In addition to seven letters from Assurbanipal and four from Šamaš-šumu- ukin, all from the period of their joint crown princehood (672-669), the present volume contains four letters from two other children of Esarhaddon: three letters authored (or dictated) by a prince named Šamaš-metu-uballiṭ and one by the princess Šerua-eṭerat. [[76]] These letters are interesting rarities.
Šamaš-metu-uballiṭ's letters illustrate the necessity of getting the king's permission even for performing rather minor tasks: in no. 25 the king is expected to give the order to repair a chariot wheel which the prince had broken at the king's guard, in no. 26 the royal order is needed to engage a physician to take care of a sick court woman, and no. 27 may likewise relate to a healing ritual to be performed at court, again at the king's orders. These letters, the so-called Zakutu treaty (SAA 28) and some administrative documents in which Šamaš-metu-uballiṭ is mentioned[[77]] suggest that his role may principally, if not exclusively, have been confined to the affairs of the royal court.[[78]]
Šerua-eṭerat's letter to Assurbanipal 's wife Libbali-šarrat (no. 28) vividly illustrates the undercurrent tensions between two high-ranking women at court.[[79]] Note that Šerua-eṭerat is annoyed that Libbali-šarrat might be publicly referred to as her "sister" (ahātu). This use of ahātu resembles the usage of the word ahu ("brother") in letters, where it mostly means "colleague, fellow." Presumably in this letter, too, the word carried the nuance "equal, equivalent, as good as." In any case, Šerua-eṭerat clearly did not want simply benevolently to instruct the newcomer to the royal family in the ways of the palace, but seems to have written the letter out of feelings of rivalry and jealousy. Was she afraid of losing influence and status among the Assyrian royal women? On the whole, it is quite remarkable that this kind of emotional letter was ever written by an Assyrian princess to the future queen of Assyria, and more so that the letter survives.
76 According to Parpola, Festschrift Röllig p.321 n. 18, Šerua-eṭerat is the writer of the letter.
77SAA 7 13 :6, 149 iii 3, 54 i 5. 157 i 2.
78 Šamaš-metu-uballiṭ was possibly the third eldest son of Esarhaddon, cf. SAA 2 8:4. For the children of Esarhaddon, see the list in LAS II pp. 117-9 and PNA 1/I p. 161ff. S.v. Aššur-bani-ipli.
79 Otherwise Šerua-eṭerat is almost exclusively attested together with the royal family: AfO 13 214:22, SAA 7 154 i 2, SAA 10 223 r.11, SAA 13 56 r.8, with one exception CT 53 966:9, a fragmentary letter in which she is mentioned together with Kandalanu and (the king of) Elam.
Mikko Luukko & Greta van Buylaere
Mikko Luukko & Greta van Buylaere, 'Letters from Prince Šamš-metu-uballiṭ and Princess Šeru 'a-eṭerat', The Political Correspondence of Esarhaddon, SAA 16. Original publication: Helsinki, Helsinki University Press, 2002; online contents: SAAo/SAA16 Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2022 [http://oracc.org/saao/saa16/assyriandomesticaffairs/lettersfromprinceammetuuballiandprincesseruaeerat/]