These texts are to be distinguished from the annals and other royal inscriptions in that the language is poetry, or by the literary devices employed. Something must be said here of the historical background. The first text no. 17, concerns a campaign to Urarṭu of Shalmaneser III. Although it is true that his name is nowhere mentioned in the text, there is little doubt about its ascription, since the turtānu, or second-in-command, is specified as Aššur-belu-ka"in, who occupied the office of eponym in the year following Shalmaneser's accesion year. The references to discipline under and campaign routes followed during the reign of Shalmaneser's father, Assurnasirpal II (883-859) in ll. 16 and 19 can be understood as historical allusions within the argument of the text: Assurnasirpal was renowned as a warrior and with his reputation for cruelty must have exercised excellent discipline.
No. 18 concerns an episode in the wars of Sargon II (721-705) against Elam. There is a reference to Ellipi, a land lying between Media and Elam, whose rulers remained loyal to Assyria during the time of Sargon.
The remaining texts in this section, with the exception of no. 23, the precise background to which is uncertain, concern Assurbanipal's Elamite wars. Resulting indirectly from the usurpation of the Elamite throne by Teumman (Elamite: Tept-Humban), the wars led to the establishment of Elam as a state dependent on Assyria.
Alasdair Livingstone
Alasdair Livingstone, 'Epical Poetry Praising the Military Might and Exploits of Assyrian Kings', Court Poetry and Literary Miscellanea, SAA 3. Original publication: Helsinki, Helsinki University Press, 1989; online contents: SAAo/SAA03 Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2020 [http://oracc.org/saao/saa03/natureandcontent/epicalpoetry/]