Position in chronology
Ashurbanipal 008
Translation · reference
High confidence(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]…
Source: 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/
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/.
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