CT 53, 017 (P313432)
Letter, Neo-Assyrian, Nineveh · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | CT 53, 017 |
|---|---|
| ID | P313432 |
| Museum no. | BM — |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE |
| Genre | Letter |
| Find spot | Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) |
| Coordinates | 36.3582, 43.1621 |
English translation
By ORACC project saao/saa16 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse [0:4] o 1o 1–o 44 | To the ki[ng], my lord: your servant Nabû-re[htu-uṣur. May Bel and] Belet, Nabû and Tašmetu, Ištar of Ni[neveh and Ištar of Arbela, your] gods (who) [called] you by name [to kingship, keep] you a[live]! |
| Obverse [4:7] o 55–o 77 | Those who sin against [your father's goodness, yo]ur fat[her's and] your own treaty, and who [plot against yo]ur [life, shall be placed] in [your] hands, [and you shall delete] their name [from As]syria and from [your pa]lace. |
| Obverse [7:9] o 88–o 99 | This is the word of Mullissu; [the king, my lord], should not be ne[glectful] about it. |
| Obverse [9:10] o 1010–o 1010 | On the 6th of [Marchesvan (VIII)] I had a vi[sion]: "[... stay(s) for the night] in the midst [...]." |
| Obverse [10:12] o 1111–o 1212 | [I am bound by the treaty of the king my lord]; I cannot c[onceal the words of ...]. |
| Obverse [12:13] o 1313–o 1313 | Just as I saw, [...] in [......] |
| Obverse [13:14] o 1414–o 1414 | I have put at (the culmination of) the Tripl[et] s[tar ......] |
| Obverse [14:15] o 1515–o 1515 | The king my lord knows that [......] |
| Obverse [15:16] o 1616–o 1616 | [It is written] as follows in the lette[r: "......] |
| Obverse [16:18] o 1717–o 1818 | "should have ... [......] |
| Obverse [18:19] o 1'1'–o 1'1' | "[......] the crown pr[ince ......] |
| Obverse [19:20] o 2'2'–o 2'2' | "[.......] to the crown prin[ce ......] |
| Obverse [20:21] o 3'3'–o 3'3' | "are in league with one another [......] |
| Obverse [21:22] o 4'4'–o 4'4' | he says: "These [......]" |
| Obverse [22:23] o 5'5'–o 5'5' | and: "The whole palace [is] with [......] |
| Obverse [23:24] o 6'6'–o 6'6' | "anything; the daughter of Bambâ [......] |
| Obverse [24:25] o 7'7'–o 7'7' | and the men of Adad-šumu-uṣur and Ar[dâ ......] |
| Obverse [25:26] o 8'8'–o 8'8' | have said to me: "They are making a rebellion [......] |
| Obverse [26:29] o 9'9'–o 11'11' | "He has become confident in (his) heart [and is saying]: 'I have set [......].' He has rejected what Bel, Nabû, Ištar of [Nineveh and Ištar of Arbela have ...ed], and [......] of his own." |
| Obverse [29:30] o 12'12'–o 12'12' | Ištar of Nineveh says: "[......] |
| Obverse [30:31] o 13'13'–o 13'13' | "have done ...[......] |
| Obverse [31:32] o 14'14'–o 14'14' | "from [your] pal[ace ......] |
| Reverse [3:4] r 44–r 44 | may ...[......]. |
| Reverse [4:5] r 55–r 55 | it r[ead]s as follows: "In Harran [......] |
| Reverse [5:6] r 66–r 66 | "What orders has he given [to you] about me? [......] |
| Reverse [6:7] r 77–r 77 | "You have guar[ded] the word of my father greatly, [and] |
| Reverse [7:8] r 88–r 88 | "you have turned the palace into a [...]. |
| Reverse [8:9] r 99–r 99 | "My men [......] |
| Reverse [9:10] r 1010–r 1010 | "Sasî [......] |
| Reverse [10:11] r 1111–r 1111 | "[I] trust [in ......] |
| Reverse [11:12] r 1212–r 1212 | "They [......] |
| Reverse [12:13] r 1313–r 1313 | "with S[asî ......] |
| Reverse [13:14] r 1414–r 1414 | let him e[stablish ......] |
| Reverse [20:21] r 7'7'–r 7'7' | the l[ife of ......] |
| Reverse [21:22] r 8'8'–r 8'8' | the lif[e of ......] |
| Reverse [22:23] r 9'9'–r 9'9' | [in the pres]ence of the chief eunuch [......] |
| Reverse [23:24] r 10'10'–r 10'10' | Rescue your life! [Let the people die] qu[ickly! ......] |
| Reverse [24:25] r 11'11'–r 11'11' | Sasî to [......] |
| Reverse [25:26] r 12'12'–r 12'12' | [Mi]lki-nuri and Urad-Issar [......] with [him]. |
| Reverse [26:29] r 13'13'–r 15'15' | Interrogate them! Let them tell you the [...] people who conspire with them, and let [these] people die! Have no fear; Bel, Nabû and Mullissu are standing [with you]. Let the people die quickly, and [rescue] your life! |
| Reverse [29:31] r 16'16'–r 17'17' | May this letter be a spell, it will [...] upon you! Let the people die [quick]ly before they get ahe[ad] (of you). |
| Reverse [31:38] r 18'18'– | Hear me, O king, my lord! Save your life! [The men o]f Sasî have [set] an ambush, [saying: "The moment the king] will speak with us, w[e shall kill] him [before he g]ets ahead (of us)." |
| Edge [0:2] e. 1e. 1–e. 22 | Hear me, O king [my lord]! Bel [......]. Let the [...] bring gold and precious stones ...... [As for you, ke]ep in safety, [pray to Bel], and let him prolong your life. Take care of yourself, ditto ditto (= let the people die quickly)! |
| Edge [2:3] e. 33–e. 33 | [Rescue] your life and [the life of] your family! Rescue your life [from the hands of the e]unuchs! Ditto ditto. |
| Edge [3:4] e. 44–e. 44 | [Brace] yourself! [Le]t the [...] stand [with you]; they are loyal to you. |
Transliteration (ATF)
From Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618)
| Line | ATF | Machine English (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| o | ||
| 1 | a-na ⸢LUGAL⸣ EN-ia | |
| 2 | ARAD-ka {1}{d}PA—re-⸢eh⸣-[tu₂—PAB {d}EN {d]}GAŠAN {d}⸢PA⸣ {d}taš-me-tum | |
| 3 | {d}15 ša₂ ⸢NINA⸣{[ki} {d}15 ša₂ {uru}arba-il₃ DINGIR-MEŠ]-ka <ša₂> | |
| 4 | MU-⸢ka⸣ [a-na LUGAL-ti iz-kur-u-ni šu-nu lu-bal-li]-⸢ṭu⸣-u-ka | |
| 5 | ša₂ [ina] ⸢ŠA₃⸣ [ṭa-ab-ti ša₂ AD-ka ina ŠA₃ a-de-e ša₂] ⸢AD-ka⸣ [u ina] ⸢ŠA₃⸣ a-de-ka | |
| 6 | ⸢i⸣-ha-ṭu-u-⸢ni⸣ [ša₂ ina UGU ZI-MEŠ]-⸢ka i⸣-[da-ba-bu-u]-ni | |
| 7 | šu-nu ina ŠU.2-[ka i-ša₂-ka-nu-šu-nu] MU-šu₂-nu [TA@v KUR—aš]-šur{ki} | |
| 8 | TA@v ŠA₃ ⸢E₂⸣.[GAL-ka tu-hal-la-qa] da-ba-bu an-ni-⸢u₂⸣ | |
| 9 | ša₂ {d}NIN.LIL₂ [šu-u LUGAL be-li₂] ina ŠA₃-bi lu la i-[ši-aṭ] | |
| 10 | ina UD 06-KAM₂ ša₂ {⸢iti⸣}[APIN di-ig-lu] ⸢a-da⸣-gal ma-a ⸢x⸣+[x x x] | |
| 11 | ma-a ina ŠA₃-⸢bi⸣ [x x ta-bi-da EN—a-de-e EN—a-de-e EN—a-de-e ša₂ LUGAL EN-ia a-na-ku] | |
| 12 | la mu-qa-a.a la u₂-[pa-az-za-ar di-ib-bi ša₂ x x x x x] | |
| 13 | ki-i ša₂ a-mur-u-ni ina ⸢ŠA₃⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 14 | ak-ta-ra-ar a-na {⸢mul⸣}taš-⸢ka⸣-[ti x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 15 | LUGAL be-li u₂-da a-ki ⸢E₂⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 16 | ki-i an-ni-i ina ŠA₃ e-gir₂-⸢ti⸣-[šu₂ ša₂-ṭi-ir ma-a x x x x] | |
| 17 | lu iṣ-ṣi-a ⸢ma-a x x x⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 18 | ⸢x x x⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 1' | [x x x] ⸢ma⸣-a DUMU—⸢LUGAL⸣ DUMU—⸢LUGAL⸣ DUMU—⸢LUGAL⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 2' | [x x x]-⸢ṣi⸣ a-na DUMU—⸢LUGAL⸣ DUMU—⸢LUGAL⸣ DUMU—⸢LUGAL⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 3' | ma-⸢a TA⸣ a-he-iš u₂-sa-ma-[hu-ni x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 4' | i-qab-bi ma-a an-nu-ti is-[x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 5' | u₃ ma-a E₂.GAL gab-bu ⸢TA⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 6' | me-me-ni ma-a DUMU.MI₂ {1}ba-am-ba-⸢a⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 7' | u₃ ⸢ERIM-MEŠ {1}{d⸣}IM—⸢MU⸣—PAB {1}ar-[da-a x x x x x x x x] | |
| 8' | iq-ṭi-bu-u-ni ma-a ⸢bar-tu⸣ e-pu-[šu x x x x x x x x] | |
| 9' | ma-a šu-u₂ ina UGU ŠA₃-⸢bi⸣ ir-ti-hi-⸢iṣ⸣ [x x x x x x x] | |
| 10' | a-sa-kan ma-a ša₂ {d}EN {d}PA {d}15 ša₂ {⸢uru⸣}[x x x x x x x x] | |
| 11' | ur-ta-am-me ma-a ša₂ ra-mi₃-ni-šu₂ [x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 12' | {d}15 ša₂ NINA{ki} ma-a a-⸢x-x⸣+[x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 13' | e-tap-šu₂ ma-a u₂-sa-hi-⸢x⸣+[x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 14' | [ma]-⸢a TA@v⸣ ŠA₃ E₂.[GAL-ka x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| r | ||
| 1 | [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 2 | [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 3 | [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 4 | lu-ba-⸢x⸣+[x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 5 | ki-i an-ni-i ⸢qa-bi⸣ ma-a ina {⸢uru}KASKAL⸣ [x x x x x x x] | |
| 6 | ma-a ina UGU-hi-ia a-ke-e ṭe₃-e-mu iš-kun [x x x] | |
| 7 | ma-a ia₂-bu-tu₂ ša₂ AD-⸢ia⸣ a—⸢dan⸣-niš ta-ta-aṣ-[ra] | |
| 8 | ma-a E₂.GAL a-na ⸢x x x x⸣+[x x] ⸢ta⸣-sa-kan ma-a ša₂ ⸢x⸣+[x x x] | |
| 9 | ⸢ma⸣-[a] ⸢ERIM⸣-MEŠ-⸢ia x⸣+[x x x x x]+⸢x⸣+[x x x x]+⸢x⸣ a-na ⸢gi⸣-[x x x] | |
| 10 | ⸢x {1}sa⸣-si-⸢i⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 11 | ta-ku-⸢la⸣-[ak x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 12 | ma-a šu-nu [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 13 | TA@v {1}⸢sa⸣-[si-i x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 14 | lu-⸢ki⸣-[x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 1' | ši [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 2' | ma-a [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 3' | ma-⸢a⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 4' | ⸢ša₂⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 5' | ⸢x⸣+[x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 6' | [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 7' | ⸢ZI⸣-[MEŠ x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 8' | ZI-⸢MEŠ⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 9' | [ina] ⸢IGI⸣ {lu₂}GAL—⸢SAG⸣ {lu₂}GAL—⸢SAG⸣ {lu₂}GAL—⸢SAG⸣ [x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 10' | ZI-MEŠ-ka še-zib ar₂-[hiš x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 11' | ši-i {1}sa-si-i a-⸢na x⸣+[x x x x x x x x x x x x] | |
| 12' | {1}⸢mil⸣-ki—ZALAG₂ {1}ARAD—15 is-⸢si⸣-[šu₂ x x x] ⸢u₂⸣-[x x x x] | |
| 13' | [o] ša₂-ʾa-al-šu₂-nu UN-MEŠ ⸢am⸣—[mar x x]+⸢x⸣-ti is-si-šu₂-nu ⸢u₂-du⸣-[u-ni] | |
| 14' | ⸢li⸣-iq-bu-nik-ka ⸢UN⸣-[MEŠ an-nu]-⸢ti⸣ li-mu-tu₂ la ta-pa-lah₃ | |
| 15' | {d}EN {d}PA {d}NIN.LIL₂ [is-si-ka] iz-za-zu ar₂-hiš UN-MEŠ | |
| 16' | li-mu-tu₂ ZI-MEŠ-⸢ka⸣ [še-zib] ⸢e⸣-gir₂-tu₂ an-ni-tu₂ lu ši-ip-tu₂ | |
| 17' | ina UGU-hi-⸢ka⸣ i-⸢ma⸣-[x ar₂]-⸢hiš⸣ UN-MEŠ li-mu-tu₂ | |
| 18' | a-du la i-ha-⸢ru⸣-[pu-u-ni] a-ni-nu LUGAL be-li | |
| r.e. | ||
| 19 | ZI-MEŠ-ka ba-⸢li⸣-[iṭ ERIM-MEŠ] ⸢ša⸣ {1}sa-si-i | |
| 20 | šu-ub-tu₂ u₂-[se-ši-bu x x x] is-si-ni | |
| 21 | i-da-bu-⸢ub⸣ [ma-a a-du la i]-⸢ha⸣-ru-pu-u-ni | |
| 22 | ma-a a-ni-[nu x x x x]+⸢x⸣-šu₂ | |
| e. | ||
| 1 | a-ni-nu LUGAL [be-li] {⸢d}EN⸣ a-⸢na⸣ [x x x x] KUG.GI NA₄-MEŠ ša₂ ⸢ka⸣-a.⸢a-ma⸣-nu 01 {lu₂v}⸢x⸣+[x x]+⸢x⸣ | |
| 2 | lu-bi-⸢lu⸣ [at-ta tu]-qu-nu a-⸢na⸣ {[d}EN sa-ri-ir ZI]-MEŠ-ka lu-ur-rik ra-[man]-ka u₂-⸢ṣur⸣ KI.MIN KI.MIN | |
| 3 | ZI-MEŠ-⸢ka⸣ [ZI-MEŠ ša₂] ⸢qin⸣-ni-ka [še-zib x x {lu₂v]}SAG-MEŠ ZI-MEŠ-ka še-zib ⸢KI⸣.MIN KI.MIN | |
| 4 | ŠA₃-⸢ba-ka⸣ [ṣa-ab]-⸢ta x⸣ hu un ⸢x⸣+[x x x is-si-ka] ⸢li⸣-zi-zu ŠA₃-ba-šu₂-nu ga-mur-⸢ak⸣-ka | |
Sources & licences
- Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative · CDLI: reuse of catalogue/transliteration data with citation of CDLI; images restricted (not fetched) · Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI), https://cdli.earth/ ; cite CDLI and the P-number
- Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC default); per-file JSON license fields say: This data is released under the CC0 license (133618) · ORACC project editions, https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ ; cite the individual project (see texts.extra_json.project)
Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-11.