AD -237 (X202370)
Astronomical Diary, Hellenistic, Babylon · c. 330 BCE–141 BCE
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| Designation | AD -237 |
|---|---|
| ID | X202370 |
| Museum no. | BM 41464 + 41465 + 41524 + 41834 + 41837 + 132277 |
| 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 [1:2] o 2'2'–o 2'2' | [...] cubits. Night of the 2nd, the moon stood [...] behind Mer[cury to the ea]st, the moon being 3 1/2 cubits low to the south [...] |
| Obverse [2:3] o 3'3'–o 3'3' | [...] the moon being 2/3 cubit back to the west. Night of the 5th, beginning of the night, [the moon was] 2 cubits [in front of] β Virginis. Night of the 6th, beginning of the night, [...] |
| Obverse [3:4] o 4'4'–o 4'4' | [The 6th, Saturn’s first appearance in Taurus,] rising of Saturn to sunrise: 20°?; (ideal) first appearance on the 1st. Night of the 7th, beginning of the night, the moon was 1 cubit [in front of] α Virginis, it was set towards its inside. Night of the 9th, beginning of the ni[ght, ...] |
| Obverse [4:5] o 5'5'–o 5'5' | [Night of the 10th, beginning of the night, the moon was] 10 fingers [...] π? Scorpii. Night of the 11th, beginning of the night, the moon was 1 cubit 8 fingers in front of ϑ Ophiuchi. The 12th, moonset to sunrise: 6°. Night of the 13th, moonrise to sunset: 13°, measured. [...] |
| Obverse [5:6] o 6'6'–o 6'6' | [...] ... Night of the 16th, last part of the night, the moon was 1 1/2 cubits behind δ Capricorni; last part of the night, Venus was 3 fingers above Saturn, Venus being a little back to the west. Night of the 17th, last part of the night, Venus was [...] below β Tauri [... Night of the 19th,] |
| Obverse [6:7] o 7'7'–o 7'7' | [last part of the night, the moon] stood [nn] cubits 8 fingers in front of [Mars] to the west. Around the 20th, Mercury’s last appearance in the west in Cancer. Night of the 21st, last part of the night, the moon was 2 cubits below η Piscium; last part of the night, Venus was 8 fingers above ζ Tauri. Night of the [22nd,] |
| Obverse [7:8] o 8'8'–o 8'8' | [last part of the night, the moon was] 4 cubits below α Arietis, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the east. Night of the 23rd, last part of the night, the moon was 2 1/2 cubits in front of η Tauri. Night of the 24th, last part of the night, the moon was 2 1/2 cubits in front of α Tauri. Night of the 25th, |
| Obverse [8:9] o 9'9'–o 9'9' | [last part of the night, the moo]n was 2 cubits in front of β Tauri, it stood 1 2/3 cubits in front of Saturn to the west. The 25th, solstice; I did not watch. Night of the 26th, last part of the night, the moon was 2/3 cubit in front of η Geminorum, 1 2/3 cubits below Venus. |
| Obverse [9:10] o 10'10'–o 10'10' | [Night of the 2]7th, last part of the night, Venus was 1 finger above η Geminorum, it came close; last part of the night, Saturn was 4 cubits below β Tauri. The 27th, moonrise to sunrise: 15°. Night of the 29th, last part of the night, Venus was 1 finger above μ Geminorum, it came close. |
| Obverse [10:11] o 11'11'–o 11'11' | [Tha]t [month,] the equivalent (for 1 shekel of silver) was: barley, 3 pānu 2 sūtu, at the end of the month, 3 pānu 4 sūtu? 3 qa; dates, 2 pānu; mustard, 1 kurru 1 pānu 4 sūtu; cress, 1 pānu 4 sūtu; sesame, 1 sūtu 2 qa; wool, 4 minas. At that time, |
| Obverse [11:12] o 12'12'–o 12'12' | [Jup]iter was in Virgo; Venus was in Taurus, at the end of the month, in Gemini; [Saturn] was in Taurus; Mars was in Pisces; Mercury, which had set, was not visible. That month, there were many deaths; in (one) house, 2 or 3 died. |
| Obverse [12:13] o 13'13'–o 13'13' | That [month], there was fighting in the area of the palace which is in Babylon [...] That month, the 29th and 30th, when the troops from the palace came out, with the guard troops of the king |
| Obverse [13:15] o 14'14'–o 15'15' | [...] ... That month? ... [...] locusts kept [attacking]. |
| Obverse [14:15] o 15'15'–o 15'15' | [Month IV, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the preceding month), sunset to moonset: nn°;] it was bright, measured; it could be seen while the sun stood there. Night of the 2nd, the moon was [...] behind ϑ Leonis [... Night of the 3rd, the moon was] 3 1/2 cubits in front of γ Virginis, |
| Obverse [15:16] o 16'16'–o 16'16' | it stood 1 2/3 cubits [in front of Ju]piter to the west. Night of the 4th, beginning of the night, the moon was [...] in front of [α Virginis ... Night of the 7th, beginning of the night, the moon was] |
| Obverse [16:17] o 17'17'–o 17'17' | 1 cubit 4 fingers [in front of β/δ] Scorpii. Night of the 8th, beginning of the night, the moon was [...] behind α Scorpii [...] |
| Obverse [17:18] o 18'18'–o 18'18' | [Night of the 12th, beginning] of the night, the moon was 1 cubit 8 fingers behind β Capricorni; first part of the night, Jupit[er ...] |
| Obverse [18:19] o 19'19'–o 19'19' | [...] became stationary 1/2 cubit [in front of] η Piscium back to the west. The 12th, ... [...] |
| Obverse [19:21] o 20'20'– | [Night of the nnth, last part of the ni]ght, Venus was 3 1/2 cubits below β Geminorum. Night of the 18th?, last part of the night, [...] |
| Reverse [0:1] r 1r 1–r 1r 1 | [Night of the 19th, last] part of the night, the moon was 3 cubits below β Arietis, the moon [having passed] 1/2 cubit to the east [...] |
| Reverse [1:2] r 22–r 22 | [... x]+1 cubits. Night of the 23rd, last part of the night, the moon was 2/3 cubit below ζ Tauri [...] |
| Reverse [2:3] r 33–r 33 | [Mercury’s first appearance in the east in ...;] it was high, rising of Mercury to sunrise: 17°?; (ideal) first appearance on the 21st. Night of the 24th, last part of the [night, ...] |
| Reverse [3:4] r 44–r 44 | [...] Night of the 26th, last part of the night, the moon was [...] below δ Can[cri ...] |
| Reverse [4:5] r 55–r 55 | [... the equival]ent? was: barley?, [...;] mustard, 1 kurru 1 pānu 4 sūtu? ... [... Venus was in Gemini,] |
| Reverse [5:6] r 66–r 66 | [at the end] of the month, in Cancer; around the 21st, Mercury’s first appearance [in the east in Can]cer; Saturn was in Taurus; Mars was in Pisces. [That] month, [...] |
| Reverse [6:7] r 77–r 77 | [Month V, (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th (of the preceding month),] sunset to moonset: 15°, measured. Night of the 2nd, the moon was 1 cubit 8 fingers behind γ Virginis, 2 cubits below Jupiter. Night of the 3rd, the moon was [...] behind α [Virginis. Night of the 4th,] beginning of the night, the moon was 1 cubit in front of α Librae. |
| Reverse [7:8] r 88–r 88 | [Night of the 5th, beg]inning of the night, the moon was 2 2/3 cubits in front of β Scorpii. Night of the 6th, beginning of the night, the moon was 3 cubits above α Scorpii, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the east; last part of the night, Venus was 4 cubits below ε Leonis; last part of the night, Sat[urn was] |
| Reverse [8:9] r 99–r 99 | 3 fingers [... ζ Tau]ri. Night of the 7th, beginning of the night, the moon was 1 cubit behind ϑ Ophiuchi. Night of the 10th, beginning of the night, the moon came close to π Scorpii. Around the 10th, Mercury’s last appearance in the east in Leo. Night of the 11th, beginning of the ni[ght, the moon was] |
| Reverse [9:10] r 1010–r 1010 | 2 cubits [in front of γ Capri]corni. The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 10'. Night of the 14th, moonrise to sunset: 2°, measured. The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 13°, measured. Night of the 15th, sunset to moonrise: 8°; last part of the night, Venus was 4 fingers above α Leonis. Night of the 16th, last part of the night, the moon was [...] in front of η [Piscium,] |
| Reverse [10:11] r 1111–r 1111 | 2 1/2 cubits above Mars, the moon having passed 1/2 cubit to the east. Night of the 17th, last part of the night, the moon was 1 cubit in front of β Arietis. Night of the 19th, last part of the night, the moon was 1 cubit in front of η Tauri. Night of the 20th, [last part of the night, the moon was] |
| Reverse [11:12] r 1212–r 1212 | [nn cu]bits ... α Tauri.] Night of the 21st, last part of the night, the moon was 2 cubits in front of ζ Tauri, it stood 2 cubits 8 fingers in front of Saturn to the west; last part of the night, Venus was 4 [fingers] above ρ Leonis. |
| Reverse [12:13] r 1313–r 1313 | [... Night] of the 22nd, last part of the night, the moon was 1 1/2 cubits below η Geminorum. The 22nd, ZI IR. Night of the 23rd, last part of the night, the moon was 1 1/2 cubits in front of α Geminorum. [...] |
| Reverse [13:14] r 1414–r 1414 | [... Night of the 2]4th, last part of the night, overcast. The 24th, clouds were in the sky, ZI IR. Night of the 25th, last part of the night, the moon was 2 1/2 cubits behind δ Cancri. Night of the 26th, [...] |
| Reverse [14:15] r 1515–r 1515 | [...] back to the west?. Night of the 27th, last part of the night, the moon was 3 cubits behind ρ Leonis [...] ... [...] |
| Reverse [15:16] r 1616–r 1616 | [... must]ard, 1 kurru 2 pānu 3 sūtu; cress, 1 pānu 3 sūtu; sesame, 1 sūtu 3? qa, at the end of the month, [...] |
| Reverse [16:17] r 1717–r 1717 | [... around the 10th, Mercury’s] last appearance [in the east] in Leo; Saturn, in the beginning of the month, was in Taurus, [at the end of the month, in Gemini; ...] |
| Reverse [17:19] r 1818–r 1919 | [...] (blank) [...] |
| Reverse [18:19] r 1919–r 1919 | [Month VI, ...] having passed [nn] cubits to the east. Ni[ght ...] |
| Reverse [19:20] r 2020–r 2020 | [... beginning] of the night, the moon was behind [...] |
| Reverse [20:22] r 2121– | [... beginn]ing? of the night?, the m[oon? ...] |
| Right [0:2] r.e. 1r.e. 1– | [...] year 74, [...] |
| Bottom [0:1] b.e. 1b.e. 1–b.e. 1b.e. 1 | [... year 7]4, king Se<leucus>. |
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' | [...] ⸢x⸣ [...] | |
| 2' | [...] ⸢KUŠ₃ GE₆ 2 sin⸣ ar₂ GU₄.[UD N N ana] ⸢NIM⸣ GUB sin 3 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana ULU₃ ⸢SIG⸣ [...] | |
| 3' | [...] ⸢sin⸣ 2/3 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ LAL GE₆ 5 SAG GE₆ [sin ina IGI] ⸢GIR₃⸣-ar₂-ša₂-A 2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 6 SAG GE₆ [...] | |
| 4' | 6 GENNA ina MUL₂.MUL₂ IGI] 20 na-su in 1 IGI GE₆ 7 SAG GE₆ ⸢sin⸣ [ina IGI] ⸢SA₄⸣ 1 KUŠ₃ ana ŠA₃-šu₂ GIN GE₆ 9 SAG ⸢GE₆⸣ [...] | |
| 5' | [GE₆ 10 SAG GE₆ sin x MUL₂]-⸢SIG⸣-ša₂-SAG-GIR₂.TAB 10 SI GE₆ 11 SAG GE₆ sin ina IGI šil-PA 1 KUŠ₃ 8 U 12 6 ŠU₂ GE₆ 13 13 ME ⸢muš⸣ [...] | |
| 6' | [...] ⸢x⸣ GE₆ 16 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ SUHUR-ar₂ 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat e GENNA 3 U i-ṣa dele-bat ana ŠU₂ LAL GE₆ 17 ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat SIG ŠUR-⸢SI⸣ [N N ... GE₆ 19 | |
| 7' | [ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI AN N] ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ 8 U ana ŠU₂ GUB in 20 GU₄.UD ina ŠU₂ ina ALLA ŠU₂ GE₆ 21 ina ZALAG₂ sin SIG DUR-nu-nu 2 KUŠ₃ ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat e ŠUR-ULU₃ 8 U ⸢GE₆⸣ 22 | |
| 8' | [ina ZALAG₂ sin] SIG MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-SAG-HUN 4 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB GE₆ 23 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI MUL₂.MUL₂ 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 24 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI is-le₁₀ 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 25 | |
| 9' | [ina ZALAG₂] ⸢sin⸣ ina IGI ŠUR-SI 2 KUŠ₃ ina IGI GENNA 1 2/3 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ GUB 25 šamaš₂ GUB NU PAP GE₆ 26 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI MUL₂-IGI-ša₂-še-pit₂-MAŠ.MAŠ 2/3 KUŠ₃ SIG dele-bat 1 2/3 KUŠ₃ | |
| 10' | [GE₆] 27 ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat e MUL₂-IGI-ša₂-še-pit₂-MAŠ.MAŠ 1 U TE ina ZALAG₂ GENNA SIG ŠUR-GIGIR-ša₂-SI 4 KUŠ₃ 27 15 KUR GE₆ 29 ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat e MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-še-pit₂-MAŠ.MAŠ 1 U TE | |
| 11' | [ITU] ⸢BI⸣ KI.LAM še-im 3(BARIG) 2(BAN₂) ina TIL ITU 3(BARIG) 4(BAN₂) 3 qa ZU₂ 2(BARIG) PI kas₃ 1(GUR) 1(BARIG) 4(BAN₂) sah-le₁₀ 1(BARIG) 4(BAN₂) ŠE.GIŠ.I₃ 1(BAN₂) 2 qa SIG₂ 4 MA.NA i-nu-šu₂ | |
| 12' | [MUL₂].⸢BABBAR⸣ ina ABSIN dele-bat ina MUL₂.MUL₂ ina TIL ITU ina MAŠ.⸢MAŠ⸣ [GENNA] ina MUL₂.MUL₂ AN ina zib{me} GU₄.UD ša₂ ŠU₂-u₂ NU IGI ITU BI UŠ₂{meš} MAH ina E₂ 2 lu 3 UŠ₂{meš} | |
| 13' | [ITU] BI ṣal-tu₄ KI E₂.GAL ša₂ ina E{ki} [x x x] ⸢ITU⸣ BI 29 30 {lu₂}ERIN₂{meš} TA E₂.GAL ki E₃-ni KI {lu₂}ERIN₂{meš} LUGAL ša₂ EN.NUN{meš} | |
| 14' | [x x x] ⸢x⸣ ITU BI TA ⸢x x x⸣ [x x x] ⸢x BURU₅⸣{hi.a} sa-dir | |
| 15' | [ŠU 1 N na]-⸢su⸣ KUR₄ muš ina šamaš₂ GUB IGI GE₆ 2 sin ar₂ GIŠ.KUN-⸢A⸣ [N N ... GE₆ 3 sin] ⸢ina IGI⸣ DELE-ša₂-IGI-ABSIN 3 1/2 KUŠ₃⸣ | |
| 16' | [ina IGI] ⸢MUL₂⸣.BABBAR 1 2/3 KUŠ₃ ana ŠU₂ GUB GE₆ 4 SAG GE₆ sin ina IGI [SA₄-ša₂-ABSIN N N ... GE₆ 7 SAG GE₆ sin ina IGI] | |
| 17' | [MUL₂-x-ša₂]-⸢SAG⸣-GIR₂.TAB 1 KUŠ₃ 4 U GE₆ 8 SAG GE₆ sin ar₂ SI₄ [...] | |
| 18' | [GE₆ 12 SAG] GE₆ sin ar₂ SI-MAŠ₂ 1 KUŠ₃ 8 U USAN MUL₂.⸢BABBAR⸣ [...] | |
| 19' | [x x ina IGI] DUR-{mul₂}SIM.MAH 1/2 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ ana ŠU₂ LAL UŠ 12 [x] [...] | |
| 20' | [GE₆ N ina] ⸢ZALAG₂⸣ dele-bat SIG MAŠ.MAŠ-ar₂ 3 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 18 ina ZALAG₂⸣ [...] | |
| r | ||
| 1 | [GE₆ 19 ina] ZALAG₂ sin SIG MUL₂-IGI-ša₂-SAG-HUN 3 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana ⸢NIM⸣ [DIB ...] | |
| 2 | [... x]+1 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ GE₆ 23 ina ZALAG₂ sin SIG ŠUR-GIGIR-ša₂-ULU₃ 2/3 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ [...] | |
| 3 | [GU₄.UD ina NIM ina x IGI] ⸢NIM-a 17 na-su⸣ in 21 IGI GE₆ 24 ina ⸢ZALAG₂⸣ [...] | |
| 4 | [...] GE₆ 26 ina ZALAG₂ sin⸣ SIG MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-ALLA-ša₂-[ULU₃ N N ...] | |
| 5 | [... KI].⸢LAM še-im⸣ [x x x x x] ⸢x⸣ kas₃ 1(GUR) 1(BARIG) 4(BAN₂) ⸢x⸣ [x] ⸢x⸣ [... dele-bat ina MAŠ.MAŠ] | |
| 6 | [ina TIL] ITU ina ALLA in 21 ⸢GU₄.UD⸣ [ina NIM ina] ⸢ALLA⸣ IGI ⸢GENNA⸣ ina MUL₂.MUL₂ AN ina ⸢zib{me} ITU⸣ [BI ...] | |
| 7 | [NE 30 15 na-su muš GE₆ 2 sin ar₂ ⸢DELE⸣ 1 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ 8 U SIG MUL₂.BABBAR 2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 3 sin ar₂ SA₄-[ša₂-ABSIN N N GE₆ 4 ⸢SAG GE₆⸣ sin ina IGI RIN₂-ša₂-ULU₃ 1 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ [(x x)] | |
| 8 | [GE₆ 5 ⸢SAG⸣ GE₆ sin ina IGI MUL₂-e-ša₂-SAG-GIR₂.TAB 2 2/3 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 6 SAG GE₆ sin e SI₄ 3 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat SIG SAG-A 4 KUŠ₃ ina ZALAG₂ ⸢GENNA⸣ [x] | |
| 9 | [ŠUR-GIGIR-ša₂]-⸢ULU₃⸣ 3 U GE₆ 7 SAG GE₆ sin ar₂ šil-PA 1 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 10 SAG GE₆ sin ana MUL₂-SIG-ša₂-SI-MAŠ₂ TE in 10 GU₄.UD ina NIM ina A ŠU₂ GE₆ 11 SAG ⸢GE₆⸣ [sin] | |
| 10 | [ina IGI] ⸢SUHUR⸣-IGI 2 KUŠ₃ 13 10 NINDA ŠU₂ GE₆ 14 2 ME muš 14 13 na muš GE₆ 15 8 GE₆ ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat e LUGAL 4 U GE₆ 16 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI DUR-[SIM.MAH] | |
| 11 | [N N] ⸢e⸣ AN 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ sin 1/2 KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB GE₆ 17 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI MUL₂-IGI-ša₂-SAG-HUN 1 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 19 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI MUL₂.MUL₂ 1 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 20 [ina ZALAG₂ sin] | |
| 12 | [x is-le₁₀ N] ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ GE₆ 21 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI ŠUR-ULU₃ 2 KUŠ₃ ina IGI GENNA 2 KUŠ₃ 8 SI ana ŠU₂ GUB ina ZALAG₂ dele-bat e MUL₂-TUR-ša₂-4-KUŠ₃-ar₂-LUGAL 4 [U] | |
| 13 | [... GE₆] 22 ina ZALAG₂ sin SIG MUL₂-IGI-ša₂-še-pit₂-MAŠ.MAŠ 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ 22 ZI IR GE₆ 23 ina ZALAG₂ sin ina IGI MAŠ.MAŠ-IGI 1 1/2 KUŠ₃ [x x] | |
| 14 | [... GE₆] 24 ina ZALAG₂ ŠU₂ 24 DIR AN ZA ZI IR GE₆ 25 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ MUL₂-ar₂-ša₂-ALLA-ša₂-ULU₃ 2 1/2 KUŠ₃ GE₆ 26 [...] | |
| 15 | [... ana] ⸢ŠU₂ LAL⸣ GE₆ 27 ina ZALAG₂ sin ar₂ MUL₂-TUR-ša₂-ar₂-LUGAL 3 ⸢KUŠ₃⸣ [x x x] ⸢x x⸣ [...] | |
| 16 | [...] ⸢kas₃⸣ 1(GUR) 2(BARIG) 3(BAN₂) sah 1(BARIG) 3(BAN₂) ŠE.GIŠ 1(BAN₂) 3 qa ina TIL ⸢ITU⸣ [...] | |
| 17 | [... in 10 GU₄.UD ina NIM] ⸢ina A ŠU₂⸣ GENNA ina SAG ITU ina MUL₂.⸢MUL₂⸣ [ina TIL ITU ina MAŠ.MAŠ ...] | |
| 18 | [...] [...] | |
| 19 | [KIN N ...] KUŠ₃ ana NIM DIB ⸢GE₆⸣ [...] | |
| 20 | [... SAG] GE₆ sin ar₂ ⸢MUL₂⸣ [...] | |
| 21 | [...] ⸢SAG GE₆ sin⸣ [...] | |
| r.e. | ||
| 1 | [...] MU 60+14.⸢KAM₂⸣ [...] | |
| b.e. | ||
| 1 | [... MU 60+14.KAM₂ {m}se LUGAL | |
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.