Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 142 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 144
In plain English
Garment stock on hand. Muni holds 107 weaver-grade woollen cloaks. Šidim holds 3 garments. The next entry is lost. Az-ama holds 1 weaver-grade cloak. Altogether there are 114 weaver-grade cloaks, all counted as garments currently in stock.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. 1 sixty 50 less 3 (= 107) bar-dul garments of ušbar (weaver) quality: 2. Muni. 3. 3 garments: Šidim. 4. [...] 5. 1 bar-[dul] garment [of ušbar quality]: 6. Az-ama. 7. Total: 2 sixties less 6 (= 114) bar-dul garments of ušbar quality, 8. garments on hand.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 048 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 145
In plain English
From a batch of 80 woven woollen cloaks, 15 cloaks went to the musician, who signed for them. The transaction is logged under Ur-gu and charged to the clothing held in the storehouse. Dated to the Orchard month.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 80 bar-dul₅ garments, weaver(-made); 2. from among them: 3. 15 bar-dul₅ garments, weaver(-made), 4. the musician Reverse 5. received. 6. Ur-gu. 7. Garments of the storehouse. 8. Month: Nig-kiri.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 2, 022 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 146
In plain English
Ten bardul-cloaks of weaver's quality, along with what is described as the chariot-šugar of the food offerings, were handed over. The person who delivered them was Ab-dab, the gala of the leatherworkers and son of Ur-abra, and they were sent to Agade. Dated to the month of Nig-kiri.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“10 bardul-garments of weaver quality; the chariot-šugar of the food offerings — Ab-dab, the gala of the leatherworkers, son of Ur-abra, gave (them) to him for Agade. Month: Nig-kiri.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 084 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 148
In plain English
Lugal-sag is down for one našparu garment. Maš is down for two pieces of weaver's work: one šagadu garment and one šageda garment. E-šembi-zi is down for another našparu garment. The entry is dated to the month of Dukug. A closing note marks these items as set aside and outside the main account, recorded as a shortfall.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 1 našparu-garment, 2. Lugal-sag. 3. 1 šagadu-garment, (of the) weaver, 4. 1 šageda-garment, (of the) weaver, 5. Maš. 6. 1 našparu-garment, 7. E-šembi-zi. Reverse 8. Month: Dukug. 9. Set aside (outside the account); 10. its deficit.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 130 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 149
In plain English
Two garments have been returned by Ursukam: one bar-dul5 cloak belonging to the household administrator, and one nig2-lam2 robe. Lugal-amah handed them over to the fuller for cleaning and finishing. This happened in the month of sheep-shearing.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 1 bar-dul5 garment of the household administrator, 2. 1 nig2-lam2 garment: 3. returned, 4. (of) Ursukam. 5. Lugal-amah Reverse 6. to the fuller 7. gave (them). 8. Month: Ga-udu-ur4.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 094 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 150
In plain English
Barley account for Mezi. The first delivery was [5 gur and 3 barig] of barley, the second 3 gur, and the third 27 gur, written as '30 minus 3'. The fourth was 4 gur, measured by the standard measure. In total that comes to 40 gur less 2 barig of barley, all of it Mezi's barley.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. [5 gur 3 barig] of barley: 2. 1st time. 3. 3 (gur): 2nd time. 4. 30 minus 3 gur of barley: 5. 3rd time. 6. 4 gur of barley, (by the) standard (measure): 7. 4th time. Reverse 8. Total: 40 minus 2 barig gur of barley; 9. barley of Mezi.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 166 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 151
In plain English
Barley issued: three donkey teams that came from Agade got 3 ban of barley. Two teams belonging to Amurum, the courier, got 2 ban. Two teams belonging to Ur-ildu got 3 ban. Smaller amounts went to individuals: 3 ban to Imutum, 2 ban to Ur-manugal, and 1 ban each to Ur-nigar, Išma-ilum and Enki-andul. All of this is recorded as barley spent from the account of En-anne, in the month of Še-sag-ku.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 3 donkey teams: 3 ban of barley, from Agade; 2. 2 donkey teams: 2 ban, 3. Amurum, the courier; 4. 2 donkey teams: 3 ban, 5. Ur-ildu; 6. 3 ban: Imutum; 7. 2 ban: Ur-manugal; 8. 1 ban: Ur-nigar; Reverse 9. 1 ban: Išma-ilum; 10. 1 ban: Enki-andul. 11. Barley expended; 12. (it is) of En-anne. 13. Month: Še-sag-ku.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 122 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 154
In plain English
Received: 5 gur of coarse barley flour, 2 barig and 4 ban of za-tum flour, 1 barig of fine flour, 2 gur and 2 barig of barley, and 40 jugs of beer. Names on record: Pirig-nam and Anna-šum.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 5 gur of dabin-flour, 2. 2 barig 4 ban of za-tum flour, 3. 1 barig of fine flour (zi3-gu), 4. 2 gur 2 barig of barley, 5. 40 (jugs of) beer: 6. Pirig-nam, 7. Anna-šum.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry