Ashurbanipal 234

~655 BCE·Neo-Assyrian·Q008322

Translation · reference

High confidence

One column likely completely missing (i' 1') I placed [Ummanigaš (Ḫumban-nikas II), who had fled to me (and) had gr]asped [my] fe[et, on the throne of Teumman. (As for) Tammarītu, the] third [brother of Umman]igaš, [I instal]led him as king [in the city Ḫidalu]. (i' 5') [...] to Uruk [...] him and (i' 7') (No translation possible) (ii' 1') [I, Ashurbanipal, the magnanimous (and) for]bearin[g one, m]ustered my troops [for a second time] (and) gave the command to march [against Ummanal]dašu (Ḫumban-ḫaltaš III). [I drove away Um]manaldašu, the king of the land Elam, (and) he fled [from] my…

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/Q008322/

Why it matters

Chronicles Ashurbanipal's repeated installation and removal of Elamite client-kings — Ḫumban-nikaš II, Tammarītu, Ḫumban-ḫaltaš III — documenting Assyrian mechanisms for controlling Elam through dynastic manipulation rather than outright annexation.

Transliteration

[mum-man-i-gaš ša in-nab-ta iṣ]-⸢ba-ta GÌR⸣.[II-ia] / [ina GIŠ.GU.ZA mte-um-man] ú-še-šib1 / [mtam-ma-ri-tú ŠEŠ mum-man]-⸢i⸣-gaš šal-šá-a-a / [ina URU.ḫi-da-lu áš]-⸢kun⸣-šú a-na ⸢LUGAL-u-ti⸣ / [...] ⸢a-na⸣ UNUG.⸢KI⸣ / [...] x-šú-ma / [...] x-⸢bi?-ti?⸣ / [...] x-⸢ma?⸣ / [...] x x / [...] x / [...] x / [lìb-bu rap-šú la ka]-ṣir ⸢ik-ki⸣2 / [šá-ni-a-nu] ⸢ad⸣-ke ERIM.ḪI.<A>-ia3 / [ṣe-er…

Scholarly note

Royal inscription of Ashurbanipal or a late Sargonid successor, edited by Jamie Novotny & Joshua Jeffers (RINAP 5, 2018–). ORACC text Q008322.

Attribution

Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P394778). 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/Q008322/.

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