Chapter 03 · 2334 – 2154 BCE
Akkadian Empire
Sargon brings rival city-states under imperial rule.
~2270 BCE · Ashm 1930-0148 — Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
MAD 5, 013
In plain English
A list of workers sorted into crews. Imtalik, marked with a note that is not fully clear, belongs to Mututu's crew. Ilulu belongs to Ipqum's crew. Il-qar, marked with the same unclear note, belongs to the crew of Martu, whose name may simply mean 'the Amorite'. Il-galzu (also marked), Ilak-nuid and Ilala make up the crew of Nisu-dannam. Every worker is counted as one person.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(Beginning possibly lost) 1. Imtalik, gu₂(?); 2. overseer: Mututu. 3. 1 (man): Ilulu; 4. overseer: Ipqum. 5. 1 (man): DINGIR-qar (Il(um)-qar), gu₂(?); 6. overseer: Martu (or: the Amorite). 7. 1 (man): DINGIR-galzu (Il(um)-galzu), gu₂(?); 8. 1 (man): Ilak-nuid; 9. 1 (man): Ilala; 10. overseer: Nisu-dannam.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Ashm 1930-0149 — Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
MAD 5, 014
In plain English
The tablet names five men: Lagibum, La'arab, Naḫan (the reading is uncertain), Puzuzu and Bēlī-Sîn, one man each, five workmen in all. Two more names follow, Ilak-nu'id and Erda'u. The list ends with a second total of five men, this time described as messengers. The first few names are partly damaged at the start of the line.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. [1 La]gibum 2. [1] La'arab 3. [1] Naḫan(?) 4. 1 Puzuzu 5. 1 Bēlī-Sîn 6. Total: 5 workmen. 7. Ilak-nu'id 8. Erda'u(?) 9. Total: 5 messengers (lit. 'men sent on errands').”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Ashm 1930-0150 — Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
MAD 5, 015
In plain English
This is a roster of a work gang. It names Lagibum son of Išma'ani, Imtalik, Ilum-dan, two men called U-ili (the second entry is partly broken), a group of five recorded as PAP-PAP, and Illala, whose father's name is damaged. The total is fifteen workmen under their foreman, Elili. All of them are recorded as present.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. 1 Lagibum, 2. son of Išma'ani; 3. 1 Imtalik; 4. 1 Ilum-dan (DINGIR-KAL); 5. 1 U-ili; 6. 1 U-ili [......]; 7. 5 PAP-PAP; 8. 1 Illala, 9. son of AN-[......]; 10. [To]tal: 15 workmen (guruš), 11. foreman: Elili; 12. present (wāšibū).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Ashm 1930-0170b — Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
MAD 5, 019
In plain English
This is a list of six men: Mututu, Salim-aḫu, Kibutum, Galab-Ea, Išma-Suen and Išim-Ea, one person each. All six are workmen who have run away. Their foreman is Mututu, who is also first on the list.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1 Mututu 1 Salim-aḫu 1 Kibutum 1 Galab-Ea 1 Išma-Suen 1 Išim-Ea Total: 6 runaway workmen; foreman: Mututu.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Ashm 1930-0170e — Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
MAD 5, 022
In plain English
Ilum-dan is staying with Adi-ilum. He is a land registrar who belongs to Šu-ilīsu's household and serves Ilum-bāni the merchant, who in turn serves Šarati-gubisin. Have him brought here. The official in charge of this is An-gu.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. Adi-ilum — 2. with (him) 3. (is) 1 Ilum-dan, 4. the one of Šu-ilīsu, 5. the land registrar, 6. servant of Ilum-bāni, 7. the merchant, 8. servant of Šarati-gubisin, 9. is staying. 10. Let them bring (him) here! 11. An-gu 12. (is) the commissioner.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Ashm 1930-0170f — Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
MAD 5, 023
In plain English
The list opens with an amount of silver, some minas (the number is lost) plus 8 shekels. Next comes gold weighed as half a 'small' mina, minus about 4 shekels. Then there are three bala-garments, one cloak or covering, and four bronze items. After a broken line comes a name ending in '-rim'. The text closes by saying that these items are the ones belonging to, or held by, Angu the musician.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. [...] mina(s) (and) 8 shekels of silver; 2. 1/2 mina, 'small' (weight), less 4(?) shekels, of gold; 3. 3 bala-garments; 4. 1 dul-garment (cover/cloak); 5. 4 (items of) bronze; 6. [...] 7. [...]-rim, 8. those of Angu, the musician.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Ashm 1930-0170g — Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
MAD 5, 024
In plain English
Naḫšum-bala received 5 gur of barley from Ilī-ištakal at Dugal. The grain was measured in standard 'large' gur, less 2 sila on the gur. A rate of 11 sila each is noted, apparently as an increase or interest charge, although the wording of that clause is unclear.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse/Reverse (single sequence as given): 1. 5 gur of barley, (by the) sag-gal₂ (measure), 2. by the gur UL, less 2 (sila); 3. of it (?), 11 sila each, 4. (is) the increase (?). 5. Naḫšum-bala 6. from Ilī-ištakal 7. received (it), 8. in Dugal.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · low confidence
Read the full tablet entry~2270 BCE · Ashm 1930-0173a — Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
MAD 5, 025
In plain English
Fifty-nine sheep (the scribe writes this as sixty minus one) were taken into the keeping of Šu-Enlil, though his name is partly broken. Another batch went to a cook, whose number and name are lost, and he received it on behalf of the commissioner. One more sheep was handed to Bubu, a man of someone whose name is missing, who served as cook to the king. The record is a plain list of who received how many animals, probably meat for the royal table.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“Obverse(?) 1. 59(?) sheep (lit. 60 less 1): 2. [Šu]-Enlil(?) 3. [rec]eived (ŠU.DU8). 4. [n sheep] 5. [......] 6. the cook 7. for 8. the commissioner 9. received (ŠU.DU8). 10. 1 sheep: 11. Bubu(?), 12. the man of [......] 13. the king, 14. the cook, 15. received (ŠU.DU8).”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry