Chapter 07 · 911 – 609 BCE
Neo-Assyrian
Empire, library, terror, scholarship.
~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 05 260. Insults and Accusations (ABL 0463)
“(1) (Beginning destroyed) (2) [......] of the king, my lord. (3) I sen[t] my messenger, but he insu[lted] my messenger, saying: "Why do you plot against the king's subjects? I am at war with you, do not come down to my country and my district! I will not release the rest to you!" (11) The [...] have amassed fields and houses [...] (12) [o]f the king [......] (Break) (r 1) I [was notified] by the king my lord's court: "He should repay you the debts that he ow[es you]." He has not obeyed the king's order though, and has [n]ot paid his debt to me; from the moment I appealed to the king, my lord,…”
Source: Lanfranchi, G.B. & Parpola, S. 1990. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part II: Letters from the Northern and Northeastern Provinces. SAA 5. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa05/P334318/
Read the full tablet entry~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 05 261. Dividing the Booty (CT 53 398)
“(Beginning destroyed) (2) We have selected 3,350 p[eople] (3) from Til-da[...] (4) as far as Sazan[â]. (5) Bel-[...], (6) [NN], Gabbu-ana-Aššur, (7) [NN], Na'di-ilu (Break) (r 1) [...] the king [...] (r 2) Musan[i], (r 3) the legate of [...] (r 4) sleeps in his house. (r 5) I [...] 9 seahs 7 [litres ...] (Rest destroyed)”
Source: Lanfranchi, G.B. & Parpola, S. 1990. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part II: Letters from the Northern and Northeastern Provinces. SAA 5. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa05/P313812/
Read the full tablet entry~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 05 262. (no title) (CT 53 676)
“(Beginning destroyed) (2) [As t]o Nabû-[......] (3) [...] his messenger [..., saying]: (4) "What [......] (Break) (7) The royal bodygu[ard ......] (8) "In the ci[ty ......] (9) ... [......] (Rest destroyed)”
Source: Lanfranchi, G.B. & Parpola, S. 1990. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part II: Letters from the Northern and Northeastern Provinces. SAA 5. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa05/P314087/
Read the full tablet entry~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 05 263. Arrival of Rams (ABL 1206)
“(Beginning destroyed) (2) [As to NN about wh]om the king, my lord, wrote [me], I had sent word on the very day that the previous lette[r] arrived: they are bringing him. (6) As to the 1,000 rams about which the king, my lord, wrote me, I am herewith sending them over with my messenger. (10) As to Qurdi-Iss[ar], the archer about whom the king, [my lord, wr]ote me: "Encou[rage him, and give him a house], a plough, and a field [......]" (Rest destroyed)”
Source: Lanfranchi, G.B. & Parpola, S. 1990. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part II: Letters from the Northern and Northeastern Provinces. SAA 5. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa05/P334793/
Read the full tablet entry~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 05 264. (no title) (CT 53 856)
“(Beginning destroyed) (1) [...] said: (2) [.".. the I]tu'eans of the deputy (3) [......] herdsman (4) [...] scouts from [the pre]vious (5) [... have gone] to their garrison (6) [...... who] give/gave people to you (7) [...] of the house of Babû (8) [......] ... the country [......] (Reverse too broken for translation)”
Source: Lanfranchi, G.B. & Parpola, S. 1990. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part II: Letters from the Northern and Northeastern Provinces. SAA 5. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa05/P314265/
Read the full tablet entry~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 05 265. Cherchez la Femme (CT 53 882)
“(1) To the ki[ng, my lord]: your servant [NN]. (3) As to [NN] about whom the king, [my] lord, [wrote to me]: (5) "Ask [and investigate] who [...] the [...] women who [...] t[o ...]! Why [......]?" (Rest too broken for translation)”
Source: Lanfranchi, G.B. & Parpola, S. 1990. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part II: Letters from the Northern and Northeastern Provinces. SAA 5. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa05/P314291/
Read the full tablet entry~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 05 266. Fragment Referring to Public Works (CT 53 651)
“(1) To the ki[ng, my lord]: your servant [NN]. (3) The work o[n ...] and the work [...], which [......] (Break) (r 1) the wo[rk ...], (r 2) the wor[k ...], (r 3) in [......] (Rest destroyed)”
Source: Lanfranchi, G.B. & Parpola, S. 1990. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part II: Letters from the Northern and Northeastern Provinces. SAA 5. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa05/P314063/
Read the full tablet entry~715 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 05 267. Fragment Concerning Public Works (CT 53 617)
“(1) [To the king, my lord]: yo[ur] servant [NN]. Good health t[o the king, my lord]! (4) On the 11th of [...] (5) the whole [w]ork o[n ...] (6) [... un]til the 20[th ...] (Break) (e. 2) [......] they s[aw ...]. (e. 3) [Let them wr]ite [me what the king my lord's orders are].”
Source: Lanfranchi, G.B. & Parpola, S. 1990. The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part II: Letters from the Northern and Northeastern Provinces. SAA 5. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa05/P314029/
Read the full tablet entry