Inscriptions

Few Akkadian inscriptions of Cyrus II from Babylonia are presently known. These are preserved on one clay cylinder from Babylon, two inscribed bricks from Ur, and four stamped bricks from Uruk. The official text on the cylinder provides some information about how Cyrus became king of Babylon; some of the details are echoed in the so-called "Nabonidus Chronicle [http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/abc7/abc7_nabonidus1.html]." Moreover, that foundation document records that Cyrus restored part of Babylon's inner wall Imgur-Enlil ("The God Enlil Showed Favor"). The brick inscriptions, although they do not mention any building projects, provide proof that Cyrus sponsored construction projects in Ur and Uruk.

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A damaged, single-column clay cylinder bearing a monolingual Akkadian inscription was discovered at Babylon (Amran) by Hormuzd Rassam in March 1879 and acquired by the British Museum (London) in 1880. This important historical document, which would have been deposited in one of the foundations of Babylon's inner wall, records that Cyrus renovated a section of the great wall Imgur-Enlil ("The God Enlil Showed Favor"). While his workmen were removing the debris of the wall, an inscription of Assyria's last great king, Ashurbanipal (668-ca. 631 BC), was discovered; that inscribed object (presumably a cylinder) may have served as a model for this inscription. Moreover, this inscription of Cyrus provides some (biased) historical background to him becoming the king of Babylon. The Persian king records that: (1) his predecessor Nabonidus [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon7/rulers/nabonidus/index.html] had neglected the gods of Babylon (especially Marduk) and ignored the city's special privileged status; and (2) as Marduk's new earthly representative, he was able to personally take Babylon and capture his opponent Nabonidus [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon7/rulers/nabonidus/index.html] without a fight. The object, which is among the most famous cuneiform monuments ever discovered, is commonly referred to as the "Cyrus Cylinder" in scholarly literature.

Recently, two non-joining fragments from a large clay tablet that obviously once duplicated the whole text of the cylinder have been published by Finkel (2013) [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#finkel2013]. According to its partly preserved colophon, this tablet was written by a certain Qīšti-Marduk. Although the remaining fragments are rather small, they provide important information on the beginning and the end of the original text.

Access the composite text [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/Q006653/] of Cyrus II 01.

Sources

Bibliography

• Oppenheim 1969 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#oppenheim1969], pp. 315-316 (translation)
• Schaudig 2001 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#schaudig2001], pp. 550-556
• Michalowski 2006 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#michalowski2006], 428-429 (translation)
• Kuhrt 2007a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#kuhrt2007a], 70-74 (translation, commentary)
• Finkel 2013a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#finkel2013a], 4-7 (translation)
• Finkel 2013b [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#finkel2013b], 129-135 (transliteration)
• Curtis 2013a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#curtis2013b], pp. 42-43 (translation by Finkel)

• Rawlinson/Pinches 1880 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#rawlinson-pinches1880], p. 35 (copy of part of ex. 1 [BM 090920])
• Abel/Winckler 1890 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#abel-winckler 1890], pp. 44-45 (copy of part of ex. 1 [BM 090920])
• Rassam 1897 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#rassam1897], pl. opposite p. 268 (photo of part of ex. 1 [BM 090920])
• Nies/Keiser 1920 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#nies-keiser1920], pl. 21 (copy of part of ex. 1 [NBC 2504])
• Curtis 2013a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#curtis2013a], pp. 30-31, 41 (photo of ex. 1), 44 (photos of exs. 2 and 3)
• Curtis 2013b [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#curtis2013b], pp. 95, 96 (photo of ex. 1)
• Finkel 2013a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#finkel2013a], 8, 13, 14, 16, 17 (photo of ex. 1), 19 (photos of exs. 2 and 3)
• Simpson 2013 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#simpson2013], 70 (photo of ex. 1), 81 (replica of the cylinder)
• Taylor 2013 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#taylor2013], 65 (photo of ex. 1)

• Curtis 2013a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#curtis2013a], pp. 31-41 (study of ex. 1), 45 (study of exs. 2-3)

Two bricks found in the enclosure wall of the Egišnugal temple at Ur are inscribed with an Akkadian inscription of Cyrus II stating that the gods had placed all of the land into his capable hands.

Access the composite text [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/Q006654/] of Cyrus II 02.

Sources

Bibliography

• Gali 1928 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#gali1928], p. 58, no. 194
• Walker 1981 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#walker1981], p. 94, no. 116, Cyrus B
• Schaudig 2001 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#schaudig2001], p. 548
• Kuhrt 2007a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#kuhrt2007a], 75 (translation)

• Gali 1928 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#gali1928], pl. 48, no. 194 (copy of ex. 1), pl. W (photo of ex. 1)
• Curtis 2013a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#curtis2013a], p. 46 (photo of ex. 1)

• Curtis 2013a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#curtis2013a], p. 47 (study of ex. 1)

Four bricks discovered at Uruk are stamped with a short monolingual Akkadian inscription of this Persian ruler. The text states that he loved (that is, cared for) Marduk's temple Esagil ("House Whose Head is High") at Babylon and Nabû's temple Ezida ("True House") at Borsippa.

Access the composite text [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/Q006655/] of Cyrus II 03.

Sources

Bibliography

• Schott 1930 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#schott1930], pl. 31, no. 31
• Smith 1873 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#smith1873], after p. 148
• Weissbach 1911 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#weissbach1911], p. 8f.
• Walker 1981 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#walker1981], p. 94, no. 115
• Schaudig 2001 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#schaudig2001], p. 549
• Kuhrt 2007a [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#kuhrt2007a], 74 (translation)

• Schott 1930 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#schott1930], pl. 31, no. 31
• Smith 1873 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#smith1873], after p. 148

• Weissbach 1911 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/bibliography/index.html#weissbach1911], p. XI (study)

Jamie Novotny

Jamie Novotny, 'Inscriptions', RIBo, Babylon 8: The Inscriptions of Cyrus II and His Successors, The RIBo Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2017 [http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/ribo/babylon8/rulers/cyrusii/inscriptions/]