Ashurbanipal 079 (Q003778)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Assyrian, Kuyunjik (Nineveh) · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | Ashurbanipal 079 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q003778 |
| 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/rinap5 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse Column i [0:16] i 1i 1–i 1616 | On my sixth campaign, I marched against Urtaku, the king of the land Elam who did not remember the kindness of the father who had engendered me (nor) did he respect my friendship. After famine occurred in the land Elam (and) hunge[r] had set in, (i 5) I sent to him grain, (which) sustains the live(s) of [people], and (thus) held [him by the hand]. (As for) his [peopl]e, who [had fled] on account of the famine [and sett]led in [Assyria until it r]aine[d] (again) in his land (and) [harvests grew — (i 10) I sent t]hose [people] wh[o] had st[ayed alive in m]y [land (back) to him. But (as for) the Elamite wh]ose [ag]gression I [had not thought possible] (lit. “I [did not speak with my heart]”) (and) [a fight with whom I had] no[t contemplated — Bēl-iqīša, the Gam]bulian, Na[bû-šuma-ēreš, the šandabakku (governor of Nippur), servant]s who belonged [to me, (and) (i 15) Marduk-šuma-ib]ni, a eunu[ch of Urtaku who had sided with them, ...] |
| Obverse Column ii [0:6] ii 1ii 1–ii 66 | Within one year, they (all) laid down (their) live(s) at the same t<i>me. The angry heart of (the god) Aššur had not relented against them, nor had the mood of the goddess Ištar, [who] had enco[ur]ag[ed] me, become tranquil towards them. (ii 5) They overthrew [his royal dynasty]. They [made] someb[ody else assum]e [dominion over the land Elam]. |
| Obverse Column ii [6:18] ii 77–ii 1818 | [Afterwards, Teumman, the (very) image of a gallû-demon, sa]t on the th[rone of Urtaku. He constantly sought out e]vil (ways) [to kill the children of Urta]ku [and the children of Ummanaldašu (Ḫumban-ḫaltaš II), the brother of Ur]taku. [Ummanigaš, Ummanappa, (and) Tamm]arītu — [the sons of Urtaku], the king of the land Elam — [Kudurru (and) Parrû — the sons of U]mmanaldašu (Ḫumban-ḫaltaš II), [the king who came before U]rtaku — (ii 15) [together with sixty members of the royal (family), countless] archers, (and) [nobles of the land E]lam [fled to me before Teu]mman’s [slaughtering and grasped the feet of] my [royal majes]ty. |
| Obverse Column ii [18:31] ii 1919–ii 3131 | [On my seventh campaign], I marched [against Teumman, the king of the land Elam who had re]gularly [s]ent [his envoys] to me [concerning Ummanigaš, Ummanappa, (and) Tamm]arītu — [the sons of Urtaku], the king of the land Elam — [(and) Kudurru (and) Parr]û — the sons of Ummanaldašu (Ḫumban-ḫaltaš II), [the brother of Urtaku], (former) king of the land Elam — (asking me) to se[nd] (back) (ii 25) those [people] who had fled to m[e and] grasped my feet. I did not grant [him] their extradition. Concerning the aforementioned, he sent insults mont[hly] by the hands of Umbadar[â] and Nabû-damiq. Inside the land Elam, he was bragging in the assembly of [his] troops. (ii 30) I trusted in the deities Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Bēl (Marduk), Nabû, Ištar of Nineveh, (and) [Ištar of Arbela, who had encouraged me. I did] no[t comply with the utterance(s) of his pro]vocative [speech] (lit. “[mouth]”). |
| Obverse Column iii [0:4] iii 1'1'–iii 4'4' | “with regard to Teumman, the king of the land Elam who placed a bu[rden] o[n (the god) Aššur — the king of the gods], the father who had engendered you — he mustered his troops, prepared for battl[e], (and) was sharpening his weapons in order to march to Assyria.” |
| Obverse Column iii [4:7] iii 5'5'–iii 7'7' | “You, the heroic one of the gods, drive him away like a ... in the thick of battle and (then) raise a storm, an ev[il] wind, against him.” |
| Obverse Column iii [7:11] iii 8'8'–iii 11'11' | The goddess Ištar heard my sorrowful plight [and] said to me “Fear not!” She gave (me) confid[ence], (saying): “Because of your entreaties, which you directed towards me, (and because) your eyes were filled with [tear(s)], I had mer[cy] (on you).” |
| Obverse Column iii [11:15] iii 12'12'–iii 15'15' | During the course of the night that I had appealed [to her], a dream interpreter lay down and saw a d[ream]. He woke up and (then) reported to me the night vision that the goddess Ištar had shown him, saying: |
| Obverse Column iii [15:35] iii 16'16'– | “The goddess Ištar who resides in the city Arbela entered (and) she had quivers hanging on the right and left. She was holding a bow at her side (and) she was unsheathing a sharp sword that (was ready) to do battle. You (Ashurbanipal) stood before her (and) (iii 20´) she was speaking to you like (your own) birth-mother. The goddess Ištar, the sublime one of the gods, called out to you, instructing you, saying: ‘You are looking forward to waging war (and) I myself am about to set out towards my (lit. “your”) destination (the battlefield).’ You (then) spoke to her, saying: ‘Let me go with you, wherever you go, O Lady of Ladies!’ (iii 25´) She replied to you, saying: ‘You will stay in the place whe[re] you are (currently) [resid]ing. Eat food, drink w<i>ne, [ma]ke mus[ic], (and) revere my divinity. In the meantime, I will go (and) accomplish this task, (thus) I will let (you) achieve your heart’s desire. Your face will not become pale, [your feet] will not trembl[e], (iii 30´) you will not wipe off your sweat in the thick of batt[le].’ She took you into her sweet embrace and protected yo[ur] entir[e bod]y. Fire was flaring up in front of her. She came out furiously (and) splendidly and went to conquer her enemy. [She directed her] attent[ion towar]ds Teumman, the king of the land Elam with whom she was angry.” |
| Obverse Column iv [1:9] iv 22–iv 99 | [In] the month Ulūlu (VI), “the work of the goddesses,” the festival of the exalted (god) Aššur, [the mon]th of the god Sîn, the light of heaven and netherworld, I trusted in the decision of the bright divine light (Sîn) (iv 5) [and] the message of the goddess Ištar, my lady, which cannot be changed. [I must]ered my battle troops, warriors who dart about in the thick of battle by the command of the deities Aššur, Sîn, and I[štar. I set out on] the path [again]st Teumman, the king of the land Elam, [and] t[o]ok the direct roa[d]. |
| Obverse Column iv [9:12] iv 1010–iv 1212 | [B]efore me, [Teumman, the king of] the land Elam, [set up camp in] the city Bīt-Imbî. [He heard about the entr]y of my royal majesty i[nto (the city) Dēr] |
| Obverse Column iv [12:25] iv 1'1'–iv 13'13' | [...] I placed [Ummanigaš (Ḫumban-nikas II), who had fled to me (and) had grasped my feet, on h]is (Teumman’s) [throne]. (iv 5´) I installed [Tammarītu], his third [bro]ther, as king [in the city Ḫida]lu. [(With) the chariots, w]a<go>ns, horses, harness-[broken] (steeds), (and) equipment suited for war [that] (iv 10´) I captured [between the city Sus]a and the Ulāya River [with the suppor]t of (the god) Aššur and the goddess Ištar, the great gods, [by the com]mand of (the god) Aššur and the god Marduk, the great gods, my lords, I joyfully came out [o]f the land Elam and salvation was established [fo]r my entire army. |
| Obverse Column iv [25:26] iv 14'14'–iv 14'14' | On my eighth campaign |
| Obverse Column iv [26:27] iv 15'15'–iv 15'15' | Third extract, (inscription) not complete. |
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 | ina 6-ši ger-ri-⸢ia⸣ | |
| 2 | UGU {m}ur-ta-ki MAN {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} lu-u al-lik | |
| 3 | ⸢ša⸣ MUN AD ba-ni-ia la ⸢ḫa⸣-as-su la iṣ-ṣu-⸢ru ib-ru-ti⸣ | |
| 4 | ⸢ul⸣-tu ina {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} su-un-⸢qu⸣ iš-ku-nu ib-ba-šu-u ⸢ne₂-eb-re-tu₂⸣ | |
| 5 | {⸢d⸣}nisaba ba-laṭ ZI-tim [UN.MEŠ] | |
| 6 | ⸢u₂-še⸣-bil-šu-ma ⸢aṣ⸣-bat [ŠU.II-su] | |
| 7 | [UN].⸢MEŠ-šu₂ ša la-pa⸣-an su-⸢un⸣-qi₂ [in-nab-tu-nim-ma] | |
| 8 | [u₂-ši]-⸢bu⸣ qe₂-reb [KUR aš-šur{ki]} | |
| 9 | [a-di zu]-⸢un⸣-nu ina KUR-⸢šu₂ iz-nu-nu⸣ [ib-ba-šu-u BURU₁₄] | |
| 10 | [UN.MEŠ ša₂]-⸢a⸣-tu-⸢nu ša⸣ [ina KUR]-⸢ia ib⸣-[lu-ṭu u₂-še-bil-šu₂-ma] | |
| 11 | {[lu₂}e-la-mu-u₂ ša₂] ⸢ti-bu-us-su⸣ [it-ti lib₃-bi-ia] | |
| 12 | [la da-ba]-⸢ku la⸣ [ḫa-as-sa-ku ṣe-let-su] | |
| 13 | {[m}EN-BA-ša₂ {kur}gam]-⸢bu⸣-la-a-a {m}{d}⸢AG⸣-[MU-KAM-eš {lu₂}GU₂.EN.NA] | |
| 14 | [ARAD].⸢MEŠ⸣ da-gil₂ [pa-ni-ia] | |
| 15 | {[m}{d}AMAR.UTU-MU]-⸢DU₃ {lu₂}šu⸣-ut ⸢SAG⸣ [ša₂ {m}ur-ta-ki ša it-ti-šu₂-nu] | |
| 16 | [...] x [...] | |
| 1' | [...] x | |
| ii | ||
| 1 | ina 1-et MU.AN.⸢NA⸣ me₂-<eḫ>-ret a-ḫa-meš iš-ku-nu na-piš-⸢tu⸣ | |
| 2 | lib₃-bi AN.ŠAR₂ ag-gu ul i-nu-uḫ-šu₂-nu-ti | |
| 3 | ⸢ul⸣ ip-šaḫ-šu₂-nu-ti ka-bit-tu {d}iš-tar | |
| 4 | [ša₂] ⸢u₂-tak-kil⸣-an-ni | |
| 5 | [BALA-e LUGAL-ti-šu₂] ⸢iš-ki⸣-pu | |
| 6 | [be-lut {kur}e-lam-ti u₂-šal]-⸢qu⸣-u ša₂-⸢nam⸣-[ma] | |
| 7 | [EGIR {m}te-um-man tam-šil GAL₅.LA₂ u₂]-⸢šib ina {giš}GU⸣.[ZA] | |
| 8 | {[m}ur-ta-ki a-na da-a-ki DUMU.MEŠ {m}ur-ta]-⸢ki⸣ | |
| 9 | [u₃ DUMU.MEŠ {m}um-man-al-da-še ŠEŠ {m}ur]-⸢ta⸣-ki | |
| 10 | [iš-te-ne₂-ʾa-a] ⸢MUNUS⸣.ḪUL | |
| 11 | {[m}um-man-i-gaš {m}um-man-ap-pa {m}tam]-⸢ma⸣-ri-tu₂ | |
| 12 | [DUMU.MEŠ {m}ur-ta-ki] MAN {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} | |
| 13 | {[m}ku-dur₂-ru {m}pa-ru-u₂ DUMU.MEŠ {m]}⸢um⸣-man-al-da-še | |
| 14 | [LUGAL a-lik pa-ni {m]}⸢ur⸣-ta-ki | |
| 15 | [u₃ 60 NUMUN LUGAL ina la mi₃-ni {lu₂}ERIM].⸢MEŠ⸣ {giš}PAN | |
| 16 | [DUMU.MEŠ ba-ne₂-e ša {kur]}⸢ELAM⸣.MA{ki} | |
| 17 | [ša₂ la-pa-an da-a-ki {m}te]-⸢um⸣-man | |
| 18 | [in-nab-tu-nim-ma iṣ-ba-tu₂ GIR₃.II.MEŠ LUGAL]-ti-ia | |
| 19 | [ina 7-e ger-ri-ia UGU {m}te-um-man MAN {kur}ELAM.MA{ki]} ⸢lu⸣-u al-lik | |
| 20 | [ša₂ UGU {m}um-man-i-gaš {m}um-man-ap-pa {m}tam]-⸢ma⸣-ri-tu₂ | |
| 21 | [DUMU.MEŠ {m}ur-ta-ki] ⸢LUGAL⸣ {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} | |
| 22 | {[m}ku-dur₂-ru {m}pa-ru]-⸢u₂⸣ DUMU.MEŠ {m}um-man-⸢al-da-še⸣ | |
| 23 | [ŠEŠ {m}ur-ta-ki] LUGAL {kur}ELAM.⸢MA⸣{[ki]} | |
| 24 | {[lu₂}EDIN.MEŠ-šu₂ iš]-⸢ta⸣-nap-pa-ra a-na še-⸢bu⸣-[li] | |
| 25 | [UN.MEŠ] ⸢ša₂-a-tu-nu⸣ ša₂ in-nab-tu-⸢nim⸣-[ma] | |
| 26 | iṣ-ba-tu₂ GIR₃.II-ia še-bul-šu₂-nu ul aq-bi-[šu₂] | |
| 27 | ina UGU me-re-ḫe-e-ti ina ⸢ŠU⸣.II {m}um-ba-da-⸢ra⸣-[a] | |
| 28 | u₃ {m}{d}MUATI-SIG₅-iq iš-ta-nap-pa-ra ⸢ITI⸣-[šam] | |
| 29 | qe₂-reb {kur}e-lam-ti uš-ta-ra-aḫ ina UKKIN ERIM.⸢ḪI⸣.[A-šu₂] | |
| 30 | ⸢at⸣-kil a-na ⸢AN.ŠAR₂⸣ {d}30 {d}UTU {d}EN {⸢d}AG {d}15 ša₂ NINA{ki} {⸢d⸣}15 ša₂ {uru}LIMMU₂-DINGIR] | |
| 31 | [ša₂ u₂-tak-kil-u-in-ni qi₂-bit pi-i-šu] ⸢er-ḫu ul⸣ [am-gur₂] | |
| iii | ||
| 1' | ⸢aš₂-šu₂ {m}te-um-man MAN {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} ša a-na⸣ [AN.ŠAR₂ LUGAL DINGIR.MEŠ] | |
| 2' | AD ⸢ba⸣-ni-ki iḫ-tu-u ⸢bil⸣-[tu] | |
| 3' | id-ka-a ERIM.ḪI.A-šu₂ ik-ṣu-ra ta-⸢ḫa-zu⸣ | |
| 4' | u₂-ša₂-ʾa-la {giš}TUKUL.MEŠ-šu₂ a-na a-lak KUR aš-šur{⸢ki⸣} | |
| 5' | um-ma at-ti qa-rit-ti DINGIR.⸢MEŠ⸣ | |
| 6' | GIM GUN ina qa-bal tam-ḫa-ri pu-uṭ-ṭi-⸢ri-šu₂-ma⸣ | |
| 7' | di-kiš-šu₂ me-ḫu-u IM ⸢lem⸣-[nu] | |
| 8' | in-ḫe-ia šu-nu-ḫu-tu₂ {d}15 iš-me-⸢e⸣-[ma] | |
| 9' | la ta-pal-laḫ₃ iq-ba-a u₂-⸢šar⸣-ḫi-iṣ ⸢lib₃⸣-[bu] | |
| 10' | a-na ni-iš ŠU.II-ka ša₂ taš-ša₂-a IGI.II-ka im-la-⸢a⸣ [di-im-tu₂] | |
| 11' | ar-ta-ši re-e-[mu] | |
| 12' | ina šat mu-ši šu-a-tu₂ ša₂ am-ḫur-[ši] | |
| 13' | 1-en {lu₂}šab-ru-u u₂-tu-ul-ma i-na-ṭal ⸢MAŠ₂⸣.[GI₆] | |
| 14' | i-gi-il-ti-ma tab-rit mu-ši ša₂ {d}15 u₂-⸢šab-ru-šu₂⸣ | |
| 15' | u₂-ša₂-an-na-a ia-a-ti | |
| 16' | um-ma {d}15 a-ši-bat {uru}LIMMU₂-DINGIR{ki} e-ru-ba-ni | |
| 17' | 15 u 2.30 tul-la-a-ta iš-pa-a-ti | |
| 18' | tam-ḫa-at {giš}PAN ina i-di-ša₂ šal-pat nam-ṣa-ru zaq-tu₂ ša₂ e-peš ME₃ | |
| 19' | ma-ḫar-ša₂ ta-zi-iz ši-i ki-ma AMA | |
| 20' | a-lit-ti i-tam-ma-a it-ti-⸢ka⸣ | |
| 21' | il-si-ka {d}15 ša₂-qut DINGIR.MEŠ i-šak-kan-ka ⸢ṭe₃-e-mu⸣ | |
| 22' | um-ma ta-na-ṭa-la a-na e-peš ša₂-aš₂-me | |
| 23' | a-šar pa-nu-ki šak-nu te-ba-ku a-na-ku | |
| 24' | at-ta ta-qab-bi-ši um-ma a-šar tal-la-ki it-ti-ki lul-lik be-let GAŠAN.MEŠ | |
| 25' | ši-⸢i tu⸣-ša₂-an-nak-ka um-ma at-ta a-kan-na lu aš₂-ba-ta | |
| 26' | a-⸢šar⸣ [maš]-⸢kan₂⸣-i-ka ⸢a-kul a-ka⸣-lu ši-ti ku-<ru>-un-nu | |
| 27' | nin-⸢gu⸣-[tu₂ šu]-⸢kun⸣ nu-ʾi-id DINGIR-ti | |
| 28' | a-di al-la-⸢ku šip⸣-ru šu₂-a-tu₂ ep-pu-šu₂ u₂-šak-ša₂-du ṣu-me-rat ⸢lib₃-bi-ka⸣ | |
| 29' | pa-nu-u-ka ul ur-raq ul i-nar₃-ru-⸢ṭa⸣ [GIR₃.II-ka] | |
| 30' | ul ta-šam-maṭ zu-ut-ka ina MURUB₄ tam-⸢ḫa⸣-[ri] | |
| 31' | ina ki-rim-mi₃-ša₂ DUG₃.GA taḫ-ṣi-in-ka-ma taḫ-ti₇-na gi-⸢mir⸣ [la]-⸢ni-ka⸣ | |
| 32' | pa-nu-uš-ša₂ {d}GIŠ.BAR in-na-pa-aḫ ez-zi-iš x x | |
| 33' | nam-ri-ri-iš E₃-ma a-na ka-ša₂-ad {lu₂}KUR₂-ša₂ DU-ik | |
| iv | ||
| 1 | [e]-⸢li {m}te-um⸣-man MAN {kur}ELAM.MA{ki} ša₂ ug-⸢gu⸣-ga-at ⸢pa-nu⸣-[uš-ša₂ taš-kun] | |
| 2 | [ina] {⸢iti⸣}KIN ši-pir {d}⸢INANNA⸣.MEŠ ⸢i⸣-sin-ni AN.ŠAR₂ ⸢MAḪ⸣ | |
| 3 | ⸢ITI⸣ {d}30 {d}⸢na⸣-an-⸢nar₃⸣ AN-e u KI-tim ⸢at-kil⸣ | |
| 4 | ⸢a⸣-na EŠ.BAR x {⸢d}ŠEŠ.KI⸣ nam-ri | |
| 5 | [u₃] ⸢ši⸣-pir {d}15 GAŠAN-ia ša₂ ⸢la in⸣-nen-nu-u | |
| 6 | [ad]-⸢ke⸣ ERIM.MEŠ ME₃-ia mun-⸢daḫ-ṣe⸣ ša₂ ina qi₂-bit AN.ŠAR₂ {d}30 u {⸢d}15 | |
| 7 | ⸢it⸣-ta-na-aš₂-rab-bi-ṭu MURUB₄ ⸢tam-ḫa-ri⸣ | |
| 8 | [e]-⸢li⸣ {m}⸢te⸣-um-man MAN {kur}⸢ELAM.MA{ki⸣} | |
| 9 | ur-⸢ḫu⸣ [aṣ-bat-ma] ⸢uš⸣-[te]-⸢še-ra⸣ ḫar-⸢ra⸣-[nu] | |
| 10 | ⸢il-la⸣-mu-u-⸢a⸣ {[m}te-um-man MAN] {⸢kur}ELAM.MA⸣{[ki]} | |
| 11 | [i-na] {uru}E₂-{m}im-⸢bi⸣-[i na-di ma-dak-tu₂] | |
| 12 | [e]-⸢reb⸣ LUGAL-ti-ia ša₂ ⸢qe₂⸣-[reb BAD₃.AN{ki]} | |
| 1' | [...] x | |
| 2' | [...] x | |
| 3' | [...] x | |
| 4' | [iṣ-ba-tu GIR₃.II-ia ina {giš}GU.ZA]-⸢šu₂ u₂-še⸣-šib | |
| 5' | {[m}tam-ma-ri-tu] ⸢ŠEŠ-šu⸣ šal-ša₂-a-a | |
| 6' | [ina {uru}ḫi-da]-lu a-na LUGAL-u-ti aš₂-kun | |
| 7' | {[giš}GIGIR.MEŠ {giš]}⸢ṣu⸣-<um>-bi ANŠE.KUR.RA.MEŠ | |
| 8' | [ṣi-mit-ti] ni-i-ri {giš}til-li si-mat ME₃ | |
| 9' | [ša ina tukul]-⸢ti⸣ AN.ŠAR₂ u {d}15 DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ | |
| 10' | [bi-rit {uru}šu-ša₂]-⸢an⸣ u {id₂}u₂-la-a-a ik-šu₂-da ŠU.II-a-a | |
| 11' | [ina qi₂]-⸢bit⸣ AN.ŠAR₂ u {d}AMAR.UTU DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ EN.MEŠ-ia | |
| 12' | [ul]-tu qe₂-reb {kur}⸢ELAM⸣.MA{ki} ḫa-diš u₂-ṣa-am-ma | |
| 13' | [a]-⸢na⸣ gi-mir ERIM.ḪI.A-ia ša-lim-tu šak-na-at | |
| 14' | ⸢ina⸣ 8-e ger-ri-ia | |
| 15' | 3-šu₂ nis-ḫu NU AL.TIL | |
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.