All tablets.

SAA 08 007. Evening Last of Mars at Month’s End (RMA 021) [planetary]

(1) If the moon becomes visible on the 1st day: reliable speech, the land will become happy. (3) If the day reaches its normal length: a reign of long days. (5) Twice or thrice we watched for Mars today (but) we did not see (it), it has set. Maybe the king my lord will say as follows: "Is there any (ominous) sign in (the fact) that it set?" (I answer): "There is not." (r 5) From Issar-šumu-ereš.

~670 BCE·Neo-AssyrianSAA 8

SAA 08 019. Full Moon on 14th Day (RMA 152) [lunar]

(1) If on the 14th day the moon and sun are seen together: reliable speech; the land will become happy; the gods will remember Akkad favorably; happiness of the army; the king will become happy; the cattle of Akkad will lie in the steppe undisturbed. (6) If the moon and sun are in balance: the land will become stable; reliable speech will be placed in the mouth of people; [the king of the land] will make his throne last long. (r 1) Let them bring in that polyptych of Enuma Anu Enlil which we wrote, (and) let the king, my lord, have a look. (r 4) Also, let them give us the Akkadian tablet of th…

Astronomy & Mathematics·Daily Life

SAA 08 026. A Sign from Sunrise Concerning Elam (RMA 277L) [solar]

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [......] will be placed. (2) A sign from sunrise concerning Elam. (4) From Issar-šumu-ereš.

SAA 08 027. Rising of Venus (RMA 247) [planetary]

(1) What is this love by which Ištar loves the king my lord and has [sent] the very best to the king my lord! (6) [Venus] made her [posit]ion perfect [.....] she became visible quickly — [a good sign for the king] and his reign. (r 1) [If Ven]us stays in her position for long: [the da]ys of the king will become long. (r 3) If the rising of [Venus] is seen early: the king of the land will extend the life. (r 5) From Issar-šumu-ereš.

SAA 08 038. Hemerology for the 1st of Nisan [calendrical]

(1) [In Nisan, the first day, he should cleanse and] purify himself. (2) You soak [zagindurû stone in] filtered oil, [you put maštakal plant in]to [beer and oil]. He rubs himself repeatedly. (4) [(...) he should put on linen] sandals and dress [in a new garment]. (5) You [bin]d zagindurû stone [in yo]ur [hem], [you go] to the house of a [fowler and (buy) two] doves, [male and fem]ale. (7) [You convict th]em before Šamaš. [He will obtain his desire] li[ke a god]. (8) (You say) "Šamaš, you are the ju[dge of heaven and ea]rth, un[clench for me the s]tro[ng fists of god or goddess, k]ing, magnate…

SAA 08 063. (no title) (RMA 057) [unclassifiable]

(1) [If the moon] becomes visible on the 28th [day]: good for Akkad, bad for E[lam]. (3) The moon st[ood there] on the 28th day. (4) This sign counterbalances the sign o[f the 12th day]. (r 1) When I wr[ote] to the king my lord, saying "the gods have opened the ears of the king [my lord]," (I meant) if something [happens] to [the king and] he worries, th[e gods ...] first send a message fr[om heaven] saying: ["Let him be on his guard", ......]. (e. 1) The king my lord [......].

SAA 08 071. Jupiter in Lunar Halo (RMA 096) [planetary]

(1) The night of the 2nd day, Jupiter stood in the halo of the moon. (4) Let them perform a namburbi ritual; the halo was not a closed one. (r 1) From Nabû-ahhe-eriba.

SAA 08 075. (no title) (RMA 236D) [unclassifiable]

(1) [...] left of the moon [......] the enemy will devour, variant: [......]. (3) [......] left of the moon [......]. (Break) (r 1) [...] Mars [.....] ... [......] ... [......]. (r 4) [From] Nabû-ahhe-eriba.

SAA 08 082. Mars and Saturn in Lunar Halo on Full Moon Day (RMA 088) [planetary, lunar]

(1) [If the moon] becomes late at an inappropriate time and does not become visible: attack of a ruling city. (3) — It sets on the 15th day and is seen with the sun on the 16th day. (4) If Mars keeps going around a planet: barley will become expensive. (5) If the Raven star reaches the path of the sun: business will diminish; variant: there will be clamor. (7) These are words concerning Akkad. Mars remained four fingers distant from Saturn, it did not come close. It did not reach it. I have (nevertheless) copied (the relevant omen). What does it matter? Let the pertinent namburbi ritual be…

SAA 08 083. New Moon on 1st Day, Mercury Visible (RMA 055) [planetary, lunar]

(1) The m[oon] will complete [the day] on the ev[ening] of the beginning of the year: it is favorable fo[r the king] my lord. (4) Concerning Mercury, about which the king my lord wrote to me: yesterday Issar-šumu-ereš had an argument with Nabû-ahhe-eriba in the palace. Later, at night, they went and all made observations; they saw (it) and were satisfied. (r 4) From B[a]lasî.

SAA 08 094. (no title) (RMA 274O) [unclassifiable]

(Beginning destroyed) (2) [...]... As they were placed, the king [...] (3) [...] ... before the sun had [...] (4) [...] were alerted [...] (5) I wro[te to] the king my lord (6) [...] it will let the eclipse pass by [...] (Break) (r 1) From Balasî.

SAA 08 097. (no title) (RMA 277F) [unclassifiable]

(1) [......] star stands (2) [......] is placed together (3) [......] meet each other (4) [......] ... (5) [......] ... (6) [......] will be in the land (Break) (10) [......] ... [......] ... (r 1) [......] came near to Mars. (r 2) [This] is its interpretation: (r 3) [......] this ... [......] ... (r 5) [The sign which] came is our share (r 6) [...... which] we have let pass (r 7) [......] there is [......]. (r 8) I shall inform the king [......]. (r 9) [......] day (r 10) [......] I will inform. (r 11) [From Bal]asî.

SAA 08 126. New Moon on 30th Day (ABL 0819) [lunar]

(1) We kept watch; on the 29th day we saw the moon. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king my lord! (r 2) From Nabû'a of Assur.

SAA 08 127. New Moon on 30th Day [lunar]

(1) We kept watch on the 29th day; we saw the moon. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king my lord!

SAA 08 128. New Moon on 30th Day (ABL 0827) [lunar]

(1) We kept watch on the 29th day; we saw the moon. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king my lord! (r 2) From Nabû'a of Assur.

SAA 08 129. New Moon on 30th Day (ABL 0828) [lunar]

(1) We kept watch on the 29th day; we saw the moon. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king my lord! (r 1) From Nabû'a of Assur.

SAA 08 130. New Moon on 1st Day (ABL 0817) [lunar]

(1) We kept watch on the 29th day; we did not see the moon. May Nabû and Marduk bless the crown prince my lord! (r 1) From Nabû'a of Assur.

SAA 08 132. New Moon on 1st Day (ABL 0825) [lunar]

(1) We kept watch on the 29th day; we did not see the moon. May Na[bû and] Marduk bless [the king] my lord! (r 1) From Nabû'a of Assur.

SAA 08 136. Full Moon on 13th Day (ABL 0822) [lunar]

(1) We kept watch; on the 13th day the moon and sun were seen together. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king my lord! (r 1) From Nabû'a of Assur.

SAA 08 137. Full Moon on 15th Day (ABL 0826) [lunar]

(1) We kept watch on the 13th and the 14th day; on the 15th day the moon and sun saw each other. May Aššur, Šamaš, Bel and Nabû bless the king my lord! (r 1) From Nabû'a of Assur.

SAA 08 138. (no title) (ABL 0824) [unclassifiable]

(1) [We kept watch on the ...th day; on the ...]th [day the moon and sun saw] each other. May Nabû and Marduk bless [the king] my lord! (r 1) [From Nab]û'a [of A]ssur.

SAA 08 139. (no title) [unclassifiable]

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [we] kept watch; we saw the moon. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king my lord! (Reverse destroyed)

SAA 08 140. Equinox on Nisan 6 (ABL 1428) [calendrical]

(1) On the 6th of Nisan (I) the day and the night were in balance: 6 'double-hours' of daylight, 6 'double-hours' of night. (r 1) May Nabû (and) Marduk bless the king, our lord!

SAA 08 141. Equinox on Nisan 15 (ABL 1429) [calendrical]

(1) On the 15th of Nisan (I) the day and the night were in balance: [6] 'double-hours' of daylight, 6 ['double-hou]rs' of night. (6) May Nabû (and) [Marduk] bless the king, our lord!

SAA 08 142. Equinox on [...] (LAS 351) [calendrical]

(1) [On the ...th of Nisan (I) the day] and the night were in balance: 6 'double-hours' of daylight, 6 'double-hours' of night. (6) May Nabû (and) [Marduk] bless the king, our lord!

SAA 08 157. Morning First of Mercury (RMA 217) [planetary]

(1) Mercury became visible in the east. (2) If a planet becomes visible at the beginning of a month: rain and f[lood]. (4) If a planet becomes visible either [in] Iyyar (II) or in Sivan (III): the flood will come and irrigate the fields. (7) If a planet stands in the east: attack of Subartu and the Kassites against the land. (r 1) This is the time for work. I shall go to Nineveh and station the scribes for writing in the [...] pa[lace]. I shall do whatever the k[ing my lo]rd s[ays] in the center of Nineveh. (r 7) Maybe they won't let me to enter; let them give me a sealed order. (r 9) From Nab…

SAA 08 159. (no title) [unclassifiable]

(Broken) (r 1) From Nabû-mušeṣi.

SAA 08 164. Auspicious Days in Iyyar [calendrical]

(1) [Iyyar (I]I), the 2nd day: [favorable]. (2) The 6th day: [let him take] a wif[e, he will live to ol]d age. (3) The 8th day: an important person will be favorable. (4) The 10th day: at court, favorable. (5) The 12th day: in the street, favorable. (6) The 15th day: perfect seed. (7) The 16th day: joy of heart. (8) The 18th day: convert the cleaned (barley). (Break) (r 9) [From] Aššur-naṣir.

SAA 08 179. (no title) (RMA 274D) [unclassifiable]

(Beginning destroyed) (r 1) [......] ... [...] (r 2) east wind [......]. (r 3) Well-being to [......]. (r 4) The eclipse which [......] (r 5) of Subartu [......] rain and flood [...]. (r 6) From Šumaya.

SAA 08 204. (no title) [unclassifiable]

(1) If on the 15th day the moon and sun [....] accept my prayers [....]. (3) On this day he will pray a day (long) to Šamaš; (5) On this day he will come close to his woman, and his woman will be made pregnant; (8) he will not lose barley and silver. (9) The 16th day: he will not lose barley and silver. (r 1) [......] pertains [to ...]. (r 2) [If] it is agreeable [to the king, my lord] (r 4) (Break) (r 7) [...... as [the k]ing my lord [sa]ys?

SAA 08 206. (no title) (RMA 118A) [unclassifiable]

(Beginning destroyed) (1) [...] ... [...] ... [......] ... [......] ... (r 1) [......] let them perform a namburbi ritual. (r 3) [ If the moon] wears a rainbow [crown: Adad will devastate the land's harvest; it] will rain [......] ... (Rest destroyed)

SAA 08 209. (no title) (RMA 183A) [unclassifiable]

(Beginning destroyed) (1) If the sun rises and [goes forward]: the king of the world [will make his reign long]. (3) The reign [......] in Nisan (I) at the be[ginning of the year] the Sun-god pronounced long [days (of life)] of the king my lord. (traces)

SAA 08 213. (no title) (RMA 229A) [unclassifiable]

(1) If a planet in ... [......]. (2) If a planet in constellation [......] secondly, will die [......]. (4) If a planet in [......] rains [......]. (6) st[ar ......]. (Rest destroyed) (r 1) st[ar ......] good for [......] the moon on day [x ......]. (r 4) From [......]. (r 5) In Kislev (IX), day [......] ... [......] Ṭabi[ja ...] Zakir [......].

SAA 08 217. (no title) (RMA 277U) [unclassifiable]

(Beginning destroyed) (r 1) [If Mer]cury ... [......] a small harvest [....]. (r 3) The month Šer'i-eburi is Sivan (III).

SAA 08 224. (no title) (RMA 274L) [unclassifiable]

(1) [......] for three years rains [......] prosper, Adad will [...] the crop, [......] an enemy will attack the land, [...] will perish, [......] will not return [...] of Subartu (Rest destroyed)

SAA 08 225. (no title) (RMA 274M) [unclassifiable]

(1) [......] deaths (will occur) in the land continually [......] will be there in the land. [......] morning watch [......] ... to each other [......]. (Rest destroyed)

SAA 08 226. (no title) (RMA 262B) [unclassifiable]

(Too fragmentary for translation)

SAA 08 229. (no title) [unclassifiable]

(1) If the moon at its appearance [......] (2) from the 6th day [......] (3) from the 11th day [......] (4) the moon (and) the [sun ......] (5) The sun [......] (6) ... [......] (7) The star of [......] in [......] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 08 232. Hemerology for Month Iyyar [calendrical]

(1) Iyyar (II), the 2nd day: favorable. (2) The 6th day: let him take a wife, he will live to old age. The 8th day: an important person will be favorable. (3) The 10th day: at court, favorable. The 15th day: perfect seed. (4) The 18th day: convert the cleaned (barley). The 22nd day: at court, favorable; (good for) undertaking of an enterprise. (5) The 24th day: jo[y of he]art; the beginning of tax is set. (6) The 26th day: g[ood] news. Until the marriage of Bel passes, (7) the face of Ištar [...] ... passes [...] Ištar, (8) until Jupiter app[ears and] its [...] does not disappear, the year…

SAA 08 233. Hemerology [calendrical]

(1) The 10th day: at noon, favor[able]. (2) The 11th day: joy of heart. (3) The 17th day: favorable. (4) The 22nd day: ditto. (5) The 23rd day: ditto. (6) The 25th day: ditto. (7) The 26th day: joy of heart.

SAA 08 234. Hemerology for Ab 27-29 (CT 53 916) [calendrical]

(1) The 27th of Ab (V): let him [libate] fine beer, the gods will be favorable. (3) The 29th day: let him erect midribs of the date palm at his gate, he will prevail over his adversary. (r 1) [...] of Šakkan. (r 2) ashar stone for daubing.

Daily Life·Economy

SAA 08 235. Auspicious Days [calendrical]

(1) [......] (2) [In all] 4 auspicious days for performing [...]. (3) [The 1st day] (and) the 3rd day are good; (4) [the 4th day] (and) the 5th day are good; (5) [the 7th day], the 8th day, the 10th day [are good]; (6) [the 14th day], when the moon and sun [......]; (7) [the xth day] in front of Marduk [......]; (8) [the 21st day], the 22nd day [......]; (9) [the 23rd day] in front of Gu[la ......]; (10) [the 24th day], the 25th day in front of [......]; (11) [the 27th day], when the moon in ... [......]. (12) [In all x] auspicious [da]ys for performing extispicy. (Rest destroyed)

SAA 08 236. Fragment of a Hemerology [calendrical]

(1) Nisan (I), the 1st day, the 3rd day, the [x]th day [...] are good [day]s for performing [...]. (3) [The 1st day is] good, the 3rd day is good [...] (4) [... the] 7th [day] is good, the 8th day [...] (5) [... is] good, before [...] (6) [...] he must not [...] (7) [...] Marduk [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 08 237. Birth Omens and Others (CT 28 037) [terrestrial]

(1) If a cow gives birth to three (young): the mind of the land will change. (2) If a cow gives birth to three (young), and 2 are male, 1 female: severity (of cold in that) year; the harvest will not prosper. (4) If a falcon hunts in a man's house: there will be deaths in the man's house. (6) [If] a falcon hunts and [another] falcon takes it away: [the e]nemy will plunder and put [......]. (Break) (r 1) [If a snake] hangs down [from ... of the ent]rance and cuts off the way to a [man's] house: this house will have a protective deity. (r 4) I searched in the tablet about snakes; this (omen) is…

SAA 08 238. Birth Omens (CT 28 030) [terrestrial]

(1) If a cow gives birth to twins: destruct[ion of the land]; fighting; the enemy will attack the prince, and the house of its (the cow's) owner will be scattered. (4) If a cow gives birth to three (young): the mind of the land [will change]. (5) If a mare gives birth to twins: [attack of the enemy]. (6) If a mare [gives birth] to a male and a female, and they have normal hair of the face, feet, [nose, and] hooves: these cattle [will increase]; the king will attack and [overthrow] the land of his enemy; he will plunder the land of his enemy; for its (the mare's) owner there will be worry. (r 5…

SAA 08 239. Birth Omens (CT 28 032) [terrestrial]

(1) If a ram's horns are joined in front: that fold will be increased. (3) If a ram's horns are blunted, variant: broken in front: that fold will expand. (4) If an anomaly's horns are where its right and left ears (should be): the king will rule the (four) quarters. (6) If an anomaly's (only) horn protrudes from its head: the weapon of the king will endure; the land of the prince will expand; the weapons of the king will be strong and the king will have no opponent. (9) [If an anomaly] has only one horn, and it protrudes from the top of its head: the land of the prince will expand; [your…

SAA 08 240. Birth Omens (CT 27 028) [terrestrial]

(1) If the anomalies are double, and they have only one head and two s[pines], and two tails, but only one belly: one will rule the land which two [ru]led. (4) If the anomalies are double, but they have only one head: the land will dwell as if in pastures near the city. (5) If a ewe gives birth to four (lambs): [an enemy will sei]ze [that] land; the prod[uce of the land ...; attack] of a usur[per; there will be confusion in the land]. (r 1) If an ano[maly ......]... will become many; [the prince's land] will revolt against him. (r 3) [From NN].

SAA 08 241. Birth Omens (RMA 276) [terrestrial]

(1) If an anomaly is male and female: omen of Ku-Baba who ruled the land; the land of the king will go to ruin. (5) If an anomaly is male and female and has no testicles: a courtier will command the land, variant: will revolt against the king.

SAA 08 242. Birth Omens [terrestrial]

(1) [If ...]......, that cattle-pen will ... (2) [If an ano]maly has a bump in its back ...[...] your adversary will submit [to you]. (4) [If] an anomaly has an excrescence: the days of the ruler will be long; the [ki]ng will achieve supreme royal power, will have a large army, and will see a reign of prosperity. (8) That cattle-pen will improve. (9) Perhaps the king my lord will say: "Why did you not quote (any omens) from Šumma izbu? (11) There are no [...] in what I [...]. (12) from Šumma i[zbu ......] you quoted ... [......]...[......]. (Rest destroyed)

SAA 08 243. Snake Omens (CT 40 021) [terrestrial]

(1) If a snake is seen in a temple: the offerings of that temple will continue for a long time. (3) If a snake keeps scaring (people) in a temple: angry gods will return to the country. (5) If a snake is seen in the temple of Ištar: there will be a food-offering of Ištar. (r 1) If a snake [...] in the temple of Ištar: that temple [...]. (r 3) These are the pertinent omens.