Sennacherib 138 (Q003943)
Royal Inscription, Neo-Assyrian, Kuyunjik (Nineveh) · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
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| Designation | Sennacherib 138 |
|---|---|
| ID | Q003943 |
| 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/rinap3 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse Column i [0:9] o i 1'1'–o i 9'9' | I def[eated] all together [..., Ubu]lu, Damunu, [Gambulu, Ḫin]daru, Ruʾuʾa, [Puqudu, Ḫam]rānu, Ḫagarānu, [Nabatu], (and) Liʾtaʾu, insubmissive [Arameans]. I carried off into As[syria] a sub[stantial] booty (consisting of) 208,000 people, young (and) old, male [and female], horses, mules, donkey[s, camels], oxen, (and) sheep and goats. |
| Obverse Column i [9:14] o i 10'10'–o i 14'14' | In the course of [my] camp[aign], I rece[ived] a substantial payment from Nabû-bēl-šumāti, the official in charge of the city Ḫa[raratu (Ḫarutu)]: gold, silver, [large] musukkannu-trees, donkeys, camels, oxen, and [sheep and goats]. |
| Obverse Column i [14:22] o i 15'15'–o i 22'22' | I put to the sword the population of the city Ḫirimmu, a dange[rous] enemy, and [I did] not [spare] a single one. I hung their corpses on poles [and] pl[aced] (them) around the city. I reor[ganized] that district (and) imposed for eternity one ox, ten sheep, ten homers of wine, (and) twenty homers of dat[es] as his first-fruits offerings to the gods of Assyria, my lords. |
| Obverse Column i [22:29] o i 23'23'–o i 29'29' | On my second campaign, (the god) Aššur, my lord, encou[raged me and I marched] to the land of the Kassites and the land of the Ya[subi]gallia[ns], who since time immemorial had not submitted to [the kings, my] ancestors. In the hi[gh] mountains, [difficult terrain, I rode] on horseba[ck and had my personal chariot carried on (men’s) necks. ...] |
| Reverse Column i [0:3] r i' 1r i 1–r i' 33 | I [added (archers and shield bearers)] to [my royal contingent. I divided up the rest of the substantial enemy booty ...] among [my entire camp and my governors], |
| Reverse Column i [3:10] r i' 1'1'–r i' 7'7' | who[se] plan [had been designed by the stars (lit. “writing”) of the firmament and whose arrangement] was made manifest [since time immemorial]; a sophist[icated] place (and) [site of secret lore in which] every [kind of skilled craftsmanship], all of [the rituals, (and) the secret(s) of] the lalgar (cosmic subterranean water) [are apprehended]; |
| Reverse Column ii [0:4] r ii' 1r ii 1–r ii' 44 | I measured (the terrace’s) dimensions. In order to prevent its foundation from being weakened over the passage of time [by] cresting flood(s), I surrounded its base with large limestone slabs (and thereby) reinforced its base. |
| Reverse Column ii [4:6] r ii' 55–r ii' 66 | I inscribed objects bearing my name 160 courses of brick within the terrace and I deposited (them) deep down in its foundation for ever after. |
| Reverse Column ii [6:12] r ii' 77–r ii' 1212 | Afterwards, I decided to increase the heigh[t of] the terrace, and (then) I built up [20 co]urses of brick to the former (terrace) and (thus) I raised (it) to a (total) height of [1]80 courses of brick. I made [the a]rea larger than before, added (it) to the former dimensions of the palace, and (thus) enlarged its structure. |
| Reverse Column ii [12:16] r ii' 1313–r ii' 1616 | I had a palace of breccia, alabaster, elephant ivory, ebony, boxwood, musukkannu-wood, cedar, cypress, juniper, and elammaku-wood, (a palace that I named) E[gal]zagdinutukua (the “Palace Without a Rival”), construc[ted] thereon as my royal residence. |
| Reverse Column ii [16:19] r ii' 1717–r ii' 1919 | I planted alongside it (the palace) a botanical garden, a replica of Mount Amanus, which has all kinds of aromatic plants (and) fruit trees, trees that are the mainstay of the mountains and Chaldea, collected inside it. |
| Reverse Column ii [19:23] r ii' 2020–r ii' 2323 | To plant gardens, I subdivided the meadowland upstream of the city into plots of four pānu each for the citizens of Nineveh and I handed (them) over to them. |
| Reverse Column ii [23:30] r ii' 2424–r ii' 3030 | To make (those) planted areas luxuriant, I cut with iron picks a canal straight through mountain and valley, from the border of the city Kisiri to the plain of Ninev[eh]. I caused an inexhaustible supply of water to flow there for a distance of one and a half leagues from the Ḫusur River (and) made (it) gush through feeder canals into those gardens. |
| Reverse Column ii [30:36] r ii' 3131–r ii' 3636 | By divine will, vines, all kinds of fruit trees, olive trees, and aromatic trees flourished greatly in (those) gardens. Cypress trees, musukkannu-trees, (and) all kinds of tree[s] grew tall and sent out shoots. I [created a mar]sh [to] moderate the flow of [water] for (those) garde[ns and had a canebr]ake [planted (in it)]. |
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 i | ||
| 1' | {[lu₂}u₂-bu]-⸢lum⸣ {lu₂}da-mu-⸢nu⸣ {[lu₂}gam-bu-lum] | |
| 2' | {[lu₂}ḫi-in]-⸢da⸣-ru {lu₂}ru-ʾu-u-a {⸢lu₂⸣}[pu-qu-du] | |
| 3' | {[lu₂}ḫa-am]-⸢ra⸣-a-nu {lu₂}ḫa-ga-ra-a-nu {lu₂}[na-ba-tu] | |
| 4' | {lu₂}li-iʾ-ta-a-u₂ {lu₂}[a-ra-mu] | |
| 5' | la kan-šu-ti mit-ḫa-riš ak-[šud{ud]} | |
| 6' | 2 ME 8 LIM UN.MEŠ TUR GAL NITA [u MUNUS] | |
| 7' | ANŠE.KUR.RA.MEŠ ANŠE.KUNGA.MEŠ ⸢ANŠE⸣.[MEŠ ANŠE.GAM.MAL.MEŠ] | |
| 8' | GU₄.NITA₂.MEŠ US₅.UDU.ḪI.A šal-la-tu ⸢ka⸣-[bit-tu] | |
| 9' | aš₂-⸢lu⸣-la a-na qe₂-reb KUR ⸢aš⸣-[šur{ki]} | |
| 10' | i-na me-ti-iq ger-[ri-ia] | |
| 11' | ša {m}{d}MUATI-EN-MU.MEŠ {lu₂}qi₂-pi {uru}ḫa-[ra-ra-te] | |
| 12' | KU₃.GI KU₃.BABBAR {giš}mu-suk-kan-ni [GAL.MEŠ] | |
| 13' | ANŠE.MEŠ ANŠE.GAM.MAL.MEŠ GU₄.MEŠ u [US₅.UDU.ḪI.A] | |
| 14' | man-da-ta-šu₂ ka-bit-tu ⸢am⸣-[ḫur] | |
| 15' | ba-ḫu-la-ti {uru}ḫi-rim-me {lu₂}KUR₂ ⸢ak⸣-[ṣi] | |
| 16' | i-na {giš}TUKUL.MEŠ u₂-šam-qit-ma e-du ul [e-zib] | |
| 17' | pag-ri-šu-un i-na ga-ši-ši a-lul-[ma] | |
| 18' | si-⸢ḫir-ti URU⸣ u₂-[šal-me] | |
| 19' | na-gu-u₂ šu-a-tu a-na eš-šu-ti ⸢aṣ⸣-[bat] | |
| 20' | 1-en GU₄.NITA₂ 10 UDU.MEŠ 10 ANŠE GEŠTIN 20 ANŠE ZU₂.⸢LUM⸣.[MA] | |
| 21' | re-še-e-te-šu₂ a-na DINGIR.MEŠ KUR aš-šur{[ki]} | |
| 22' | EN.MEŠ-ia u₂-kin da₃-ri-⸢šam⸣ | |
| 23' | i-na 2-e ger-ri-ia aš-šur be-li₂ u₂-⸢tak⸣-[kil-an-ni-ma] | |
| 24' | ⸢a⸣-na KUR {lu₂}kaš-ši-i u₃ KUR ia-[su-bi]-⸢gal⸣-la-⸢a⸣-[a] | |
| 25' | ša ul-tu ul-la a-na [LUGAL.MEŠ] AD.MEŠ-[ia] | |
| 26' | ⸢la⸣ kit-nu-šu₂ [lu al-lik] | |
| 27' | ⸢qe₂⸣-reb ḫur-ša₂-a-ni ⸢zaq⸣-[ru-ti A.ŠA₃ nam-ra-ṣi] | |
| 28' | ⸢i⸣-na ANŠE.⸢KUR⸣.[RA ar-kab-ma {giš}GIGIR GIR₃.II-ia] | |
| 29' | x x (x) [...] | |
| r i' | ||
| 1 | UGU [ki-ṣir LUGAL-ti-ia] | |
| 2 | ⸢u₂⸣-[rad-di si-it-ti šal-la-ti na-ki-ri ka-bit-tu] | |
| 3 | a-⸢na⸣ [gi-mir KARAŠ-ia u₃ {lu₂}EN.NAM.MEŠ-ia] {lu₂}EN.NAM.MEŠ-ia] | |
| 1' | ša [ul-tu ul-la it-ti ši-ṭir bu-ru-u₂-me] | |
| 2' | eṣ-⸢rat⸣-[su eṣ-ret-ma] | |
| 3' | šu-pu-⸢u₂⸣ [ṣi-in-du-šu₂] | |
| 4' | aš₂-ru ⸢nak⸣-[lu šu-bat pi-riš-te] | |
| 5' | ša mim-ma [šum-šu₂ ši-pir ni-kil-ti] | |
| 6' | gi-⸢mir⸣ [pel-lu-de-e ni-ṣir-ti] | |
| 7' | ⸢lal₃-gar⸣ [šu-ta-bu-lu₄ qe₂-reb-šu₂] | |
| r ii' | ||
| 1 | ⸢am⸣-šu-⸢uḫ me-ši⸣-iḫ-ta la-ba-riš UD.MEŠ | |
| 2 | [ina] ILLU kiš-⸢ša₂⸣-ti tem-me-en-šu la e-ne₂-še | |
| 3 | as-kup-pat {na₄}⸢pi⸣-i-li rab-ba-a-te ki-su-u-šu₂ u₂-ša₂-as-ḫi-ra | |
| 4 | u₂-dan-ni-na šu-pu-uk-šu₂ | |
| 5 | MU.SAR-e ši-ṭir MU-⸢ia 1 ME 60 ti-ib-ki tam-li-i | |
| 6 | qe₂-reb-šu₂ al-ṭu-ur-⸢ma šap-la⸣-nu ina UŠ₈-šu₂ e-zib aḫ-ra-taš | |
| 7 | ⸢ar-ka-nu⸣ šu-uš-⸢qu⸣-[u₂] ⸢tam⸣-li-i ka-bat-ti ub-lam-ma | |
| 8 | 20 ti]-ib-ki ṣe-⸢er maḫ⸣-re-e ar-ṣip-ma | |
| 9 | 1 ME] 80 ti-ib-ki u₂-⸢šaq⸣-qi₂ e-la-niš | |
| 10 | [tar]-⸢pa⸣-šu-u₂ UGU ša u₄-me pa-ni u₂-šar-bi | |
| 11 | ⸢ṣe⸣-er me-ši-iḫ-ti E₂.GAL maḫ-ri-⸢ti⸣ | |
| 12 | ⸢u₂⸣-rad-di-ma u₂-ša₂-an-di-la ši-kit-ta-ša₂ | |
| 13 | ⸢E₂⸣.GAL {na₄}DUR₂.MI.NA.BAN₃.DA {na₄}GIŠ.NU₁₁.GAL ZU₂ AM.SI | |
| 14 | {⸢giš⸣}ESI {giš}TUG₂ {giš}mu-suk-kan-ni {giš}EREN {giš}ŠUR.MIN₃ | |
| 15 | {šim}LI u₃ {giš}e-lam-ma-ku e₂-[gal]-⸢zag⸣-di-nu-tuku-a | |
| 16 | a-na mu-šab LUGAL-ti-ia u₂-še-⸢pi⸣-[ša₂] ⸢qe₂⸣-reb-šu₂ | |
| 17 | {giš}KIRI₆.MAḪ-ḫu tam-šil {kur}ḫa-ma-nim ša₂ ⸢gi-mir⸣ ŠIM.ḪI.A | |
| 18 | GURUN ṣip-pa-a-te GIŠ.MEŠ tuk-lat KUR-i ⸢u₃ {kur⸣}kal-di | |
| 19 | ⸢qe₂⸣-reb-šu₂ ḫur-ru-šu i-ta-a-ša₂ ⸢az⸣-qu-up | |
| 20 | ⸢aš₂-šu₂ za⸣-qa-ap ṣip-pa-a-ti A.ŠA₃ ⸢ta⸣-mir-ti | |
| 21 | e-le-en URU 4 PI.TA.AM₃ | |
| 22 | a-na DUMU.MEŠ NINA{ki} pil-ku u₂-pal-lik-ma | |
| 23 | u₂-šad-gi-la pa-nu-uš-šu₂-un | |
| 24 | a-na miṭ-ra-a-ti šum-mu-ḫi | |
| 25 | ul-tu pa-a-ṭi {uru}ki-si-ri a-di ta-mir-te ⸢NINA⸣{[ki]} | |
| 26 | KUR-a u₃ bi-ru-tu₂ ina ak-kul-la-te AN.BAR u₂-šat-tir-ma | |
| 27 | u₂-še-šir {id₂}ḫar-ru 1 1/2 KASKAL.GID₂ qaq-qa-ru | |
| 28 | ul-tu qe₂-reb {id₂}ḫu-su-ur ma-a-me da-ru-u-te | |
| 29 | a-šar-ša₂ u₂-šar-da-a qe₂-reb ṣip-pa-a-ti | |
| 30 | ša₂-ti-na u₂-šaḫ-bi-ba pat-ti-iš | |
| 31 | ina ṭe₃-em DINGIR-ma qe₂-reb {giš}KIRI₆.MAḪ-ḫi | |
| 32 | GEŠTIN gi-mir GURUN {giš}se-er-du u ŠIM.⸢ḪI⸣.[A] | |
| 33 | ma-gal ⸢iš⸣-mu-ḫu {giš}ŠUR.MIN₃ {giš}MES.MA₂.KAN.⸢NA⸣ | |
| 34 | ⸢nap⸣-ḫar ⸢GIŠ⸣.[MEŠ] ⸢i-ši⸣-ḫu-ma u₂-ṣar-ri-šu₂ pa-pa-al-⸢lum⸣ | |
| 35 | [a-na] ⸢šup⸣-šu-uḫ a-lak-ti [A.MEŠ] ⸢ša⸣ {giš}KIRI₆.⸢MAḪ⸣-[ḫi] | |
| 36 | {[id₂}a-gam]-⸢mu u₂⸣-[šab-ši-ma ṣu-ṣu]-⸢u₂⸣ | |
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.