Shalmaneser III 002

(i 1) The god Aššur, the great lord, the king of all of the great gods; the god Anu, the king of the Igīgū and Anunnakū gods: the lord of the lands, the god Enlil, the father of the gods, the one who decrees destinies (and) who devises the designs of heaven (and) netherworld; the god Ea, the wise one, the king of the apsû, the creator of clever devices; the god Sîn, the light of heaven (and) netherworld, the noble one; the god Šamaš, the judge of the (four) quarters (of the world), the one who leads aright humankind; (and) the goddess Ištar, the lady of war and battle whose game is fighting; the great gods, who love my kingship, who have made great my dominion, power, and leadership, (who) have richly established for me my honorable name (and) my lofty command over all lords.

(i 5) Shalmaneser (III), king of all of the people, ruler, vice-regent of (the god) Aššur, strong king, king of Assyria, king of all four quarters (of the world), sun(god) of all of the people, ruler of all of the lands, the king (who is the) desired object of the gods, chosen of the god Enlil, trustworthy appointee of (the god) Aššur, the attentive ruler who has seen remote and rugged regions, the one who has trodden upon the mountain peaks in all of the highlands, the receiver of booty and tax from all (four) quarters (of the world), the one who opens paths above and below, at whose strong attack for combat the (four) quarters (of the world) are distressed (and at) whose warlike ferocity the lands are convulsed down to their foundations, the strong male who acts with the support of the gods Aššur (and) Šamaš, the gods who support him, and who has no rival among the rulers of the four quarters (of the world), the magnificent king of lands who has kept progressing by difficult ways through mountains and seas;

(i 11) son of Ashurnasirpal (II), appointee of the god Enlil, vice-regent of (the god) Aššur, whose priesthood was pleasing to the gods and (who) made all of the lands bow down at his feet, pure offspring of Tukultī-Ninurta (II), who slew all of his enemies and annihilated (them) like a flood.

(i 12b) When (the god) Aššur, the great lord, chose me in his steadfast heart (and) with his holy eyes and named me for the shepherdship of Assyria, he put in my grasp a strong weapon that fells the insubordinate, crowned me with a lofty crown, (and) sternly commanded me to exercise dominion over and to make all of the lands insubmissive to (the god) Aššur bow down.

(i 14b) At that time, in my accession year (and) in my first regnal year, after I sat on the throne of my royal majesty in a grandiose manner, I mustered my chariots and troops. I entered the pass of the land Simesi (and) approached the city Aridu, the fortified city of Ninni. I besieged th(at) city, captured (it), massacred many of his (people), (and) carried off booty from him. I erected a tower of heads in front of the city (and) burned with fire their adolescent boys (and) girls. While I was residing in the same city Aridu, I received the payment of the people of the lands Ḫargu, Harmasa, Simesi, Simerra, Siriš, (and) Ulmania: teams of horses, oxen, sheep, (and) wine.

(i 18b) Moving on from the city Aridu, I smashed out with copper picks rough paths in rugged mountains that rose perpendicularly to the sky like the points of daggers. I moved (my) chariots (and) troops over (these paths) (and) approached the city Ḫubuškia. I burned with fire the city Ḫubuškia, together with 100 cities in its environs. Kākīa, the king of the Naʾiri land(s), and the remainder of his troops became frightened in the face of the flash of my weapons and took to rugged mountains (for refuge). I climbed up th(os)e mountains after them. I waged mighty war in the mountains (and) defeated them. I brought back chariots, troops, (and) teams of horses from the mountains. Overwhelmed by fear of the radiance of (the god) Aššur, my lord, they came down (and) grasped my feet. I imposed upon them tribute and tax.

(i 23b) Moving on from the city Ḫubuškia, I approached the city Sugunia, the fortified city of Arrāmu of the land Urarṭu. I besieged th(at) city, captured (it), massacred many of their (people), (and) carried off booty from them. I erected a tower of heads in front of his city. I burned with fire fourteen cities in their environs.

(i 25b) Moving on from the city Sugunia, I went down to the Sea of the Naʾiri land(s). I washed my weapons in the sea (and) made sacrifices to my gods. At that time, I made an image of myself (and) wrote thereon the praises of (the god) Aššur, the great lord, my lord, and the prowess of my power. I erected (it) by the sea. On my return march from the sea I received the payment of Asû of the land Gilzānu: horses, oxen, sheep, wine, (and) two camels with two humps, (and) brought (it) to my city, Aššur.

(i 29b) On the thirteenth day of Ayyāru (II), I moved out from Nineveh, crossed the Tigris River, traversed Mounts Ḫasamu and Diḫnunu, (and) approached the city Laʾlaʾtu, which belonged to Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”). Overwhelmed by fear of the radiance of (the god) Aššur, my lord, they fled upstream/higher in order to save their (own) lives. I destroyed, demolished, (and) burned with fire th(at) city. Moving on from the city Laʾlaʾtu, I approached the city Tīl-Barsip, the fortified city of Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”). Trusting in the strength of his troops, Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”) advanced aggressively to make war and battle. With the support of (the god) Aššur and the great gods, my lords, I fought with him (and) defeated him. I confined him to his city. Moving on from the city Tīl-Barsip, I approached the city Būr-marʾīna, which belonged to Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”). I besieged th(at) city, captured (it), (and) struck down 300 of their fighting men with the sword. I erected a tower of heads in front of his city. In the course of my progress, I received the payment of Ḫabīnu of the city Tīl-abnē, of Gaʾūnu of the city Sarugi, (and) of Gīr-Adda of the city Immerina: silver, gold, oxen, sheep, (and) wine.

(i 36b) Moving on from the city Būr-marʾīna, I crossed the Euphrates River in rafts (made of inflated) goatskins. I received the payment of Qatazilu of the land Kummuḫu: silver, gold, oxen, sheep, (and) wine. I approached the city Paqarḫubuni, one of the cities belonging to Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”), which is on the opposite bank of the Euphrates River. I defeated his land (and) laid waste to his cities. I filled the wide plain with the corpses (lit. “defeat”) of his warriors by striking down 1,300 of his combat troops with the sword.

(i 40) Moving on from the city Paqarḫubuni, I approached the cities of Mutallu of the city Gurgum. I received the payment of Mutallu of the city Gurgum: silver, gold, oxen, sheep, wine, (and) his daughter, together with her rich dowry.

(i 41b) Moving on from the city Gurgum, I approached the city Lutibu, the fortified city of Hayyānu of the land Samʾal. Hayyānu of the land Samʾal, Sapalulme of the land Pattinu, Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”), (and) Sangara of the land Carchemish put their trust in each other and prepared for war. They attacked me to do battle. With the exalted might of the divine standard that goes before me (and) with the fierce weapons that (the god) Aššur, my lord, gave to me, I fought (and) defeated them. I struck down their fighting men with the sword, rained down upon them destruction (lit. “flood”) like the god Adad, piled up their (bodies) in ditches, filled the extensive plain with the corpses of their warriors, (and) dyed the mountain red with their blood like red wool. I took from them (lit. “him”) numerous chariots (and) teams of horses. I erected a tower of heads in front of his city. I destroyed, demolished, (and) burned with fire his cities. At that time, I praised the greatness of the great gods (and) made manifest the heroism of the gods Aššur and Šamaš for posterity, by creating a colossal statue of my royal majesty (and) writing thereon about my heroic deeds and victorious actions. I erected (it) before the source of the Saluara River, at the foot of Mount Amanus.

(i 51b) Moving on from Mount Amanus, I crossed the Orontes River (and) approached the city AliMUŠ, the fortified city of Sapalulme of the land Pattinu. In order to save his (own) life, Sapalulme of the land Pattinu, received into his armed forces Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”), Sangara of the city Carchemish, Hayyānu of the land Samʾal, Katî of the land Que, Piḫirim of the land Ḫilakku, Bur-Anate of the land Yasbuqu, (and) Adānu of the land Yaḫānu. By the command of (the god) Aššur my lord, (ii 1) I scattered their assembled forces. I besieged th(at) city, captured (it), (and) carried off valuable booty from them, (including) numerous chariots (and) teams of horses. I struck down 700 of their fighting men with the sword. In the midst of this battle, (ii 5) I captured Bur-Anate of the land Yasbuqu. I captured the large cities of the Pattinean (Sapalulme). I overwhelmed [the cities on the shore of the] Upper [Sea] of the land Amurru, which is also called the Sea of the Setting Sun, (so that they looked) like ruin hills (created by) the Deluge. I received the payment of the kings on the seashore. I marched about by right of victory in the extensive area of the seashore. I made an image of my lordly majesty that establishes my fame (lit. “name”) for eternity. I erected (it) by the sea. I ascended Mount Amanus (and) cut down beams of cedar (and) juniper. I marched to Mount Atalur (Mount Lallar), where the image of Anum-ḫirbe stands, (and) erected my image together with his image.

(ii 10b) Moving away from the sea, I captured the cities Tayâ, Ḫazazu, Nulia, (and) Butāmu, which belong to the Patinnean (Sapalulme). I massacred 2,800 of [their] fighting men (and) carried off 14,600 captives. I received the payment of A(b)-rāmu (Abi-rāmu) of (Bīt-A)gūsi (lit. “son of Gūsu”): silver, gold, oxen, sheep, wine, (and) a gold (and) silver bed.

(ii 13b) On the thirteenth day of Ayyāru (II), in the eponymy of my own name, I moved out from [Nineveh], crossed the Tigris River, traversed Mounts Ḫasamu (and) Diḫnunu, (and) approached the city Tīl-Barsip (Bursip), the fortified city of Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”). Trusting in the strength of his troops, Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”) attacked me. I defeated him (and) confined him to [his city].

(ii 16b) Moving on from Tīl-Barsip (Bursip), I crossed the Euphrates River, which was in flood, in rafts (made of inflated) goatskins. I [besieged] the cities [...]gâ, Tagi, Sūrunu, Paripa, Tīl-bašerê, (and) Dabigu, six fortified cities belonging to Aḫūnu of (Bīt-)Adini (lit. “son of Adinu”) (and) captured (them). I massacred many of their (people) (and) carried off booty from them. I destroyed, demolished (and) burned with fire 200 cities in their environs.

(ii 18b) Moving on from the city Dabigu, I approached the city Sazabê, a fortified city of Sangara of the city Carchemish. I besieged th(at) city, captured (it), massacred many of their (people), (and) carried off booty from them. I destroyed, demolished, (and) burned with fire cities in its environs. All of the kings of the land Ḫ[atti] became afraid in the face of the flash of my strong weapons and my stormy onslaught (and) submitted to me. I received from Qalparunda of the land Pattinu 3 talents of gold, 100 talents of silver, 300 talents of bronze, 300 talents of iron, 1,000 bronze casseroles, 1,000 linen garments with multi-colored trim, his daughter, together with her rich dowry, 20 talents of red purple wool, 500 oxen, (and) 5,000 sheep. I imposed upon him as an annual payment 1 talent of silver, 2 talents of red purple wool, (and) 100 cedar beams, (and) I regularly receive (it) in my city, Aššur.