Chapter 07 · 911 – 609 BCE
Neo-Assyrian
Empire, library, terror, scholarship.

~730 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 19 066. Nabu-eṭiranni to the King (CTN 5 p. 248)
“(1) To the king, my lord: your servant Nabû-eṭiranni. Good health to the king, my lord! (Break) (r 1) I have come [......]; now the (members) of the royal entourage, the temple and the cavalry should come. (e. 1) [...... af]terwards (e. 2) [......]...”
Source: Luukko, M. 2012. The Correspondence of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud. SAA 19. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/P393629/
Read the full tablet entry~730 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 19 067. Cultivating in Hunaba (CTN 5 p. 244)
“(1) To the king, m[y] lord: your servant Nabû-eṭ[iranni]. (3) Good health to the king, my lord! (4) Concerning the scouts of Bibie about whom the king, my lord, [wrote t]o me (8) [......] the scout(s) (Break) (r 1) [Now then] I am sending him [to the kin]g [m]y lord. (r 3) 300 (hectares) of the cornfields of Hunaba has been cultivated and I am cultivating the rest. (r 8) Apropos of the cornfields of Hunaba about which the king, my lord, spoke, [......].”
Source: Luukko, M. 2012. The Correspondence of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud. SAA 19. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/P393681/
Read the full tablet entry~730 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 19 068. “Your Country and the People of Your Country are Well” (CTN 5 p. 200)
“(1) To the king, my lord: your servant Šamaš-ila'i. The best of health to the king, my lord! (6) Your country (and) the people of your country are well. May Aššur and Šamaš bless the king, my lord!”
Source: Luukko, M. 2012. The Correspondence of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud. SAA 19. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/P224466/
Read the full tablet entry~730 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 19 069. The Works of Šarru-iqbi (CTN 5 p. 147)
“(1) To the king, [my lord]: your servant [Šamaš-ila'i]. The very best of health to the kin[g, my lord]! (5) All the forts are well, the land of the treasurer is well, the land of the chief cupbearer is well. (8) I am performing the works of Šarru-i[qb]i about which the king commanded me. (10) The report on Urarṭu is still the same. (12) [They] have pl[undered] the sheep of the Il[...eans] and the Tunaeans. (14) [...] ... to [...] (15) [......] ga[ve ...] (16) I have s[ent ......] (Break) (r 2) [...] have been plo[tting] (r 3) [...] has been il[l] (r 4) I am now sending them off with [my] mes[senger]. (r 6) All is well; we are doing our work. The king, my lord, can be glad indeed.”
Source: Luukko, M. 2012. The Correspondence of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud. SAA 19. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/P393630/
Read the full tablet entry~730 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 19 070. Urarṭian Attacking Forts on the Border (CTN 5 p. 109)
“(1) To the pa[la]ce herald, my lord: your servant Aššur-natkil. Good health to my lord! (4) A governor of the Urarṭian is going up to the city of Meṣi in order to capt[ure] the fort. (7) The [c]ity has been shut off, at the command of the gove[rnor] of Meṣ[i ...] has been placed [in the] fo[rt], there is 1,000 (homers of) se[ed] corn in there. (11) The city lords around th[em] have convened, saying: "W[hy ...] to the ilku-duty in Urarṭu [...] (Break) (r 3) [x Itu']eans [...] (r 4) [... re]maining [...] (r 5) ...... (r 6) I ha[d] an argument [with him] about the Ukkean and the ki[ng’s] border,…”
Source: Luukko, M. 2012. The Correspondence of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud. SAA 19. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/P224413/
Read the full tablet entry~730 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 19 071. Chief Cupbearer Defeated by Rusa (CTN 5 p. 119)
“(1) To the king, [my] lord: your servant Ašš[ur-le'i]. (3) When the chief cupbearer entered with the army, Rusa came and defeated him. Not one of them got out (alive). (10) He is marching on and setting on the forts of the chief cupbearer, and is going to do battle. (r 2) May the king do as he deems best.”
Source: Luukko, M. 2012. The Correspondence of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud. SAA 19. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/P224422/
Read the full tablet entry~730 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 19 072. Laying Foundations; Fights between Rusa and the Ruler of Etini (CTN 5 p. 116)
“(1) [To the king, my lord: your servant Aššur-le'i]. (3) [Good health to the king], my lord! (4) I have arrived in Sarun and am laying the foundations. I will (then) go to Birdunu, lay the foundations, and set out and go. (9) Perhaps the king, my lord, will say: "What is the news of Urarṭu?" (12) The ruler of Etini has twice attacked him, defeated him and plundered him. He is (now) upon him for the third time. (17) Rusa (= Ursa) marched straight from Ṭurušpâ against the Etiniean, (but) [has tu]rned around and is coming (here). (r 4) When I entered Sarduriani and attacked the cities of the…”
Source: Luukko, M. 2012. The Correspondence of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud. SAA 19. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/P393631/
Read the full tablet entry~730 BCE · Reconstructed composite — see ORACC entry for manuscript witnesses
SAA 19 073. Arresting a Man and Sending him to the King (CTN 5 p. 108)
“(1) T[o the kin]g, [my lord]: yo[ur] servant [Aššur-le]'i. (3) Good health to the k[in]g, my lord! The land, district and the wa[tc]h [for the Urarṭi]an are well. (Break) (r 1) I have arrested [th]is [...] from the town Šininaha and am herewith sending him to the king my lord. (r 5) As to the enemy about whom the king, my lord, heard; he is the governor of Tas. (e. 1) [...... on] his own (e. 2) [......] is good.”
Source: Luukko, M. 2012. The Correspondence of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud. SAA 19. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/P393632/
Read the full tablet entry