Sargon II 008

(1) Palace of Sargon, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, governor of Babylon, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters (of the world), favorite of the [great] god[s].

(2) The gods Aššur, Nabû, (and) Marduk, the gods, my helpers, granted me a reign without equal and exalted my [go]od reputation to the h[eights].

(3) I continually acted as provider for (the cities) Sippar, Nippur, Babylon, and Borsippa (and) [I made restitution for] the wrongful damage suffered by the people of privileged status, as many as there were (of them); I (re)-established the [šuba]rrû-privileges of (the cities) Dēr, Ur, Uruk, Eridu, Larsa, Kullaba, Kissik, (and) Nēmed-L[ag]uda and [gave relief to] their people. I resto[red] the exemption (from obligations) of (the city) Baltil (Aššur) and the city Ḫarrān, which had fallen [into oblivion] in the distant past, [and] their [privil]eged status that had lapsed.

(6) With the support of the great gods, I regularly advanced and made uncompliant lands (and) insubmissive mountain regions bow down at my feet; I made [...]. I dispersed the forces of Ḫumbanigaš (Ḫumban-nikaš I), the Elamite. I destroyed the land Karalla, the land Šurda, the city Kišesim, the city Ḫarḫar, the land Media as far as the border of [Mount Bikni], (and) the land Ellipi, (and) imposed the yoke of the god Aššur (upon them). [I laid] waste to the land Urarṭu, plundered the city Muṣaṣir, slaughtered the lands Andia (and) Zikirtu, (and) allowed the distur[bed] people of the land Mannea to live in peace. I struck down the rulers of the land [Ha]math, the city [Ca]rchemish, (and) the city Kummuḫu. I depor[ted] Gunzinānu of the land Kammanu from the city Melid, (10) his royal city, [and] set officials [over all] these lands. I did away with the kingship of Tarḫu-lara of the city Marqasa (and) at the sa[me time] made the wide land Gurgu[m], to (its) full extent, (part of) the terr[itory of Assy]ria.

(11b) Iāmānī of the city Ashdod took fright at my weapons, abandoned his wife, his sons, (and) his daughters, fled to the (far) edge of Egypt, on the border with the land [M]e[luḫ]ḫa, and lived (there) stealthfully (lit.: “like a thief”). I set a eunuch of mine as provincial governor over all of his wide land and his prosperous people, and (thereby) expanded the territory of the god Aššur, the king of the god[s]. Fear of the brilliance of the god Aššur, my lord, overwhelmed [the king of the land M]eluḫḫa; they put iron fetters on his (Iāmāni’s) hand(s) and feet and he (the king of Meluḫḫa) had him (Iāmāni) brought to Assyria (and) into my presence.

(15) [Moreover], I plundered the city Šinuḫtu, the city Samaria, and all of the land Bīt-Ḫumria (Israel). I caught the Ionians who (live in) the middle of the Western Sea like fish and [depo]rted (the people of) the lands Kasku, Tabal, (and) Ḫilakku. I drove out Mitâ (Midas), king of the land Musku. I brought about the defeat of Egypt at the city Raphia and counted Ḫanūnu (Ḫanno), [king of the city G]aza, as booty. I subjugated seven kings of the land Yāʾ, a region of the land Yadnana (Cyprus) — whose abode [is situ]ated at a distance of seven days (journey) in the middle of the Western Sea.

(18b) Moreover, [my] great [hand] conque[red] Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-Baladan), king of Chaldea, who dwelt on the shore of the sea (and) who exercised kingship over Babylon against the will of the gods. I divided up all of his (Marduk-apla-iddina’s) wide land into equal parts, assi[gned] (them) to the authority of a eunuch of mine, the governor of the land of Babylon, and a(nother) eunuch of mine, the governor of [the] Gambulu, [and I imposed] the yoke of the god Aššur (upon them).

(20b) Upēri, king of Dilmun, who(se) lair is situated at a distance of thirty leagues in the middle of the sea, like (that of) a fish, [heard] of my lordly mi[gh]t [and brought me] his audience gift.

(21b) With the strength of the gods Aššur, Nabû, (and) Marduk, the great gods, my lords, who mobilized my weapons, I cut down a[ll my] f[oes. I ruled as if (they were) one (people) from the land] Yadnana (Cyprus), which is in the middle of the sea, as far as the border(s) of Egypt and the land Mus[ku], the land Kummuḫu, the city Melid, the wide land Amurru, the land Ḫatt[i (Syria) in its entirety, all of the land G]utium, the distant Medes (who live) on the border of Mount Bikni, the land Rāši (and) [the land E]l[lip]i on the border of the land Elam, the A[rameans who live beside the Tigris, Sur]appu, (and) Uqnû rivers, together with the Sutians, the people of the steppe of the land Ya[dburu, as many as] th[ere are, from the city Samʾūna, as far as (25) the city Bub]ê (and) the city Tīl-Ḫumba, which are on the border of the land Elam, the land Karduniaš (Babylonia) from one end [to the other (lit.: “above [and below]”), all of Chaldea, as much as there is (of it), the land Bīt-Yakīn, which is on the shore of the sea, as far as the border of Dil]mun, and I [made (them part of) the ter]ri[tory] of Assyria. [I set eunuchs of mine as provincial governors over them and] imposed [the yoke of m]y [lordship] upon them.

(27b) At that time, using (as laborers) enemy pe[ople whom I had captured, whom the gods Aššur, Nabû, and Marduk had made bow down at my feet, and who] (now) pull my yoke, (and) in accordance with [divine] will [(and) my heart’s desire, I built a city] at the foot of Mount <M>uṣri, upstream from Nineveh, [and I na]med it [Dūr-Šarrukīn].

(28b) [I created around it] a [botanical] garden, a repl[ica] of Mount Amanus, [in] which [were gathered] every kind of aromatic plant from the land Ḫatti (Syria) (and) every type of fruit-bearing mountain tree.

(29b) Not [o]ne of [the three hundred and fifty previo]us [rulers] who had exercised [lor]dship over Assyria before my time and had [go]verned the subj[ects of the god E]n[lil had noted its (the city’s)] site [or come to know how to make it habitable]; nor [had one ordered] the digging of its canal] or the planting of orchards there. [Day (and) night I planned earnestly how to settle that city] (and) to have built [a great shrine — a cella] for the great gods — and palatial [halls to be my lordly abode], and I (then) ordered its construction.

(31b) In a favorable month, (on) an [auspicious] day — [in the month of the god Ku]lla, (on) the day of an eššēšu-festival [...] — I had (workmen) [wiel]d [ho]e(s) an[d make bricks].

(32b) [In the month of Abu (V) — the month for the one who lay]s the foundation of citi(es) and house(s) (and in) which a[ll the black-headed people construct] shelter(s) [for] the[ir dwelli]ng(s) — I plac[ed its limestone masonry] on top of (foundation deposits of) gold, [silver], copper, pre[cious stone]s, (and) [pieces (of aromatic woods) from Mount Amanus]. I laid its foundations and [established its brickwork].

(34b) I had built [ins]ide [it (the city) for] the gods E[a, Sîn, Ningal], Šamaš, [Nabû, Adad, Ninurta, and] their great [spou]ses [awe-inspiring daises which] were made as firm [as the mountains].

(35) [At their august command], I built [palatial halls using (lit.: “of”) elephant ivory, ebony, boxwood, musukkannu-wood, ce]dar, cypress, daprānu-juniper, [juniper, and terebinth to be my royal residence and I roofed them] with large ce[dar] beams. I [bou]nd [the doors of cypress (and) musukkannu-wood] with band(s) of [shi]ning [cop]per and [installed (them in) their] entr[ance(s). I had built in front of] their gates [a portico (bīt appāti), a replica of a] Hittite [palace], which [is called a bīt ḫilāni] in the language of the land [Amur]ru.

(37b) Eight [tw]in lion (colossi) [of shin]ing [copper] that weigh 4,610 [full (lit.: “tested”) talents] (and) that [were c]ast by the cr[aft] of the god Ninaga[l and filled with radiance — upon (those) [lion colossi] I installed four mat]ching [cedar columns], whose [diameter(s) are one nindanu] each, the product of Mount Amanus; and] I [positioned cross]-beams (upon them) [as a cornice] for their gates. I skillfully fashioned [magnificent mountain sheep colossi of mass]ive [mountain stone] and in the four directions I had (them) hold their (the gates’) door bolt(s). [I depicted] the settlements that [I had con]quer[ed upon] large lime[stone slabs and] surrounded their (the palatial halls’) lower courses (with them). I made (them) [an object of wo]nder.

(40b) I made [the leng]th of its wall 16,2[80 cubits] and [I made its] fo[undation secure] u[pon (blocks of) massive] mountain [stone. In front (and) in ba]ck, on both sides, [facing the four directions, I opened] eight [gates (in the city wall). I named the gate(s) of the gods Šamaš and Adad that face the east “The God Šamaš Is the One Who Makes] Me [Triu]mph” (and) “The God Adad Is the One Who Establishes My Prosperity” (respectively). I called [the gate(s) of the god Enlil and the goddess Mullissu that fa]ce the north “[The God] Enlil Is the One Who Establishes the Foundation of My City” (and) [“The Goddess Mullissu Is the One Who Restores Abundance” (respectively). I made] the na[me(s) of the gate(s)] of the god Anu [and the goddess Ištar that face the we]st (45) [“The God Anu Is the One Who Makes My Undertakings Successful” (and) “The Goddess Ištar Is the One Who Makes] Its [People Flourish” (respectively). I pronounced the names of the] gate(s) [of the god] E[a and the goddess Bēlet-ilī that face the south (to be) “The God Ea Is the One Who Keeps Its Spring(s) in Good Order” (and) “The Goddess Bēlet-Ilī] Is the One Who [Incr]eases [Its (Animals’) Offspring” (respectively). Its (city) wall was (called) “The God Aššur Is the One] Who Prolongs [the Reign of] Its [Royal Build]er (and) Protects [His Troops].” Its [outer] wall was (called) [“The God Ninurta Is the One Who Establishes the Foundation of His City for (All)] Days to Come.”

(49b) Peop[le from the four (quarters of the world), (speaking) foreign language(s) (and of) diverse speech, those who had dwelt in (both) mountain(s)] and (low)land(s), as many as [the “Light of the Gods” (Šamaš), the lord of all, shepherded, whom I had carr]ied off [as booty by the power of my staff at the command of the god Aššur, my lord], I [made act] in con[cert and I (re)settled (them) inside it (the city)]. I commissioned [native] Assyria[ns, masters of] ev[ery craft, as] over[seers (and) comm]anders [to instruct (the settlers) in correct behavior (and how) to revere god and king].

(54) [Af]ter I had completed work on their city [(and)] my palace, I invited the god Aššur, [the father of the] gods, the great lord, (and) the (other) gods and goddesses who dwell [in Assy]ria (to come) inside it. [I] offered them (the gods) extensive presents, substantial [audi]ence gift(s), (and) innumerable gifts, and I offered [befor]e them sacrifices as pure voluntary offerings.

(59b) With rulers from the four quarters (of the world), provincial governors of my land, nobles, eunuchs, and elders of Assyria, I sat down inside my palace and held a festival. I received as their substantial [tr]ibute gold, silver, utensils of gold (and) silver, valuable stones, copper, iron, garments with multi-colored trim, (and) linen garments, blue-purple wool, red-purple wool, antimony, (65) elephant hides, elephant ivory, ebony, boxwood, everything valuable, royal treasure, large horses from Egypt trained to the yoke, mules, donkeys, camels, oxen, (and) sheep and goats, [...].