Chapter 00 · 1400 – 1077 BCE

Middle Assyrian

Aššur's first imperial expansion.

~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Tukulti-Ninurta I 23

“(1) Tukultī-Ninurta (I), king of the world, strong king, king of Assyria, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters (of the world), chosen of the gods Aššur and Šamaš, am I, attentive ruler, the king (who is) the choice of the god Enlil, the one who shepherded his land in green pastures with his beneficent staff, foremost purification priest, designate of the god Anu, the one who with his fierce valor subdued rulers (and) all of the kings, true shepherd, desired of the god Ea, the one who has established in victory his names over the four quarters (of the world), exalted priest,…”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005859/

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~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Tukulti-Ninurta I 24

“(6) [...] attentive ruler, [...] creature of the god Ea, ... king of kings, fierce anger [...] the god Adad [...] intelligence of [...] courageous, destructive weapon of the gods, Deluge in battle, [...] the ferocious, the incontestable attacker, select of the goddess Ištar — the lady of the gods of heaven (and) netherworld, the loved one of the Igīgū gods — strong king, king of Assyria and king of Karduniaš (Babylonia), king of Sumer and Akkad, king of Sippar and Babylon, king of Dilmun and Meluḫḫa, king of the Upper and Lower Seas, king of the extensive mountains and plains, king of the…”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005860/

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~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Tukulti-Ninurta I 25

“(r 1) [With the support of the gods …, I approached Kaštiliašu, the king of Karduniaš (Babylonia)], to do [battle. I brought about the defeat of his armies and struck down his warriors]. In the midst of that battle, I captured Kaštiliašu, the king of the Kassites. I brought him bound as a captive into the presence of the god Aššur, my lord. I became the lord of Sumer and Akkad to its full extent. I stood over them with joy and excellence. (r 9) At that time, the god Aššur, my lord, requested of me a cult center on the bank opposite my city, the desired object of [the gods] (the city Aššur),…”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005861/

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~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Tukulti-Ninurta I 26

“(1) [For] the god Aššur, the great lord, the father of the gods, [his lord]: Tukultī-Ninurta (I), appointee of the god Enlil, vice-regent of the god Aššur, son of Shalmaneser (I), appointee of the god Enlil, vice-[regent of the god Aššur], (and) son of Adad-nārārī (I), (who was) [also] appointee of the god [Enlil] (and) vice-regent of the god Aššur. (7) [When] the god Aššur sent [me] to the [Naʾiri] lands [and] the lands on the coast of the [Upper] Sea, I swept over with my raging warfare (and) conquered all of the Naʾiri [lands] and the lands on the coast of the Upper Sea. I became lord over their forty kings (and) [made (them) bow down] at m[y] feet. Moreover, I imposed (upon them) corvée. (17) At that time, [...] ... [...]”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005862/

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~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Tukulti-Ninurta I 27

“(1) Cult platform of the god Nusku, the chief vizier of Ekur, the bearer of the just scepter, the courtier of the gods Aššur and Enlil who daily repeats the prayers of Tukultī-Ninurta (I) — the king, his beloved — in the presence of the gods Aššur and Enlil and a destiny of power [for him] within Ekur [...] may he [pronounce ... the god Ašš]ur, [my] lord, [...] forever.”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005863/

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~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Tukulti-Ninurta I 28

“(1) Tukultī-Ninurta (I), king of the world, son of Shalmaneser (I), king of Assyria: Booty of Kardu(niaš) (Babylonia). As for the one who removes my inscription (and) my name, may (the god) Aššur (and) the god Adad make his name disappear from the land. (4) This seal was given as a gift from Assyria to Akkad. I, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, after six hundred years conquered Babylon and took it out from the property of Babylon. (8) Property of Šagarakti-Šuriaš, king of the world. (9) Tukultī-Ninurta (I), king of the world, son of Shalmane(ser) (I), king of Assyria: [Booty] of Karduniaš…”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005864/

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~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Tukulti-Ninurta I 29

“(1) Palace of Tukultī-Ninurta (I), king of the world, son of Shalmaneser (I), king of the world, (and) son of Adad-nārārī (I), king of Assyria. (3) Property of Uṣur-namkūr-šarri, the district-governor of Kār-Tukultī-Ninurta.”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005865/

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~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

Tukulti-Ninurta I 30

“(1) Palace of Tukultī-Ninurta (I), king of the world, son of Shalmaneser (I), king of the world: Belonging to Elugalumunkurkurra, the New Palace.”

Source: Royal Inscriptions of Assyria online (RIAo), Munich Open-access Cuneiform Corpus Initiative (MOCCI), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; in association with the RINAP Project, University of Pennsylvania. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/Q005866/

Read the full tablet entry