Position in chronology
Ashurbanipal 008
Written in modern English
Ashurbanipal took the gods Sîn and Nusku by the hand, led them into their temples, and seated them on their eternal thrones. He completed the sanctuaries of Assyria and Akkad in their entirety, fashioned every kind of temple furnishing from silver and gold, and added these to the treasuries accumulated by his royal ancestors. He then installed the great gods who support him in their exalted inner sanctums, laid sumptuous offerings before them, and presented them with his personal gifts. The text continues with regular offerings, but the passage breaks off at that point.
A modern paraphrase of the literal translation — same content, contemporary voice.
Translation — scholar edition
RINAP 5(i 1') [I too]k [the gods Sîn (and) Nusku by the hand], made (them) enter into (their respective temples), (and) made (them) sit on [(their) eternal dais(es)]. (i 2'b) I comp[leted the sanctuaries] of Assyria and the lan[d Akkad in] their [entire]ty. I ma[de every type of te]mple [appurtenance] there is from silver (and) gold, (and) (i 5´) I add[ed (them) to those of the king]s, my ancestors. I made [the] great [god]s who support me reside [in] their exalted [inner sanctums]. I offer[ed] sumptuous [offerings] before them (and) presented (them) with my gifts. (i 10´) I made regular offerin[gs]…
Royal Inscriptions of the Neo-Assyrian Period, volume 5 — scholar edition (ORACC).
Why it matters
Documents Ashurbanipal's restoration of Sîn and Nusku to their temples and his refurbishment of sanctuaries across Assyria and Akkad, anchoring the king's legitimacy in cultic patronage rather than military conquest.
Transliteration
[ŠU.II d30 dnusku aṣ]-⸢bat⸣ ú-⸢še-rib ú-še-šib ina⸣ [BÁRA]1 / [da-ra-a-ti eš-re-e-ti] KUR aš-šur.KI ⸢u? KUR⸣ [URI.KI] / [a-na si-ḫir]-⸢ti⸣-ši-na ú-šak-[lil] / [mim-ma si-mat É].⸢KUR⸣ ma-la ba-šú-u šá KÙ.BABBAR KÙ.GI e-⸢pu⸣-[uš] / [e-li ša LUGAL].MEŠ AD.MEŠ-ia ú-rad-⸢di⸣ / [DINGIR].⸢MEŠ⸣ GAL.MEŠ ti-ik-le-⸢ia⸣ / [ina at-ma-ni]-šú-nu ṣi-i-ri ú-še-šib-šú-nu-⸢ti⸣ / [UDU.SISKUR.MEŠ] taš-ri-iḫ-ti…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Ashurbanipal or a late Sargonid successor, edited by Jamie Novotny & Joshua Jeffers (RINAP 5, 2018–). ORACC text Q003707.
Attribution
Image: OIM A07960 (Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P392184). source
Translation excerpted from Novotny, J. & Jeffers, J. 2018–. The Royal Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC), Aššur-etel-ilāni (630–627 BC) and Sîn-šarra-iškun (626–612 BC), Kings of Assyria. RINAP 5. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap5/Q003707/.
Related tablets
Related sources
The earliest historical document in human history. Before this, we have lists, accounts, and dedications. Here, for the first time, a ruler tells us what happened — with names, places, and consequences.
The oldest surviving law code in human history. The principle that the state — not the wronged family — defines and enforces justice begins here.
Not the first law code, but the most complete and the most famous. Inscribed on a black diorite stele over two meters tall, displayed in a public place — law made visible, law made monumental.