Esarhaddon 060 (Q003289)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Assyrian, Kuyunjik (Nineveh) · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | Esarhaddon 060 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q003289 |
| Collection | Arkeoloji Müzerleri, Istanbul, Turkey; 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 [0:5] o 1'1'–o 5'5' | Moreover, I struck with the sword Teušpâ, [a Cimmerian, together with his entire army, in the territory of the land Ḫubušnu]; I conquered [Sidon, which is in the midst of the sea, caught [Abdi-Milkūti, its king], like a fish, and cut off his head; I conqu[ered the city Arzâ, which is in the neighborhood of the] Brook of Egypt, threw Asuḫīli, its king, into fetters and took [him to Assyria; I con]quered the city Bāsu (Bāzu), a district in a remote place; I fixed the tribute of my lordship on Qanâ, king of Dilmun; |
| Obverse [5:8] o 6'6'–o 8'8' | I conquered the land Šubria to its full extent; I killed with the sword Ik-Teššup, its king, who would not listen to the words of my command; I conquered Tyre, which is in the midst of the sea, (and) took away all of the cities (and) possessions of Baʾalu, its king, who had trusted in Taharqa, king of Kush; (and) I conquered (Lower) Egypt, Upper Egypt, and Kush, struck Taharqa, its king, five times with arrows, and ruled his entire land. |
| Obverse [8:13] o 9'9'–o 13'13' | I wrote to all of the kings who are in the midst of the sea, from Yadnana (Cyprus) (and) Ionia to Tarsus, (and) they bowed down at my feet. I received [their] heavy tribute. I achieved victory over the rulers of the four quarters and I sprinkled the venom of death over all of (my) enemies. I carried off gold, silver, goods, possessions, people — young (and) old — horses, oxen, (and) sheep and goats, their heavy booty that was beyond counting, to Assyria. |
| Obverse [13:16] o 14'14'–o 16'16' | I placed kings, governors, officials, (and) harbormasters over their lands, and I imposed the yoke of the god [Aššur], my lord, upon them. I confirmed sattukku (and) ginû offerings for the god Aššur [and] the great gods, [m]y lords, forever. I imposed upon them, yearly, without ceas[ing], the tribute (and) payment of my lordship (and) they (now) pull my yoke. |
| Obverse [16:21] o 17'17'–o 21'21' | At that time, the former temple of the god Aššur that [Sh]almaneser (I), son of Adad-nārā[rī (I)], son of Arik-dēn-il[i], my ancestor, had built earlier, [be]came dilapidated (and) old. I razed that temple (and) (20′) reached its foundation pit. I la[id] its foundations with limestone, a strong mountain stone, (making it) like bedrock. I built (and) completed (it) from its foundation to its parapets. I roofed it with magnificent cedar beams, grown on Mount Sir[āra], which I had cut down in the course of a campaign of mine. |
| Obverse [21:25] o 22'22'–o 25'25' | I fastened bands of gold on doors of cypress, whose fragrance is sweet, and installed (them) in its gates. I overlaid the cella of the god Aššur, my lord, with gold (and) set up side by side laḫmu-monsters (and) kurību-genii (made) of red ṣāriru-gold. I set up golden statues of creatures from the apsû on the ri[ght] and left of the chapel of the god Aššur, my lord, (and) I covered (its) walls with g[ol]d as if (it were) plaster. |
| Reverse [0:3] r 26'r 26'–r 28'28' | The dais of destiny, the lofty dais on which the god Aššur lives (and) where they (the gods) decree the destiny of heaven and netherworld, which the kings, my ancestors, had made of baked bricks and covered with silver (zaḫalû), I (now) had (it) skillfully made of 180 talents of [ca]st ešmarû-silver. I fashioned on it (the dais) my royal image (shown) praying to their divinity (and) imploring (them) constantly to give me life, and an image of Ashurbanipal, my crown prince. |
| Reverse [3:7] r 29'29'–r 32'32' | I cast from shining bronze two bison positioned opposite each other, (with) their faces looking forward and backward, to bear (the columns which support) crossbeams (forming) the cornice in (its) gate and I set (them) up in the Gate of the Path of the Enlil-Stars. I had two fierce Deluge monsters made with skillf[ul] craftsmanship and I placed (them) in the Ro[ya]l Gate, to the rig[ht and] left of the gate. I (also) set up twin Deluge monsters cast of shining silver (zaḫalû) [...] the Kamsu-Igīgū [Ga]te. |
| Reverse [7:10] r 33'33'–r 35'35' | In that (same) year, I built an[ew] Esagil, the pala[ce of the god]s, Imgur-Enlil, its (Babylon’s) wall, (and) N[ēmed-En]lil, its (Babylon’s) outer wall, from their (text: “its”) foundations to their (text: “its”) battl[ement]s, and made (them) much bigger than b[efor]e. |
| Reverse [10:16] r 36'36'–r 41'41' | The god Bēl and the goddess Bēltīya, the divine lovers, were created [in] the city Aššur by their own command and were truly born in Eḫursaggalkurkura. The gods Bēlet-Bābili, Ea, (and) Mandānu were made in the city Aššur, place of the creation of gods, and I completed their figures. I sumptuously adorned their feature(s) with fifty talents of red ṣāriru-gold, the creation of Mount Arallu (and) an ore from its mountain that had not been refined. I adorned their necks (and) covered their chests with magnificent adornments (and) precious [je]welry that greatly befitted their lordship. |
| Reverse [16:20] r 42'42'–r 45'45' | They moved forward and went out from Eḫursaggalkurkura radiantly, like the sun to the land. They took the road to Šuanna (Babylon), a joyful path. From Baltil (Aššur) to [the quay] of Babylon, (piles) of brushwood were lit every third of a league (and) they slew (45′) fattened bulls at each league. Moreover, I, Esarhad[don], took [the] hand of his great divinity and ... before him. I had them joyfully enter into Babylon, th[eir] home city. |
| Reverse [20:25] r 46'46'–r 50'50' | They (the gods) entered the orchards, groves, canals, (and) gardens of Ekarzagina, a pure place (where) the craft of the sage, “the washing of the mouth,” “the opening of the mouth,” “bathing,” (and) “purification” (were recited) before the sta[rs of heaven: the gods Ea], Šamaš, Asalluḫi, Bēlet-ilī, Kusu, Ningirima, [Ninkurra, Ninagal, Kusibanda, Ninildu, (and) Ninzadim]. ... [...] ... |
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' | ⸢u₃ {m}te-uš-pa-a⸣ {[kur}gi-mir-a-a ina KI-tim {kur}ḫu-bu-uš-na a-di gi-mir um-ma-ni-šu₂] | |
| 2' | u₂-ra-sib ina {giš}TUKUL.MEŠ ak-⸢šud {uru⸣}ṣi-[du-nu ša₂ ina MURUB₄ tam-tim {m}ab-di-mil-ku-ut-ti MAN-šu₂] | |
| 3' | GIM KU₆ a-bar-šu-ma a-kis SAG.DU-su ak-⸢šud⸣ {[uru}ar-za-a ša₂ i-te-e URU] ⸢na⸣-ḫal mu-ṣur | |
| 4' | {m}a-su-ḫi-li MAN-šu₂ bi-re-tu₂ ad-di-ma al-qa-a-[šu₂ a-na KUR aš-šur{ki} ak]-⸢šud⸣ {uru}ba-a-su | |
| 5' | na-gu-u₂ ša₂ a-⸢šar⸣-šu₂ ru-u₂-qu UGU {m}qa-⸢na⸣-a MAN ⸢NI.TUK{ki⸣} man-da-at-tu₂ EN-ti-ia₂ u₂-kin | |
| 6' | ak-šud {kur}šub-ri-a a-na paṭ gim-ri-šu₂ {m}⸢ik⸣-te-šup MAN-šu₂ la še-mu-u₂ a-mat qi₂-bit-ia | |
| 7' | a-nir ina {giš}TUKUL ak-šud {uru}ṣur-ru ša₂ MURUB₄ tam-tim {m}ba-ʾa-lu MAN-šu₂ ša₂ a-na {m}tar-qu-u₂ | |
| 8' | MAN {kur}ku-u-si it-tak-lu-ma gi-mir URU.MEŠ-šu₂ NIG₂.ŠU-šu₂ e-kim-šu₂ ak-šud {kur}mu-ṣur {kur}pa-tu₂-ri-⸢si⸣ | |
| 9' | u {kur}ku-u-si {m}tar-qu-u MAN-šu₂ 5šu₂ ina mul-mul-li am-ḫa-su-ma gi-mir KUR-šu₂ a-bel aš₂-pur | |
| 10' | MAN.MEŠ ša₂ MURUB₄ tam-tim DU₃-šu₂-nu TA {⸢kur⸣}ia-da-na-na {kur}ia-man a-di {kur}tar-si-si | |
| 11' | a-na GIR₃.II-ia ik-nu-šu₂ GUN-[sun₂] ⸢DUGUD⸣-tu₂ am-ḫur UGU mal-ki ša₂ kib-rat LIMMU₂-tim li-i-⸢tu₂⸣ | |
| 12' | aš₂-tak-kan₂-ma UGU kul-lat na-ki-⸢ri⸣ as-lu-ḫa i-mat mu-u-ti KU₃.GI KU₃.BABBAR NIG₂.ŠU NIG₂.GA | |
| 13' | UN.MEŠ TUR GAL ANŠE.KUR.RA.⸢MEŠ⸣ GU₄.MEŠ US₅.UDU.ḪI.A šal-lat-sun₂ DUGUD-tu₂ ša₂ la ni-ba i-šu₂-u | |
| 14' | aš₂-lu-la a-na KUR aš-šur LUGAL.⸢MEŠ⸣ {lu₂}NAM.MEŠ {lu₂}GAR-nu.MEŠ {lu₂}GAL.KAR.MEŠ {lu₂}GAL.KAR.MEŠ ina UGU KUR.KUR-šu₂-nu | |
| 15' | aš₂-kun-ma ni-ri {⸢d⸣}[aš-šur] ⸢EN⸣-ia e-mid-su-nu-ti sat-tuk-ki gi-nu-u ana {d}⸢aš-šur⸣ [u] | |
| 16' | DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ ⸢EN⸣.[MEŠ]-⸢ia u₂⸣-kin da₃-ri-šam GUN man-da-at-tu₂ EN-ti-ia | |
| 17' | šat-ti-šam-ma la ⸢na⸣-[par-ka]-a e-mid-šu-nu-ti i-šu₂-ṭu ab-ša₂-a-ni ina u₄-me-šu₂-⸢ma⸣ | |
| 18' | E₂ {d}aš-šur maḫ-ru-⸢u ša₂⸣ {[m}{d]}⸢sal₂⸣-ma-nu-MAŠ DUMU {m}{d}IŠKUR-ERIM.⸢TAḪ₂ DUMU⸣ {m}a-GID₂-de-ni-⸢i-li⸣ | |
| 19' | a-bi ina pa-ni e-pu-šu an-ḫu-⸢ta⸣ la-bi-ru-⸢ta il-lik⸣-u-ma ⸢E₂⸣ šu₂-a-tu₂ aq-qur | |
| 20' | dan-na-su ak-šud UŠ₈-šu₂ ina pi-i-li NA₄ KUR-i dan-⸢ni⸣ ki-ma ki-ṣir ⸢KUR-i ar-mi⸣ | |
| 21' | TA UŠ₈-šu₂ a-di gaba-dib-bi-šu₂ ar-⸢ṣip u₂⸣-šak-lil GIŠ.⸢UR₃⸣.MEŠ {giš}EREN MAḪ.MEŠ tar-bit {kur}si-⸢ra⸣-[ra] | |
| 22' | ša₂ ina me-ti-iq KASKAL-ia ak-ki-su UGU-šu₂ u₂-ṣa-⸢lil {giš⸣}IG.MEŠ {giš}ŠUR.MIN₃ ša₂ i-ri-si-na | |
| 23' | ṭa-a-bu me-ser KU₃.GI u₂-rak-kis-ma u₂-ra-ta-a KA₂.MEŠ-⸢šu₂⸣ at-man aš-šur EN-ia KU₃.GI uḫ-ḫi-iz | |
| 24' | {d}laḫ₃-me {d}ku-ri-bi ša₂ ṣa-ri-ri ru-uš-šu₂-u i-di ana i-di ⸢ul⸣-ziz E₂ pa-paḫ aš-šur EN-ia | |
| 25' | ALAM.MEŠ KU₃.GI bi-nu-ut ZU.AB ⸢ZAG⸣ u GUB₃ ul-ziz E₂.GAR₈.MEŠ ⸢KU₃.GI⸣ ki-ma si-i-ri a-si-ir | |
| r | ||
| 26' | BARA₂ NAM.MEŠ BARA₂ ṣi-i-ru ša₂ {d}aš-šur ina qer-bi-šu₂ e-⸢ram⸣-mu-[u] ši-mat AN-e u KI-tim | |
| 27' | i-ši-mu ša₂ LUGAL.MEŠ AD.MEŠ-ia a-gur₂-ri šu-pu-šu₂-ma za-ḫa-lu-⸢u lit⸣-bu-šu₂ ina 3 UŠ GUN [pi]-⸢ti⸣-iq | |
| 28' | iš-ma-re-e nak-liš u₂-še-piš ṣa-lam LUGAL-ti-ia mu-sa-pu-u DINGIR-ti-šu₂-un mu-te-riš {ba}TI-ia₂ | |
| 29' | u₃ ṣa-lam {m}aš-šur-DU₃-A DUMU ri-du-ti-ia ab-ta-ni ṣe-ru-uš-šu₂ 2 ku-sa-rik-ki šu₂-ta-tu₂-te | |
| 30' | ša₂ pa-ni-šu₂-nu pa-nu u ar-ka ⸢i⸣-na-ṭa-lu a-da-pi ku-lul KA₂ na-šu₂-u ša₂ URUDU nam-ri | |
| 31' | ap-tiq-ma KA₂ KASKAL šu-ut {d}⸢EN.LIL₂⸣ ul-ziz 2 a-⸢bu⸣-ub nad-ru-tu₂ ina ši-pir um-ma-nu-te nak-⸢liš⸣ | |
| 32' | u₂-še-piš-⸢ma KA₂ MAN-ti ZAG⸣ [u] GUB₃ u₂-⸢ša₂-aṣ-bi-ta⸣ SI.⸢GAR⸣-ru a-bu-bi maš-še₂-e pi-⸢ti⸣-iq | |
| 33' | za-ḫa-le-⸢e eb⸣-bi x [(x) ba]-ab kam-⸢su⸣ {d}i₂-gi₃-gi₃ ul-ziz ⸢ina⸣ MU.AN.NA ⸢šu⸣-a-tu | |
| 34' | e₂-⸢sag-il₂⸣ E₂.⸢GAL⸣ [DINGIR].MEŠ ⸢im-gur⸣-{d}EN.LIL₂ BAD₃-šu₂ ⸢ne₂⸣-[met-{d}EN].⸢LIL₂⸣ šal-⸢ḫu⸣-u₂-šu | |
| 35' | ul-tu ⸢UŠ₈-šu₂⸣ a-di na-⸢bur-e⸣-šu₂ eš-⸢šiš⸣ u₂-še-piš-ma UGU ša₂ ⸢maḫ⸣-[re]-e ⸢ma⸣-aʾ-diš ut-tir | |
| 36' | {d}EN u₃ {d}GAŠAN-ia DINGIR.⸢MEŠ⸣ mur-ta-⸢a⸣-me ki-i ṭe₃-me-šu₂-⸢nu⸣ [ina] ⸢qe₂⸣-reb {uru}aš-⸢šur ib⸣-ba-nu-ma | |
| 37' | ina e₂-ḫur-sag-gal-kur-kur-ra ke-niš im-ma-al-du {d}be-⸢let-KA₂⸣.DINGIR.RA{ki} {d}⸢e₂-a⸣ {d}DI.KU₅ | |
| 38' | ina qe₂-reb {⸢uru}aš-šur⸣ a-šar nab-ni-it DINGIR.MEŠ in-ne₂-ep-šu-ma u₂-šak-li-la nab-ni-⸢su-un⸣ | |
| 39' | ina 50.AM₃ GUN ṣa-ri-ru ru-uš-še-e nab-ni-it {kur}a-ra-al-li e-per šad-di-i-šu₂ | |
| 40' | ša₂ ana ši-ip-ri la pat-qu u₂-šar-ri-iḫ gat-ta-šu₂-un ti-iq-ni ṣi-ru-⸢tu₂⸣ [šu]-kut-tu₂ a-qar-tu₂ | |
| 41' | ša₂ ana be-lu-ti-šu₂-un ma-diš šu-lu-kat₃-ma ki-šad-su-un u₂-taq-qi₂-in-ma u₂-mal-a i-rat-su-un | |
| 42' | in-neš-ru-ma ul-tu₂ ⸢qe₂-reb⸣ e₂-ḫur-sag-gal-kur-kur-<ra> GIM {d}ša₂-maš ana KUR nam-riš it-ta-ṣu-u₂ | |
| 43' | ḫar-ra-an šu-an-na{ki} iṣ-ba-tu₂ u₂-ru-uḫ ta-ši-il-ti ul-tu₂ bal-til{ki} a-di [KAR] | |
| 44' | KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} a-na 10 UŠ.TA.AM₃ ⸢qaq⸣-[qa]-⸢ru⸣ ab-ru ut-tap-pi-ḫa ana KASKAL.GID₂.TA.AM₃ u₂-pal-li-qu₂ | |
| 45' | le-e ma-ru-ti u₃ ana-ku {m}aš-šur-PAP-⸢AŠ⸣ [qa]-⸢at⸣ DINGIR-ti-šu₂ GAL-ti ṣab-ta-ku-ma x x (x) x x-⸢ku⸣-ḫa ma-ḫar-šu₂ | |
| 46' | ina qe₂-reb KA₂.DINGIR.RA{ki} URU E₂-ti-šu₂-[nu] ⸢ḫa⸣-diš u₂-še-rib-šu₂-nu-ti ina ṣip-⸢pat⸣ {giš}KIRI₆ | |
| 47' | PA₅ MU.SAR-e ša₂ e₂-kar-za-gin₃-na aš₂-ri el-li ina ši-pir ABGAL KA.⸢LUḪ⸣.U₃.DA KA.⸢LUḪ⸣.U₃.DA | |
| 48' | KA.DU₈.U₃.DA KA.DU₈.U₃.DA rim-ki te-lil-te ma-ḫar ⸢MUL⸣.[MEŠ AN-e {d}e₂-a] {d}ša₂-maš {d}⸢asal-lu₂-ḫi⸣ | |
| 49' | DINGIR.MAḪ {d}ku₃-su₃ {d}nin-⸢girima₃⸣ {[d}nin-kur-ra {d}nin-a₂-gal {d}ku₃-si₂₂-ban₃-da {d}nin-ildu₂ {d}nin-zadim] e-ru-bu | |
| 50' | x x x (x) [...] x | |
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.