Sennacherib 018

(i 1') fav[orite of the great gods, guardian of truth] who lo[ves justice, renders assistance], goes to [the aid of the weak], (and) strives af[ter good deeds], (i 5´) per[fect] man, [virile warrior], foremost of [all rulers], the bridle that cont[rols the insubmissive], (and) the one who strikes [enemies] with lightn[ing]:

(i 1'') ... [...] I received [a sub]stantial [audience gift from Nabû-bēl-šumāti], the official in charge of [the city Ḫararatu (Ḫarutu): gold, silver, large] musukkannu-trees, [donkeys, camels], oxen, and sheep [and goats].

(i 5''b) [I put] to the sword [the population of the city Ḫirimmu], a dangerous enemy, [and] I did not spare a single one. I hung [their] corpses on poles [and] placed (them) around the city. (i 10´´) I reorganized that district (and) imposed for eternity one ox, ten sheep, ten homers of wine, (and) twenty homers of dates as his first-fruits offerings to the gods of Assyria, my lords.

(i 14'') On my second campaign, the god Aššur, my lord, (i 15´´) encouraged me and I marched to the land of the Kassites and the land of the Yasubigallians, who since time immemorial had not submitted to the kings, my ancestors. In the high mountains, difficult terrain, (i 20´´) I rode on horseback and had my personal chariot carried on (men’s) necks. In very rugged terrain I roamed about on foot like a wild bull.

(i 23''b) I surrounded (and) conquered the cities Bīt-Kilamzaḫ, Ḫardišpu, (and) Bīt-Kubatti, (i 25´´) their fortified walled cities. I brought [out] of them people, horses, mules, [donkey]s, oxen, and sheep and [goats, and] I counted (them) [as booty]. Moreover, (i 30´´) I destroyed, [devastated, (and) tu]rned into ruins [their small(er) settlements, which] were without [num]ber. I bu[rned] with fire pavilions (and) te[nts], their [ab]odes, [and] reduced (them) [to] ashes.

(i 33''b) I made [that city] Bīt-Kilamzaḫ a fortress a[gain] (and) I strengthened its walls more than [before], then [I settled] there[in the people of the lands] that I had conquered. [I brought down from the mountains] the people of the land of the Kas[sites]

(ii 1') He (Ispabāra) [abandoned his fortified cities] (and) his [treasury and] fled [far awa]y. I overwhelmed all of [his wide land l]ike a fog. I surrounded, conquered, [destroyed], devastated, (and) burned with fire the cities [Maru]bištu (and) Akkuddu, (ii 5´) [cities of] his [roy]al [house], together with thirty-four small(er) settlements [in] their [environs].

(ii 8') [I carried off people, young (and) old], male and female, horses, [mules], donkeys, camels, oxen, [and sheep] and goats without number, then [I brought him (Ispabāra) to nought] and made his land smaller. I detached [from] his land [the cities Ṣi(ṣ)ṣir]tu (and) Kummaḫlum, [fortifi]ed [cities], together with the small(er) settlements (ii 15´) [in their environs (and) the district of] the land Bīt-Barrû in its entirety, and I added (this area) [to the territory of] Assyria.

(ii 19') I took [the city Elenzaš] as a royal city (ii 20´) [and a fortress for] that [dist]rict, then I changed [its former name] and [called it Kār-Senn]acherib. [I sett]led [therein the people] of the lands that [I] had conquered. (ii 25´) [I placed] (it) under the authority of [a eunuch of mine, the gov]ernor of the city Ḫarḫar, [and (thus) enlarg]ed [my] lan[d].

(ii 27') [On my return] ma[rch, ...] ... [...]

(ii 1'') [Moreover, (as for) Ṣidqâ], the king of the city Ashke[lon who had not bowed down] to my yoke, I forcibly removed [the gods of his father’s house, himself], his wife, his sons, [his] daughter[s, his brothers], (and other) offspring of his father’s house [and] took him [to Assyria].

(ii 5''b) [I set] Šarru-lū-dāri, [son of Rūkibtu], their forme[r] king, [over the people of] the city Ashkelo[n and] imposed upon him the payment of tribute (and) gift[s (in recognition) of my overlordship] so that he (now) pul[ls my yoke].

(ii 10'') In the course of [my] cam[paign], I surrounded, conquered, (and) [plundered the cities Bīt-Daganna], Joppa, [Banayabarqa], (and) Azuru, [the cities of Ṣidqâ] that [had not submitted] to me [quickly].

(ii 15'') (As for) the governor[s, the nobles, and the people of the city Ekron] ... [...]

(ii 1''') [I]n the thick of battle, I captured [alive the] Egypt[ian charioteers and pri]nces (lit. “the sons of the king”), [together with the charioteer]s of the king of the land Meluḫ[ḫa].

(iii 1) [I surrounded, conquered, (and) plunder]ed [the cities Eltekeh (and) Tamnâ]. I approached [the city Ekron] and [I killed the governors (and) nobles] who [had committed] crime(s) [and (iii 5) hung] their corpses on towers [around the city; I cou]nted the citizens who had committed the crim]inal acts [as booty; (and) I commanded that] the rest of them, [(those) who were not guilty of crimes] or wrongdoing, [(to) whom no penalty] was due, [be allowed to go free].

(iii 10b) [I brought out Pad]î, their king, [from the city Jerusal]em [and placed (him) on the] lordly [throne over them, then I imposed upon him pay]ment (in recognition) of [my] lo[rdship].

(iii 15) Moreover, (as for) He[zekiah of the land Judah], who had not sub[mitted to my yoke, I surrounded (and) conquered] forty-six of his [fortified] cities, [fortresses], and [small(er)] settlements [in their environs], which [were] without number, [by having] (iii 20) ramps [trodden down and battering rams brought up], the assault of [foot soldiers, sapping, breaching], and siege [engines. I brought] out [of them] 200,[150 people, young (and) old, male and female], horse[s, mules, donkeys, camels], (iii 25) oxen, [and sheep and goats, which were without number, and I counted] (them) as boo[ty].

(iii 27b) [As for him (Hezekiah)], I [confined him] inside [the city Jerusalem, his royal city, like a bird in a cage. I set up blockades against him and (iii 30) made him dread] exiti[ng his city gate. I detached from his land] the cit[ies of his that I had plundered]

(iii 1') [On] my [fourth campaign], the god Aššur, my lord, [encouraged me] so that [I mustered] my [numerous] troops and [ordered the march] to the land Bīt-Yakīn. In the course of my campaign, (iii 5´) I defeated [Šūzubu] (Mušēzib-Marduk), a Chaldean who lives in the marshes, [at the city Bi]ttūtu. [As for him], terror of doing battle with me [fell] upon him and his heart pounded. He fled alone [like] a lynx and his (hiding) place could [not] be found.

(iii 10'b) [I] turned around (lit. “[I] turned the front of my yoke”) and took the road to the land Bīt-Yakīn. He — Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), [whom] I had [de]feated and whose forces I had scattered during my first campaign — (iii 15´) [be]came frightened by [the cl]angor of my mighty weapons and my fierce battle array, then [dis]lodged the gods of the (full) extent of his land from their abodes, and loaded (them) onto boats. He flew away [like a] bird [to the city] Nagīte-raqqi, which is in the midst of the sea. (iii 20´) [I brought] his brothers, the seed of his father’s house, [whom he had aban]doned at the shore of the sea, together with the rest of [the people of] his [land, out] of the land Bīt-Yakīn, [which is in the] swamps and marshes, and I counted (them) as booty.

(iii 25') [Once again] I destroyed (and) devastated his [cit]ies, (and) [turned (them) into ruins]. I poured out [awe-inspiring] brilliance upon his ally, [the king of the land Elam].

(iii 28') [On my return march, I] placed Aššur-nādin-šumi, [my first-born son (whom I) raised on] my (own) knee, [on his lordly throne] and

(iii 1'') [On my fifth campaign: The population of the cities Tumurrum, Šarum, Ezāma], Kipšu, [Ḫalbuda, Qūa, (and) Qana, whose dwellings are situated] like the nests of [eagles, the foremost of birds, on the peak of Mount] Nipur, a rugged mountain, [and who had not] bowed down to the yoke — (iii 5´´) I had [my camp] pitched [at the foot of Mount Nipur].

(iii 6'') [Like a fierce wild bull, with my] select [bodyguard and my] merci[less combat troops], I took [the lead of] them (the soldiers in my camp). [...] ... [...]

(iii 1''') ... [...]

(iv 1) [I pursued them] on the peaks of the mountains [and] defeated them. [I conquered], plundered, [destroyed, devastated], (and) burned with fire [their cities].

(iv 4b) I turned [around] (lit. “I turned [the front of my yoke]”) and took the road against [Maniye], the king of the city Ukku (and) an [insubmissive] mountain-d[weller]. Before [my] time, none of [the former kings of the past] had mar[ched through the untrodden paths] (and) difficult trails [on account of the] rugged [mountains].

(iv 1') [...] ... [... I bound him (Nergal-ušēzib) with] tethering ropes and [iron fetters, and brought him] to Assyria. I defea[ted the king of the land Elam], who had aligned himself with him [and come to] (iv 5´) his aid. I dispersed [his forces] and scatte[red his assembled host].

(iv 7') On my seventh campaign, [the god Aššur, my lord], encouraged me and I marched to [the land Elam]. In [the course of] my campaign, I conquered and plundered the cities Bīt-Ḫaʾiri (and) [Raṣā], (iv 10´) cities on the border of [Assyria] that the E[lamites] had taken away by force in the time of my ancestors. I had my garrisons stationed (iv 15´) inside them. I brought (those cities) back inside the border of Assyria and placed (them) under the authority of the garrison commander of Dēr.