eight of my race
:

who have been kings before me, I am the ninth ; for a

1
very long timewe have been kings.
5 Says Darius the King By the grace of Ormazd I
:

am king Ormazd has granted me the empire.

;

6 Says Darius the King These are the countries :

which belong to me by the grace of Ormazd I have be-

come king of them Persia, Susiana, Babylonia, Assyria,
2
Arabia, Egypt, those which are of the sea, Sparta, Ionia,
Media, Armenia, Cappadocia, Parthia, Zarangia, Aria,
Chorasmia, Bactria, Sogdiana, Gandara, the Sacae, the
Sattagydes, Arachosia, and Mecia, in all twenty-three
countries.

7 Says Darius the King These are the countries :

which belong to me; by the grace of Ormazd they have

become subject to me they have brought tribute to me.
That which has been said unto them by me, both by
night and by day it has been performed by them.
1 a
Or, in a double line. I.e., the Islands of the Mediterranean.
 112 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

Paragraph 8 says Darius the King Within these

:

countries whoever was good, him have I cherished and

protected ; whoever was evil, him have I utterly destroyed.
By the grace of Ormazd these countries have obeyed my
laws. As to them it has been said by me, thus has it
been done by them.
9 Says Darius the King Ormazd granted me the em-
:

pire. Ormazd brought help to me so that I gained this

empire. By the grace of Ormazd I hold this empire.

10 Says Darius the King This (is) what was done
:

by me, before I became king. He who was named Cambyses '

the son of Cyrus of our race, he was here king before me.
There was of that Cambyses a brother named Bardes ; he
was of the same father and mother as Cambyses. Afterwards
Cambyses slew this Bardes. When Cambyses slew Bardes
it was not known to the state that Bardes was killed.
Then Cambyses proceeded to Egypt. When Cambyses
had gone to Egypt, the state became wicked; then the
lie became abounding in the land, both in Persia and in

Media, and in the other provinces.

11 Says Darius the King: Afterwards there was a
certain man, a Magian, named Gomates. He arose from
Pissiachdda, the mountain named Arakadres, from thence ;
on the 1 4th day of the month Viyakhana 2 then it was that
he arose. To the state he thus falsely declared " I am :

Bardes the son of Cyrus, the brother of Cambyses." Then

the whole state became rebellious ; from Cambyses it went
over to him, both Persia and Media, and the other provinces.
He seized the empire ; on the Qth day of the month Gar-
mapada, then it was he thus seized the empire.
3
After-
wards Cambyses, killing himself died.
12 Says Darius the King: The empire, of which
Gomates, the Magian, dispossessed Cambyses, that empire
1 2
Kabujiya. The I2th month. 3
The 5lh month.
 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 113

had been in our family from the olden time. After Gomdtes
the Magian had dispossessed Cambyses of Persia and Media
and the dependent provinces, he acted with his own party (?)
he became king.
13 Says Darius the King : There was not a man, neither
Persian, nor Median, nor any one of our family, who could
dispossess of the empire that Goma'tes the Magian. The )

state feared him exceedingly. He slew many people who

had known the old Bardes ;
for that reason he slew the
"
people Lest they should recognize me that I am not
Bardes the son of Cyrus." There was not any one bold
enough to say aught against Gomdtes the Magian until I
arrived. Then I prayed to Ormazd Ormazd brought help
;

to me. On the loth day of the month Bagayadish then it 1

with my faithful men I

'
was, slew that Gomates, the Magian
and the chief men who were The fort
his followers.
named Sictachotes, in the district of Media, named Nisaea,
there I slew him I dispossessed him of the empire. By
;

the grace of Ormazd I became king Ormazd granted me ;

the sceptre.
14 Says Darius the King: The empire that had been
wrested from our race, that I recovered, I established it
in its place ; as in the days of old j thus I did. The
temples which Gomates the Magian had destroyed, I re-
built ; I reinstituted for the state the sacred chaunts and

worship, and confided them to the families which

(sacrificial)
Gomates the Magian had deprived of those offices. I
established the kingdom in its place, both Persia and Media,
and the other provinces ; as in the days of old thus I ;

restored that which had been taken away. By the grace of

Ormazd I did this. I laboured until I had established our
family in its place as in the days of old. I laboured, by the

1 *
The ist month. Or with a few men.
 114 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

grace of Ormazd, (in order) that Gomates the Magian might

not supersede our family.
1
5 Says Darius the King : This is that which I did
after that I became king.
16
Says Darius the King: When I had slain Go-
mates the Magian, then a certain man, named Atrines, the
son of Opadarmes, he arose ; to the state of Susiana he
thus said: "I am King Then the people of
of Susiana."
Susiana became rebellious they went over to that Atrines ;
;

he became King of Susiana. And a certain man, a Ba-

bylonian, named Nadinta-belus the son of y-Enares, he
arose. The state of Babylonia he thus falsely addressed :

"I am Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus." Then the

entireBabylonian state went over to that Nadinta-belus.
Babylon became rebellious. He seized the government of
Babylonia.
17 Says Darius the King: Then I sent to Susiana; that
Atrines was brought to me a prisoner. I slew him.
18
Says Darius the King: Then I proceeded to Ba-
bylon against that Nadinta-belus, who was called Na-
bochodrossor. The forces of Nadinta-belus held the Tigris ;
had come, and they had boats. Then I divided
there they

my army one portion I supplied with camels ; the other I

;

mounted on horses (?) Ormazd brought help to me by

; ;

the grace of Ormazd I succeeded in passing the Tigris.

Then I entirely defeated the army of that Nadinta-belus.
On the 27th day of the month of Atriyatiya then it was1

that we thus fought.

19 Says Darius the King: Then I marched against

Babylon. When I arrived near Babylon, the city named
Za"zna, upon the Euphrates, there that Nadinta-belus who
was called Nabochodrossor, came with a force before me

1
The 9th month.
 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 115

offering battle. Then we

fought a battle. Ormazd brought
help to me ; by the grace of Ormazd, I entirely defeated
the force of Nadinta-belus. A
part of the army was driven
into the water; the water destroyed them. On the 2nd
1

day of the month Anamaka, then it was that we thus

fought the battle,

1
The roth month.

[End of Column No. I, which extends to ninety-six lines, and

the writing of which is generally in good preservation.]
 COLUMN II.

Paragraph i Says Darius the King: Then Nadinta-

belus with a few horsemen fled to Babylon. Then I pro-
ceeded to Babylon ; I both took Babylon and seized that
Nadinta-belus. Afterwards I slew that Nadinta-belus at
Babylon.
2 Says Darius the King .-Whilst I was at Babylon these
are the countries which revolted against me :
Persis, Su-

siana, Media, Assyria, Armenia, Parthia, Margiana, Satta-

gydia, and Sacia.

3 Says Darius the King A certain man named Martes,

:

the son of Sisicres ; a city of Persia, named Cyganaca, there

he dwelt j he rose up ; to the state of Susiana he thus said :

" I am Imanes, King of Susiana."

4 Says Darius the King: When I sent to Susiana then
the Susians, fearing from me, seized that Martes ; and the
chief of their own men slew him.
5 Says Darius the King : A
certain man named Phra-
ortes, a Median, he rose up ; to the state of Media he thus
" I am
said :
Xathrites, of the race of Cyaxares." Then the
Median people, which were at home (?) revolted against
me. They went over to that Phraortes he became King ;

of Media.
6 Says Darius the King: The army of Persians and
Medes was with me, that army remained faithful to
that
1
me. Then I sent forth these troops. Hydarnes by name,
a Persian, one of my subjects, him I appointed their leader.
"
I thus addressed them Go forth and smite that Median
:

State which does not acknowledge me." Then that Hy-

darnes marched with his army. When he reached Media,
a city of Media named Marusia there he engaged the Medes.
He who was leader of the Medes could not at all resist
1
Or, that (army) was few in number.
 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 1 17

him. (?) Ormazd brought help to me by the grace of ;

Ormazd, the troops of Hydarnes entirely defeated the- rebel

army. On the 27th day of the month Anamaka then it 1

was that the battle was thus fought by them. Afterwards

my forces remained at Kapada, a district of Media, until
I myself arrived in Media.
7 Says Darius the King : Then Dadarses by name, an
Armenian, one of my servants, him I sent to Armenia.
"
I thus said to him : Go forth ;
the rebel state that does
not obey me, smite it" Then Dadarses marched. When
he reached Armenia, then the rebels, having collected,
came before Dadarses arraying their battle. Zoza by name,
a village of Armenia, there they engaged. Ormazd brought
help to me ; by the grace of Ormazd, my forces entirely
defeated that rebel army. On the 8th day of the month,
2
Thurawahara then it was a battle was thus fought by them.
8 Says Darius the King : For the second time the
rebels, having collected, returned before Dadarses arraying
battle. The fort of Armenia named Tigra, there they en-
gaged. Ormazd brought help to me ; by the grace of Or-
mazd, my troops entirely defeated that rebel army. On the
3
1 8th day of the month of Thurawahara then it was that
the battle was thus fought by them. 3
9 Says Darius the King For the third time the rebels
:

having assembled, returned before Dadarses arraying battle.

A fort of Armenia named Uhyama there they engaged.
Ormazd brought help to me ; by the grace of Ormazd,
my forces entirely defeated the rebel troops. On the 9th
4
day of the month Thaigarchish then it was a battle was
thus fought by them. Afterwards Dadarses waited for me
there until I reached Media.

3
1
The ioth month. The 2nd month.
3
Dadarses slew 546 of the rebels and took 520 of them prisoners.
4 The
3rd month.
 Il8 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

10 Says Darius the King: Then he who was named

Vomises, a Persian, one of my servants, him I sent to
" Go
Armenia. Thus I said to him forth, the rebel state
:

which does not acknowledge me, smite it." Then Vomises

marched forth. When he had reached Armenia, then the
rebels,having assembled, came again before Vomises to do
battle. A district of Assyria named Atchidu there they
engaged. Ormazd brought help to me; by the grace of
Ormazd, my forces entirely defeated that rebel army. On .

5th day of the month Anamaka then it was a battle

1
the 1
2
was thus fought by them.
11 Says Darius the King: For the second time the
%

rebels having assembled, came before Vomises in battle-

array. The district of Armenia, named Otiara, there

they engaged. Ormazd brought help to me ; by the grace
of Ormazd, my forces entirely defeated that rebel army. In
the month Thurawahara, at the full moon (?), then was a
3
battle fought by them. Afterwards Vomises remained in
Armenia, waiting for me, until I reached Media.
1 2
Says Darius the King : Then I departed from Ba-
bylon; I
proceeded to Media. When I reached Media,
a city of Media, named Gundrusia, there that Phraortes, who
was called King of Media, came with an army before me in
battle-array. Then we joined battle. Ormazd brought
help to me
by the grace of Ormazd, I entirely defeated
;

the forces of Phraortes. On the 25th day of the month of

Adukana 4 then it was we thus fought the battle.
1
3 Says Darius the King Then that Phraortes, with
:

a few horsemen, fled from thence to the district of Media,

named Rhages. Subsequently I despatched forces in pur-
suit, by whom Phraortes was taken and brought before me.

1 a
The loth month. They slew of the enemy 2024.
3
They slew of the enemy 2045 and took 1559 of them prisoners.
4
The 4th month.
 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 1 19

I cut off both his nose and ears and his tongue, and I

scourged him (?).

He was held chained at my door ;
all the

kingdom beheld him. Afterwards at Ecbatana, there I cru-

cified him and the men who were his chief followers at
;

Ecbatana, within the citadel I executed them.

14 Says Darius the King: A certain man, named
Sitratachmes, a Sagartian, he rebelled against me. To
" I am am
the State he thus said : the King of Sagartia. I

of the race of Cyaxares." Then I sent forth an army of

Persians and Medians. A man named Tachmaspates, a
Median, one of my subjects, him I appointed their leader.
"
Thus I addressed them Go forth, the State which is in
:

revolt, and does not acknowledge me, smite it." Then Tach-
maspates marched with his army. He fought a battle with
Sitratachmes. to me ; by the grace
Ormazd brought help
of Ormazd, troops entirely defeated the rebel army,
my
and took Sitratachmes, and brought him before me. Then
I cut off his nose and his ears, and I scourged him (?). He
was kept chained at my door. All the kingdom beheld him.
Afterwards I crucified him at Arbela.

15 Says Darius the King: This is that (which) was

done by me in Media.
1 6 Says Darius the King: Parthia and Hyrcania re-
volted against me; they declared for Phraortes. Hystaspes,
who was my father, the Parthian forces rose in rebellion against
him. Then Hystaspes with a few troops marched forth.
Hyspaostisa, a town of Parthia, there he engaged the rebels.
Ormazd brought help, by the grace of Ormazd, Hystaspes
entirely defeated the rebel army; on the 2 2nd day of the
1
month of Viyakhna, then it was the battle was thus fought
by them.
[End of Column II., which extends like the preceding to
ninety-six lines. The writing is a good deal injured by a fissure
in the rock which extends the whole length of the tablet.]
1
The 1 2th month.
 COLUMN III.

Paragraph Says Darius the King

i : Then I sent from
Rhages a Persian army to Hystaspes. When that army
reached Hystaspes, he marched forth with those troops. The
city of Parthia named Patigrapana, there he fought with the
rebels. Ormazd brought help to me ; by the grace of Or-
mazd, Hystaspes entirely defeated that rebel army. On the
1
ist day of the month Garmapada, then it was the battle
was thus fought by them. 2
2 Says Darius the King : Then the province submitted
to me. This is what was done by me in Parthia.

3 Says Darius the King The province named Mar- :

me. A certain man named

giana, that revolted against
Phraates, the Margians made him their leader. Then I
sent to him one who was named Dadarses, a Persian, one
of my subjects, and the Satrap of Bactria. Thus said I to
"
him : Go forth ;
attack that province which does not ac-

knowledge me." Then Dadarses marched with his forces ;

he joined battle with the Margians. Ormazd brought help
to me by the grace of Ormazd my troops entirely defeated
;

the rebel army. On the 23rd day of the month Atriyatiya3

then it was the battle was thus 4
fought by them.
4 Says Darius the King Then the province submitted
:

to me. This is what was done by me in Bactria.

5 Says Darius the King A certain man named Veis-
:

dates; a city named Tarba, in the district of Persia,

named Yutiya, there he dwelt. He rose up a second time ;
" I
to the state of Persia he thus said am Bardes, the son :

of Cyrus." Then the Persian forces, which were at home

being removed (?) from connexion with me, (?) they revolted
1
The 5-th month. *
He slew of them 6560 and took 4182 prisoners.
3
The gth month.
4 Dadarses slew 4203 of the enemy and took 6562 prisoners.
 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 121

against me. They went over to that Veisda'tes ;

he became
king of Persia.
6 Says Darius the King : Then I sent forth the Persian

and Median forces which were with me. Artabardes by

name, one of my servants, him I appointed their chief.

Another Persian force accompanied me to Media. Then

Artabardes, with his troops, marched to Persia. When he
reached Persia, a city of Persia named Racha, there that

Veisdates, who was called Bardes, came with a force against

Artabardes to do battle. Then they joined battle. Ormazd
brought help to me
by the grace of Ormazd, my troops
;

entirely defeated the army of Veisdates. On the i2th day

1
of the month Thurawahara then it was the battle was thus
fought by them.
7 Says Darius the King : Then that Veisda'tes, with
a few horsemen fled from thence to Pissiachada. From that
place, with an army, he came back to do battle against
Artabardes. The mountain named Parga, there they fought.
Ormazd brought help to me ; by the grace of Ormazd, my

troops entirely defeated the army of Veisdates. On the

2
6th day of the month of Garmapada then it was that the
battle was thus fought by them. Both that Veisdates
they took, and also they took the men who were his
principal adherents.
8 Says Darius the King: Then that Veisdates, and
the men who were his chief followers, at a town of Persia
named Chadidia, there I impaled them.
9 Says Darius the King That Veisdates, who was
:

called Bardes, he sent troops to Arachotia, against a man

named Vibanus, a Persian, one of my servants and Satrap
of Arachotia, and he appointed a certain man to be their
leader. He thus addressed them " Go forth ; smite :

1 2
The 2nd month. The 5th month.
 122 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

Vibanus, and that state which obeys the rule of King

Darius." Then those forces marched which Veisdates had
sent against Vibdnus, to do battle. A fort named Capis-
canes, there, they fought an action. Ormazd brought help
to me ; by the grace of Ormazd, my troops entirely de-
feated the rebel army. On the i3th day of the month
Anamaka 1
then it was the battle was thus fought by them.
10 Says Darius the King: A second time, the rebels
having assembled, came before Vibanus, to do battle. The
district named Gadytia, there they fought an action. Or-
mazd brought help to me ; by the grace of Ormazd, my
troops entirely defeated the rebel army. On the 7th day
2
of the month Viyakhna then it was the battle was thus

fought by them.
1 1 Says Darius the King Then that man who was
:

the leader of those troops which Veisdates had sent against

Vibanus, that leader with a few horsemen fled away. A
fort of Arachotia, named Arshada, the native place (?) of
Vibanus, he retired to that place. Then Vibanus with his
troops marched in pursuit. There he took him, and slew
the men who were his chief followers.
1 2 Says Darius the King Then the province submitted
:

to me. This is what was done by me in Arachotia.

13 Says Darius the King: Whilst I was in Persia
and Media, second time the Babylonians revolted
for the

against me. A certain man named Aracus, an Armenian,

the son of Handitus, he rose up; a district of Babylon
named Dobana, from thence he arose ; he thus falsely pro-
"I am
claimed :
Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus."
Then the Babylonian state revolted against me ; it went
over to that Aracus; he seized on Babylon; he became
King of Babylonia.

a
1
The ioth month. The i2th month.
 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 123

14 Says Darius theKing Then I sent troops to

:

Babylon. AMedian of the name of Intaphres, one of my

servants, him I appointed their leader. Thus I addressed
"
them : Go forth, smite that Babylonian state, which does
not acknowledge me." Then Intaphres. with his force
marched to Babylon. Ormazd brought help to me ; by the
grace of Ormazd Intaphres took Babylon. On the 2nd day
of the month Markazana then Aracus, who said " I am
l

Nebochodrossor " was seized and brought to me with his

principal followers. Then I made a decree that Aracus
and his principal followers should be put to death in Babylon.

1
The 8th month.

[End of Column III., containing ninety-two lines.]

 COLUMN IV.

Paragraph i Says Darius the King This is what was :

done by me in Babylonia.
2 Says Darius the King This is what I have done.
:

Under the favour of Ormazd, have 1 always acted. As the

kings revolted against me, I fought nineteen battles. By
the grace of Ormazd, I smote them, and I made nine kings
captive. One was named Gomates, the Magian ; he was
an impostor: he said, "I am Bardes, the son of Cyrus;"
he threw Persia into revolt. One, an impostor, was named
Atrines, the Susian he thus said, " I am the king of Su-
:

siana ;" he caused Susiana to revolt against me. One was

named Nadinta-belus a native of Babylon; he was an
"
impostor : he thus I am Nabochodrossor, the son of
said,
"
Nabonidus he caused Babylonia to revolt. One was an
;

" I am
impostor named Martes, a Persian he thus said, :

Imanes, King of Susiana;" he threw Susiana into rebellion.

One was named Phraortes, a Median ; he spake lies he :

" I am
thus said, Xathrites, of the race of Cyaxares ;" he
persuaded Media to revolt. One was an impostor named
Sitratachmes, a native of Sagartia he thus said, " I am :

"
the King of Sagartia, of the race of Cyaxares ; he caused

Sagartia to revolt. One was an impostor named Phraates,

a Margian he thus said
: "I am the King of Margiana ;"
:

he threw Margiana into revolt. One was an impostor named

" I am
Veisdates, a Persian he thus said, :
Bardes, the son
of Cyrus;" he headed a rebellion in Persia. One was an
impostor named Aracus, a native of Armenia ;
he thus said,
"I am Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus;" he threw
Babylon into revolt.

3 Says Darius the King : These nine kings I have taken

in these battles.

4 Says Darius the King: These are the provinces

 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 125

which became rebellious ;

the God .... created lies, that

they should deceive the state ; afterwards the God Ormazd

delivered the state into my hand. As it was desired by me,
thus the God Ormazd did.

5 Says Darius the King :

Thou, whoever may be king
hereafter, exert thyself to put down lying ; the man who may
be a liar, him entirely destroy. If thou shalt thus observe

my country shall remain entire.

6 Says Darius the King This : is what I have done.
Under the favour of Ormazd, have I always acted. Thou
whoever hereafter mayest peruse this tablet let not that
which has done by me seem to thee to have been falsely
recorded.
7 Says Darius the King Ormazd is my witness, (?) that
:

this record (?) I have throughout faithfully executed.

8 Says Darius the By the grace of Ormazd.
King :

there is much been done by me that upon this

else that has
tablet has not been inscribed ; on that account it has not
been inscribed, lest he who might hereafter peruse this tablet,
to him the many deeds (?) that have been done by me else-

where, should seem to have been- falsely recorded. (?)

9 Says Darius the King Those who have been kings
:

before me, by them it has not been done as by me at all

times under the favour of Ormazd.
10 Says Darius the King : Be it known to thee, my
successor, that which has been done by me, thus publicly,
on that account that thou conceal not. If thou conceal
4
not this edict but publish it to. the world, Ormazd shall be
a friend to thee, and may thy offspring be numerous, and
mayest thou be long lived.

Says Darius the King

1 1 If thou shalt conceal this :

record and not publish it to the world may Ormazd be thy

enemy, and mayest thou be childless.
12 Says Darius the King: This is what I have done;
 126 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

under the favour of Ormazd, I have always acted. Ormazd

has brought help to me, and the other gods which are.
13 Says Darius the King On that account Ormazd
:

brought help to me, and the other gods which are, (be-
cause) that I was not wicked, nor was I a liar, nor was I a
tyrant, neither I nor any of my race. I have obeyed the laws

and the rights and customs, I have not violated (?) Whoever
laboured for my family, him have I cherished and protected
he who was hostile to me him have I utterly destroyed.
14 Says Darius the King Thou who mayest be king
:

hereafter, the man who may be a liar, or who may be an

evil doer (?), do not befriend him ;
cast him out into utter

perdition. (?)
15 Says Darius the King Thou whosoever hereafter
:

mayest behold this tablet which I have inscribed, and these

figures, beware lest thou injure them ; as long as thou livest,
so long shalt thou preserve them.
1 6 Says Darius the King If thou shalt behold this
:

tablet, and these figures, thou shalt not injure ; but shalt

preserve them as long as my seed endures, (then) may

Ormazd be a friend to thee, and may thy offspring be
numerous, and mayest thou be long lived ; and that which
thou mayest do may Ormazd bless for thee in aftertimes.
17 Says Darius the King If seeing this tablet and
:

these figures, thou shalt injure them, and shalt not preserve
them as long as my seed endures, then may Ormazd be thy

enemy, and mayest thou be childless ; and that which thou

mayest do, may Ormazd curse it for thee.
1 8 Says Darius the King These are the men who
:

alone were there when I slew Gomates, the Magian, who

was called Bardes. These alone, are the men who were
my assistants. Intaphernes by name, the son of Veispares
a Persian Otanes by name, the son of Socris a Persian
; ;

Gobryds by name, the son of Mardonius, a Persian ; Hy-

 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 127

darnes by name, the son of Megabignes a Persian ; Mega-

byzus by name, the son of Dadoes a Persian ; Ardomanes
by name, the son of Osoces a Persian.
1
9 Says Darius the King : Thou who mayest be king
hereafter remember to show favour to the descendants of
these men (?)

[End of Column IV., which contains ninety-two lines, the

greater part lamentably injured.]

 COLUMN V.

Of the thirty-five lines which compose a supplementary

half column, divided into 6 Paragraphs, it is impossible to

give a complete translation, one side of the tablet being

entirely destroyed. From such portions as are decypherable
itappears to contain an account of two other revolts ; one
in Susiana, conducted by a man named imim;
and the other by Saku'ka, the chief of the Sacse, who dwelt
upon the Tigris.
Darius employed Gubaruwa (Gobryas) the Persian,
against the former rebel, and he marched in person against
the latter, having previously returned from Media to Babylon.
The details of the campaigns cannot be recovered, but they
both terminated successfully.
The inscription then concludes with further thanksgivings
to Ormazd, and injunctions to the posterity of Darius to

preserve uninjured the memorial of his deeds.

The events described in the supplemental column must
have taken place during the process of engraving the pre-
ceding record, and after the tablet containing the sculptured
figureswas finished. By a further smoothening of the face
of the rock, Darius was enabled to add the Sacan Saku'ka,
whom he had defeated in person, to his exhibition of captive
figures, but there was no room on the tablet for the figure
of the Susian rebel, who was discomfited by his lieutenant
Gobryas.

Translation of the detached Inscriptions which are appended to

each of the Figures exhibited on the Upper Triumphal Tablet.
Abovethe head of Darius is an inscription of eighteen
lines,containing an exact copy of the four first paragraphs
of Column L, which have been already given. The writing
 INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS. 1 29

is perfect, and the portions, therefore, of the lower tablet

which have been can be determinately restored.
effaced,
It is needless to repeat the translation.

B. Tablet attached to the prostrate figure on which the

victor king tramples :

" This was an impostor ; he thus

Gomates, the Magian,
declared,
'
I am Bardes, the son of Cyrus. I am the King.'"

C. Adjoining the first standing figure :

" This Atrines was an '

am
impostor ; he thus declared, I
"
King of Susiana.'

D. Adjoining the second standing figure :

" This
Nadinta-belus was an impostor ; he thus declared,
I am Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus ; I am King
'

"
of Babylon.'

x
E. Adjoining the third standing figure :

" This '

Phraortes was an impostor ; he thus declared, I
am Xathrites, of the race of Cyaxares; I am King of
"
Media.'

Above the fourth standing figure

F. :

" This Martes was an '

am
impostor ; he thus declared, I
"
Imanes, the King of Susiana.'

G. Adjoining the fifth standing figure :

" This Sitratachmes was an

; he
impostor thus declared,
1
1 am King of Sagartia, of the race of Cyaxares.' "

H. Adjoining the sixth standing figure :

" This Veisdates was an

impostor j he thus declared,
'
I
"
am Bardes, the son of Cyrus. I am the King.'

1
The Arian legend is engraved on the body of the figure.
10
 130 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

I. Adjoining the seventh standing figure :

" This Aracus was an

impostor ; he thus declared, I am
'

Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus. I am the King of

"
Babylon.'

J. Adjoining the eighth standing figure :

" This
Phraates was an impostor } he thus declared,
- '
I
am the King of Margiana.' "

K. Above the ninth or supplemental figure with the high

cap :

"This is Sakuka, the Sacan.'"

 BABYLONIAN EXORCISMS
TRANSLATED BY

REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

charms translated below will illustrate the

superstition of the Assyrians and Babylonians. Like

the Jews of the Talmud they believed that the world

was swarming with noxious spirits who produced the

various diseases to which man is liable, and might be

swallowed with the food and the drink that support

life. They counted no less than 300 spirits of heaven

and 600 spirits of earth. All this, with the rest of

their mythology, was borrowed by the Assyrians

from the primitive population of Babylonia, who

spoke an agglutinative language akin to the dialects

 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

of the Finnic or Tatar tribes. The charms are

written in this ancient language, but

Assyrian trans-

lations are appended in a column to the right of the

tablet. The legends are lithographed in the " Cunei-

form Inscriptions of Western Asia!' vol ii, plates

17 and 18.
 TRANSLATION OF THE EXORCISMS.

TABLET I.

May the noxious spirit of the neck, the neck-spirit of

the desert, the neck-spirit of the land, the neck-spirit of the
sea, the neck-spirit of the river, the noxious cherub of the
city, the noxious wind, from the man himself (and) the
clothing of the body be driven forth ;
from the noxious neck-
spirit may the king of heaven preserve, may the king of earth
preserve.

TABLET II.

From the burning spirit of the entrails which devours the

man, from the spirit of the entrails which works evil, may
the king of heaven preserve, may the king of earth preserve.

TABLET III.

From wasting, from want of health, from the evil spirit

of the ulcer, from spreading quinsey of the gullet, from
the violent ulcer, from the noxious ulcer, may the king of
heaven preserve, may the king of earth preserve.

TABLET IV.
From sickness of the entrails, from sickness of the heart,
from the palpitation of a sick heart, from sickness of bile,
from sickness of the head, from noxious colic, from the
1

agitation of terror, from flatulency of the entrails, from

1 "
Literally opposition."
 134 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

noxious illness, from lingering sickness, from nightmare,

may the king of heaven preserve, may the king of earth

preserve.

TABLET V.
From the sweeper-away of buildings, from the robber,
from an injured face, from an injured eye, from an injured
mouth, from an injured tongue, from injured lips, from an
injured nose, may the king of heaven preserve, may the king
of earth preserve.

TABLET VI.
From the cruel spirit of the head, from the strong 'spirit
of the head, from the head-spirit that departs not, from
the head-spirit that goes not forth, from the head-spirit that
will not go, from the noxious head-spirit may the king of
heaven preserve, may the king of earth preserve.

TABLET VII.
From 1
the poisonous spittle of the mouth which is noxious
to the voice, from the phlegm which is destructive to the

,
from the pustules of the lungs, from the pustul e
of the body, from the loss of the nails, from the removal

(and) dissolving of old excrement, from the skin which is

strippedoff, from the recurrent ague of the body, from the

food which hardens in a man's body, from the food which

returns after being eaten, from the drink which is exhaled
after drinking, from death by poison, from the swallowing
of the mouth which is exhaled, from the unreturning wind

from the desert, may the king of heaven preserve, may

the king of earth preserve.

1
That would be consumption.
 BABYLONIAN EXORCISMS. 135

TABLET VIII.
1

May Nin-cigal, the wife of Nin-a'su, turn her face to-

wards another place ; may the noxious spirit go forth and
seize another ; may the female-cherub and the female-demon
settle upon his body may the king of heaven preserve,
:

may the king of earth preserve.

TABLET IX.
May Nebo, the great steward, the recliner (or incubus]
supreme among the gods, like the god who has begotten
him, seize upon his head ; the father of his family may he
not injure may the king of heaven preserve,
:
may the king
of earth preserve.

TABLET X.

(On) the sick man by means of

sacrifices may perfect
health shine like bronze ; may the Sun-god give this man
life ; may Merodach, the eldest son of the
deep (give him)
strength, prosperity, (and) health may the king of heaven
:

preserve, may the king of earth preserve.

1
Nin-cig-al, "The Lady of the Mighty Earth," was Queen of Hades and
aformofAllat or Istar. She is also identified with Gula or Bahu (the
Bohu or " Chaos " of Gen. i. 2), " The Lady of the House of Death," and
wife of Hea or Nin-a'su.
 WILL OF
SENNACHERIB KING OF ASSYRIA.

TRANSLATED BY

REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

TRANSLATION of the private Will of Sennacherib

may suitably be connected with the following translated

specimens of Assyrian traffic and mercantile customs. It is

moreover the earliest -example of a Will extant. The

original document is printed in the third volume of the

"
Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia" pi. 16, No. 3.

I, Sennacherib, king of multitudes, king of Assyria, have

given chains of gold, stores of ivory, a cup of gold, crowns
and chains besides, all the riches of which there are heaps,
crystal and another precious stone and bird's stone : one
and a half manehs, two and a half cibi, according to their
weight : to my son, who was afterwards named
Essar-haddon

Assur-ebil-mucin-pal according to my wish the treasure of ;

the Temple of Amuk and (Nebo)-irik-erba, the harpists of

Nebo.
 ASSYRIAN
PRIVATE CONTRACT-TABLETS.
TRANSLATED BY

REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

following private contract-tablets will give

some idea of the activity of trade and business in

Western Asia in the /th and 8th centuries B.C. In

consequence of the overthrow of Tyre, Carchemish

seems to have become the chief commercial centre of

the Eastern world. The clay-tablets are attested

by the seal-impressions, or in lieu thereof, by the

nail-marks, of the parties to whom they belonged.
Several of them have dockets attached, written in the

Phoenician character ;
and these bilingual legends are

valuable corroborations of the accuracy of Assyrian

decipherment. The tablets here translated will be

"
found in the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western

Asia," vol. iii, plates 46-50.

 TRANSLATION OF THE TABLETS.

TABLET I.

Ten
shekels of the best silver, (being) chains for Istar
of Nineveh, which Billu-baladh, in the presence of Manu-
ci-Arbela [here follow 3 seals], has lent on a loan ; the silver
is to have interest paid upon it at 4 per cent. On the
3rd day of the month the silver has been given. (Dated)
3rd day of the month Sebat, during the eponymy of Rimmon-
sallim-ani.
1
The witnesses (were): Khattal-munu, Rahu,
Kulduin, Neriglissor, Arakh-Nebo the Serippian, Musezib-
Assur, Nebo-sallim-sunu, Khanni, (and) Bil-sadan.

[Then follow two lines and a half of Phoenician, the first of

which consists of the proper name, Mannugi-Arbela. ]

TABLET II.

Two
talents of iron, the property of Istar of Arbela, which

Mannu-ci-Arbela, in the presence of Samas-akhi-erib, in the

month of Ab gives j if they are not given back, at 3 per
cent, shall be the interest upon them. On the nth day
2
of the month Sivan during the eponymy of Bamba ;
before
the witnesses :
Istar-bab-esses, Kua, Sarru-ikbi, Dumku-pani-
sarri, (and) Nabua.

TABLET III.

Four manehs of silver according to the standard of

Carchemish, which Neriglissar, in the presence of Nebo-
surn-iddin, son of Nebo-rahim-baladhi, the Keeper of the
Crown, from the city of Dur-Sargon, lends out at 5 shekels
of silver per month interest. The 26th day of the month
lyyar, during the Eponymy of Gabbaru. 3 The witnesses
1 2 3
In B.C. 650-640. B.C. 676. B.C. 667.
 TRANSLATION OF THE TABLETS. 139

(were) :
Nebo-pal-iddin, Nebo-atsib, the holder of the two
sceptres, Akhi-ramu, of the
same office, Assur-danin-sarri, of
the same office, Disi the astronomer, Samas-igur ,
Sin . .

mati-kali the executioner, (and) Merodach .... the

astronomer.

TABLET IV.
The seal of Ebed-Istar, the master of the men. The
giving-up of Hoshea, his two wives Mih'sa (and) Badia,
'Sigaba, Bel-kharran-cunucci, (and) his two daughters, in all
7 persons, slaves, whom Ebed-Istar has sold ; and 'Simadi
for 3 manehs of silver has taken. The whole sum hast thou

given. The exchange (and) the contract are finished :

(there is) no withdrawal. The witnesses (are) Bel-nuri the

priest, Amyatehu, 'Sangi, Kat-i'sa (and) 'Sidur. [The name
of the 6th witness is not filled in]. The month Tisri ; the
*

Eponymy of Dananu.

[Then follow two lines of Phoenician.]

TABLET V.
The nail-mark of Sarru-ludari, the nail-mark of Atar-
'suru, (and) the nail-mark of the woman Amat-'Suhala, the
wife of Bel-duru, the ,
the owner of the house

(which) is given up. [Then follow 4 nail marks.] The

whole house with its woodwork, and its doors, situated in
the city of Nineveh, adjoining the houses of Mannu-ci-akhi

and] Ilu-ciya, (and) the property of 'Sukaki he has sold,

and Tsillu-Assur the astronomer, an Egyptian, for one maneh
of silver (according to) the royal (standard), in the presence
of Sarru-ludari, Atar-'suru, and Amat-'suhala, the wife of its
owner, has received it. The full sum thou hast given. This
house has been taken possession of. The exchange (and)
1
Cir. B.C. 680.
 140 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

the contract are concluded. (There is) no withdrawal.

Whosoever (shall act) feloniously among any of these men
who have sworn to the contract and the agreement, which
(is) before (our) prince Assur, 10 manehs of silver
shall he

pay. The witnesses (are) Su'san-kukhadnanis, Murmaza

:

the Ra'suah the pilot, Nebo-dur-sanin the parti-

,

tioner of the enemy, Murmaza the pilot, Sinnis-nacarat, (and)

Zedekiah. The 1 6th day of the month Sivan, the eponymy
1
of Zaza of the city of Arpad, before Samas-itsbat-nacara,
Latturu, (and) Nebo-sum-yutsur.

1
B.C. 692.
 THE

LEGEND OF ISHTAR
DESCENDING TO HADES.

TRANSLATED BY
H. F. TALBOT, F.R.S., ETC,

THIS very curious Legend is found on a tablet in the

British Museum marked K 162.

Some years ago I received a photograph of it, from

which I made a translation in 1865, which was published
in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature, vol. 8,

p. 244. But about one third of the tablet had been

broken which materially damaged the sense. Since
off,

that time Mr. G. Smith has discovered in the Museum the

missing portion of the tablet, and it is now nearly entire.

I published another translation (including this new portion)
in the Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archczology,
vol. 2, p. 179 (June 1873) and Mr. Smith has published a
translation in the Daily Telegraph of August 19, 1873 in
which many difficult passages are cleared up. I have care-
fully revised these translations and think that the general
sense of the Legend is now well established.

ISHTAR was the goddess of Love; answering to the

Venus of the Latins and the Aphrodite of the Greeks.
 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

The object of her descent into the infernal regions was

probably narrated in another tablet, which has not been
preserved: for no motive is assigned for it here. I con-

jecture that she was in search of her beloved Thammuz-

Adonis who was detained in Hades by Persephone or
Proserpine. We may compare the Greek legend, which
was as follows, as given by Panyasis (quoted by Apollo-
dorus)

"Aphrodite had intrusted Adonis, who was a very beautiful

"Child, during his infancy to the care of Persephone; but
"she fell in love with him, and refused to restore him. Upon
"this Aphrodite appealed to Jupiter, who gave judgment in

"the cause. He decreed that Adonis should remain for one

"third of the year in the infernal regions with Persephone:
"one heaven with Aphrodite
third of the year in the :

"remaining third of the year was to be at his own disposal.

"Adonis chose to spend it in heaven with Aphrodite." 1
The Assyrian legend differs much from this", but yet has
some resemblance.

Creuzer's Symbolik vol. 2, p. 423.

 COLUMN I.

1 To the land of Hades, the region of ( )

2 Ishtar daughter of the Moon-god San turned her mind,

3 and the daughter of San fixed her mind \to go there] :

4 to the House of Eternity: the dwelling of the god

Irkalla:
5 to the House men enter but cannot depart from :

6 to the Road men go but cannot return.

7 The abode of darkness and famine
8 where Earth is their food : their nourishment Clay :

9 light is not seen : in darkness they dwell :

10 ghosts, like birds, flutter their wings there;

1 1 on the door and gate-posts the dust lies undisturbed.

12 When Ishtar arrived at the gate of Hades

13 to the keeper of the gate a word she spoke :

14 "O keeper of the entrance

open thy gate ! !

"
15 Open thy gate again, that I may enter
! !

1 6 "If thou openest not thy gate, and I enter not,

17 "I will assault the door I will break down the gate
: :

1 8 "I will attack the entrance: I will split open the

"
portals :

19 "I will raise the dead, to be the devourers of the living !

20 "
"r
Upon the living, the dead shall prey !

21 Then the Porter opened his mouth and spoke,

22 and said to the great Ishtar,
"
23 Stay, Lady ! do not shake down the door !

" I will 3
24 go, and tell this to the Queen Nin-ki-gal."
1
This very violent language is evidently introduced by the writer of this

Legend, order to justify the subsequent wrath of Proserpine.

in
2
Nin-ki-gal answers to the Proserpine of the Latins. Her name means
" Hades.
goddess of the great region," i. e.
 144 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

25 The Porter entered, and said to Nin-ki-gal,

*
26 "These curses thy sister Ishtar \utters\
27 "blaspheming thee with great curses." [ ]
28 When
Nin-ki-gal heard this, [....]
29 she grew pale, like a flower that is cut off:
30 she trembled, like the stem of a reed :

31 "I will cure her rage, she said ; I will cure her fury :

32 "these curses I will repay to her !

"
33 Light up consuming flames light up blazing straw
! !

" Let her doom be with the

34 husbands who deserted
" their wives !

" Let her doom be with the wives who from their hus-
35
"
bands' side departed !

" Let her doom be with the who led dishonoured

36 youths
"lives!
37 "Go, Porter, open the gate for her,
38 "but strip her, like others at other times."
39 The Porter went and opened the gate.
" '
40 Enter, Lady of Tiggaba city It is permitted ! !

"
41 May the Sovereign of Hades rejoice at thy presence !" 3
42 The first gate admitted her, and stopped her there :

was taken off the great Crown from her head.

"
43 Keeper do not take off from me, the great Crown
!

"from my head!"
" Excuse for the Queen of the land com-
44 it, Lady !

"mands its removal."

45 The second gate admitted her, and stopped her:

there were taken off the earrings of her ears.

1
The end of this and several following lines is broken off, which makes
the translation uncertain.
2
A principal seat of Ishtar's worship.
3
These words are evidently ironical.
 LEGEND OF ISHTAR. 145
" from me, the earrings of
46 Keeper ! do not take off
;

my ears !"
"
47 Excuse it, Lady ! for the Queen of the land com-
"
mands their removal !

48 The third gate admitted her, and stopped her there :

were taken off the precious stones from her head.

"
49 Keeper do not take off from me, the precious stones
!

"
from head "
my !

" Excuse the land com-

50 it, Lady ! for the Queen of
" "
mands their removal !

5 1 The fourth gate admitted her, and stopped her there :

were taken off the small lovely gems from her forehead.

52" Keeper ! do not take off from me, the small lovely
" "
gems from my forehead !

" Excuse the land com-

53 it, Lady ! for the Queen of
" mands their removal !
"

54 The fifth gate admitted her, and stopped her : there

was taken off the central girdle of her waist.
"
*
Keeper do not take off from me, the central girdle
55 !

"from my waist !"

56 "Excuse it, Lady for the Queen of the land com- !

" mands its

removal " !

57 The sixth gate admitted her, and stopped her there :

were taken off the golden rings of her hands and feet.
" do not take off from me, the golden rings of
58 Keeper !

" "
my hands and feet !

11
 146 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

" Excuse for the of the land com-

59 it, Lady !
Queen
" mands their removal " !

60 The seventh gate admitted her, and stopped her:

there was taken off the last garment from her body.
6 1 " Keeper do not take off from me, the last garment
!

" "
from my body !

62 "Excuse it, Lady! for the Queen of the land com-

" mands its removal !
"

63 After that mother Ishtar had descended into Hades

64 Nin-ki-gal saw her, and stormed on meeting her.
65 Ishtar lost her reason ; and heaped curses upon her.
66 Nin-ki-gal opened her mouth and spoke,
67 to Namtar her messenger a command she gave :

68 " Go, Namtar

"
[some words lost]
!

" "
69 Bring her out for punishment

1
The end of this line is lost, and all the remaining lines of Column I.

are similarly mutilated; I will therefore give their meaning in an abridged

form. Namtar is commanded to afflict Ishtar with dire diseases of the
eyes, the side, the feet, the heart, and the head. The story then says,
that after the goddess of Love had descended to Hades, the world soorf
felt the loss of her influence. But as these lines are much broken, and are
better preserved in the second Column, where they are repeated, I omit
them here.
 COLUMN II.

1 The divine messenger of the gods, lacerated his face

x
before them.
9
2 The assembly
of the gods was full,
3 the Sun came, along with the Moon his father.
4 Weeping he spoke thus unto Hea the king :

" Ishtar descended into the earth and she did not
5 ;

" rise
again :

6 "and since the time that mother Ishtar descended

" into
Hades,
7 "the bull has not sought the cow, nor the male of
"
any animal the female.
8 " The slave and her master [some words losi\
" The master has ceased from
9 commanding :

10 "the slave has ceased from obeying."

1 1 Then the god Hea in the depth of his mind laid a
plan:
12 he formed, of clay. 3
for her escape, the figure of a man
13 "Go to save her, Phantom! present thyself at the
" Hades
portal of ;

14 "the seven gates of Hades will open before thee,

15 "Nin-ki-gal will see thee, and be pleased with thee.
1 6 "When her mind shall be grown calm, and her
anger
" shall be worn
off,

17 "awe her with the names of the great gods !

1
A
sign of violent grief in the East. Forbidden in Deut. xiv. i; Lev.
xix. 28. The bleeding face betokened a Messenger of Evil News.
3
Line injured: sense doubtful.
3
The I have derived from the Chaldee word
original has Assinnu, which
Sin " clay." But this is a mere conjecture. The meaning evidently is,
that Hea moulded a figure and breathed life into it. Hea was the god to
whom all clever inventions were attributed. " Lord of deep thoughts " was
one of his most usual titles.
 148 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

1 8 "Prepare thy frauds! On deceitful tricks fix thy

"
mind !

" The
19 chiefest deceitful trick Bring forth fishes of the !

"waters out of an empty vessel 1 I

20 " This thing will please Nin-ki-gal :

21 "then to Ishtar she will restore her clothing.

"A great reward for these things shall not fail.
22
"
23 Go, save her, Phantom and the great assembly of
!

" the
people shall crown thee !

"
24 Meats, the first of the city, shall be thy food !

25" Wine, the most delicious in the city, shall be thy drink !

26 "To
be the Ruler of a Palace, shall be thy rank !

27 "A throne of state, shall be thy seat !

28 " Magician and Conjuror shall bow down before thee !

"

2
29 Nin-ki-gal opened her mouth and spoke :

30 to Namtar her messenger a command she gave :

3
31 "Go, Namtar ! clothe the Temple of Justice !

32 "Adorn the images'! and the altars?

"
Bring out Anunnak Seat him on a golden throne
4
33 ! !

34 "Pour out for Ishtar the waters of life, and let her
" "
depart from my dominions !

35 Namtar went; and clothed the Temple of Justice;

36 he adorned the images and the altars ;
1
The present legend was probably a kind of Miracle Play which was
actually performed in one of the temples. Juggling- tricks, which have
been known in the East from time immemorial (vide Pharaoh's magicians)
were probably introduced for the amusement of the audience. Only one
is related here, but there
may have been many more.
2
The things commanded are now supposed to have been successfully
performed.
3
This seems to be the final scene of the Play, representing a magnificent
hall or palace.
4
A Genius, who is often mentioned. Here he seems to act the part of
a judge, pronouncing the absolution of Ishtar.
 LEGEND OF ISHTAR. 149

37 he brought out Anunnak; on a golden throne he

seated him ;
38 he poured out for Ishtar the waters of life, and let
her go.
39 Then the first gate let her forth, and restored to her
the garment of her body.
first

40 The second gate let her forth, and restored to her

the diamonds of her hands and feet.

41 The third gate let her forth, and restored to her

the central girdle of her waist.
42 The fourth gate let her forth, and restored to her
the small lovely gems of her forehead.
43 The fifth gate let her forth, and restored to her the
precious stones of her head.
44 The sixth gate let her forth, and restored to her the
earrings of her ears.
45 The seventh gate let her forth, and restored to her
'
the great Crown on her head

1
Her ornaments are restored to her exactly in the reverse order that
they were taken oft

NOTE. There are 13 more lines, but they are much broken, and they
appear not to relate to the above Legend. At any rate they belong to
another Chapter of it which has not been hitherto alluded to. A satisfactory
translation of them can therefore hardly be given.
 ASSYRIAN
ASTRONOMICAL TABLETS.
SELECTED AND TRANSLATED BY

REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

HP HE following are specimens of the numerous

astronomical and astrological reports with which the

Libraries of Assyria and Babylonia abounded. The

tablets from which the translations are made come

from the Library of Assurbanipal : but the larger

part of them are merely later editions of works com-

posed for Babylonian kings before the i6th century B.C.

This is the date of the great astrological work, con-

sisting of 72 tablets or volumes, a small portion of

 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

which is translated below. The inscription numbered

VII. has already been translated by Dr. Oppert.

"
The originals will be found in the Cuneiform In-

scriptions of Western Asia? vol. iii, plates 51, 54, 58,

59, 60, 61. It is much to be regretted that many of

the records are in a very fragmentary condition, the

first and final lines of the terra cotta being lost.

 TRANSLATION OF THE TABLETS.

TABLET I.

1
(On) the 6th day of Nisan (March)
2 the day and the night

3 were balanced (i.e. were equal).

4 (There were) 6 hours of day
5 and 6 hours of night.
6 May Nebo (and) Merodach
7 to the king my lord
8 be propitious.

TABLET II.

1
(On) the 1 5th day of Nisan
2 the day and the night
3 were balanced.
4 (There were) 6 hours of day
5 and 6 hours of night
6 May Nebo (and) Merodach
7 to the king my lord
8 be propitious.

TABLET III.

1 A watch we kept.
2 (On) the 29th day the moon
3 we saw.

4 May Nebo (and) Merodach

5 to the king my lord
6 be propitious.
7 (The report) of Nabu
8 of the city of Assur 1

1
Kileh-Shergat.
154 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

TABLET IV.
1 Tothe king my lord
2 thy servant Istar-iddina

3 Chief (Astronomer),
4 of the city of Arbela.
5 May there be peace
6 to the king my lord.

7 May Nebo (and) Merodach

8 (and) Istar of Arbela
9 to the king my lord
10 be propitious.
11 On the 2 Qth day
12 a watch

13 we kept. The moon we did not see.

14 In the month Tammuz (June), the 2nd day,
15 during the eponymy of Bel-sunu
1 6 Prefect of the
city of Khindana.

TABLET V.
1
(If) the moon the ist day is seen,
2 the face is stedfast,

3 the heart of the country is good.

4 (If) the moon at its appearance has a halo,

5 the king to supremacy

6 goes.
f (Report of) Nergal-edir.

TABLET VI.
1 Tothe king, my lord,
2 thy servant Istar-iddina

3 the Chief
4 of the Astronomers,
5 of the city of Arbela.
 ASTRONOMICAL TABLETS. 155

6 May there be peace

7 to the king my lord.

8 May Nebo, Merodach
9 (and) Istar of Arbela
10 to the king my lord
1 1be propitious.
12 On the 2 Qth day
13 a watch
14 we kept
1
15 (In) the observatory
16
(There was) mist
17 The moon we did not see.
2
1 8 (Dated) the month Sebat, the ist day
5
19 during the eponymy of Bel-kharran-sadua.

TABLET VII.
1 To the king my lord, thy servant
2 Abil-Istar. Peace
3 to the king my lord. May Nebo (and) Merodach
4 to the king my lord be propitious.
5 Long days, soundness of flesh
6 and joy of heart may the great gods
7 to the king my lord grant (On) the 27th day
8 the moon (On) the 28th day,
is fixed.

9 the 29th day (and) the 3oth day a watch

10 for an eclipse of the Sun we kept
1 1 The sun behind the shadow (of the eclipse) did not

pass.
12 (On) the ist day the moon was seen in the day
time,
1 " House of Observation." a
Our January.
Literally
3
The report accordingly was sent in to Assurbanipal, as Bel-kharran-
sadua was eponym during his reign. The year, according to Mr. Smith
 156 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

13 during the month Tammuz current,

14 above the planet Mercury ;
of which I have already
1 5
1
6 to the king my lord sent this
1

17 account. During the period of 5 days when the moon

is called Ami*
1 8 in the circle of the star Shepherd of the Heavenly
Flock
19 it was seen declining. 3
20 By reason of rain the horns were not visible
21 very clearly. Thus
22 during this 5 days' period when the moon is Anu
23 in regard to its conjunction to the king my lord
24 I have sent. Thus
25 it
(and) was visible
extended itself

26 below the star of the Chariot.

27 During the 5 days' period when the moon's course is

called Bel 4 it is fixed ;

28 round the star of the Chariot it turned its course.

29 conjunction was prevented; but

Its

30 nevertheless its conjunction with Mercury

3 1 which (took place) during the 5 days' period when the
moon is Anu
32 of which I have already to the king my lord

33 sent a special (report)

34 was not prevented.
35 May the king my ford have peace.

1 8
I.e. a special. /.e. from the ist to the 5th day.

3 "
Literally in the lower part {of the sky)."

4
The orbit of the moon was called Bel from the loth to the i5th day,
though the heavenly body itself was called Hea, the name it bore also
from the 6th to the zoth day. It was termed Anu from the ist to the
5th day.
 ASTRONOMICAL TABLETS. 157

TABLET VIII.
1 The 1
5th day the Moon and the Sun
2 with one another are seen.
3 The face is stedfast. The heart of land is good.
4 J7
possesses the heart of the inhabitants.
5 The gods of Accad
6 to prosperity consign (it).

7 The Moon and the Sun are clear ;

8 the king of the land his ears enlarges.

9 (The report) of Ablua.

TABLET IX.

1 The 1
5th day, the moon and the sun with (one
another)
2 are seen. A
strong enemy
3 his arrows against the land lifts up.
4 The great gate of the city the enemy undermines.
5 The stars in the centre of heaven are obscured by
rain ;
6 the enemy the streams of water makes bitter.

TABLET X.

1 The moon has a dark setting.

2 The month rain continuously and fog
3 will mark.

TABLET XL
1 The moon sank to rest. The planet Mars
2 in the place of its (setting) was fixed. Destruction of
tattle.

3 The land of Phoenicia is made small.

 158 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

TABLET XII.
1

(Portion of an Astronomical Calendar?)

15 In the month Si van (on) the i4th day an eclipse hap-

and in the east it begins and in the west it ends.
pens ;

1 6 In the night-watch it begins, and in the morning-

2
watch it ends. Eastward at the time of appearance and
cessation
shadow seen; and to the king of Dilrmm the
3
17 its is

crown is given. The king of Dilmun on the throne grows

old.
18
(On) the i5th day an eclipse takes place. The king
of Dilmun on the throne is slain ; and a nobody seizes on
the [throne].
19 (On) the 6th day an eclipse happens.
1 The king is
slainby and a
his eunuchs,
plebeian seizes on the (throne.)
20 (On) the 2oth day an eclipse takes place. Rains in
heaven, floods in the channels flow.
2 1 (On) the 2 ist day an eclipse takes place. Devastation
or rapine
22 in the country comes about. Corpses in the country
are. (<)

23 In the month Tammuz (on) the i4th day an eclipse

happens ;
and in the west it begins and in the south and
north it ends.

24 In the evening-watch it begins and in the night-watch

it ends. Westward at the time of appearance (and) dis-

appearance
1
The commencement of this Tablet] is lost ; the characters left become
intelligible at line 15.
2
The night was divided into three watches, the evening-watch, the
night-watch, and the morning-watch. These occupied the 6 kaspu or
periods of 2 hours assigned to the night. See the Observatory reports
numbered I. and II.
3
Dilmun was a country on the shores of the Persian Gulf.
4 These
lines are in the original, they divide the tablet into months.
 ASTRONOMICAL TABLETS. 159

25 its shadow is seen ;

and to the king of Gutium a crown
is given.
26 The forces of Gutium are in service ;
submission of

(foreign) troops.
27 (On) the 1 5th day an eclipse takes place. Rains in
heaven, floods on the land descend. Famine is in the land.
28 (On) the 1 6th day an eclipse takes place. Women
their offspring do not perfect.
29 (On) the 2oth day an eclipse happens. In the month
Ab (July) the Air-god his mouth sets and the god eats. :

30 For a year the Air-god the cattle inundates.

31 (On) the 2ist day an eclipse takes place. From the

king twice his lands revolt, and to the hand of his foes
deliver him.

32 In the month Ab, the i4th day, an eclipse happens ;

and in the south it begins, and in the west it ends.

33 In the evening- watch and in the morning-watch it

begins and at sun-rise it ends.

;

34 Southward at the time of appearance (and) disap-

pearance its shadow is seen; and to the king of Mullias
a crown is given.
35 The life of the soldier and the soldiers for a
. . .

year in a campaign serve, and men by arrows are slain.

36 (On) the 1 5th day an eclipse takes place. The king
dies and rains in heaven, floods in the channels are.
;

37 (On) the i6th day an eclipse takes place. The king

of Accad dies. The war-god on the land feeds.
38 (On) the 2oth day an eclipse takes place. The king
of the Hittites lives and on the throne seizes.
39 (On) the 2ist day an eclipse takes place. The god
plagues the king and the flames devour land and king.

40 In the month of Elul (August), the i4th day, an

 l6o RECORDS OF THE PAST.

eclipse takes place ; and in the north it begins and in the

south
41 and the east it ends. In the evening- watch it begins,
and in the night-watch it ends.

42 Northward at the time of appearance (and) disap-

pearanceits shadow is seen ; and to the king of Mullias a

crown is given.
43 To the king the crown is an omen ;
and over the king
the eclipse passes. Rains in heaven,
44 floods in the channels flow. A famine is in the

country. Men their sons for silver sell.

45 (On) the i5th day an eclipse takes place. The son

of the king murders his father, and on the throne seizes ;
and the enemy plunders and devours the land.
46 (On) the 1 6th day an eclipse happens. The king of
1
a foreign country plunders and on the throne seizes.
47 Rain in heaven, a flood in the channels descends.
48 (On) the 2oth day an eclipse takes place. Rains in
heaven, floods in the channels descend. Country with
country keeps festival and makes peace.
49 (On) the 2ist day an eclipse takes place. The throne
of the foe lasts not. A king self-appointed in the land
shall be.

50 After a year the Air-god inundates. Ditto (i.e. after a

year) the king does not remain. His country is made small.

51 In the month Tisri (September), the i4th day, an

eclipse happens ;
and in the south it begins and in the west
it ends.

52 In the evening-watch it begins, and in the night-

watch it ends. Southward at the time of appearance (and)
disappearance
1
Or the king of the Hittites.
 ASTRONOMICAL TABLETS. l6l

53 its shadow is seen ;

and to the king of Elam a crown
is given. The forces of Elam
54 in service are. No return of peace to his men.
55 (On) the i5th day an eclipse takes place. The foe
plunders and the corn of the land devours and seizes and
over the country tyrannises.
56 (On) the 1 6th day an eclipse happens. Suddenly
the king dies. (There is) division of his kingdom.
57 (On) the 2oth day an eclipse takes place. The
flame the land consumes. Pregnant women their offspring
do not perfect.
58 (On) the 2ist day an eclipse takes place. A flight
of many birds to a country or to countries happens.

TABLET XIII.
1

(Portion of another Calendar.}

1 1
Contrary to their calculated time the Moon and the
Sun with one another are seen. A strong enemy the
country spoils.
12 The king
of Accad under his enemy is placed. The
1 2th day with the Sun (the Moon) is seen"; and

13 the 1 2th day the Moon and the Sun with one another
are seen. Then terribly the heads of men the executioner
cuts off.

14 The 1 3th day, the same (i.e. the Moon and the Sun
are seen together). The face (is) not stedfast. The king
of the land (is) not prosperous. Under the enemy he is.
The enemy in the land campaigns.
15 The 1 4th day, the same. The face (is) stedfast; the
heart of the land is good. The gods consign Accad to
prosperity.
1
The commencement of this Tablet is lost.

12
 162 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

1 6 Joy in the heart of men results. The cattle of Accad

in safety in the desert lie down.
17 The 1 5th day, the same. A
powerful enemy his ser-
vants to the country sends ; and the great gate of the city
theenemy undermines.
1 The 1 6th day, the same. King to king hostility sends.
8
The king in his palace for the period of a month [remains].
19 The hostile foot against his land is set. The enemy
through his country tyrannically marches.
20 The i yth day, the same. The haughty foot (goes)
against the land. A foreign tongue over the land is lord.
21 The 2oth day the same. The hostile soldier marches
and the land rules. The altars of the great gods are taken
away.
22 Bel to Elam goes. At last after 30 years the smitten
are restored. The great gods with them return.

2 3 4
23 (In) the months of Chisleu, Tebet, (and) -Sebat the
horn of the moon is double, and in (holy) places (there is)
rest from sacrifices.

24 For these three months (on) the i5th day, the sky is

not seen; on the 3oth day no mists.

The Moon its path directs and the Sun during the day
25
goes. The same (i.e. the moon directs its path). It is
changed from the i5th day of the month Marchesvan to
5

2
the 1
5th day of the month Chisleu.
26 The night according to its reckoning is long. The
north wind blows. The days of the king of Accad (are) long,
the heart of his people (is) good.
27 The same. The night according to its reckoning is
long. The north-wind blows. The king of Accad, his days
(are) long, his life is extended.
1 2 3
See note 4 page 20. November. December.
4 5
January. October.
 ASTRONOMICAL TABLETS. 163

28 The moon its path directs and the sun during the day
goes. The same. It is changed. From the i5th day of
the month Tebet to the i5th day of the month Sebat
29 the night according to its stated time is long. The
west wind blows. The king of Phoenicia (enjoys) long
days. The heart of the people (is) good.
30 The same. The night according to its stated hours
(is) long. The west wind blows. The days of the king of
Phoenicia (are) long. His life is extended.

31 A
bright light at the rising of the Sun arises, and in
the assembly of the people diffuses itself ....
32 The days of the prince (are long).
33 The Sun is ascendant, and a Star after it appears.
Peace to (men).

34 (Attack ?) of pestilence violently and the men (die ?)

35 The Sun is in the ascendant and clouds are present

36 (In) the month Chisleu, the 2oth day (the moon)

makes its appearance, and in brilliance the moon
(shines).

NOTE It may interest our readers to" know that the bulk of
:

these Tablets are in the British Museum and are readily ac-
cessible to students.
 THE ASSYRIAN CALENDAR.

THE Babylonian Year was divided into 12 months of 30

days each, with an intercalary month every 6 years. The
night had originally been divided into 3 watches, but after-

wards the more accurate division into hours came into use,
the day and the night severally containing 6 casbu (or asli
as the Assyrians called them). According to the lunar

division, the 7th, i4th, i9th, 2ist, and 28th, were days of
"rest," on which certain works were forbidden; and the
two lunations were divided each into three periods of 5

ASSYRIAN NAME.
 THE ASSYRIAN CALENDAR.

days, the ipth ending the first period of the 2nd lunation.
Each month was under the protection of some deity, and its

Accadian name answers to the corresponding sign of the

Zodiac. The Assyrians seem to have once possessed a

calendar of their own, in which the months had native

names, like the old Jewish Calendar with its Bui, Ethanim,
etc. Thus the 3rd month was called "The Royal," and
another month mukhur Hi, "The Gift of the Gods." But
along with the Jews they afterwards adopted the Aramaic
Calendar, which was based upon that of the Accadians ;

indeed, the names of the months in this Calendar, wherever

they are explicable, seem to be derived from the Accadian
titles of the months and Zodiacal signs. This Aramaic-
Accadian Calendar began with Nisan.

ACCADIAN NAME.
 TABLES OF
ASSYRIAN WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
COMPILED BY

REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.

MEASURES OF LENGTH:
60 ubani = i suklu, rabtu or ammat (" cubit "=20 inches)
6 ammat= I kanu ("cane"=io ft.)

12 kani = i ribu or gar

60 ribi = i soss

30 sosses = kasbu or aslu ("a day's journey," about 14 miles)

i

For field measures the square of 60 yards was the unit, and the
soss was called ammat-gagar, containing 360 yards. Sixty of
these made one masku of 21,600 yards.

WEIGHTS AND MONEYS:

8 ig or
"
royal shekels"
= shekel (i2dts.) i

60 shekels = mana-gina Ib. i

(i , 4 oz. 8 dts.
,

2 mana-gina(" standard manehs")= i maneh (2lbs., 8oz., i6dts.)

30 manehs = i talent (82 Ibs.)

The was according
talent to the standard either of Assyria

("the royal talent" or "the talent of the country") or of Car-

chemish. The contract-tablets variously give i talent of silver
as equivalent to 5 manehs of gold, 5 manehs of silver to 2
manehs of gold, 10 manehs of silver to t maneh of gold, etc.

MEASURES OF CAPACITY:
Land and grain were alike measured by the log (lagitu}
which contained respectively 10, 9, and 8 subdivisions called
baru, aru, and arrat. Grain was also measured by the makaruj
and we find 100 makarrat of barley in a contract-tablet. The
arrat was divided into the "baru" or "half of wood" and the
" baru of stone."

The tonnage of ships was reckoned by the gurru; thus we

have ships of 15 and 6ogurri.
 LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS FOR TRANSLATION.

ASSYRIAN.
ARRANGED BY

GEORGE SMITH.

Works on History and Chronology.

Eponym Canon (Cun. Ins., Vol. Ill, p. i).
Historical Canon (Cun. Ins., Vol. II, p. 52).

Synchronous History (Cun. Ins., Vol. II, p. 65).

Historical.

Legends of Izdubar (texts unpublished). (Deluge Tablets.)

Inscriptions of Urukh king of Babylonia (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,
p. i).

Inscriptions of Dungi son of Urukh (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, p. 2).

Inscriptions of various other early Babylonian Sovereigns
(Trans. Soc. Bib. Ar., Vol. I, pp. 37 to 46).
Inscription of Sargon I king of Babylonia (Cun. Ins., Vol.
Ill, p. 4).
Inscription of Sargon and his son Naram-sin (Trans. Soc.
Bib. Ar., pp. 49-5 1 )-
Various Inscriptions of Kudur-mabuk and Rim-sin his son
(see Trans. Soc. Bib. Ar., p. 42, and notes).
Early Babylonian Dated Tablets (texts unpublished).
Brick of Samsi-vul I ruler of Assyria (Cun. Ins., Vol. I. p. 6).
Brick of Kara-indas king of Babylon (Trans. Soc. Bib. Ar.,
p. 68).
 1 68 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

Inscriptions of Burna-buriyas king of Babylon (Cun. Ins.,

Vol. I, p. 4, etc.).

Inscriptions of Kuri-galzu king of Babylon (Cun. Ins.,

Vol. I, p. 4, etc.).
Inscriptions of Pudil king of Assyria (Revue Ar., Nov., 1869).
Monolith of Maruduk-bal-idina I king of Babylonia (text
unpublished).
Tablet of Vul-nirari I king of Assyria
(text unpublished).
Small Inscriptions of Vul-nirari (various).
Inscriptions of Shalmaneser I king of Assyria (various).
Inscriptions of Tugulti-ninip king of Assyria (various un-
published ; one Cun. Ins., Vol. Ill, p. 4).
Inscriptions of Assur-risilim king of Assyria (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. Ill, p. 3).
Brick and Cone Inscriptions of Vul-bal-idina king of Babylon
(various).
Inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar I king of Babylonia (un-
published).
Cylinder of Tiglath-Pileser I king of Assyria (Cun. Ins.,
'Vol. I, pp. 9-16).
Other fragments of Tiglath-Pileser (various).
Contracts dated in the reign of Maruduk-nadin-ahi king of
Babylon (various).
Inscriptions of Assur-bel-kala king of Assyria (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. I, p. 6).
Inscriptions of Samsivul IV king of Assyria (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. Ill, p. 3).
Contract dated in the reign of Simmas-sihu king of Babylon
(Layard's Ins., p. 53).
Annals of Assur-nazir-pal king of Assyria, from pavement
slabs (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, pp. 17-26).
Other Inscriptions of Assur-nazir-pal (various).
Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser II (Cun. Ins., Vol. Ill,
pp. 7 and 8).
 LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS. 169

Bull Inscriptions of Shalmaneser II (Layard's Ins., p. 12, etc.).

Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser II (Layard's Ins., p. 87).

Inscriptions of Vul-nirari III king of Assyria (Cun. Ins.,

Vol. I. p. 35).

Fragments of Annals of Tiglath-Pileser II king of Assyria

(various).
Fragments of Inscriptions Shalmaneser IV king of Assyria
(various).
Inscription of the Second Year of Sargon (unpublished).
Nimrud Inscription of Sargon (Layard's Ins., p. 33).
Cylinder (Barrel) of Sargon (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, p. 36).
Prism of Sargon (unpublished).
Fastes of Sargon (Botta).
Annals of Sargon (Botta).
Other Inscriptions of Sargon (various).
Tablet of Kalah Shergat.
Nebbi Yunas Tablet (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, pp. 43,44).
Bull Inscriptions of Sennacherib (Cun. Ins., Vol. Ill, pp. 12
and 13).
Other Inscriptions of Sennacherib (various).
Cylinder of Esarhaddon king of Assyria (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,

PP- 45-47)-
Various other Inscriptions of Esarhaddon (Cun. Ins.
Vol. I, etc.).

Portions of Cylinders B, C, D, and E of Assurbanipal

(Smith's Assurbanipal).
Various Historical Tablets of Assurbanipal (Smith's Assur-
banipal).
Hunting Texts of Assurbanipal (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, p. 7).

Inscriptions of Assur-ebil-ili king of Assyria (Cun. Ins. Vols.

I and III).
Cylinder of Bel-zakir-iskun king of Assyria (Cun. Ins. Vol. I

p. 8).

Inscription of Nabopalassar king of Babylonia (unpublished).

 170 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

Inscription (India House) of Nebuchadnezzar (Cun. Ins.

Vol. I, pp. 53 to 64).
Senkereh Cylinder of Nebuchadnezzar (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,
P- 5 1 )-

Borsippa Cylinder of Nebuchadnezzar (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,

1
5 )-
P;
Various other Texts of Nebuchadnezzar.
Tablet dated in the reign of Evil Merodach king of Babylon.
Cylinder of Nergal-shar-ezer king of Babylon (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. I, p. 67).
Cylinders of Nabonidas king of Babylon (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,

pp. 68, 69).

Other texts of Nabonidas (various).
Brick of Cyrus king of Babylon, (Trans. Soc. Bib. Ar., Vol.
' II,
pt. I).
on
Inscription Tomb of Cyrus.
Dated Tablets in reign of Cambyses (various).
Inscriptions of Darius.
Inscriptions of Xerxes king of Persia.
Inscriptions of Artaxerxes king of Persia.
Later Inscriptions of Persian, Greek, and Parthian periods.

Mythology and Religion (mostly unpublished}.

History of the Evil Spirits.

Hymn to the Moon God.

Hymns to Ninip.
The War of the Gods.
Incantations for removing Curses.
Prayers of Amil-urgal.
Prayer against Eclipses.
Various other Prayers.
Various Mythological Stories and Invocations.
Tablets against Witchcraft.
 LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS. 17 1

Fable (unpublished}.
The Horse and the Ox.

Government (mostly unpublished}.

Tablet with Advice and Cautions to Kings.
Various Reports and Despatches.
Various Tablets with Laws and Law Cases.

Private Life.
Further Deeds of Sale and Barter.
Further Loan Tablets.
Priyate Letters.
Lists of Property.

Science, etc.
(partly unpublished}.
*
Geographical Lists.
Lists of Animals and Birds.
Lists of Minerals and their uses.
Lists of Wooden Objects.
Grammatical Tablets (a selection from).
Mathematical Tablets.

Astrology and Astronomy.

Further Selections from the great Chaldean Work on As-
trology.
Further Selections from Astronomical and Astrological
Reports.
A Selection of Omens from Terrestrial Objects and Events. 1

PHOENICIAN.
Sarcophagus of Ashmunazer (Due de Luynes, Memoire,

Marseilles Inscription (Judas, 1857).

The Moabite Stone (Ginsburg, 1871).
Selected Mortuary Inscriptions.
1
Selections of these only printed in Vol. I.
 EGYPTIAN.
(Tentative List only.)

ARRANGED BY

P. LE PAGE RENOUF, F.R.S.L.

Historical Documents.
Ancient Empire :

Inscription of Unas (Rouge, Six premieres dynasties).

Tomb of Ameni (Benihassan I).
Tomb of Nahre-si Chnum-hotep (Beni-
hassan II).

XVIIIth Dynasty :

Inscription of Aahmes son of Abna (Denk. Ill, pi. 12).

Aahmes, formerly called Pensouvan
(Louvre C, 49).
Thotmes I at Karnak (Denk. Ill, 18).
Hatasu (Duemichen, Hist. Ins., 19, 20).
Annals of Thothmes III (Birch, Rouge, Brugsch).
Other Monuments of Thothmes III (Birch and De
Rouge' Rouge).
Inscription of Amem-em-heb at Abd-el-Gurnah (Ebers).
Inscriptions of Amenophis III (Denk III, 65 and
following).
Monuments of the Disk Worshippers.

XlXth Dynasty :

Triumphal Inscription of Seti I at Karnak (Denk. Ill,

126).
 LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS. 173

Inscription of Seti I at Radesieh.

The Great Harris Papyrus of Rameses II.
Dedicatory Inscription of Rameses II at Abydos
(Maspero).
Treaty of Rameses II with King of the Cheta (Denk.
Ill, 146).
Great Triumphal Inscription of Rameses II, (Denk.
HI, 153).
Triumphal Inscriptions (Denk. Ill, 165, etc).
Historical Inscription at Abusimbel (187).
Great Tablet at Abusimbel (194).
Tablet of the Year 400 (Revue Arch).
Inscription of Bek-en-Chonsu (Deveria).
Journey in Syria, etc. (ist Anastasi Papyrus, Chabas
and Goodwin).

XXth Dynasty :

Inscription of Seti II (Duemichen, Hist. Ins., i to 5).

Rameses III (Rosellini, Burton, Greene,
and Duemichen, ubi supra 13 to 15).

XXIst Dynasty :

Tablet 4th year of Rameses IV.

Tablet of Temple of Chronos at Karnak.

Ethiopic period :

Pianchi Inscription.
Dream
"StMe de
"
Tablet.
1'inthronisation."
Stele de rexcommunication.
"
J
>^
"^

Monuments.

Persian and Ptolemaic :

Statuette Naophore du Vatican.

Tablet of Tafnecht at Naples.
Inscription of Ptolemy son of Lagos.
 174 RECORDS OF THE PAST.

Tablet of Canopus.
Rosetta.
"Bauurkunde der Templelanlagen von Edfu" (Due-
michen).
Two Ptolemaic Tablets (Birch).
Selection of Obelisk Inscriptions.
Apis Tablets.

Religious or Magical Texts.

Ancient Forms of Sepulchral Offerings, etc. (Tablets of
Ancient Empire).
Book of the Dead.
Spells in Lepsius ("Aelteste Texte").
Harris Magical Papyrus.
Magical Text in British Museum (Salt 825. Birch).
"Horus on Crocodiles" (various texts, Leyden and elsewhere).
Spells in Tomb of Bek-en-ren-ef.
" Metternich Tablet."
"
Sh& en sensenu;" the "Book of the Breaths of Life."
Lamentations of Isis (Horrack).
Legend of Horus (Naville).
Rhind Papyri.
Sarcophagus of Seti (Bonomi).
Necht-en-heb.
T'at-hra (Louvre).
British Museum, 32.
Litanies of theSun (Denk. Ill, 203).
Selection of Hymns, such as the following :

Ap-heru-mes (Berlin, in Brugsch Monumens, pi. III).

Meri ( pi. IV).
To Osiris (Bibliotheque Nationale, Chabas).

Fragments of the Hymns of the Disk Worshippers.

Several in British Museum.
Duemichen's publications.
 LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS. 175

Great Psalm to Ammon (Leyden I, 350).

Calendar of Lucky and Unlucky Days (Sallier, Chabas).
Calendars of Festivals from as Early Date as possible to
Roman Period.

Literature, Philosophy, Science, Economy.

Proverbs, Prisse Papyrus.
"
Tale of Saneha" (Goodwin).
" Two Brothers."
Setnau (Brugsch, Rev. Arch).
"Rules of Life" (Papyrus at Bulaq, lately published by
Marriette).
Song of the Oxen (Denk. Ill, 10).
Poem of Pentaur.
Medical Papyrus (Berlin).
(British Museum).
Geometrical Papyrus (British Museum).
Letters on all varieties of subjects in the Sallier, Anastasi,
and Leyden Papyri.
Registers, etc., (Rollin and other Papyri).
Accounts.
Receipts for making Kyphi, etc.

Catalogues of the Temple Library at Edfu.

and Police.
Abbott Papyrus (Spoliation of Tombs).
" "
Pap. Judiciare de Turin (Deveria).
Report on Capture of Fugitive Slaves (Leyden I, 368,
Chabas).
Complaint against Paneba (British Museum, Salt, Chabas).
Petition to king Amenophis (Chabas).
Complaint against Thefts committed by certain Workmen
(Chabas).
 Will be ready in July, 1
874.

RECORDS OF THE PAST.

VOL. II.

EGYPTIAN TEXTS,
Containing among others the following Translations :

Annals of Thothmes III.

By DR. BIRCH, F.S.A.,

Hymns to Amun (Anastast Papyri].

By C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.

Voyage of an Egyptian to Syrise.

By M. FRANCOIS CHABAS.

Lamentations of Isis for Osiris.

By M. de HORRACK.

The Tale of the Two Brothers (D'Orbigny Papyrus}.

By M. MASPERO.

The Wars of Rameses II. against the Hittites (Sallier

Papyrus].
By PROF. LUSHINGTON, M.A.

The Story of Saneha.

By C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.

The Inscription of Pianchi Mer-amon (Pianchi Stele).

By CANON COOK, M.A.

Stele of Ahmes and Newer-hotep (Louvre Coll.}

By M. PIERRET.

SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS,

15, PATERNOSTER ROW.