Chapter 07 · 911 – 609 BCE

Neo-Assyrian

Empire, library, terror, scholarship.

Illustration: Scholars examining clay tablets in an Assyrian archive at Nineveh
An archive at Nineveh, around 650 BCE.

~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

SAA 01 236. More about Ilu-pija-uṣur (ABL 0639)

“(Beginning destroyed) (2) ......] I appointed him to the service of Nagâ, another cohort commander. He did not agree to this but said: "I shall serve in my own community." I am now sending his prefect (and) Nagâ with my 'third man' to the king my lord; let the king, my lord, settle (the matter). (9) As to what the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Ilu-pija-uṣur the shepherd says: 'Last year I exacted 3 talents of silver and paid it in full; now, Taklak-Bel has told me to bring yet another two talents'" — (15) Why would I tell him (to do a thing like that)? He is the cohort commander of the…”

Source: Parpola, S. 1987. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part I: Letters from Assyria and the West. SAA 1. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa01/P334442/

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~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

SAA 01 237. A Harmful Petition (CT 53 072)

“(Beginning destroyed) (1) (So) he has petitioned [the king], my [lord! ...] Should he have turned to me, I would have handled [his case]! He should have come [to me and] not turned [to the king, my lord]! Let the king, my lord, ask [...] if Nabû-uṣalla r[eally] is doing the king's work! Now [in a case] he is pleading he goes and petitions [the king]! This person fears the king with [his lips], but with [......] the king's work falls behind schedule, and [the king my lord] is going to kill me because of it! (12) Indeed, [as regards the straw and] the reeds I sent [...] to them [......] here…”

Source: Parpola, S. 1987. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part I: Letters from Assyria and the West. SAA 1. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa01/P313487/

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~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

SAA 01 238. The Obstinate Qappatean (ABL 0980)

“(1) To the king, my lord: your servant Taklak-ana-Bel. Good health to the king, my lord! (4) As to the Qappatean about whom the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Who is this man? Did the town perhaps persuade him not to c[ome ...] to Dur-[Šarruke]n? [...... (Break) (r 1) I am right now [...] sendi[ng him] to the king, [my lord].”

Source: Parpola, S. 1987. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part I: Letters from Assyria and the West. SAA 1. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa01/P334658/

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~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

SAA 01 239. The Qappateans Put in Order (ABL 0573)

“(1) [To the king, my lord]: your [serva]nt Takl[ak-ana-Bel]. Good health to the king, [my] lord! (4) As to the Qappatean(s) about whom the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Have they been put in order? Is there an official of yours in charge of them?" — (9) The mayor of the town and the commander of the scouts have been appointed my officials over them. Perhaps the king, my lord, will say: "[Let] the commander of the scouts appoint [...]s over them?/!" The king, my lord [...... (Break) (r 6) [Let him] do [work in D]ur-Šarruken under [his/my] supervision.”

Source: Parpola, S. 1987. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part I: Letters from Assyria and the West. SAA 1. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa01/P334394/

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~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

SAA 01 240. Mountaineers Defy the Governor (ABL 0610)

“(Beginning destroyed) (1) ......] men [.... in the] olden times [...] I sent [...] to them. Now, I sent their prefect to them (with this message): "Come! Let me review you, take you down into the mother (town) and give you equipment." They did not obey at all; they didn't come but assaulted their prefect. (10) There is a town called Lapsija at the foot of the mountain; I went there and sent the major-domo to them (with this message): "Come, I want to speak with you." They got up and fled, he did not find anybody there. (16) I said in the king my lord's presence in Nineveh: "They will not…”

Source: Parpola, S. 1987. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part I: Letters from Assyria and the West. SAA 1. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa01/P334422/

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~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

SAA 01 241. My Troops are Scarce (ABL 0563)

“(Beginning destroyed) (2) ......] my [troops are scarce. [My prefects] went to (fetch) the men at their command; I have been waiting for them ever since I came back from the king my lord's presence, but they have not come. (r 2) I wrote to the king, my lord, but only got [2]60 horses and [13] small boys. [2]67 horses and 15 men — I have 527 horses and 28 men, all told. I have been writing to wherever there are king's men, but they have not come. The scribe is with the king, my lord; the king, my lord, should ask him. (r 11) The horses of the king lord had grown weak, so I let them go up the mountain and graze there [...... (Rest destroyed)”

Source: Parpola, S. 1987. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part I: Letters from Assyria and the West. SAA 1. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa01/P334385/

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~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

SAA 01 242. Toll Dues (CT 53 344)

“(Beginning destroyed) (1) [......] the Vizier (2) [......] the king, my lord, wro[te] (3) [......] silver (from) their toll dues (4) [......]. Now (5) [the .....] who pay toll dues (6) [to ......] (7) [......] of my fathers (8) [......] you (Break) (r 2) [..... As] to the merchant[s] (r 3) [of ...and Ṭa]bî (r 4) [.....] about whom [I wrote] to the king, my lord, (r 5) [and whom the ki]ng, my lord, (r 6) gave to me [......], (r 7) [now ...] and Ṭabî (r 8) [......] have seized them (r 9) [......] cavalry (r 10) [......] Ṭabî ... (Rest destroyed)”

Source: Parpola, S. 1987. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part I: Letters from Assyria and the West. SAA 1. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa01/P313759/

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~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses

SAA 01 243. (no title) (CT 53 401)

“(Beginning destroyed) (1) [about whom the king, my lord, w]ote to me: (2) "Receive the [...]s from him!" (3) [......] two feet (4) [......] set (5) [...... I as]ked him (Break) (r 2) [......] I seized (r 3) [......] for money (r 4) [......] he should sell (r 5) [..... st]anding (r 6) [..... Ṭa]bî (r 7) [.....] said to me. (r 8) [Perhaps] the king, my lord, will say: (Rest destroyed)”

Source: Parpola, S. 1987. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part I: Letters from Assyria and the West. SAA 1. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa01/P313815/

Read the full tablet entry