AD -218 (X202180)
Astronomical Diary, Hellenistic, Babylon · c. 330 BCE–141 BCE
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| Designation | AD -218 |
|---|---|
| ID | X202180 |
| Museum no. | BM 35110 + 45725 + 45995 + 46133 + 46145 + 46169 + 46189 |
| 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 [0:1] o 1'o 1'–o 1'o 1' | [...] last part of the night, the moon [...] |
| Obverse [1:2] o 2'2'–o 2'2' | [... Night of the 25th, last part of the night, the moon was] 3 cubits [behind γ] Virginis. The 25th, Mercury’s last appearance in the west ..., [omitted ...] |
| Obverse [2:3] o 3'3'–o 3'3' | [...] moonrise to sunrise: 13° 40', measured. Night of the 28th, very overcast, strong gusty south storm. The 28th, very overcast, ... [...] |
| Obverse [3:4] o 4'4'–o 4'4' | [... 2 pānu] 4 sūtu, in the middle of the month, 2 pānu 3 sūtu 3 qa, at the end of the month, 2 pānu 3 sūtu; fresh dates, 2 pānu 5 sūtu; mustard, [...] |
| Obverse [4:6] o 5'5'–o 6'6' | [... were] sold. At that time, Jupiter was in Taurus; Venus was in Virgo, in the middle of the month, in Libra; around the 17th, Mercury’s first appearance in the west ..., omitted; around the 25th, Mercury’s [last appearance] in the west ..., [omitted; ...] |
| Obverse [5:6] o 6'6'–o 6'6' | [Month VIII,] (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th (of the preceding month), sunset to moonset: 18°; it was bright, measured; it was low to the sun. Night of the 4th, beginning of the night, the moon was 1 cubit behind β Capricorni, it stood 2 cubits behind Saturn to the east. Night of the 5th, beg[inning of the night, ...] |
| Obverse [6:7] o 7'7'–o 7'7' | [last part of the night, Venus] was 5 cubits [below] β Librae. The 7th, Jupiter’s acronychal rising. Night of the 8th, thin clouds were in the sky, the moon was surrounded by a halo. The 8th, very overcast. Night of the 9th, very overcast. The 9th, cl[ouds ... Night of the 10th, beginning of the night, the moon was] |
| Obverse [7:8] o 8'8'–o 8'8' | 1 cubit [... η ] Piscium; last part of the night, Mars, while moving back to the west, was 3 1/2 cubits above γ Geminorum; very overcast. The 10th, very overcast. Night of the 11th, beginning of the night, the moon was 2 1/2 [cubits] below α Arietis [...] |
| Obverse [8:9] o 9'9'–o 9'9' | [...] all day clouds crossed the sky, a little rain shower. Night of the 12th, clouds crossed the sky, rain DUL. The 12th, all day clouds crossed the sky. The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 9°; clouds, I did not watch; very overcast. ... [...] |
| Obverse [9:10] o 10'10'–o 10'10' | [...] Night of the 14th, moonrise to sunset: 20', measured; beginning of the night, the moon was 1 cubit behind α Tauri, 1 1/2 cubits below Jupiter, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the east. The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 4° 20'; measured (despite) clouds.... [... Night of the 15th, sunset to moonrise: nn°;] |
| Obverse [10:11] o 11'11'–o 11'11' | [last part of the night, the moon was] 2 cubits behind ζ Tauri. The 15th, clouds were in the sky. Night of the 16th, last part of the night, the moon was 1 1/2 cubits behind γ Geminorum; last part of the night, Venus was [...] below β Scorpii [...] |
| Obverse [11:12] o 12'12'–o 12'12' | [...] Night of the 17th, last part of the night, the moon was 5 cubits below β Geminorum. Night of the 18th, last part of the night, the moon was 1 cubit in front of δ Cancri. [Night] of the 19th, last part of the night, the moon was [...] below ε Leonis [...] |
| Obverse [12:13] o 13'13'–o 13'13' | [Night of the 20th, last part of the night,] the moon was 1 1/2 cubits below α Leonis, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the east; last part of the night, Mars was [(nn cubits)] 4 fingers above μ Geminorum. Night of the 21st, last part of the night, the moon was [...] in front of ϑ Leonis [...] |
| Obverse [13:14] o 14'14'–o 14'14' | [...] was surrounded by a [halo] which was not closed. The 21st, Mercury’s first appearance in the east in Scorpius, 2/3 cubit behind β Scorpii, [...] in front of Venus to the west; it was bright (and) high, rising of Mercury to sunrise: 19°, [... Night of the 22nd,] |
| Obverse [14:15] o 15'15'–o 15'15' | [last part of the night,] the moon was 1 cubit below β Virginis, the moon having passed 2/3 cubit to the east; clouds were in the sky. Night of the 23rd, last part of the night, [the moon was] 1 1/2 cubits below γ Virginis, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the east. [...] |
| Obverse [15:16] o 16'16'–o 16'16' | [...] was surrounded by a halo. Night of the 24th, very overcast, gusty south storm, rain shower; last part of the night, the moon was behind [...] The 24th, very overcast, gusty south wind. Night of the 25th, overcast [...; last part of the night, the moon was] |
| Obverse [16:17] o 17'17'–o 17'17' | 2 1/2 cubits [in front of α Lib]rae; last part of the night, Mars was ⸢x⸣ above η Geminorum [... Night of the 2]6th, last part of the night, the moon was 2/3 [cubit] behind β Librae [... Night of the 27th, last part of the night, the moon was] |
| Obverse [17:18] o 18'18'–o 18'18' | 3 cubits [...] β Scorpii, 1/2? [mm] behind Mercury [...] ... [...] |
| Obverse [18:19] o 19'19'–o 19'19' | [nn] cubits; clouds were in the sky. The 29th, very overcast. That month, the equivalent was [...] |
| Obverse [19:21] o 20'20'–o 21'21' | [woo]l, 4 minas. At that time, Jupiter was in Tau[rus; ...] |
| Obverse [20:21] o 21'21'–o 21'21' | [Month IX, (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th (of the preceding month),] sunset to moonset: 14° 50'; clouds, I did not watch; very overcast; first part [of the night, ...] |
| Obverse [21:22] o 22'22'–o 22'22' | [... S]aturn, while moving back to the east, was 3 cubits below β Capricorni [... Night of the 3rd, the moon was] |
| Obverse [22:23] o 23'23'–o 23'23' | 2 1/2 cubits [in front of γ /d ] Capricorni. The 4th, clouds [...] the sk[y ...] |
| Obverse [23:24] o 24'24'–o 24'24' | [...] being [nn] cubits back to the west. The 9th, sunset to setting of Saturn?: 10°, measured. Ni[ght ...] |
| Obverse [24:25] o 25'25'–o 25'25' | [Night of the 11th,] beginning of the night, the moon was 2 1/2 cubits below η Tauri [... Night of the 12th, beginning of the night,] |
| Obverse [25:26] o 26'26'–o 26'26' | [the moon was] 1 1/2 cubits [below] Jupiter, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the east; cl[ouds ...] |
| Obverse [26:27] o 27'27'–o 27'27' | [Night of the 13th, beginning of the night, the m]oon stood 2 cubits in front of Mars to the west. [...] |
| Obverse [27:28] o 28'28'–o 28'28' | [...] sunset to moonrise: [nn°,] measured; first part of the night, Mars was [...] above ζ [Tauri ...] |
| Obverse [28:30] o 29'29'– | [... rain] shower. Night of the 15th, ... [...] |
| Reverse [0:1] r 1'r 1'–r 1'r 1' | [... Mer]cury’s [last appearance] in the west in Aquarius? [...] |
| Reverse [1:2] r 2'2'–r 2'2' | [...] solar eclipse (of) 5 months (distance), ... [...] |
| Reverse [2:3] r 3'3'–r 3'3' | [That mon]th, the equivalent was: barley, ... [...] ... [...] |
| Reverse [3:4] r 4'4'–r 4'4' | [Ju]piter was in Taurus; around the 17th, Venus’ first appearance in the west in Pisces; around [...] |
| Reverse [4:6] r 5'5'–r 6'6' | That month, the river level [...] 1 cubit 8 fingers; 20 was the na na-gauge; until [...] |
| Reverse [5:6] r 6'6'–r 6'6' | [Month XII,] the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month), sunset to moonset: 21°; it was bright; measured. [...] it stood [nn] cubits to the east. ... [... Night of the 2nd, the moon was] |
| Reverse [6:7] r 7'7'–r 7'7' | 3 1/2 cubits [below? β] Arietis. Night [of the 4th, beginning of the ni]ght, the moon was [...] below η Tauri [...] |
| Reverse [7:8] r 8'8'–r 8'8' | [...] a section [...] stretched in the east, rain [...] |
| Reverse [8:9] r 9'9'–r 9'9' | [...] ⸢x⸣ cubits [... η /m ] Geminorum, the moon being 1/2 cubit back to the west, [it stood ...] in front of Mars [to the west ...] |
| Reverse [9:10] r 10'10'–r 10'10' | [...] ... Night of the 9th, beginning of the night, the moon was 1 1/2 cubits behind β Geminorum. The 9th, ... [...] |
| Reverse [10:11] r 11'11'–r 11'11' | [... Night of the 11th, beginning] of the night, the moon was 1 1/2 cubits behind ε Leonis; first part of the night, Mars was [...] above γ Geminorum [...] |
| Reverse [11:12] r 12'12'–r 12'12' | [...] ... Night of the 13th, beginning of the night, the moon was ... behind ϑ Leonis [...] |
| Reverse [12:13] r 13'13'–r 13'13' | [...] clouds, I did not watch; clouds crossed the sky [...] |
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' | [...] ⸢ina ZALAG₂ sin⸣ [...] | |
| 2' | [... GE₆ 25 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ DELE]-⸢ša₂-IGI-ABSIN 3 KUŠ₃⸣ 25 GU₄.UD ina ŠU₂ UD.DA ŠU₂-⸢šu₂⸣ [DIB ...] | |
| 3' | [...] 13.40 KUR muš GE₆ 28 ⸢ŠU₂.ŠU₂⸣ me-he-e ULU₃ ŠAR₂ KALAG 28 ŠU₂⸣.ŠU₂ [x] [...] | |
| 4' | [... 2(BARIG) 4(BAN₂) ina MURUB₄ ITU 2(BARIG) 3(BAN₂) 3 qa ina ⸢TIL⸣ ITU 2(BARIG) 3(BAN₂) ZU₂ BIL₂{meš} 2(BARIG) 5(BAN₂) kas₃ [...] | |
| 5' | [... ep₂]-šu₂ i-nu-šu₂ MUL₂.BABBAR ina MUL₂.MUL₂ dele-bat ina ABSIN ina MURUB₄ ITU ina RIN₂ in 17 GU₄.UD ina [ŠU₂ UD].⸢DA IGI DIB in 25 GU₄.UD ina ŠU₂ UD⸣.[DA ŠU₂.ŠU₂ DIB ...] | |
| 6' | [APIN] 30 18 na-su KUR₄ muš ana šamaš₂ SIG GE₆ 4 SAG GE₆ sin ar₂ SI-MAŠ₂ 1 KUŠ₃ ar₂ GENNA 2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM GUB GE₆ 5 ⸢SAG⸣ [GE₆ ...] | |
| 7' | [ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat SIG] RIN₂-ša₂-SI 5 KUŠ₃ 7 MUL₂.BABBAR ana ME E-a GE₆ 8 DIR SAL AN ZA sin TUR₃ NIGIN 8 ŠU₂.ŠU₂ GE₆ 9 ŠU₂.ŠU₂ 9 ⸢DIR⸣ [... GE₆ 10 SAG GE₆ sin x] | |
| 8' | [MUL₂-KUR-ša₂-DUR]-nu-nu 1 KUŠ₃ ina ZALAG₂ AN ana ŠU₂ ina LAL-šu₂ e MAŠ.MAŠ-ša₂-SIPA 3 1/2 KUŠ₃ ŠU₂.ŠU₂ 10 ŠU₂.ŠU₂ GE₆ 11 SAG GE₆ sin SIG MUL₂-ar₂-[ša₂-SAG-HUN] 2 1/2 [KUŠ₃ ...] | |
| 9' | [x x x] kal ME DIR AN DIB AN UTAH i-ṣa GE₆ 12 DIR AN DIB AN DUL 12 kal ME DIR AN DIB 13 9 ŠU₂ ⸢DIR⸣ NU PAP ŠU₂.ŠU₂ [x] [...] | |
| 10' | [x x x] GE₆ 14 20 NINDA ME muš SAG GE₆ sin ar₂ is-le₁₀ 1 KUŠ₃ SIG MUL₂.BABBAR 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB 14 4.20 na DIR muš [x] [... GE₆ 15 N GE₆] | |
| 11' | [ina ZALAG₂ sin] ⸢ar₂⸣ ŠUR-GIGIR-ša₂-ULU₃ 2 KUŠ₃ 15 DIR AN ZA GE₆ 16 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ MAŠ.MAŠ-ša₂-SIPA 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ ina ⸢ZALAG₂⸣ dele-bat SIG MUL₂-e-ša₂-SAG-⸢GIR₂⸣.[TAB N N ...] | |
| 12' | [x x x] GE₆ 17 ina ZALAG₂ sin SIG MAŠ.MAŠ-ar₂ 5 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 18 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-ALLA-ša₂-ULU₃ 1 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ [GE₆] 19 ina ZALAG₂ sin SIG SAG-A [N N ...] | |
| 13' | [GE₆ 20 ina ZALAG₂] sin SIG LUGAL 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB ina ZALAG₂ AN e MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-še-⸢pit₂⸣-[MAŠ.MAŠ (N KUŠ₃)] 4 SI GE₆ 21 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI GIŠ.⸢KUN⸣-[A N N ...] | |
| 14' | [x x TUR₃] ⸢NU⸣ KAD₂ NIGIN 21 GU₄.UD ina NIM ina GIR₂.TAB 2/3 KUŠ₃ ar₂ MUL₂-e-ša₂-SAG-GIR₂.TAB [N N] ⸢ina IGI⸣ dele-bat ana ŠU₂ IGI KUR NIM-a 19 na-⸢su⸣ [... GE₆ 22 | |
| 15' | [ina ZALAG₂] ⸢sin⸣ SIG ⸢GIR₃⸣ ar₂ ša₂ A 1 KUŠ₃ sin 2/3 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB DIR AN ZA GE₆ 23 ⸢ina ZALAG₂⸣ [sin] ⸢SIG DELE-ša₂⸣-IGI-ABSIN 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB [...] | |
| 16' | [x x] TUR₃ NIGIN GE₆ 24 ŠU₂.ŠU₂ me-he-e ULU₃ ŠAR₂ AN UTAH ina ZALAG₂ ⸢sin ar₂⸣ [...] 24 ŠU₂.ŠU₂ ULU₃ ŠAR₂ GE₆ 25 ŠU₂ [... ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI] | |
| 17' | [RIN₂-ša₂]-ULU₃ 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ ina ZALAG₂ AN e MUL₂-IGI-⸢ša₂-še-pit₂-MAŠ.MAŠ x⸣ ... [GE₆] 26 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ RIN₂-ša₂-SI 2/3 [KUŠ₃ ... GE₆ 27 ina ZALAG₂ sin] | |
| 18' | [x] ⸢MUL₂⸣-e-ša₂-SAG-GIR₂.TAB 3 KUŠ₃ ar₂ GU₄.UD ⸢x⸣ [...] ⸢x x x⸣ [...] | |
| 19' | [N] KUŠ₃ DIR AN ZA 29 ŠU₂.ŠU₂ ITU BI KI.⸢LAM⸣ [...] | |
| 20' | [SIG₂{hi].a} 4 MA.NA i-nu-šu₂ MUL₂.BABBAR ina MUL₂.[MUL₂ ...] | |
| 21' | [GAN 30 14.50 na-su DIR NU PAP ŠU₂.ŠU₂ ⸢USAN⸣ [...] | |
| 22' | [x x] ⸢GENNA⸣ ana NIM ina LAL-šu₂ SIG SI-MAŠ₂ 3 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ [... GE₆ 3 sin] | |
| 23' | [ina IGI MUL₂-x]-ša₂-SUHUR-MAŠ₂ 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ 4 DIR ⸢AN⸣ [...] | |
| 24' | [x x N] ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ ana ŠU₂ LAL 9 10 UŠ na GENNA ⸢GE₆⸣ [...] | |
| 25' | [GE₆ 11 SAG GE₆ sin SIG MUL₂.MUL₂ 2 1/2 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ [... GE₆ 12 SAG GE₆] | |
| 26' | [sin SIG] ⸢MUL₂.BABBAR⸣ 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB ⸢DIR⸣ [...] | |
| 27' | [GE₆ 13 SAG GE₆] ⸢sin⸣ ina IGI AN 2 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ GUB [...] | |
| 28' | [... N] GE₆ muš USAN AN e ⸢ŠUR⸣-[GIGIR-ša₂-ULU₃ N N ...] | |
| 29' | [... AN] UTAH GE₆ 15 x⸣ [...] | |
| r | ||
| 1' | [... GU₄].UD ina ⸢ŠU₂⸣ ina GU [ŠU₂ ...] | |
| 2' | [x x] AN.KU₁₀ šamaš₂ 5 AB₂ [x] [...] | |
| 3' | [ITU] ⸢BI⸣ KI.LAM ⸢še-im x⸣ [...] ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 4' | ⸢MUL₂⸣.BABBAR ina MUL₂.MUL₂ in 17 dele-bat ina ⸢ŠU₂ ina zib⸣{me} IGI in [...] | |
| 5' | ⸢ITU⸣ BI ILLU 1 KUŠ₃ 8 ⸢SI⸣ [x] 20 na EN [...] | |
| 6' | [ŠE] 1 21 na-su KUR₄ ⸢muš⸣ [... N] ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ ana NIM GUB ⸢x⸣ [... GE₆ 2 sin SIG] | |
| 7' | [MUL₂-IGI-ša₂]-⸢SAG⸣-HUN 3 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 4 SAG] ⸢GE₆⸣ sin SIG MUL₂.MUL₂ [N N ...] | |
| 8' | [...] bu-tuq-⸢tu₂⸣ [...] ana A₂ KUR GIB AN [...] | |
| 9' | [...] ša₂-še-pit₂-MAŠ.MAŠ ⸢x KUŠ₃⸣ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ LAL ina IGI AN [N N ana ŠU₂ GUB ...] | |
| 10' | [...] ⸢x⸣ GE₆ 9 SAG GE₆ sin ar₂ MAŠ.MAŠ-ar₂ 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ 9 ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 11' | [... GE₆ 11 SAG] GE₆ sin ar₂ SAG-A 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ USAN AN e MAŠ.MAŠ-⸢ša₂⸣-[SIPA N N ...] | |
| 12' | [...] ⸢x⸣ GE₆ 13 SAG GE₆ sin ar₂ GIŠ.KUN-A ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 13' | [...] DIR NU PAP DIR AN ⸢DIB⸣ [...] | |
| 14' | [...] [x] [...] | |
Sources & licences
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Cite the original edition and translator. Page generated by Unread Atlas from the public corpus export of 2026-10-11.