AD -372A (X103721)
Astronomical Diary, Achaemenid, Babylon · c. 539 BCE–330 BCE
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| Designation | AD -372A |
|---|---|
| ID | X103721 |
| Museum no. | BM 32511 + 40865 |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Achaemenid · c. 539 BCE–330 BCE |
| Genre | Astronomical Diary |
| Find spot | Babylon |
| Coordinates | 32.5434, 44.4222 |
English translation
By ORACC project adsd/adart1 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse Column i [0:1] o i 1o i 1–o i 1o i 1 | [Year 32 of Arses who] is called Artaxerxes [...] |
| Obverse Column i [1:2] o i 22–o i 22 | [... the moon] stood 2/3 cubit behind Jupiter to the east and 2 2/3 cubits in front of Venus to the west [...] |
| Obverse Column i [2:3] o i 33–o i 33 | [... the south] wind blew. The 1st, the sun was surrounded by a halo; overcast. Night of the 2nd (and) the 2nd, overcast. The 2nd, equinox; I did not watch. Night of the 3rd, ... [...] |
| Obverse Column i [3:4] o i 44–o i 44 | [... Night of the 4th, beginning of the night,] the moon was 2 2/3 cubits [behind] μ Geminorum; Mercury’s [first appearance] in the west, 1 cubit 6 fingers above Jupiter, Mercury being a little? |
| Obverse Column i [4:5] o i 55–o i 55 | [... Night of the 5th, beginning of the ni]ght, the moon was 1/2 cubit behind β Geminorum. Night of the 7th, first part of the night, Mercury was 2/3 cubit below η Tauri, Mercury being a little |
| Obverse Column i [5:6] o i 66–o i 66 | [... Night of the 8th, beginn]ing of the night, the moon was 2 1/2 cubits behind α Leonis; Venus was 2 2/3 cubits above α Tauri. Night of the 9th, clouds were in the sky. |
| Obverse Column i [6:7] o i 77–o i 77 | [...] first part of the night, the moon was surrounded by a “drawing”; lightning, much wailing thunder, heavy rain so that the sandal was removed, gusty north wind. |
| Obverse Column i [7:8] o i 88–o i 88 | [Night of the 12th], first part of the night, the moon was 2 cubits behind α Virginis. Night of the 13th, moonrise to sunset: 13°; measured (despite) clouds; first part of the night, the moon was |
| Obverse Column i [8:9] o i 99–o i 99 | 2 cubits in front of [α] Librae. The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 7°; in the morning, (rain) shower. Night of the 14th, sunset to moonrise: 3° 20'; clouds, I did not watch. The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 2° 50'; measured. |
| Obverse Column i [9:10] o i 1010–o i 1010 | [...] there was thunder in the east. Night of the 15th, first part of the night, Mercury was 3 1/2 cubits above α Tauri; lightning flashed in the east; |
| Obverse Column i [10:11] o i 1111–o i 1111 | [last part of the night, the moon was] 8 fingers behind α Scorpii, the moon being 1/3(sic) cubit low to the south. <Night> of the 16th, last part of the night, the moon was 1/2 cubit below ϑ Ophiuchi, the moon being 1 cubit |
| Obverse Column i [11:12] o i 1212–o i 1212 | [... Ar]ound the 17th, Jupiter’s last appearance in Taurus. Night of the 18th, first part of the night, Venus was 1 1/2 cubits below β Tauri. |
| Obverse Column i [12:13] o i 1313–o i 1313 | [... the moon was] 2 cubits [...] β Capricorni. <Night> of the 21st, first part of the night, Venus was 1 1/2 cubits above ζ Tauri; last part of the night, the moon was [...] |
| Obverse Column i [13:14] o i 1414–o i 1414 | [...] 1 1/2 cubits. From the 11th until the 22nd, the river level - remainder 3 cubits - rose 4 2/3 cubits. |
| Obverse Column i [14:15] o i 1515–o i 1515 | [...] ... The 23rd, the river level receded. The 26th, overcast. Night? of the 27th, first pa[rt of the night, ...] |
| Obverse Column i [15:16] o i 1616–o i 1616 | [... last part of the night,] the moon was 2 cubits behind α Arietis. The 27th, [...] |
| Obverse Column i [16:17] o i 1717–o i 1717 | [... Ni]ght of the 28th, first part of the night, Venus was [...] above μ Geminorum |
| Obverse Column i [17:20] o i 1818– | [...] ... The 28th, overcast. From the 23rd to the end of the mon[th, ...] |
| Obverse Column ii [0:1] o ii 1o ii 1–o ii 1o ii 1 | in Cancer; Saturn was in Libra; Mars was in Aries [...] |
| Obverse Column ii [1:2] o ii 22–o ii 22 | to the end of the month, the river level 14 [...] 14 fingers [...] |
| Obverse Column ii [2:4] o ii 33–o ii 44 | which have feet like ... [...] |
| Obverse Column ii [3:4] o ii 44–o ii 44 | Month III (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th (of the preceding month); dense clouds, [I did not see] the moon [...] |
| Obverse Column ii [4:5] o ii 55–o ii 55 | gusty south wind; a rain[bow ...] |
| Obverse Column ii [5:6] o ii 66–o ii 66 | 1 cubit ... [...] |
| Obverse Column iii [1:2] o iii 2'2'–o iii 2'2' | behind η Tauri [...] |
| Obverse Column iii [2:3] o iii 3'3'–o iii 3'3' | 2 1/2 cubits. Ni[ght ...] |
| Obverse Column iii [3:4] o iii 4'4'–o iii 4'4' | stood 2/3 cubit [in front of] Venus to the west [... Mars was] |
| Obverse Column iii [4:5] o iii 5'5'–o iii 5'5' | 6 fingers [...] γ Cancri, Mars being 6 fingers [...] |
| Obverse Column iii [5:6] o iii 6'6'–o iii 6'6' | Night of the 15th, moonrise to sunset: 5°. The 15th, [sunrise to moonset:] 16° [...] |
| Obverse Column iii [6:7] o iii 7'7'–o iii 7'7' | <Night> of the 18th, last part of the night, the moon was [...] behind η Tauri [... Night of the 19th,] |
| Obverse Column iii [7:8] o iii 8'8'–o iii 8'8' | last part of the night, the moon was [...] in front of [β] Tauri [...] |
| Obverse Column iii [8:9] o iii 9'9'–o iii 9'9' | a gusty north wind blew. <Night> of the 21st, last part of the night, the moon was in front of [... Jupiter was ...] |
| Obverse Column iii [9:10] o iii 10'10'–o iii 10'10' | 1/2 cubit, 1/2? [cubit] in front of ζ Tauri [... the moon was] |
| Obverse Column iii [10:11] o iii 11'11'–o iii 11'11' | ... 2/3 cubit, the moon having passed 2/3 cubit to the east. The 20+[xth, ...] |
| Obverse Column iii [11:12] o iii 12'12'–o iii 12'12' | Night of the 24th, last part of the night, the moon was 1 cubit in front of α Leonis, the moon being 2/3 cubit [... Venus’] |
| Obverse Column iii [12:13] o iii 13'13'–o iii 13'13' | last appearance in the west in Libra; clouds were in the sky, ZI IR. <Night> of the 26th, last part of the night, [...] |
| Obverse Column iii [13:14] o iii 14'14'–o iii 14'14' | The 27th, moonrise to sunrise: 16°; the moon was 2/3 cubit behind Mercury, the moon being 3 cubits [low to the south ... barley ...,] |
| Obverse Column iii [14:15] o iii 15'15'–o iii 15'15' | at the end of the month, 1 pānu 3 qa; dates, 1 pānu 3+[x sūtu ...] |
| Obverse Column iv [0:1] o iv 1'o iv 1'–o iv 1'o iv 1' | [...]-uṣur-šu, descendant of Nabû-uballissu |
| Obverse Column iv [1:2] o iv 2'2'–o iv 2'2' | [... w]rote and checked (it). |
| Obverse Column iv [2:4] o iv 3'3'– | [...] ... his son? for the life ... |
| Top [0:1] t.e. 1t.e. 1–t.e. 1t.e. 1 | [... un]til? month VI, year 32 of Arses. |
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 | [MU 32.KAM₂ {m}ar₂-šu₂ ša₂ {m}ar]-⸢tak⸣-šat-su MU-šu₂ SA₄ [...] ⸢x⸣ | |
| 2 | [...] ⸢ar₂ MUL₂.BABBAR⸣ 2/3 KUŠ₃ ana NIM GUB ina IGI dele-bat 2 2/3 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ ⸢DU⸣ [...] ⸢x⸣ | |
| 3 | [x x] ⸢ULU₃⸣ GIN 1 šamaš₂ TUR₃ NIGIN₂ ŠU₂ GE₆ 2 2 ŠU₂ 2 LAL₂-tim NU PAP GE₆ 3 x [x x] | |
| 4 | [... GE₆ 4 SAG GE₆] ⸢sin⸣ [ar₂] MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-še-pit-MAŠ.MAŠ 2 2/3 KUŠ₃ GU₄.UD ina ŠU₂ e SAG₃.ME.GAR 1 KUŠ₃ 6 U i ⸢GU₄.UD⸣ | |
| 5 | [... GE₆ 5 SAG] ⸢GE₆⸣ sin ar₂ MAŠ.MAŠ-ar₂ 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 7 USAN GU₄.UD SIG MUL₂.MUL₂ 2/3 KUŠ₃ i GU₄.UD | |
| 6 | [... GE₆ 8 ⸢SAG⸣ GE₆ sin ar₂ LUGAL 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ dele-bat e is-le₁₀ 2 2/3 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 9 DIR AN ZA | |
| 7 | [...] USAN sin GIŠ.HUR NIGIN₂ GIR₂ GU₃ U MAH ṣar-hi AN ka-bar še-nu TUH IM.1 ŠAR₂ | |
| 8 | [GE₆ 12 USAN sin ar₂ SA₄-ša₂-ABSIN 2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 13 13 ME DIR muš USAN sin ina IGI | |
| 9 | [RIN₂-ša₂]-⸢ULU₃⸣ 2 KUŠ₃ 13 7 ŠU₂ ina še-ri₃ UTAH GE₆ 14 3.20 GE₆ DIR NU PAP 14 2.50 na muš | |
| 10 | [x] ⸢x x⸣ GU₃ U A₂ KUR GAL₂ GE₆ 15 USAN GU₄.UD e is-le₁₀ 3 1/2 KUŠ₃ GIR₂ ina KUR GIR₂ | |
| 11 | [ina ZALAG₂ sin] ar₂ SI₄ 8 U sin 1/3 KUŠ₃ ana ULU₃ SIG <GE₆> 16 ina ZALAG₂ sin SIG MUL₂-⸢KUR-ša₂-šil-PA⸣ 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 1 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ | |
| 12 | [...] ⸢in⸣ 17 MUL₂.BABBAR ina MUL₂.MUL₂ ŠU₂ GE₆ 18 USAN dele-bat SIG ŠUR-GIGIR-ša₂-SI 1 1/2 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ | |
| 13 | [...] SI-MAŠ₂ 2 KUŠ₃ <GE₆> 21 USAN dele-bat e ŠUR-GIGIR-ša₂-ULU₃ 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ ina ZALAG₂ sin [x (x)] | |
| 14 | [...] 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ TA 11 EN 22 ILLU 3 KUŠ₃ KA₂-tu₂ 4 2/3 KUŠ₃ ⸢GIN⸣ | |
| 15 | [...] ⸢x x x x⸣ 23 ILLU LAL 26 ŠU₂ GE₆ 27 ⸢USAN⸣ | |
| 16 | [... ina ZALAG₂] sin ar₂ MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-SAG-LU 2 KUŠ₃ 27 [x] | |
| 17 | [...] ⸢GE₆⸣ 28 USAN dele-bat e MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-⸢še⸣-[pit-MAŠ.MAŠ] | |
| 18 | [...] x 28 ŠU₂ TA 23 EN TIL ⸢ITU⸣ [x x x] | |
| o ii | ||
| 1 | ina ALLA GENNA ina RIN₂ AN ina HUN [...] | |
| 2 | EN TIL ITU ILLU 14 U [...] | |
| 3 | ša₂ GIR₃{ii} TUK{meš} GIM ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 4 | SIG 30 DIR KALAG sin [NU IGI ...] | |
| 5 | ULU₃ ŠAR₂ {d}⸢TIR⸣.[AN ...] | |
| 6 | 1 KUŠ₃ ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 7 | ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| o iii | ||
| 1' | ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 2' | ar₂ MUL₂.⸢MUL₂⸣ [...] | |
| 3' | 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ ⸢GE₆⸣ [...] | |
| 4' | dele-bat 2/3 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ ⸢GUB⸣ [... AN ...] | |
| 5' | [MUL₂-IGI-ša₂-ALLA]-ša₂-SI 6 U AN 6 U [...] | |
| 6' | GE₆ 15 5 ME 15 16 [...] | |
| 7' | 18 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ MUL₂.MUL₂ [N N ... GE₆ 19 | |
| 8' | ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI ŠUR-GIGIR-⸢ša₂⸣-[SI ...] | |
| 9' | SI ŠAR₂ GIN 21 ⸢ina ZALAG₂⸣ sin ina ⸢IGI⸣ [... MUL₂.BABBAR] | |
| 10' | 1/2 KUŠ₃ ina ⸢IGI⸣ ŠUR-GIGIR-ša₂-ULU₃ 1/2 [...] | |
| 11' | sin ⸢x x⸣ 2/3 KUŠ₃ sin 2/3 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB 20+[x ...] | |
| 12' | ⸢GE₆⸣ 24 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI LUGAL 1 KUŠ₃ sin 2/3 [KUŠ₃ ... dele-bat] | |
| 13' | ⸢ina⸣ ŠU₂ ina RIN₂ ŠU₂ DIR AN ZA ZI IR 26 ina ZALAG₂ [...] | |
| 14' | 27 16 KUR sin ar₂ GU₄.UD 2/3 KUŠ₃ sin 3 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ [ana ULU₃ SIG ...] | |
| 15' | ina TIL ITU 1 PI 3 qa ZU₂.LUM 1(BARIG) 3+N(BAN₂) ...] | |
| 16' | x [x x x x] x 4 x x x 3 x [...] | |
| o iv | ||
| 1' | [...] ⸢x⸣.ŠEŠ-šu₂ A {m}{d}PA.TIN-su | |
| 2' | [... iš]-ṭur-ma ib-ri | |
| 3' | [...] ša₂ ⸢x⸣ A-šu₂ ša₂ {m}⸢LU₂⸣-DINGIR{meš} | |
| t.e. | ||
| 1 | [...] ⸢EN KIN⸣ MU 32.KAM₂ {m}ar₂-šu₂ | |
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.