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Ashurbanipal 215 (Q007623)

Royal Inscription, Neo-Assyrian, Kuyunjik (Nineveh) · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE

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DesignationAshurbanipal 215
IDQ007623
CollectionBritish Museum, London, UK
LanguageAkkadian
PeriodNeo-Assyrian · c. 911 BCE–612 BCE
GenreRoyal Inscription
Find spotKuyunjik (Nineveh)
Coordinates36.3587, 43.1519

English translation

By ORACC project rinap/rinap5 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)

LineEnglish
Obverse Column i [0:1] i 1'1'–i 1'1'[I enl]a[rged it].
Obverse Column i [1:10] i 2'2'–i 10'10'[I had a canopy, which] rivals the heave[ns], made [from m]usukkannu-[wood], a d[urable] wood. (i 5´) I [then] c[lad] its [peri]meter [with thirty-four ta]lents (and) twenty minas of [reddish] gold (and thereby) [rei]nforced [its] bonds. I stretched out its [cov]ering [ove]r the god Marduk, the great lord, [and (thus)] secured [its] roof.
Obverse Column i [10:17] i 11'11'–i 17'17'[(As for) the] exalted [chariot], the vehicle of the god Mard[uk, the pre-emin]ent one among the gods, the lord of lor[d]s, I c[omple]ted [its] feature(s) [with gol]d, silver, (and) precio[us] stones. (i 15´) [I gave (it)] as a g[if]t t[o the god Mard]uk, the king of the totality of heaven and [netherworld], the one who ove[rwhelms my] enemies.
Obverse Column i [17:25] i 18'18'–i 25'25'I skillfully mad[e] a bed of m[usukkannu]-wood, [a durable wood], that [is clad] with pašal[lu-gold (and) studded with] precio[us] stones, as a [pleasure] bed for the god Bēl (Marduk) (and) [the goddess Bēltīya (Zarpanītu)] to carry out the weddin[g] (and) to make lo[ve]. I placed (it) in Ka[ḫili]su, the bed chamber of the goddess Zarpanītu, which is laden with [sex]ual charm.
Obverse Column i [25:29] i 26'26'–i 29'29'I stationed [four] fierce [wild bulls of s]ilver, [protector]s of my royal path, [in the “Gate of the Risi]ng Sun” and the “Gate of Lamma-RA.BI,” [in gateway(s) of Ez]ida, which is inside Borsippa.
Obverse Column i [29:32] i 30'30'–i 32'32'I decorated [Emašm]aš (and) Egašankalama with [silver (and) gol]d, (and) fill[ed (them) with] s[plendor].
Obverse Column i [32:37] i 33'33'–i 37'37'The goddess [Šarrat-Kidmuri, who in her ang]er [had aban]do[ned her] inner sanctum (and) (i 35´) had taken up residence in [a place not befitting her], relen[ted] during the favora[ble] reign (lit. “my favora[ble] reign”) [that (the god) Aššur had granted me].
Obverse Column ii [0:3] ii 1'1'–ii 3'3'(No translation possible)
Obverse Column ii [3:15] ii 4'4'–ii 15'15'[I built (and)] completed [the sanctuari]es of [Assyria (and) the land] Akkad [in their entirety]. I made [eve]ry [type of temple appurtenance] there is [from silver (and) gold], (and) I added (them) [to those of the kings], my ancestors. (ii 10´) [I made the great gods] who support me [reside in the]ir exalted [inner sanctums]. I offered sumptuous [offerings before the]m (and) [presente]d (them) with my gifts.
Obverse Column iii [0:1] iii 1'1'–iii 1'1'[great rulers from (both) east and west are anxious for me] to be [their] all[y].
Obverse Column iii [1:9] iii 2'2'–iii 9'9'With the support of the [great] god[s, my lords, I entered] the land E[lam], brought a[bout] their (the Elamites’) defeat c[ountless (times)], (and) (iii 5´) marche[d] about [triu]m[phantly]. Ummanalda[šu (Ḫumban-haltaš III), the king of] the land Elam, became frightened by the assault of my mighty battle array, fled naked, an[d] took to the mountain(s).
Obverse Column iii [9:18] iii 10'10'–iii 18'18'I conquered fourteen fortifie[d] cities, his royal residence(s), and small(er) settlements, which were without number, together with twenty villages, in the district of the city Ḫunnir, (which is) on the border of the city Ḫidalu. I destroyed (and) demolish[ed] the city Bašimu and the villages in its environs.
Obverse Column iv [0:11] iv 1iv 1–iv 1111As for the people living inside the[m], I annihilat[ed] them. I smashed thei[r] gods (and thus) placated the mood of the lord of lord[s]. (iv 5) I carried off to Assyria its gods, it[s] goddesses, its possessions, (and) its property, (as well as) people, young and o[ld]. I devast[ated] an are[a] of sixty leagues inside the land Elam (and) scattered salt (and) cres[s] over the[m].
Obverse Column iv [11:25] iv 1212–iv 2525(As for) the goddess Nanāya, who 1,635 yea[rs] (ago) became angry and wen[t] to live in the land Ela[m], (iv 15) a place not befitting [her], then, at that time (when) sh[e] — and the gods, [her] fathers — nominated me for ruling over the land[s], (iv 20) she entrusted [me] with the return of [her] lordly majes[ty], [say]ing: “Ashur[banipal] wil[l bring me out] o[f the land Elam and] make [me] enter Ea[nna (again)].”
Obverse Column iv [25:35] iv 2626–iv 3535The word(s) of the[ir] divine command that th[ey] had sp[oken] in distant days, th[ey] now disclo[sed] to the people of [a later generation. (iv 30) I grasped] the hands of her great divinity. She to[ok] the [direct] path, which please[s the heart, to Eanna. I made her enter] into [Uruk and made her dwell on (her) eternal dais] in E[ḫiliana, which she loves].
Obverse Column v [0:6] v 1v 1–v 55[I put] a lead-rope [through] his (Uaiteʾ’s) [gu]ms, placed him [in a dog collar], and (then) [made] him [guar]d the door [of the eastern gate of the cit]adel of Nineveh, whi[ch is (named) the “En]trance to the Place Where the World Is Controlled.”
Obverse Column v [6:14] v 66–v 1313[(As for) ... of] the land of the Arabs, [...] ..., [who had t]urned hostile [tow]ards m[e, had cast] off the y[ok]e of my lordship, (and) (v 10) [w]hom I had defea[t]ed in the thick of [ba]ttle, [I f]layed the[m] in Nineveh, my [capi]tal [city].
Obverse Column v [14:21] v 1414–v 2020At that time, [(as for) the akīt]u-[house] of the god Sîn that is inside the city Ḫarrān (and) that had become old, [I] laid its foundation(s). I built (and) [comp]leted (it) from its foundation(s) to its crenel[lation]s. I clad (it) with [shiny] zaḫalû-silver.
Obverse Column v [21:34] v 2121–v 3333May the deities [S]în, Ninga[l, and Nusku] l[ook with pleasure upon] my [good deed]s. Ma[y] they [length]en [m]y [days (v 25) (so that) I may be fully satisfied with (my)] g[ood f]ortune. May they make [the foundation(s) of m]y [royal throne] endure (and) [make] my reign [last for a long time]. May they kill [my enemies (and) cut down] my [f]oes. (v 30) [With their] great [support], may I rule [wherever I desire (lit. “I say”) (and) achieve whatever (lit. “the place”) I stri]ve for.
Obverse Column v [34:36] v 3434–v 3535[In the futu]re, [may (one of) the sons, grands]ons,
Obverse Column vi [0:9] vi 1vi 1–vi 99(As for) the one who dest[roys] an inscribed object bearing [m]y name, makes (it) disappea[r] by some crafty device, (or) (vi 5) does not plac[e] (it) with an inscribed object bearing his name, may the great gods of heaven and netherworld overthro[w] his kingship (and) make his name (and) seed disappea[r] from the land.
Obverse Column vi [9:11] vi 1010–vi 1111[An inscribed obj]ect fo[r the akītu-house of the god S]în [that is inside the city Ḫarr]ān.
Left [0:2] l.e. 1l.e. 1–l.e. 22The goddess Šarrat-kidmuri, [who from] distant [day]s was an[gry (...)] ... her great divinity.

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)

LineATFMachine English (draft)
i
1'[u₂]-⸢rab⸣-[ba-a EDIN-uš-šu₂]
2'[u₂]-še-piš-[ma {giš}er-me a-nu]
3'{[giš]}⸢MES⸣.MA₂.KAN.⸢NA iṣ-ṣi da⸣-[re-e]
4'[ša₂] šit-nu-nu ša₂-ma-[me-eš]
5'34 ⸢GUN⸣ 20 MA.NA KU₃.⸢GI⸣ [ḪUŠ.A]
6'[kip]-pat-su u₂-⸢šal⸣-[biš]
7'[u₂]-⸢dan⸣-ni-na rik-se-⸢e⸣-[šu₂]
8'[e]-⸢li⸣ {d}AMAR.UTU EN GAL-[e]
9'[ṣu]-lul-šu₂ at-ru-uṣ-[ma]
10'[u₂]-kin ta-ra-an-[šu₂]
11'{[giš}GIGIR] ṣir-tu ru-kub {d}AMAR.⸢UTU⸣
12'[e]-⸢tel⸣-li DINGIR.MEŠ EN EN.⸢EN⸣
13'[ina KU₃].⸢GI⸣ KU₃.BABBAR NA₄.MEŠ ni-siq-[ti]
14'⸢ag-mu⸣-ra nab-nit-[sa]
15'a-⸢na⸣ {[d}AMAR].⸢UTU LUGAL⸣ kiš-šat AN-⸢e u⸣ [KI-tim]
16'sa-⸢pi⸣-[in] {⸢lu₂⸣}KUR₂.⸢MEŠ⸣-[ia]
17'a-na ⸢še⸣-[rik]-⸢ti⸣ [aš₂-ruk]
18'{giš}NA₂ {giš}⸢MES⸣.[MA₂.KAN.NA iṣ-ṣi da-re-e]
19'ša ⸢pa-šal⸣-[lu lit-bu-šat]
20'NA₄.MEŠ ⸢ni-siq⸣-[ti za-aʾ-na-at]
21'a-na ma-a-⸢a-al⸣ [tak-ne₂-e] {⸢d}EN⸣ {[d}GAŠAN-MU]
22'ša₂-kan ḫa-ša₂-⸢di e⸣-peš ru-⸢ʾa⸣-[a-me]
23'nak-⸢liš⸣ e-pu-[uš]
24'ina ⸢ka₂⸣-[ḫi-li]-su₃ maš-tak {d}zar-pa-ni-⸢tum⸣
25'⸢ša⸣ [ku]-⸢uz⸣-bu sa-⸢al⸣-ḫu ad-di
26'4 AM.MEŠ] ⸢KU₃⸣.BABBAR ek-du-u₂-ti
27'[na-ṣi]-⸢ru⸣ ki-bi-is LUGAL-ti-⸢ia⸣
28'[ina KA₂ ṣi]-⸢it⸣ {d}UTU-ši u KA₂ {d}LAMMA-RA.BI
29'[ina KA₂ e₂]-⸢zi⸣-da ša₂ qe₂-reb bar₂-sipa{ki} ul-⸢ziz⸣
30'[e₂-maš]-⸢maš⸣ e₂-gašan-kalam-⸢ma⸣
31'[KU₃.BABBAR KU₃].⸢GI⸣ u₂-za-⸢ʾi-in⸣
32'⸢lu⸣-[le-e] ⸢u₂-mal-li⸣
33'{⸢d⸣}[šar-rat-kid-mu-ri ša₂ ina] ⸢ug-gat⸣ [lib₃-bi-ša₂]
34'at-man-[ša₂ e]-⸢zi⸣-[bu]
35'u₂-ši-bu [a-šar la si-ma-a-ti-ša₂]
36'ina BALA-ia ⸢dam⸣-[qi₂ ša₂ AN.ŠAR₂ iš-ru-ka]
37'⸢tar⸣-ša₂-a [sa-li-mu]
ii
1'[...] (x) x
2'[...] x
3'[...]
4'[... eš-re-e]-⸢ti⸣
5'[KUR AN.ŠAR₂{ki} (u) KUR] URI{ki}
6'[a-na si-ḫir-ti-ši-na ar-ṣip u₂]-⸢šak-lil⸣
7'[mim-ma si-mat E₂.KUR ma]-⸢la⸣ ba-šu-u
8'[ša KU₃.BABBAR KU₃.GI] ⸢e⸣-pu-uš
9'[e-li ša LUGAL.MEŠ] ⸢AD⸣.MEŠ-ia u₂-rad-di
10'[DINGIR.MEŠ GAL].⸢MEŠ⸣ tik-le-ia
11'[ina at-ma-ni-šu₂]-nu ṣi-ru-ti
12'[u₂-še-šib]-⸢šu₂⸣-nu-u₂-ti
13'{[udu}SISKUR.MEŠ] ⸢taš⸣-ri-iḫ-ti
14'[ma-ḫar-šu₂]-⸢un⸣ aq-qi₂
15'[u₂-šam-ḫi]-⸢ra⸣ kad₃-ra-a-a
iii
1'⸢a-na kit-ri⸣-[šu₂-nu u₂-pa-qu-u-ni]
2'ina tukul-ti DINGIR.[MEŠ GAL.MEŠ EN.MEŠ-ia]
3'qe₂-reb {kur}⸢e⸣-[lam-ti e-ru-ub]
4'BAD₅.BAD₅-šu₂-nu ⸢ina⸣ [la mi₃-ni] ⸢aš₂-kun⸣
5'⸢at⸣-tal-⸢lak šal⸣-[ṭiš]
6'{m}um-man-⸢al-da⸣-[si MAN] {⸢kur⸣}ELAM.MA{⸢ki⸣}
7'ti-ib ME₃-ia ⸢dan⸣-nu e-dur-⸢ma⸣
8'mi-ra-nu-uš-šu₂ in-na-bit-⸢ma⸣
9'iṣ-ba-ta ša₂-da-⸢a⸣
10'14 URU.MEŠ dan-nu-u-⸢ti⸣
11'mu-šab LUGAL-u-ti-⸢šu₂⸣
12'u₃ URU.⸢MEŠ⸣ TUR.MEŠ
13'ša ni-i-ba ⸢la⸣ i-šu-u₂
14'a-di 20.AM₃ URU.MEŠ
15'ina na-ge-e ša {uru}ḫu-un-nir
16'ina UGU mi-iṣ-ri ša {uru}ḫi-da-lu ak-šu₂-ud
17'{uru}ba-ši-mu u₃ URU.MEŠ ša₂ li-me-ti-šu₂
18'ap-pul ⸢aq-qur⸣
iv
1ša UN.MEŠ a-šib lib₃-⸢bi⸣-šu₂-[un]
2⸢ka⸣-mar-šu₂-nu aš₂-⸢kun⸣
3⸢u₂-šab-bir⸣ DINGIR.MEŠ-šu₂-⸢un⸣
4⸢u₂-šap⸣-ši-iḫ ⸢ka-bat⸣-ti ⸢EN EN.EN⸣
5⸢DINGIR.MEŠ⸣-šu₂ {d}15.MEŠ-⸢šu₂⸣
6⸢NIG₂.ŠU-šu₂ NIG₂.GA⸣-šu₂ ⸢UN.MEŠ TUR⸣ u ⸢GAL⸣
7aš₂-⸢lu⸣-la a-na KUR AN.⸢ŠAR₂{ki⸣}
860 KASKAL.GID₂ qaq-qa-⸢ru⸣
9qe₂-reb {kur}e-lam-ti ⸢u₂⸣-šaḫ-[rib]
10MUN {u₂}⸢ZAG⸣.ḪI.⸢LI⸣
11u₂-sap-pi-ḫa EDIN-uš-šu₂-⸢un⸣
12{⸢d⸣}na-na-a ša 1 LIM 6 ME 30.AM₃ 5 MU.AN⸣.[NA.MEŠ]
13ta-as-bu-su-ma tal-⸢li⸣-[ku]
14tu-ši-bu qe₂-reb {kur}e-lam-[ti]
15a-šar la si-ma-⸢ti⸣-[ša₂]
16u₃ ina u₄-me-šu₂-ma ši-[i]
17u₃ DINGIR.MEŠ ⸢AD⸣.MEŠ-[ša₂]
18tab-bu-u šu-mi₃ a-⸢na⸣ be-lut ⸢KUR.KUR⸣
19ta-a-a-rat EN-⸢ti⸣-[ša₂]
20⸢tu⸣-šad-gi-la pa-nu-u-[a]
21[um]-ma {m}⸢AN.ŠAR₂⸣-[DU₃-A]
22⸢ul-tu⸣ [qe₂-reb {kur}e-lam-ti]
23u₂-⸢še⸣-[ṣa-an-ni-ma]
24u₂-še-er-⸢rab⸣-[an-ni]
25qe₂-reb e₂-⸢an⸣-[na]
26a-mat qi₂-bit DINGIR-ti-⸢šu₂⸣-[un]
27⸢ša ul-tu⸣ UD.MEŠ SU₃.MEŠ ⸢iq⸣-[bu-u]
28e-⸢nen⸣-na u₂-⸢kal-li⸣-[mu]
29UN.⸢MEŠ⸣ [EGIR.MEŠ]
30ŠU.II ⸢DINGIR-ti⸣-ša₂ GAL-⸢ti⸣ [at-mu-uḫ]
31ḫar-⸢ra⸣-nu [i-šir-tu₂]
32ša ⸢ul-lu-uṣ⸣ [lib₃-bi]
33ta-⸢aṣ-ba⸣-[ta a-na e₂-an-na]
34ina ⸢qe₂-reb⸣ [UNUG{ki} u₂-še-rib-ši-ma]
35⸢ina e₂⸣-[ḫi-li-an-na ša ta-ram-mu]
v
1[ina la]-⸢aḫ⸣-ši-šu₂
2[at-ta-di] ṣer-re-tu
3[ul-li UR.GI₇] ad-di-šu₂-ma
3A[ina KA₂.GAL ṣi-it {d}UTU-ši ša₂] ⸢MURUB₄⸣ URU NINA{ki} ⸢ša ne₂⸣-reb mas-⸢naq-ti⸣ [(ad-na-a-ti ...)]
4[ša ne₂-reb mas]-⸢naq⸣-ti ⸢ad⸣-na-a-ti
5[u₂-ša₂-an]-⸢ṣir⸣-šu₂ SI.GAR-⸢ru⸣
6[...] {kur}a-ri-bi
7[...] x [...]-tu-ti
8[ša it]-ti-⸢ia ik⸣-ki-ru
9[iṣ]-⸢lu⸣-u₂ {giš}⸢ŠUDUN⸣ EN-ti-ia
10⸢ša⸣ ina MURUB₄ ⸢tam⸣-ḫa-ri
11ik-šu-⸢da ŠU⸣.II-a-a
12ina NINA{ki} [URU] ⸢EN⸣-ti-ia
13KUŠ.MEŠ-šu₂-⸢nu⸣ [aš₂]-ḫu-uṭ
14ina u₄-me-⸢šu₂-ma⸣ [E₂ a-ki]-⸢it⸣ {d}30
15⸢ša⸣ qe₂-⸢reb⸣ {uru}KASKAL
16⸢ša⸣ il-li-ku ⸢la⸣-ba-riš
17tem-me-en-ša₂ ⸢ad⸣-di
18ul-tu UŠ₈-ša₂ a-di gaba-[dib]-⸢bi⸣-ša₂
19ar-ṣip u₂-[šak]-⸢lil⸣
20⸢u₂⸣-šal-bi-ša₂ za-ḫa-⸢lu-u⸣ [eb-bu]
21{[d]}30 {d}nin-⸢gal⸣ [u {d}nusku]
22[ep-še]-⸢ti⸣-ia [SIG₅.MEŠ]
23[ḫa-diš] lit-⸢tap⸣-[la-su]
24[UD.MEŠ]-⸢ia li⸣-[ša₂-ri]-⸢ku⸣
25[lu-uš-bi] ⸢bu-ʾa-a⸣-ru
26[SUḪUŠ {giš}GU.ZA LUGAL-ti]-⸢ia⸣ lu-kin-nu
27[lu-šal-bi-ru] BALA.MEŠ-⸢ia⸣
28{[lu₂}KUR₂.MEŠ-ia] li-ne₂-⸢ru⸣
29[li-šam-qi₂-tu] ⸢ga⸣-re-ia
30[ina tukul-ti-šu₂-nu] GAL-ti
31[e-ma a-qab-bu-u] la-bel
32[a-šar u₂-ṣar]-⸢ra⸣-mu
33[lik-šu-da] ⸢ŠU.II⸣-a-a
34[a-na EGIR] ⸢UD⸣.MEŠ
35[DUMU.MEŠ DUMU] ⸢DUMU.MEŠ⸣
vi
1ša MU.SAR-u ši-ṭir ⸢MU-ia ib-ba⸣-[tu₂]
2ina mim-ma ši-pir ni-kil-⸢ti⸣
3u₂-ḫal-la-⸢qu⸣
4it-ti MU.SAR-⸢e⸣
5ši-ṭir MU-šu₂ la i-šak-ka-⸢nu⸣
6DINGIR.MEŠ GAL.MEŠ ša₂ AN-e u KI-⸢tim⸣
7LUGAL-us-su lis-ki-⸢pu⸣
8MU-šu₂ NUMUN-⸢šu₂⸣
9ina KUR lu-ḫal-li-⸢qu⸣
10[MU].⸢SAR⸣-u₂ ⸢ša⸣ [E₂ a-ki-it {d]}30
11[ša qe₂-reb {uru]}⸢KASKAL⸣
l.e.
1{d}šar-rat-kid-mu-ri [ša₂ ul-tu₂ UD].⸢MEŠ⸣ ul-lu-ti kam-⸢la⸣-[at (...)]
2x GIŠ AM LA UD x U x (x) DINGIR-⸢ti⸣-ša₂ GAL-ti

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Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-11.