Chapter 07 · 911 – 609 BCE
Neo-Assyrian
Empire, library, terror, scholarship.
~800 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-nerari III 20
In plain English
Adad-nārārī III identifies himself as king of Assyria, son of Šamšī-Adad V, king of Assyria, and grandson of Shalmaneser III, likewise king of Assyria.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1') [Adad-nārārī (III), king of Assyria, son of Šamšī-Adad V, king of Assyria], son of Shalmaneser (III), (who was) also 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/Q004768/
Read the full tablet entry~800 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-nerari III 2001
In plain English
This monument belongs to Semiramis, palace woman of Šamšī-Adad V, king of the world and king of Assyria. She was the mother of Adad-nārārī III, king of the world and king of Assyria, and daughter-in-law of Shalmaneser III, king of the four quarters of the world.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Monument of Semiramis, the palace woman [of Šam]šī-Adad (V), king of the world, king of Assyria, mother of Adad-nārārī (III), king of the world, king of Assyria, daughter-in-law of Shalmaneser (III), king of the four quarters (of the world).”
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/Q004781/
Read the full tablet entry~800 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-nerari III 2002
In plain English
The inscription opens with an extended hymn of praise to the god Nabû. He is the heroic and exalted son of Esagil's temple, the wise and magnificent heir of Nudimmud, whose command stands supreme over all others. He masters every art and craft, oversees heaven and the underworld alike, holds the tablet stylus as the supreme scribe, and shows both mercy and judgment — with the power to empty or repopulate entire lands as he sees fit. He is the beloved of Enlil, lord of lords, a might without rival — and then the text breaks off before the sentence is complete.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) To the god Nabû, the heroic (and) exalted one, the son of Esagil, the wise (and) splendid one, the mighty ruler, the heir of the god Nudimmud — whose command is supreme — the one who is skilled in the arts, the one who oversees all of heaven and netherworld, the expert in everything, the wise one who can write (lit. “holder of the tablet stylus”), the learned one of the scribal art(s), the merciful (and) judicious one (5) who has the power to depopulate (and) repopulate (a country), the beloved of the god Enlil — the lord of lords, whose might has no rival, without whom there can be no…”
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/Q004782/
Read the full tablet entry~800 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-nerari III 2003
In plain English
This is the seal inscription of Bēl-tarṣi-ilumma, a eunuch serving Adad-nārārī III, king of the world, and himself governor of the city of Kalḫu and the territories of Ḫamedê, Temeni, and Yaluna. It closes with a personal declaration of faith: he has placed his trust in the god Nabû and asks not to be put to shame.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Seal of Bēl-tarṣi-ilumma, eunuch of Adad-nārārī (III), king of the world, the governor of the city Kalḫu (and) the lands [Ḫamed]ê, Temeni, (and) Yaluna. I have trusted in you, O Nabû, let me not be put to shame!”
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/Q004783/
Read the full tablet entry~800 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-nerari III 2004
In plain English
This object belonged to Bēl-tarṣi-ilumma, a scribe and eunuch who served Adad-nārārī III, king of Assyria.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Property of Bēl-tarṣi-ilumma, scribe (and) eunuch of Adad-nārārī (III), king of the world, 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/Q004784/
Read the full tablet entry~800 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-nerari III 2005
In plain English
This object belonged to Rēmanni-ilu, a eunuch in the household of Bēl-tarṣi-ilumma, the governor of Kalḫu.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Property of Rēmanni-ilu, eunuch of Bēl-tarṣi-ilumma, the governor of the city Kalḫu.”
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/Q004785/
Read the full tablet entry~800 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-nerari III 2006
In plain English
This object belonged to Pālil-ēreš, a eunuch who served as governor of the city of Nēmed-Ištar and the land of Raṣappa.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Property of Pālil-ēreš, eunuch, the governor of the city Nēmed-Ištar (and) of the land Raṣappa.”
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/Q004786/
Read the full tablet entry~800 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
Adad-nerari III 2008 / CDLI Seals 009581
In plain English
This is the seal of Aššur-bēlu-uṣur, a eunuch in the service of Pālil-ēreš, who governed the land of Raṣappa.
AI-generated reading paraphrase; compare with the translation below.
“(1) Seal of [Aš]šur-bēlu-uṣur, eunuch of Pālil-ēreš, the governor of the land Raṣappa.”
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/Q004788/
Read the full tablet entry