Esarhaddon Chronicle Akītu Chronicle
Three Mesopotamian chronicles provide useful information both on events of the reign of Esarhaddon and the order of those events. The standard edition of Mesopotamian chronicles is that of A.K. Grayson (Grayson, Chronicles), but note also the recent edition by J.-J. Glassner (Glassner, Chronicles) and the on-going work by I. Finkel and R.J. van der Spek (see www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/chron00.html [http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/chron00.html] [2010]). For the convenience of the user of this volume, it has been thought useful to present translations of the relevant passages here; these translations are adapted from the aforementioned works.
| iii 34–38) | On the twentieth day of the month Ṭebētu (X), Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was killed by his son in a rebellion. Sennacherib ruled Assyria for [twenty-four] years. The rebellion continued in Assyria from the twentieth day of the month Ṭebētu until the second day of the month Addaru (XII). On the eighteenth/twenty-eighth day of the month Addaru, his son Esarhaddon ascended the throne in Assyria. |
| iii 39–47) | The first year of Esarhaddon (680): When (Nabû)-zēr-kitti-līšir, governor of the Sealand, had gone upstream, he encamped against Ur, but did no[t capture] the city. (Instead) he fled from the Assyrian officers and we[nt (back) in]to Elam. In Elam, the king of Elam took him prisoner and put him to the sword. In an unknown month, the governor (of Nippur) [...] in Nippur. In the month Ulūlu (VI), the god Ištarān and the gods [of Dēr] went [from ...] to Dēr. [...] went to Dūr-Šarrukīn [...]. In the month Addaru ... [...]. |
| iii 48–50) | The sec[ond year (679)]: The major-domo [conscripted troops in Akkad] ... [...] ... [...]. |
| iv 1–2) | [The third year (678): ... -aḫḫ]ē-šullim, the governor (of Nippur), (and) [Šamaš-ibni, the Dakkū]rian, were transported to Assyria and executed in Assyria. |
| iv 3–4) | [The fourth year (677)]: Sidon was captured (and) sacked. In that sa[me year], the major-domo conscripted troops in Akkad. |
| iv 5–8) | The fifth year (676): On the second day of the month Tašrītu (VII), the army of Assyria captured Bāzu. In the month Tašrītu, the head of the king of Sidon was cut off and conveyed to Assyria. In the month Addaru (XII), the head of the king of Kundu and Sissû was cut off and conveyed to Assyria. |
| iv 9–15) | The sixth year (675): The king of Elam entered Sippar (and) a massacre took place. The god Šamaš did not come out of Ebabbar. The Assyrians (marched) to Melid. On the seventh (day) of the (month) Ulūlu (VI), Ḫumban-ḫaltaš (II), king of Elam, without becoming ill, died in his palace. Ḫumban-ḫaltaš (II) ruled Elam for five years. His brother Urtaku ascended the throne in Elam. In an unknown month, Šuma-iddin, the governor (of Nippur), and Kudurru, the Dakkūrian, were transported to Assyria. |
| iv 16–18) | The seventh year (674): On the fifth day of the month Addaru (XII), the army of Assyria was defeated in Egypt. In the month Addaru, the goddess Ištar of Akkad and the gods of Akkad left Elam and entered Akkad on the tenth day of the month Addaru. |
| iv 19–22) | The eighth year (673): On the (Break) day of the month Ṭebētu (X), Šubria was captured (and) sacked. In the month Kislīmu (IX), its booty entered Uruk. On the fifth day of the month Addaru (XII), the king's wife died. |
| iv 23–28) | The tenth year (671): In the month Nisannu (I), the army of Assyria marched to Egypt. (Break) On the third, sixteenth, (and) eighteenth days of the month Duʾūzu (IV) — three times — there was a massacre in Egypt. (Variant adds: It was sacked (and) its gods were abducted.) On the twenty-second day, Memphis, the royal city, was captured (and) abandoned by its king. The sons of his brother[5] were taken prisoner. (The city) was sacked, its inhabitants taken prisoner, (and) its booty carried off. |
| iv 29) | The eleventh year (670): The king put his numerous officers to the sword in Assyria. |
| iv 30–33) | The twelfth year (669): The king of Assyria marched to Egypt (but) became ill on the way and died on the tenth day of the month Araḫsamna (VIII). Esarhaddon ruled Assyria for twelve years. Šamaš-šuma-ukīn (and) Ashurbanipal, his two sons, ascended the throne in Babylon and Assyria respectively. |
| 1'–5') | [...] the king of El[am ... E]sarhaddon ... [...] In the month Ulūlu (VI), (the god) Anu-rabû and the gods of Dē[r entered Dēr]; the gods Ḫumḫumya and Šimalīy[a entered Sippar]. In the month Tašrītu (VII), the forecourt ... in the mont[h ...] |
| 6'–9') | The second year (679): the major-domo [conscripted troop]s in Akkad. In that same year, Arzâ was captured (and) sacked. [(Its) people] were taken prisoner; the king and [his] son were captured. There was a massacre in Buššua and (there was a massacre) of the Cimmerians in Šubuḫnu. |
| 10'–11') | The third year (678): ... -aḫḫē-šullim, the governor (of Nippur), (and) Šamaš-ibni, the Dakkūrian, were transported to Assyria (and) executed in Assyria. |
| 12') | The fourth year (677): Sidon was captured (and) sacked. In that same year, the major-domo conscripted troops in Akkad. |
| 13'–14') | The fifth year (676): On the second day of the month Tašrītu (VII), the army of Assyria captured Bāzu. In the month Tašrītu, the head of the king of Sidon was cut off and conveyed to Assyria. |
| 15'–19') | The sixth year (675): The army of Assyria [march]ed to Melid (and) encamped against Mugallu. On the fifth day of the month Ulūlu (VI), Ḫumban-ḫaltaš (II), k[ing of El]am, without becoming ill and still appearing healthy, died in his palace. Ḫumban-ḫaltaš (II) ruled Elam for six years. His brother Urtaku ascended the throne in Elam. Šuma-iddin, the governor (of Nippur), and Kudurru, the Dakkūrian, were ex[ecuted]. |
| 20'–22') | The seventh year (674): On the eighth day of the month Addaru (XII), the army of Assyria [marched] to Šamēlē. In that same year, the goddess Ištar of Akkad and the gods of Akkad left [Elam and entered] Akkad on the tenth day of the month Addaru. |
| 23'–25a') | The eighth year (673): On the sixth day of the month Addaru (XII), the king's wife died. On the eighteenth day of the month Addaru, the army of Assyria [captured] Šubria (and) sacked it. |
| 25b'–26') | The tenth year (671): In the month Nisannu (I), the army of Assyria [marched to Egypt]. On the third day of the month Tašrītu (VII), there was a massacre in Egypt. |
| 27') | The eleventh year (670): The king of Assyria[6] [put] his numerous officers to [the sword]. |
| 28'–30') | The twelfth year (669): The king of Assyria marched to Egypt (but) became ill on the way and died on the [tenth] day of the month Araḫsamna (VIII). Esarhaddon ruled Assyria for twelve years. |
| 31'–34') | For eight years (during the reign of) Sennacherib, for twelve years (during the reign of) Esarhaddon — twenty years (altogether) — the god Bēl stayed [in B]altil (Aššur) and the Akītu festival did not take place. The god Nabû did not come from Borsippa for the procession of the god Bēl. In the month Kislīmu (IX), Ashurbanipal, [his (i.e. Esarhaddon's)] son, ascended the throne in Assyria. |
| 1–4) | For [eight] years (during the reign of) Se[nnacherib], for twelve years (during the reign of) Esar[haddon] — twenty years (altogether) — the god Bēl s[tayed] in Baltil (Aššur) [and] the Akītu festival did not take pla[ce]. |
5 See Brinkman, Studies Moran p. 83 n. 59, p. 89 and p. 104.
6 See Brinkman, Studies Moran p. 89 n. 87 and p. 104.
Erle Leichty
Erle Leichty, 'Chronicles', RINAP 4: Esarhaddon, The RINAP 4 sub-project of the RINAP Project, 2019 [http://oracc.org/rinap/rinap4/rinap4introduction/datingandchronology/chronicles/]