AD -170A (X201701)
Astronomical Diary, Hellenistic, Babylon · c. 330 BCE–141 BCE
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| Designation | AD -170A |
|---|---|
| ID | X201701 |
| Museum no. | BM 45654 + 45747 |
| Language | Akkadian |
| Period | Hellenistic · c. 330 BCE–141 BCE |
| Genre | Astronomical Diary |
| Find spot | Babylon |
| Coordinates | 32.5434, 44.4222 |
English translation
By ORACC project adsd/adart2 · Via Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus (ORACC) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (ORACC)
| Line | English |
|---|---|
| Obverse [0:2] o 1'o 1'–o 2'2' | [...] sacrifices [...] |
| Obverse [1:2] o 2'2'–o 2'2' | [Month II ... cu]bits, the moon being 5 cubits [high] to the north [...] |
| Obverse [2:3] o 3'3'–o 3'3' | [... beginn]ing of the night, the moon was [...] above δ? Cancri [...] |
| Obverse [3:4] o 4'4'–o 4'4' | [... Night of the 6th, beginning of the night, the moon was] 1 cubit [...] α Leonis. Night of the 7th, beginning of the night, the moon was [3 cubits] below [ϑ Leonis ...] |
| Obverse [4:5] o 5'5'–o 5'5' | [... Night of the 9th, beg]inning of the night, the moon was 2 cubits below γ Virginis ... [...] |
| Obverse [5:6] o 6'6'–o 6'6' | [... first] part of the night, Mars was 4 cubits below ε Leonis. Night of the 13th, beginning of the night, the moo[n ...] |
| Obverse [6:7] o 7'7'–o 7'7' | [... Night of the 15th, the moon was] 2 1/2 cubits [... ϑ Ophi]uchi. The 15th, moonset to sunrise: 6° 50', measured. Night of the 16th, [sunset to moonrise:] 4°? 10+[x' ...] |
| Obverse [7:8] o 8'8'–o 8'8' | [...] low to the south. The 20th, Jupiter’s first appearance in Taurus; it was bright (and) high, rising of Jupiter to sunrise: 12° 30'; [(ideal) first appearance on the 18th ...] |
| Obverse [8:9] o 9'9'–o 9'9' | [...] last part of the night, Venus was 3 cubits below η Tauri. Night of the 26th, last part of the night, the moon was 1+[x mm] behind η Tauri [...] |
| Obverse [9:10] o 10'10'–o 10'10' | [... Night of the 28th,] last part of the night, the moon was 3 cubits behind β Tauri, 3 1/2 cubits behind Jupiter, the moon being 4 cubits [high to the north ...] |
| Obverse [10:11] o 11'11'–o 11'11' | [...] 3 sūtu; sesame, 4 sūtu; wool, 4 1/2 minas. At that time, around the 18th, Jupiter’s [first appearance] in Tau[rus ...] |
| Obverse [11:12] o 12'12'–o 12'12' | [...] the river level receded 4 fingers, total: 17 was the na na-gauge. That month, the 25th, the temple E-nam-dumu?-... [...] |
| Obverse [12:13] o 13'13'–o 13'13' | [...] ... a man who ... the akītu temple ... [...] |
| Obverse [13:15] o 14'14'–o 15'15' | [...] merry-making was set up in the land. |
| Obverse [14:15] o 15'15'–o 15'15' | [Month III, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month), ... x]+1 cubits, the moon being 4 cubits low to the south; first part of the night, Saturn was 1/2 cubit above β Virginis. Night of the 3rd, the moon was [... α Leonis ...] |
| Obverse [15:16] o 16'16'–o 16'16' | [...] low to the south. Night of the 5th, beginning of the night, the moon was 1/2 cubit below β Virginis, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the westsic [...] |
| Obverse [16:17] o 17'17'–o 17'17' | [...] ... 2? 1/2 cubits. Night [of the 9th,] beginning of the night, the moon was 1 cubit in front of α Librae. Night [of the 10th,] beginning of the night, the moon was in [...] |
| Obverse [17:18] o 18'18'–o 18'18' | [...] ... the moon was 2 cubits in front of α Scorpii. Night of the 12th, [beginning of the ni]ght, the moon was 2 cubits in front of ϑ Ophiuchi. The 14th, moonset to sunrise: 11°, measu[red ...] |
| Obverse [18:19] o 19'19'–o 19'19' | [... Night of the 16th, sunset] to moonrise: [15°]; last part of the night, the moon was 3 cubits in front of γ Capricorni, the moon being [1 1/2 cubits] low to the south. The 16th, sol[stice ...] |
| Obverse [19:20] o 20'20'–o 20'20' | [...] back to the west; last part of the night, Venus was 2/3 cubit below Jupiter. Night of the 22nd, last [part of the night,] the m[oon was ...] α Arie[tis ...] |
| Obverse [20:21] o 21'21'–o 21'21' | [... Ni]ght of the 24th, last part of the night, the moon was 5 cubits above α Tauri, the moon having passed a little to the east [...] |
| Obverse [21:22] o 22'22'–o 22'22' | [... Night of the 25th, last part of the night, the moon was] 1 1/2 cubits in front of Venus, the moon being 3 cubits high to the north. Night of the 26th, [...] |
| Obverse [22:23] o 23'23'–o 23'23' | [...] low, it stood 2 cubits in front of Mercury to the west. The 27th, [...] |
| Obverse [23:24] o 24'24'–o 24'24' | [... cr]ess, 1 pānu 2 sūtu?; sesame, 3 sūtu 3 [qa ...] |
| Obverse [24:26] o 25'25'– | [...] That [mon]th, the river level [...] 1 [...] |
| Reverse [1:2] r 2'2'–r 2'2' | [...] Night of the 19th, last part of the night, the m[oon ...] |
| Reverse [2:3] r 3'3'–r 3'3' | [... Night of the 21st, last part of the night, the moon was] 3 cubits in front of α Tauri, the moon being [...] |
| Reverse [3:4] r 4'4'–r 4'4' | [...] having passed to the east. Night of the 25th, last part of the night, the moon was in [front of ...] |
| Reverse [4:5] r 5'5'–r 5'5' | [... measur]ed. Night of the 29th, last part of the night, Venus was [...] above δ Can[cri ...] |
| Reverse [5:6] r 6'6'–r 6'6' | [...] 5 sūtu; wool, 4 minas. At that time, Jupiter was in Gemin[i ...] |
| Reverse [6:8] r 7'7'–r 8'8' | [...] That month, [the river level] receded 8 fingers, total: 31 was the na na-gauge. |
| Reverse [7:8] r 8'8'–r 8'8' | [Month V, (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th (of the preceding month), sunset to] moonset: [nn°]; it was faint, it was low to the sun; (the moon) [stood] 3 cubits in front of Mars, 5 cubits in front of ??? to the west [...] |
| Reverse [8:9] r 9'9'–r 9'9' | [... Night of the 4th, the moon was] 4 1/2 cubits in front of α Librae. Night of the 5th, beginning of the night, the moon was [...] behind β Lib[rae ...] |
| Reverse [9:10] r 10'10'–r 10'10' | [... Night of the 7th, beginning of the night, the moon was] 1/2 cubit below α Scorpii, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the east. Night of the 7th?, beginning of the ni[ght, ...] |
| Reverse [10:11] r 11'11'–r 11'11' | [...] 4 fingers [...] Geminorum. Night of the 11th, beginning of the night, the moon was [...] ... [...] |
| Reverse [11:12] r 12'12'–r 12'12' | [...] ... when the moon came out, it was completely covered; when it began to clear, [...] |
| Reverse [12:13] r 13'13'–r 13'13' | [... the remainder of the pla]nets did not stand there; it was eclipsed in the end of Aquarius; at 42° before sunset. The 15th, ... [...] |
| Reverse [13:14] r 14'14'–r 14'14' | [...] 3 1/2 cubits [...] α Arietis. Night of the 19th, last part of the night, the moon was 1 1/2 cubits behind η Tauri. Night of the 20th, [... Night of the 21st, last part of the night, the moon] |
| Reverse [14:15] r 15'15'–r 15'15' | stood [... in front of Jupiter to the west,] the moon being 2 1/2 cubits high to the north. Night of the 22nd, last part of the night, the moon was [...] in front of α Geminorum [... Night of the 26th, last part of the night, the moon ...] |
| Reverse [15:16] r 16'16'–r 16'16' | [...] it stood 2 cubits [in front of Ven]us to the west. Night of the 27th, last part of the night, Jupiter was 4 fingers above μ Geminorum. The 27th, [moonrise to sunrise:] 10+[x° ...] |
| Reverse [16:17] r 17'17'–r 17'17' | [...] sesame, 4 sūtu; wool, 5 minas. At that time, [...] |
| Reverse [17:18] r 18'18'–r 18'18' | [...] around the 7th, Saturn’s last appearance in Virgo. That month, the river level [...] 8 [...] |
| Reverse [18:20] r 19'19'–r 20'20' | [...] ... of Babylon carried? ... [...] |
| Reverse [19:20] r 20'20'–r 20'20' | [Month VI, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month), ...] Night of the 2nd, last part of the night, Venus was 5 cubits below ϑ Leonis. Night of the 3rd, the moon was [...] |
| Reverse [20:21] r 21'21'–r 21'21' | [... Night of the 4th, the moon was ... α Scorpii], the moon being 1/2 cubit low to the south. Night of the 5th, beginning of the night, the moon was be[hind ...] |
| Reverse [21:22] r 22'22'–r 22'22' | [...] 1/2 cubit [... δ Capri]corni, the moon being 1/2 cubit back to the west. Around the 10+[xth, ...] |
| Reverse [22:23] r 23'23'–r 23'23' | [... Saturn’s first appearance in Virgo; it was bri]ght (and) high, rising of Saturn to sunrise: 17°; (ideal) first appearance on the 12th? [...] |
| Reverse [23:24] r 24'24'–r 24'24' | [...] 2 1/2 cubits, the moon having passed a little to the east [...] |
| Reverse [24:25] r 25'25'–r 25'25' | [... when Jupiter became stationary to the east,] it became stationary [... behind μ Geminorum,] the moon being 4? fingers high to the north [...] |
| Reverse [25:26] r 26'26'–r 26'26' | [... Ni]ght of the 21st, last part of the night, the monn was above [...] |
| Reverse [26:27] r 27'27'–r 27'27' | [... Night of the 23rd, last part of the ni]ght, the moon was 1+[x mm] behind α Leonis [...] |
| Reverse [27:28] r 28'28'–r 28'28' | [...] ..., 2 [mm] below Saturn [...] |
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' | [...] SISKUR.SISKUR{⸢meš⸣} [...] | |
| 2' | [GU₄ ...] ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ sin 5 KUŠ₃ ana SI [NIM ...] | |
| 3' | [...] ⸢SAG⸣ GE₆ sin e MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-ALLA [...] | |
| 4' | [... GE₆ 6 SAG GE₆ sin x] LUGAL 1 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 7 SAG GE₆ sin SIG [GIŠ.KUN-A 3 KUŠ₃ ...] | |
| 5' | [... GE₆ 9 ⸢SAG⸣ GE₆ sin SIG DELE-ša₂-IGI-ABSIN 2 KUŠ₃ [x] [...] | |
| 6' | [...] ⸢USAN⸣ AN SIG SAG-A 4 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 13 SAG GE₆ ⸢sin⸣ [...] | |
| 7' | [... GE₆ 15 sin x MUL₂-KUR-ša₂-KIR₄]-šil-PA 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ 15 6.50 ŠU₂ muš GE₆ 16 4.10+[x GE₆ ...] | |
| 8' | [... ana] ULU₃ SIG 20 MUL₂.BABBAR ina MUL₂.MUL₂ IGI KUR NIM-a 12.30 ⸢na⸣-[su in 18 IGI ...] | |
| 9' | [... ina] ZALAG₂ dele-bat SIG MUL₂.MUL₂ 3 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 26 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ MUL₂.MUL₂ 1+[x N ...] | |
| 10' | [... GE₆ 28 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ ŠUR-SI 3 KUŠ₃ ar₂ MUL₂.BABBAR 3 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 4 KUŠ₃ [ana SI NIM ...] | |
| 11' | [...] 3(BAN₂) ŠE.GIŠ.I₃ 4(BAN₂) SIG₂{hi.a} 4 1/2 ⸢MA⸣.[NA] i-nu-šu₂ ⸢in⸣ 18 MUL₂.BABBAR ina MUL₂.[MUL₂ IGI ...] | |
| 12' | [...] ILLU 4 U LAL PAP 17 na ITU BI U₄ 25.KAM₂ E₂.NAM.[DUMU] [...] | |
| 13' | [...] ⸢x⸣{meš} {lu₂}ULU₃ ša₂ ⸢x x x⸣ E₂-U₄.1.KAM₂ [x x x] ⸢x x x⸣ [...] | |
| 14' | [...] ʾ ni-[gu]-⸢tu₂⸣ ina KUR GAR-at₂ | |
| 15' | [SIG 1 ... x]+1 KUŠ₃ sin 4 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ ana ULU₃ SIG USAN GENNA e GIR₃ ar₂ 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 3 sin [x LUGAL N N ...] | |
| 16' | [...] ⸢ULU₃⸣ SIG ⸢GE₆⸣ 5 SAG GE₆ sin SIG GIR₃-ar₂-ša₂-A 1/2 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ DIB [...] | |
| 17' | [...] [x] 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 9 ⸢SAG GE₆⸣ sin ina IGI RIN₂-ša₂-ULU₃ 1 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 10 SAG GE₆ sin ina [...] | |
| 18' | [...] [x] sin ina IGI SI₄ 2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 12 [SAG] ⸢GE₆⸣ sin ⸢ina IGI⸣ šil-PA 2 KUŠ₃ 14 11 ŠU₂ ⸢muš⸣ [...] | |
| 19' | [... GE₆ 16 15 ⸢GE₆ ina ZALAG₂⸣ sin ina IGI SUHUR-IGI 3 KUŠ₃ sin 1 1/2 KUŠ₃] ana ULU₃ SIG 16 šamaš₂ [GUB ...] | |
| 20' | [...] ⸢ana ŠU₂⸣ LAL ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat SIG MUL₂.BABBAR 2/3 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 22 ina [ZALAG₂] ⸢sin⸣ [x MUL₂]-⸢ar₂⸣-ša₂-⸢SAG⸣-[HUN N N ...] | |
| 21' | [...] ⸢GE₆⸣ 24 ina ZALAG₂ sin e is-le₁₀ 5 KUŠ₃ sin i-ṣa ana NIM ⸢DIB⸣ [...] | |
| 22' | [... GE₆ 25 ina ZALAG₂ sin] ⸢ina IGI⸣ dele-bat 1 1/2 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ sin 3 KUŠ₃ ana SI NIM GE₆ 26 [...] | |
| 23' | [...] ⸢SIG ina IGI⸣ GU₄.UD 2 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ GUB 27 [...] | |
| 24' | [...] ⸢sah⸣-le₁₀ 1(BARIG) 2(BAN₂) ŠE.GIŠ.I₃ 3(BAN₂) 3 [qa ...] | |
| 25' | [...] ⸢ITU⸣ BI ILLU 1 [...] | |
| r | ||
| 1' | [...] ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 2' | [...] GE₆ 19 ina ZALAG₂ ⸢sin⸣ [...] | |
| 3' | [... GE₆ 21 ina ZALAG₂ sin] ⸢ina IGI⸣ is-le₁₀ 3 KUŠ₃ sin [...] | |
| 4' | [... ana] NIM DIB GE₆ 25 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina [IGI ...] | |
| 5' | [...] ⸢muš⸣ GE₆ 29 ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat e MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-⸢ALLA⸣-[ša₂-ULU₃ N N ...] | |
| 6' | [...] 5(BAN₂) SIG₂{hi.a} 4 MA.NA i-nu-šu₂ MUL₂.BABBAR ina MAŠ.⸢MAŠ⸣ [...] | |
| 7' | [...] ITU BI [ILLU] 8 U LAL PAP 31 na | |
| 8' | [NE 30 N na]-⸢su⸣ SIG ana šamaš₂ ⸢SIG⸣ ina IGI AN 3 KUŠ₃ ina IGI ⸢GENNA 5 KUŠ₃⸣ ana ŠU₂ [GUB ...] | |
| 9' | [... GE₆ 4 sin] ina IGI RIN₂-ša₂-ULU₃ 4 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 5 SAG GE₆ ⸢sin ar₂⸣ RIN₂-ša₂-[SI N N ...] | |
| 10' | [... GE₆ 7 SAG GE₆ sin] SIG SI₄ 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB GE₆ 7 SAG ⸢GE₆⸣ [...] | |
| 11' | [...] MAŠ.MAŠ 4 U GE₆ 11 SAG GE₆ sin [x x x x x x x] [...] | |
| 12' | [...] ⸢x⸣ sin ki E₃-a gab-bi-šu₂ ŠU₂-im ana ZALAG₂-ru ki TAB-u₂ [...] | |
| 13' | [... IB₂.TAG₄ {d}UDU.IDIM]{meš} NU GUB{meš} ina TIL GU a-dir in 42 ME ana ŠU₂ šamaš₂ 15 ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 14' | [... MUL₂]-ar₂-ša₂-SAG-HUN 3 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 19 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ MUL₂.MUL₂ 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 20 [... GE₆ 21 ina ZALAG₂ sin] | |
| 15' | [ina IGI MUL₂.BABBAR N N ana ŠU₂] GUB sin 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana SI NIM GE₆ 22 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI MAŠ.MAŠ-IGI [N N ... GE₆ 26 ina ZALAG₂ sin ...] | |
| 16' | [... ina IGI dele]-⸢bat 2 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ GUB GE₆ 27 ina ZALAG₂ MUL₂.BABBAR e MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-še-pit₂-MAŠ.MAŠ 4 U 27 10+[x KUR ...] | |
| 17' | [...] ŠE.GIŠ.I₃ 4(BAN₂) SIG₂{hi.a} 5 MA.NA i-nu-⸢šu₂⸣ [...] | |
| 18' | [...] ⸢in⸣ 7 GENNA ina ABSIN ŠU₂ ITU BI ILLU 8 [...] | |
| 19' | [...] [x] ša₂ E{ki} aš₂-šu-tu₂ na-šu-u₂ ša₂ [x] [...] | |
| 20' | [KIN 1 ...] GE₆ 2 ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat SIG GIŠ.KUN-A 5 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 3 ⸢sin⸣ [...] | |
| 21' | [... GE₆ 4 sin x SI₄ N N] ⸢sin⸣ 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana ULU₃ SIG GE₆ 5 SAG GE₆ sin ⸢ar₂⸣ [...] | |
| 22' | [...] ⸢SUHUR⸣-ar₂ 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ LAL in 10+[x ...] | |
| 23' | [... GENNA ina ABSIN IGI] ⸢KUR⸣ NIM-a 17 na-su in 12 ⸢IGI⸣ [...] | |
| 24' | [...] 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin i-ṣa ana NIM ⸢DIB⸣ [...] | |
| 25' | [... MUL₂.BABBAR ana NIM ki UŠ-u₂ ar₂ MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-še-pit₂-MAŠ.MAŠ N N] 4 SI ana SI NIM ⸢UŠ⸣ [...] | |
| 26' | [...] ⸢GE₆⸣ 21 ina ZALAG₂ sin ⸢e⸣ [...] | |
| 27' | [... GE₆ 23 ina] ⸢ZALAG₂⸣ sin ar₂ {mul₂}LUGAL 1+[x N ...] | |
| 28' | [...] [x] SIG GENNA 2 [N ...] | |
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.