Chapter 06 · 1600 – 1155 BCE
Middle Babylonian
The Kassite kings, international diplomacy.
~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Aššur-rabi I 1
“(1) Aššur-rabi (I), vice-regent of the god Aš[šur, son of] Enlil-nāṣir (I), [(who was) also] vice-regent of the god [Aššur]. (3) [For] his life and the well-being of [his] city: [(As for) the temple of the god Enl]il, which former rulers [...] had built [and] deposited [their clay cones in] (its) foundation(s), [it had become dilapidated and I built (it) from its foundation(s) [to its crest. I deposited my clay cone (therein)].”
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/Q005705/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Aššur-reša-iši II 1
“(1) Monument of [Aššur-r]ēša-iši (II), king of Assyria, [son of Aš]šur-[r]abi (II), king of Assyria.”
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/Q006009/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Aššur-reša-iši II 2001
“(1) I, Bēl-ēriš, vice-regent of [...], lover of the god Sa[mnuḫa ...], at the time of Aššur-rabi (II), [king of Assyria, son of Ashurnasirpal (I) (I)], [N]+3 years [... (5) Aš]šur for delineation [...], at that time, the god Sa[mnuḫa ...] the bank(s) of the Ḫābūr River, from [... to ...] he took possession. [...] the bank(s) of the Ḫābūr River, the vice-[regent ...]. (10) At that time, the god Samnu[ḫa ...] with his exalted strength, 3,000 [...]. The abandoned canal, which [goes] from the land [... to ...] (and) in which [water] no longer flowed, [...] I constructed a facing for (the quay…”
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/Q006010/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · WAM 21.0010 — Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
BE 04, 238
The Walters Art Museum, Acquired by Henry Walters, 1922 (WAM 21.10 / P272831)
In plain English
The witnesses present include Ṭāb-ašāb-Marduk, son of Ina-Esagil-zēri, the vizier; Arad-Nanâ, son of Saga-iq-Adad, a governor; a man whose name ends in '-zēri', son of Arad-Ea, the provincial governor; and another official, son of Namri, whose own name is lost. A fifth line survives only as a stray word, perhaps 'utensils' or 'equipment', and its context is gone.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“1. Ṭāb-ašāb-Marduk, son of Ina-Esagil-zēri, the [vizier]; 2. Arad-Na[n]â, son of Saga-iq-Iškur (Adad), the gover[nor] (šakin ṭē[mi]); 3. [......]-zēri, son of Arad-Ea, the [provincial] governor (bēl [pīḫati]); 4. [......], son of Nam[ri]; 5. [......] ūnâ[ti] ...... (rest not given in the transliteration)”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-09-20/v8-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · BM 090715 — British Museum, London, UK
BM 090715
In plain English
The opening, which named the king and the god, is lost. The text continues: the mighty king, king of the four corners of the world, rebuilt the Ekišnugal for the god. It was an ancient temple, built long ago in distant times, which had since fallen into ruin. He rebuilt it and restored it to its original place, and its foundation... The inscription ends here with that phrase.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(Beginning destroyed) 1. mighty [king], 2. king of the four quarters, 3. the Ekišnugal, 4. the ancient house 5. which from distant days 6. had been built (and) had fallen into ruin, 7. he built for him; 8. to its place 9. he restored (it); 10. its foundation”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · high confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · BM 137412 — British Museum, London, UK
BM 137412
In plain English
The opening, with the king's name, is lost. What survives says that the king of the four quarters of the world rebuilt the Ekišnugal for the moon-god. It was an old temple, built long ago, that had fallen into ruin. He rebuilt it on its original site and laid its foundations again where they had always been.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(Beginning destroyed) 1. [king of the] four [quarters], 2. the Ekišnugal, 3. [the] old [temple], 4. which from [di]stant [days] 5. [had been] built (and) had fallen into ruin, 6. he built for him. 7. To its (former) place 8. he restored it; 9. its foundations 10. he re-established.”
Source: engine:claude-opus-5-5 (2026-11-01/v9-evolved) · claude-opus-5-5 · medium confidence
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Enlil-narari I 1
“(1) Enlil-nārārī (I), vice-regent [of the god Aššur, son of Aššur-uballiṭ (I), vice-regent of the god Aššur], son of Erība-Adad (I), [(who was) also] vice-regent of the god [Aššur]. (2) [For my life] and the well-being of my city: (As for) the outer wall, [from the Craftsman’s Gate] to the Sheep Gate, which a ruler [who came befor]e me had built, it had become dilapidated and I bui[lt (it)] f[rom it]s [foundations] to its crenellations. I renovated [(its) gate]s. Moreover, I deposited my clay cone (therein). (7) [(When) a futu]re ru[ler] renovates that outer wall when it [becomes…”
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/Q005728/
Read the full tablet entry~1300 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Enlil-narari I 1001
“(1') [he] rebelled ... [by the command] of the deities Šamaš, Adad, and [Ištar ... he att]acked and the city Al...[... Kur]igalzu, king of [Karduniaš (Babylonia) ...]. I brought about his [defeat ... for a] second 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/Q005729/
Read the full tablet entry