Position in chronology
Sennacherib 153
Translation · reference
High confidence(1) When (the god) Aššur, king of the gods of heaven and netherworld, [...], the father of all of the gods, foremost of ... [...] the exalted circumspect one who [is surpassing] in insight, [...], the one who gives scepter, th[rone, (and) reign, ...]; (5) the goddess Mullissu, the consort of (the god) Aššur, ruler of all of the god[s, ...] who through her command [...]; the god Sîn, lord of decisions, bearer of powerful horns, [...] who [...] to give commands [...]; the god Šamaš, great judge of the gods who makes lig[ht] go forth, [...] (10) who by his bright light [...]; the god Anu,…
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/Q003958/
Why it matters
Invokes Aššur, Mullissu, Sîn, Šamaš, and Anu in the preamble of a Sennacherib royal inscription, mapping the precise divine hierarchy that legitimated Assyrian kingship around 695 BCE.
Transliteration
⸢e⸣-nu AN.ŠÁR LUGAL DINGIR.MEŠ šá AN-e ù KI-⸢tim⸣ [...] / AD DÙ DINGIR.MEŠ a-šá-red maḫ-[...] / mut-tal-ku ṣi-i-ru ša ⸢a-na⸣ mil-⸢ki⸣ [šu-tu-ru ...] / na-din GIŠ.GIDRU GIŠ.⸢GU⸣.[ZA BALA-e ...] / dNIN.LÍL ḫi-rat AN.ŠÁR ma-al-kàt ⸢DÙ DINGIR⸣.[MEŠ ...] / ša ina qí-bit pi-i-šá x [...] / d30 EN EŠ.BAR na-áš qar-ni gaš-ra-a-ti [...] / ša a-na na-dan ur-ti [...] / dUTU DI.KU₅.GAL DINGIR.MEŠ mu-še-ṣu-u…
Scholarly note
Royal inscription of Sennacherib, edited by A. Kirk Grayson & Jamie Novotny (RINAP 3, 2012–2014). ORACC text Q003958.
Attribution
Image: BM — (British Museum, London, UK) — from Nineveh (mod. Kuyunjik) — Photo via Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (cdli.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/artifacts, P393753). 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/Q003958/.
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