Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 170 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 219
In plain English
Ur-nigar holds one eše of field, less 3 sar. E'ur has two plots, one of 2 1/2 iku and one of 4 iku. Nin-nigbara'e has 2 iku and something more. Ahusunu, Lugu, Ur-Teš, Ur-a the stone-cutter and Enlila each hold fields, but their sizes are broken away. The next line is lost entirely. A further field belongs to someone whose name is unreadable, and the last entry is a field for Lugal-ennu, whose size is also lost.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 eše of field less 3 sar: Ur-nigar. 2 1/2 iku of field: E'ur. 4 iku: E'ur. 2 iku [...] of field: Nin-nigbara'e. [...] field: Ahusunu. [...] field: Lugu. [...] of field: Ur-Teš. [...] field: Ur-a, the stone-cutter. [...] of field: Enlila. [...] [...] of field: ...... [...] of field: Lugal-ennu.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 2, 025 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 220
In plain English
Barley from the Mašdalu field district: 18 gur measured by the standard sag-gal₂ gur, plus 2 barig 2 ban of 'kur' barley. Barley from the Ašamah field district: 5 gur 2 barig by the standard measure, 1 gur by the standard measure entered as its gešgaba-tab, and a further 1 barig of 'kur' barley, though this last line is partly broken. The total is 25 gur 1 barig 2 ban of threshed barley by the standard measure. The farmer responsible is Kalaba.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(Obverse) 20 less 2 (= 18) gur of barley, (by the) sag-gal₂ (measure); 2 barig 2 ban of barley, kur; the agar-field of Maš-da[lu]. 5 gur 2 barig of barley, (by the) sag-gal₂ (measure); 1 gur of barley, (by the) sag-gal₂ (measure), its gešgaba-tab; [1 barig] of barley, [kur]; [the agar-field of the A]šamah. (Reverse) Total: 25 gur 1 barig 2 ban of barley, (by the) sag-[gal₂ (measure)], threshed barley; Kalaba, the farmer.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 2, 035 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 221
In plain English
From the field Mašdalu came 3 barig 4 ban of barley, plus 1 barig of barley marked "kur". Gešgabatabbi accounts for 3 gur 1 barig 5 ban and a further 1 gur of barley, measured by the large standard gur, from the field Ašamah. The field Enlil yielded about 3 barig of barley, also marked "kur". In all: 6 gur 1 barig 4 ban of threshed barley by the large gur, credited to Ili-tabba, the plowman.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse 1. 3 barig 4 ban of barley, 2. 1 barig of barley, kur: 3. field Mašdalu. 4. 3 [1 barig] 5(?) ban [of barley], (by the) "great" gur, 5. 1 (gur) of barley, (by the) "great" gur: 6. Gešgabatabbi; 7. field Ašamah. 8. [3 barig] of barley, [kur]: 9. field Enlil. Reverse 10. Total: 6 gur 1 barig 4 ban of barley, (by the) "great" gur, 11. threshed barley; 12. Ili-tabba, the plowman.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 2, 001 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 222
In plain English
Orchard survey: the long sides measure 23 rods and the short ends 3 rods, for an area of 69 sar of orchard. On it stand 53 large trees, valued in silver at [...] one-third of a shekel; part of this figure is lost. There are also 240 'male' trees, valued at two-thirds of a shekel of silver. The last word of the valuation is unclear.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“23 nindan: the long sides; 3 nindan: the fronts; its area: 70 minus <1> (= 69) sar of orchard; 53 large trees, their silver: [...] 1/3 (shekel); 240 male trees, their silver: 2/3 (shekel?) ...”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 181 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 225
In plain English
Lugal-ušurmu is responsible for 137 sheep, whose wool comes to 3 talents and 5 minas. Ur-Enlil is responsible for 59 sheep, whose wool comes to 2 talents. That makes 196 sheep in all, with a combined wool yield of 5 talents and 5 minas. This is the wool of sheep taken into the account, booked to the Emaš.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“137 (written 2 × 60 + 20 minus 3) sheep; their wool: 3 talents 5 minas; Lugal-ušurmu. 59 (written 60 minus 1) sheep; their wool: 2 talents; Ur-Enlil. Total: 196 sheep; total: 5 talents 5 mi[nas]: it is wool of sheep taken in charge (dab5); Emaš.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · high confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 2, 026 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 226
In plain English
Expenditure record: one kid for the son of someone whose name is lost, and one kid for Bara-Enlil-gar. Two kids went to a recipient whose name is damaged, along with one sheep, then three kids, and several single kids to people whose names are broken away. One more kid is entered under Bara-Enlil-gar. In total, 1 sheep and 11 kids were issued from the flock in the month of Akiti.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 kid, son of [...]; 1 kid: Bara-Enlil-[gar]. 2 kids, ...[...]; 1 sheep, [...]; 3 kids, [...]; 1 kid, [...]; 1 kid, [...]; [1 kid], [...]; 1 [kid]: Bara-En[lil-gar]. Total: 1 sheep, 11 [kids]: sheep (and goats) expended. Month: Akiti.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 192 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 227
In plain English
Issued: one grain-fattened sheep and three ordinary sheep to the high priestess of Ninšubur, three sheep to Lugal-urie, and three sheep to Munimah. The kitchen received 2 gur and 1 ban, less 1 sila, of sheep cuts (ur2). The scribe totals the issue as 1 fattened sheep, and 11 (gur) 1 ban minus 1 sila of sheep cuts and sheep. All of this is booked as outgoing expenditure.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“[1] fattened sheep, 3 sheep: the nin-dingir priestess of Ninšubur. 3 sheep: Lugal-urie. 3 sheep: Munimah. 2 (gur) 1 ban minus 1 sila of sheep ur2-[cuts], (for) the kitchen. Total: 1 fattened sheep; total: 11 (gur) 1 ban minus 1 sila, sheep ur2-cuts (and sheep). (This) is the expenditure.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · BdI 1, 184 — Banca d'Italia, Rome, Italy
TCBI 1, 229
In plain English
Issued: one kid, for the tēnnum of the ŠIM PI-PI garden; one ašgi sheep, within 7 days; and one lamb, for Nin-gilim. Charged to the kizûtum. Dated the month of Šu-gar; the scribe left the day number blank.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 kid, for the tēnnum(?) of the ŠIM PI-PI garden; 1 sheep, ašgi, within 7 days; 1 lamb, for Nin-gilim. Issued, (of) the kizûtum. Month Šu-gar, day <n>.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-08/v10-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry