Chapter 00 · 1400 – 1077 BCE
Middle Assyrian
Aššur's first imperial expansion.
~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-narari I 23
In plain English
Any future ruler who repairs this wall after it falls into disrepair must restore Adad-narari's commemorative inscriptions and his written name to their proper places; if he does, the gods Aššur and others whose names are now lost will hear his prayers. But if a future ruler erases Adad-narari's name, writes his own in its place, or discards the commemorative inscriptions, those same gods will destroy him, his army, and his descendants — the closing lines are too damaged to read in full.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1') [In the future, may a future ruler, when he renovates] that wall [(when) it becomes dilapidated, return my commemorative inscriptions and inscribed name] to their places. [The gods Aššur ...] will (then) listen to [his prayers]. (3'b) [(As for) the one who erases my inscribed name and writes his (own) name or] discards my [commemorative inscriptions, may the gods Aššur ... destroy] him, his army, [and his seed ...].”
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/Q005760/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-narari I 24
In plain English
The surviving lines describe construction work: earth was piled up, and the summit of a ziggurat was raised — though the opening lines are too damaged to give the full details. Adad-narari deposited his commemorative inscriptions there. The closing lines call on any future ruler, should the structure fall into disrepair, to restore those inscriptions and his name to their proper places; the very end of the text is lost.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1') [...] time [...] its [he]ight, from [...] I piled up [ear]th. [...] the summit of the zi[ggurat ...] I deposited [m]y [commemorative inscriptions (therein)]. (4'b) [In the future, may a future ruler, when that ... becomes dilapidated, ... restore my commemorative inscriptions and] my inscribed name to their places. [...]”
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/Q005761/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-narari I 25
Labels booty taken from Naḫur, placing the city within Adad-nārārī I's documented conquests and anchoring his western campaigns in the archaeological record of early Middle Assyrian expansion.
In plain English
Adad-nārārī I, king of Assyria, son of Arik-dīn-ili, son of Enlil-nārārī — both also kings of Assyria — records the spoils taken from the city of Naḫur.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1') Palace of Adad-nārārī (I), king of [Assyria], son of Arik-dīn-ili, king of Assyria, son of Enlil-nārārī, (who was) also king of Assyria: booty from the city Naḫur.”
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/Q005762/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-narari I 26
In plain English
This is the palace of Adad-nārārī I, king of the world, son of Arik-dīn-ili, king of Assyria, and grandson of Enlil-nārārī, also king of Assyria. The inscription records booty taken from the city of Taidu — one version of the text gives the city's name as Irridu.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Palace of Adad-nārārī (I), king of the world, son of Arik-dīn-ili, king of Assyria, son of Enlil-nārārī, (who was) also king of Assyria: booty from the city Taidu (var. Ir[ridu]).”
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/Q005763/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-narari I 27
In plain English
This object belongs to the temple of the god Aššur. It records a tākultu ritual feast held at the start of Adad-nārārī I's reign, when he held the title of overseer.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Belon[ging to the temple of the god Aššur]. Belonging to the tākultu (that took place) at the beginning of the reign of Adad-nārārī (I), the overseer.”
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/Q005764/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-narari I 28
In plain English
This object belongs to the temple of the god Aššur. Adad-nārārī I, king of Assyria, made it during his third — or, in another version of the inscription, his fourth — tākultu festival.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Belonging to the temple of the god Aššur. Adad-nārārī (I), king of Assyria, made (it) during his third (var. fourth) tākultu.”
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/Q005765/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-narari I 29
In plain English
This is a brick from the terrace of Adad-nārārī I, king of the world, son of Arik-dīn-ili, king of Assyria, and grandson of Enlil-nārārī, likewise king of Assyria.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Palace of Adad-nārārī (I), king of the world, son of Arik-dīn-ili, king of Assyria, son of Enlil-nārārī, (who was) also king of Assyria: (brick) belonging to the terrace.”
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/Q005766/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-narari I 30
In plain English
This is a palace brick of Adad-nārārī I, king of the world, son of Arik-dīn-ili, king of Assyria, and grandson of Enlil-nārārī, likewise king of Assyria. The brick was made for the courtyard of the goddess Bēlet-ekallim.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Palace of Adad-nārārī (I), king of the world, son of Arik dīn-ili, king of Assyria, son of Enlil-nārārī, (who was) also king of Assyria: (brick) belonging to the courtyard of the goddess Bēlet-ekallim.”
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/Q005767/
Read the full tablet entry