Esarhaddon 006 (Q003235)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Assyrian, Kuyunjik (Nineveh) · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | Esarhaddon 006 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q003235 |
| Collection | British Museum, London, UK |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Neo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE |
| Genre | Royal Inscription |
| Find spot | Kuyunjik (Nineveh) |
| Coordinates | 36.3587, 43.1519 |
English translation
By ORACC project rinap/rinap4 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse Column i [0:8] i 1'1'–i 8'8' | [...] ... [... I cried out in] mourning, [I raged like a lion, and my] mood [became furio]us. [In order to exercise kingship (over) the house of my father I beat] my hands together. [I prayed to the gods Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Bēl, Nabû, and Nergal], Ištar of Nineveh, (and) [Ištar of Arbela and they accepted] my word(s). [With their firm ‘yes’], they were sending me [reliable omen(s), (saying): ‘Go! Do not hold back! We] will go and [kill your enemies].’ |
| Obverse Column i [8:17] i 9'9'–i 17'17' | I did [not] hesitate [one day (or) two days. I did not wait for my army. I did not] look [for my rear guard. I did not check the assignment of horses harnessed to the yoke nor that of] my battle [equipment. I did not] stock up [travel provisions for my campaign. I was not] afraid [of the snow (and) cold of Šabāṭu (XI), the severest cold season. Like a flying eagle I spread my wings to drive back] my [enemies. ...] |
| Obverse Column ii [0:9] ii 1'1'–ii 9'9' | [...] ... [... and] they kill[ed him with the sword in] the midst of the land Elam. Naʾid-Marduk, his brother, saw the d[eeds] that they had done to his brother [in Elam], fled from the land Elam, (ii 5′) came to Assyria to serve me, and beseeched my lordship. I made the entire Sealand, the domain of his brother, subject to him. (Now) he comes yearly, without ceasing, to Nineveh, my capital city, with his heavy audience gift and kisses my feet. |
| Obverse Column ii [9:15] ii 10'10'–ii 15'15' | In my second campaign, (as for) Abdi-Milkūti, king of Sidon, (who) did not fear my lordship (and) did not listen to the words of my lips, who trusted in the rolling sea and threw off the yoke of the god Aššur — I leveled Sidon, his stronghold, which is situated in the midst of the sea, like a flood, tore out its wall(s) and its dwelling(s), and threw (them) into the sea; and I (even) made the site where it stood disappear. |
| Obverse Column ii [15:25] ii 16'16'–ii 25'25' | Abdi-Milkūti, its king, in the face of my weapons, fled into the midst of the sea. By the command of the god Aššur, my lord, I caught him like a fish from the midst of the sea and cut off his head. I carried off his wife, his sons, his daughters, his palace retainers, silver, gold, (ii 20′) goods and property, precious stones, garments with trimming and linen(s), everything of value from his palace in huge quantities, (and) took away (his) far-flung people (who were) beyond counting, oxen, sheep and goats, (and) donkeys in huge numbers to Assyria. I gathered the kings of Ḫatti (Syria-Palestine) and the seacoast, all of them, and had (them) build a city in another place, and I named it Kār-Esarhaddon. |
| Obverse Column ii [25:37] ii 26'26'–ii 37'37' | (The inhabitants of) the cities Bīt-Ṣupūri, Sikkû, Giʾ, Inimme, Ḫildūa, Qartimme, Biʾrû, Kilmê, Bitirume, Sagû, Ampa, Bīt-Gisimeya, Birgiʾ, (ii 30′) Gambūlu, Dalaimme, (and) Isiḫimme, [cities] in the environs of Sidon, places of pasturing [and watering for] his stronghold, which [I captur]ed with the help of (the god) Aššur, my lord, I sett[led] in it (together with) the people plundered by [my] bow from the eastern [mountains and sea and] I restored (the city) (ii 35′) [to Assyr]ian [territory. I reorganized] that province, [placed my official] as a governor over them, [and] increased [and imposed upon it tribute and payment] greater than before. |
| Obverse Column ii [37:49] ii 38'38'–ii 49'49' | [Moreover, San]da-uarri, king of the cities Kun[du and Sissû, a dangerous enemy, who did not] fear my lordship (and) a[bandoned] the gods, (ii 40′) trusted in [the impregnable mountains]. He (and) [Abdi-Milkūti, king of Sidon, agreed] to help one another, swore [an oath by their gods] with one another, [and] tr[usted in] their own [strength]. I trusted [in] the gods [Aš]šur, Sîn, Šamaš, Bēl, [and Nabû, (ii 45′) the great gods], my [lords], besieged [him], caught him [like a bird from] the midst of the mountains, [and cut off his head]. “In Tašrītu (VII) — the head of Abdi-[Milkūti! In Addaru (XII) — the head of Sanda-ua]rri!” [I beheaded] (both) in the same ye[ar: With the for]mer I did not delay, [(...)] |
| Obverse Column iii [0:10] iii 1'1'–iii 10'10' | whose goods, possessions, (and) gods, together with [Apkallatu, the queen of the Arabs], he (Sennacherib) plundered and brou[ght] to Assyria — [Hazael, the king of the Arabs], came to [Nineveh, my capital city], with his heavy audience gift and kissed my feet. [He implored me] to gi[ve (back) his gods, and] (iii 5′) I had pity on him. [I refurbished] the gods Atar-samay[in, Dāya], Nuḫāya, Ruldāwu, A[birillu], (and) Atar-qurumâ, the gods of the Arabs, [and I inscribed] the might of the god Aššur, my lord, and (an inscription) written in [my] name [on them and] gave (them) back to him. I placed the lady Tabūʾa, who was rais[ed in the palace of my father, as ruler] over them and [returned her to her land] with her gods. |
| Obverse Column iii [10:17] iii 11'11'–iii 17'17' | I added sixty-five camels (and) ten donkeys to [the previous tribute] and imposed (it) on him. H[azael] died and [I placed] Iataʾ, his son, on [his throne]. I added ten minas of gold, one hundred choice stones, [fifty camels], (and) (iii 15′) one hundred bags of aromatics to [the tribute of his father] and imposed (it) on him. La[ter, Uabu], to exercise kingship, incited [all of] the Ara[bs] to rebel against Iataʾ. |
| Obverse Column iii [17:24] iii 18'18'–iii 24'24' | [I, Esarhaddon, king of Assyria], king of the four quarters, who loves loyalty [and abhors treachery, sent] (iii 20′) my battle troops to the aid of [Iataʾ, and] they trampled all of the Arabs, [threw Uabu], together with the soldiers who were with him, into fetters, [and brought (them) to me]. I placed [them] in neck stocks [and tied them] to the side of my gate. |
| Obverse Column iii [24:32] iii 25'25'–iii 32'32' | (As for) Uppis, chieftain [of the city Partakka], Zanasana, chief[tain of the city Partukka], (and) Ramateia, chief[tain of the city Urakazabarna], Medes whose country [is remote] (and) who had not cros[sed] the boundary of Assyria [nor trodden on] its soil [in (the time of) the kings, my ancestors] — (iii 30′) the awesome fear [of the god Aššur, my lord, overwhelmed them (and) they brought to Nineveh], my [capital city], large thoroughbreds (and) [blocks of lapis lazuli, hewn from its mountain, and ...] |
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) |
|---|---|---|
| i | ||
| 1' | [...] x x x | |
| 2' | [... u₂-ša₂-aṣ-ri]-⸢ḫa⸣ si-pit-tu | |
| 3' | [lab-biš an-na-dir-ma iṣ-ṣa]-⸢ri⸣-iḫ ka-bat-ti | |
| 4' | [aš₂-šu₂ e-peš LUGAL-u-ti E₂ AD-ia ar]-⸢pi⸣-sa rit-ti-ia₂ | |
| 5' | [a-na {d}aš-šur {d}30 {d}UTU {d}EN {d}AG u {d}U].⸢GUR⸣ {d}15 ša₂ NINA{ki} | |
| 6' | {[d}15 ša₂ {uru}LIMMU₂-DINGIR qa-ti aš₂-ši-ma im-gu]-⸢ru⸣ qi₂-bi-ti | |
| 7' | [ina an-ni-šu₂-nu ke-nim UZU ta-kil-ti iš]-⸢tap⸣-pa-ru-nim-ma | |
| 8' | [a-lik la ka-la-a-ta i-da-a-ka ni-it]-⸢tal⸣-lak-ma | |
| 9' | [ni-na-a-ra ga-re-e-ka 1en u₄-me 2 u₄-me] ⸢ul⸣ uq-qi₂ | |
| 10' | [pa-an ERIM.ḪI.A-ia ul ad-gul ar-ka-a ul] ⸢a⸣-mur | |
| 11' | [pi-qit-ti ANŠE.KUR.RA.MEŠ ṣi-mit-ti {giš}ŠUDUN u₃ u₂-nu-ut] ⸢ME₃⸣-ia₂ | |
| 12' | [ul a-šu-ur ṣi-di-it ger-ri-ia ul aš₂-pu]-uk | |
| 13' | [šal-gu ku-uṣ-ṣu {iti}ZIZ₂ dan-na-at EN.TE.NA ul a]-⸢dur⸣ | |
| 14' | [ki-ma u₅-ri₂-in-ni mu-up-pa-ar-ši a-na sa-kap za-ʾi-ri]-ia₂ | |
| 15' | [ap-ta-a i-da-a-a ...] x | |
| 16' | [...] | |
| 17' | [...] x | |
| ii | ||
| 1' | [x] x x x [...] | |
| 2' | qe₂-reb ELAM.MA{ki} ⸢i-na⸣-[ru-uš ina {giš}TUKUL] | |
| 3' | {m}na-ʾi-id-mar-duk ŠEŠ-šu₂ ⸢ep⸣-[šet {kur}ELAM.MA{ki]} | |
| 4' | ša a-na ŠEŠ-šu₂ e-tep-pu-šu₂ e-mur-ma ul-tu {⸢kur}ELAM⸣.MA{⸢ki⸣} | |
| 5' | in-nab-tam-ma a-na e-peš ARAD-ti-ia ana KUR aš-šur{ki} il-lik-am-⸢ma⸣ | |
| 6' | u₂-ṣal-la-a be-lu-ti KUR tam-tim ana si-ḫir-ti-ša₂ ri-du-ut ŠEŠ-šu₂ | |
| 7' | u₂-šad-gil₂ pa-nu-uš-šu₂ šat-ti-šam la na-par-ka-a | |
| 8' | it-ti ta-mar-ti-šu₂ ka-bit-te ana NINA{ki} URU be-lu-ti-ia₂ | |
| 9' | il-lik-am-ma u₂-na-aš₂-ša₂-qa še-pi-ia | |
| 10' | ina 2e ger-ri-ia₂ {m}ab-di-mil-ku-ut-ti MAN {uru}ṣi-dun-ni | |
| 11' | la pa-liḫ₃ be-lu-ti-ia la še-mu-u zi-kir šap-ti-ia₂ | |
| 12' | ša UGU tam-tim gal-la-tim it-tak-lu-ma is-lu-u {giš}ŠUDUN AN.ŠAR₂ | |
| 13' | {uru}ṣi-dun-nu URU tuk-la-te-šu₂ ša₂ qe₂-reb tam-tim na-du-u | |
| 14' | a-bu-biš as-pu-un BAD₃-šu₂ u šu-bat-su as-suḫ-ma | |
| 15' | qe₂-reb tam-tim ad-di-ma a-šar maš-kan₂-i-šu₂ u₂-ḫal-liq | |
| 16' | {m}ab-di-mil-ku-ut-tim LUGAL-šu ša₂ la-pa-an {giš}TUKUL.MEŠ-ia₂ | |
| 17' | ina MURUB₄ tam-tim in-na-bit ina qi₂-bit {d}aš-šur ⸢EN⸣-ia₂ | |
| 18' | ki-ma nu-u-ni ul-⸢tu⸣ qe₂-reb tam-tim a-bar-šu₂-ma ak-ki-sa SAG.DU-su | |
| 19' | DAM-su DUMU.MEŠ-šu₂ DUMU.MUNUS.MEŠ-šu₂ UN.⸢MEŠ⸣ E₂.GAL-šu₂ KU₃.BABBAR KU₃.GI | |
| 20' | NIG₂.ŠU u NIG₂.GA NA₄.MEŠ a-qar-tu₂ lu-bul-ti GUN₃ u GADA mim-ma šum-šu₂ | |
| 21' | ni-ṣir-ti E₂.GAL-šu₂ a-na ⸢mu⸣-ʾu-de-e aš₂-lu-la | |
| 22' | UN.MEŠ DAGAL.MEŠ ša₂ ni-ba la i-ša₂-a GU₄.ME ṣe-e-ni ANŠE.⸢MEŠ⸣ | |
| 23' | a-na ⸢mu⸣-ʾu-de-e a-bu-ka ana qe₂-reb KUR aš-šur{ki} u₂-pa-⸢ḫir-ma⸣ | |
| 24' | LUGAL.MEŠ {kur}⸢ḫat-ti⸣ u a-ḫi tam-⸢tim⸣ DU₃-šu₂-nu ina aš₂-ri ša₂-⸢nim⸣-ma ⸢URU u₂-še-piš-ma⸣ | |
| 25' | {uru}KAR-{m}aš-šur-⸢ŠEŠ⸣-SUM.NA at-ta-bi ni-⸢bit⸣-su | |
| 26' | {⸢uru}E₂⸣-{m}ṣu-pu-ri {uru}sik-ku-u {⸢uru⸣}gi-iʾ {⸢uru⸣}in-im-me | |
| 27' | {⸢uru⸣}ḫi-il-du-u-a {uru}qar-ti-im-me {⸢uru}bi⸣-iʾ-ru-u | |
| 28' | {⸢uru⸣}ki-il-me-e {uru}⸢bi-ti-ru⸣-me {⸢uru}sa-gu⸣-u | |
| 29' | {[uru]}am-pa {uru}E₂-gi-si-me-ia {⸢uru}bi-ir-gi-iʾ⸣ | |
| 30' | {[uru]}ga-am-bu-lu {uru}da-la-im-me {⸢uru⸣}i-si-ḫi-⸢im⸣-me | |
| 31' | [URU.MEŠ-ni] ⸢ša⸣ li-me-et {uru}ṣi-dun-ni a-⸢šar⸣ ri-i-ti | |
| 32' | [u maš-qi₂]-⸢ti⸣ E₂ tuk-la-te-šu₂ ša₂ ina tu-kul-⸢ti⸣ aš-šur EN-⸢ia₂⸣ | |
| 33' | [ik-šu-da] ⸢ŠU⸣.II-a-a {lu₂}UN.MEŠ ḫu-bu-ut {giš}PAN-[ia₂] | |
| 34' | [ša KUR-i u₃ tam]-⸢tim⸣ ṣi-it {d}UTU-ši ⸢ina lib₃-bi u₂-še⸣-[šib-ma] | |
| 35' | [a-na mi-ṣir KUR aš]-⸢šur⸣{ki} u₂-ter na-gu-u šu-⸢a⸣-[tu₂ a-na eš-šu-te] | |
| 36' | [aṣ-bat {lu₂}šu-ut SAG-ia] ⸢a-na⸣ {lu₂}⸢NAM⸣-u-te UGU-šu₂-⸢nu⸣ [aš₂-kun-ma] | |
| 37' | [GUN u₃ man-da-at]-⸢tu⸣ UGU ša₂ maḫ-ri u₂-⸢tir⸣-[ma e-mid-su] | |
| 38' | [u₃ {m}sa-an]-⸢du⸣-ar-ri MAN {uru}⸢kun-di⸣ [u₃ {uru}si-is-su-u₂] | |
| 39' | {[lu₂}KUR₂ ak-ṣu la pa]-⸢liḫ₃⸣ be-lu-te-ia₂ ša₂ DINGIR.⸢MEŠ⸣ [u₂-maš-šir-u-ma] | |
| 40' | [a-na KUR-i mar-ṣu]-ti it-ta-kil šu-⸢u₂⸣ {[m}ab-di-mil-ku-ut-ti] | |
| 41' | [MAN {uru}ṣi-du-un-ni a]-⸢na⸣ re-ṣu-ti a-ḫa-meš ⸢iš⸣-[šak-nu-u-ma] | |
| 42' | [MU DINGIR.MEŠ-šu₂-nu it]-⸢ti⸣ a-ḫa-meš iz₂-kur-[u₂-ma] | |
| 43' | [a-na e-mu-qi ra]-⸢ma⸣-ni-šu₂-nu it-[tak-lu] | |
| 44' | [a-na-ku a-na {d}aš]-⸢šur⸣ {d}30 {d}UTU {d}⸢EN⸣ [u {d}AG] | |
| 45' | [DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ EN.MEŠ]-⸢ia⸣ at-ta-kil-ma ni-i-⸢tu al⸣-[me-šu-ma] | |
| 46' | [ki-ma iṣ-ṣu-ri ul-tu₂] ⸢qe₂⸣-reb KUR-e a-bar-šu-[ma ak-ki-sa] | |
| 47' | [SAG.DU-su i]-⸢na⸣ {iti}DU₆ SAG.DU {m}ab-⸢di⸣-[mil-ku-ut-ti] | |
| 48' | [ina {iti}ŠE SAG.DU {m}sa-an-du]-⸢ar⸣-ri ina 1et MU.[AN.NA] | |
| 49' | [u₂-nak-ki-is-ma maḫ]-⸢ru⸣-u la u₂-ḫi-ir-[ma (...)] | |
| iii | ||
| 1' | ⸢NIG₂.ŠU-šu₂ NIG₂.GA-šu₂ DINGIR.MEŠ-šu₂ a-di {f⸣}[ap-kal-la-tu₂ šar-rat {lu₂}a-ri-bi] | |
| 2' | iš-lu-lam-ma a-na KUR aš-šur{ki} il-⸢qa⸣-[a {m}ha-za-DINGIR LUGAL {lu₂}a-ri-bi] | |
| 3' | it-ti ta-mar-te-šu₂ ka-bit-te a-na ⸢NINA⸣{ki} [URU be-lu-ti-ia] | |
| 4' | ⸢il⸣-lik-⸢am⸣-ma u₂-na-aš₂-šiq GIR₃.II-ia₂ aš₂-šu₂ ⸢na⸣-[dan DINGIR.MEŠ-šu₂ u₂-ṣal-la-an-ni-ma] | |
| 5' | re-⸢e-mu ar-ši⸣-šu₂-ma {d}a-tar-sa-ma-⸢a-a⸣-[in {d}da-a-a] | |
| 6' | {⸢d}nu⸣-ḫa-a-a {d}⸢ru⸣-ul-da-a-a-u {d}⸢a⸣-[bi-ri-il-lu] | |
| 7' | {d}a-tar-⸢qu⸣-ru-ma-a DINGIR.⸢MEŠ ša₂⸣ {lu₂}⸢a-ri-bi⸣ [an-ḫu-su-nu ud-diš-ma] | |
| 8' | ⸢da⸣-na-an aš-šur EN-ia ⸢u₃ ši-ṭir MU⸣-[ia UGU-šu₂-nu aš₂-ṭur-ma] | |
| 9' | u₂-ter-ma ⸢ad-din-šu₂ {f}ta-bu-u-a tar⸣-[bit E₂.GAL AD-ia a-na LUGAL-u-ti] | |
| 10' | UGU-šu₂-nu aš₂-kun-ma it-⸢ti DINGIR⸣.MEŠ-ša₂ [a-na KUR-ša₂ u₂-ter-ši] | |
| 11' | 65 ⸢ANŠE.GAM.MAL.MEŠ 10 ANŠE.NITA₂.MEŠ UGU⸣ [ma-da-ti maḫ-ri-ti] | |
| 12' | u₂-⸢rad-di-ma u₂-kin ṣe⸣-ru-uš-šu₂ {m}⸢ḫa⸣-[za-DINGIR šim-tu] | |
| 13' | ⸢u₂-bil⸣-šu₂-ma {m}⸢ia-ta-aʾ DUMU⸣-šu₂ ina {[giš}GU.ZA-šu₂ u₂-še-šib-ma] | |
| 14' | 10 MA.NA KU₃.GI 1 ME ⸢NA₄.MEŠ be₂-ru-te⸣ 50 ANŠE.GAM.MAL.MEŠ] | |
| 15' | 1 ME {⸢kuš}kun⸣-zi ⸢ŠIM.ḪI.A UGU⸣ [man-da-at-ti AD-šu₂] | |
| 16' | ⸢u₂-rad-di-ma⸣ e-⸢mid-su ar⸣-[ka {m}u₂-a-bu] | |
| 17' | a-na ⸢e-peš LUGAL-ti {lu₂}a⸣-ru-[bu ka-li-šu₂] | |
| 18' | ⸢UGU⸣ {m}ia-ta-⸢aʾ uš-bal-kit-ma⸣ [a-na-ku {m}aš-šur-PAP-AŠ LUGAL KUR aš-šur{ki]} | |
| 19' | ⸢LUGAL kib-rat LIMMU₂-te⸣ ša₂ kit-⸢tu i-ram⸣-[mu-ma ṣa-lip-tu₂ ik-kib-šu₂] | |
| 20' | {⸢lu₂⸣}ERIM.⸢MEŠ ME₃⸣-ia₂ ana ⸢na-ra⸣-ru-ti {m}[ia-ta-aʾ aš₂-pur-ma] | |
| 21' | {lu₂}⸢a-ru⸣-bu ka-li-šu₂ ik-bu-[su-ma {m}u₂-a-bu] | |
| 22' | ⸢a-di {lu₂}ERIM⸣.MEŠ ša₂ is-si-šu₂ bi-re-⸢tu₂⸣ [id-du-u-ma u₂-bi-lu-nim-ma] | |
| 23' | ši-⸢ga⸣-ru aš₂-⸢kun⸣-[šu₂-nu-ti-ma] | |
| 24' | ina ⸢le⸣-et ⸢KA₂⸣-ia [ar-ku-us-šu₂-nu-ti] | |
| 25' | {m}up-pi-⸢is⸣ {lu₂}EN.URU {lu₂}EN.URU [ša₂ {uru}pa-ar-tak₂-ka] | |
| 26' | {m}za-⸢na-sa-na⸣ {lu₂}⸢EN⸣.[URU {lu₂}⸢EN⸣.[URU ša₂ {uru}pa-ar-tuk-ka] | |
| 27' | {m}ra-ma-⸢te-ia⸣ {lu₂}⸢EN⸣.[URU {lu₂}⸢EN⸣.[URU ša₂ {uru}u₂-ra-a-ka-za-bar-na] | |
| 28' | {kur}ma-da-a-⸢a ša⸣ a-šar-[šu₂-nu ru-u-qu ša ina LUGAL.MEŠ AD.MEŠ-ia] | |
| 29' | ⸢mi⸣-ṣir KUR ⸢aš-šur⸣{ki} ⸢la ib⸣-[bal-ki-tu₂-nim-ma la ik-bu-su] | |
| 30' | ⸢qaq-qar⸣-ša₂ pu-ul-ḫi me-⸢lam⸣-[me ša aš-šur EN-ia is-ḫup-šu-nu-ti] | |
| 31' | {[anše]}⸢mur-ni-is⸣-qi₂ GAL.⸢MEŠ⸣ [tak-kas {na₄}ZA.GIN₃ ḫi-ip šad-di-šu₂] | |
| 32' | [a-na NINA{ki} URU be-lu-ti]-⸢ia⸣ [iš-šu-nim-ma ...] | |
Sources & licences
- 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.