Position in chronology
Ashurbanipal 1025
Translation · reference
High confidenceObverse completely missing (r 1') [...] may she [... the men]tion of his venerated name [...] the pleasure bed at night that [... may] she grant me [progeny] and expa[nd my offspring ... (rev. 5´) ...] may she strengthen my [...] and may she [...] may she have [...]s written [...] daily may she remi[nd ...] ... may th[ey] constantly bless [...] good thing(s) [...]. Subscript completely missing
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/Q009293/
Why it matters
Transliteration
(erased line) / [...] ⸢zik?⸣-ri šu-mì-šú kab-te li-⸢na?⸣-[...] / [...] ⸢ma⸣-a-a-al tak-né-e mu-ši šá x [...] / [... šu-mu?] ⸢li⸣-šar-šá-an-ni-ma li-rap-⸢pi⸣-[iš NUMUN ...]1 / [...]-ia li-dan-nin-ma li-x [...] / [...] x.MEŠ li-šá-áš-ṭi-ra [...] / [...] ⸢u₄⸣-me-šam li-ḫa-as-⸢si⸣-[sa? ...] / [...]-a-a lik-tar-ra-⸢bu⸣ [...] / [...] x SIG₅-tim x [...]
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Ashurbanipal or a late Sargonid successor, edited by Jamie Novotny & Joshua Jeffers (RINAP 5, 2018–). ORACC text Q009293.
Attribution
Image: Created by Jamie Novotny and Joshua Jeffers, 2015-22. Lemmatized by Joshua Jeffers, 2018-19, for the NEH-funded RINAP Project at the University of Pennsylvania. The annotated edition is released under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license 3.0.. Please cite this page as http://oracc.org/rinap/Q009293/..
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/Q009293/.
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The earliest historical document in human history.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.