Position in chronology
Sennacherib 148
Translation · reference
High confidence(1') [...] they trusted and [...] in the strength of ... [...] they were lined up [...], and (then) they rejoiced (and) were full of joy. [...] in my great strength, which (the god) Aššur, king of the gods [...]. I did not rely on [...], but trusted in (the god) Aššur, my god. (6'b) I myself prayed to [the deities Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Nergal, (...) Iš]tar of Nineveh, Ištar of Arbela, Bēl, Nabû, ... [... the god]s who support me, for victory over the army of (my) enemy [and they immediately heeded my prayers (and) ca]me to my aid. (9'b) Like a raging lion [... I put on arm]or (and) plac[ed] a helmet suitable for combat [on my head]. In [my] ange[r, I rode quickly in my exalted battle chariot, which lays en]emies [low].
Source: Grayson, A.K. & Novotny, J. 2012–2014. The Royal Inscriptions of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (704–681 BC). RINAP 3. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap3/Q003953/
Why it matters
Preserves Sennacherib's own account of invoking Aššur, Ištar, Bēl, and five other deities before battle, documenting the full divine pantheon a Neo-Assyrian king enlisted to legitimise military campaigns circa 695 BCE.
Transliteration
[...] x [...] / [...] GIM [...] / [...]-di it-tak-lu-ma a-na e-muq AN x [...] / [...] ⸢šit⸣-ku-nu-ma ul-lu-ṣu ma-lu-u ri-šá-a-⸢ti⸣ [...] / [...] x a-na e-mu-qi-ia rab-ba-a-ti ša AN.ŠÁR ⸢LUGAL DINGIR.MEŠ⸣ [...] / [...] ul ar-ḫu-uṣ-ma a-na AN.ŠÁR DINGIR-ia at-kil a-na-ku a-⸢na⸣ [AN.ŠÁR? d30? dUTU?]1 / [dU.GUR? (...) d]⸢15⸣ ša NINA.KI d15 ša URU.LÍMMU-DINGIR dEN dMUATI ša AN [...] / [...…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Sennacherib, edited by A. Kirk Grayson & Jamie Novotny (RINAP 3, 2012–2014). ORACC text Q003953.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P395583). source
Translation excerpted from Grayson, A.K. & Novotny, J. 2012–2014. The Royal Inscriptions of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (704–681 BC). RINAP 3. University Park, PA: Eisenbrauns. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/rinap3/Q003953/.
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