Letters from or Relating to Babylon

A document from Babylon has an unusual format: it quotes a speech by the people of Babylon addressed to "the kings, our lords" and given in the king's presence (no. 158).[[72]] The text requests that the privileged status (kidinnūtu) granted to Babylon's inhabitants be extended also to the foreign women living in Babylon. The petitioners' tactics include flattery, learned quotations, and the citation of historical events. They point out that Eṭiru and his sons were loyal to "the king of Assyria, your father," until their murder by Šuzubu of the Gahal family. The kings addressed are Assurbanipal and Šamaš-šumu-ukin before the revolt. The murderer has been identified as Nergal-ušezib, the anti-Assyrian king of Babylonia in 694-693 B.C.[[73]] In this case, the king "your father" in no. 158 is actually Sennacherib, the addressees' grandfather. Eṭiru in no. 158 may be the prelate of Esaggil and may be named on a kudurru from the reign of Aššur-nadin-šumi (699-694 B.C.).[[74]] Šaddinnu mentioned in line 19 may be named on the same kudurru.[[75]]

An unknown author declares his loyalty to the kings of Assyria and Babylon, thus Assurbanipal and Šamaš-šumu-ukin (no. 159).

Šuzubu appeals to Aqarâ his lord about a family property dispute and asks to be assigned to the commandant (no. 160). He reports that Aplaya, a member of the Abunaya family and possibly son of Bel-bulliṭ, has been convicted and has entered the service of an individual, possibly called Bel-leʾi. Aqarâ in no. 160 may be attested in two economic texts as an eponym and governor of Babylon shortly before 652 B.C.[[76]] Bel-bulliṭ also occurs in nos. 158 r.10 and no. 161, a list of Babylon residents.[[77]] If Bel-leʾi is named in no. 160, he may be Bel-leʾi(-kalama) who is attested as the commandant of Babylon in 654 B.C.[[78]]

Kabtiya replies to a letter from the king concerning a treaty between the king and Babylon (no. 162). Kabtiya explains that military duty abroad at the king's command caused him to miss joining the treaty in Babylon but that he did so in Nippur and Uruk. He declares his support for the treaty and asserts that the king 's order was followed, in that the elders entered into the treaty in Babylon. This letter dates from the reign of Assurbanipal or Esarhaddon and has been tentatively assigned to after the Šamaš-šumu-ukin revolt.[[79]] A damaged letter reports to Assurbanipal on the beginning of the revolt (no. 164). Reference may be made to Bel-leʾi as the commandant of the people of Babylon. Bel-leʾi(-kalama) is attested as commandant of Babylon in 654 B.C. (see no. 160). Another letter refers to people of Babylon, "their king," presumably Šamaš-šumu-ukin, and a defeat (no. 165). Four fragmentary letters mention the king of Babylon (nos. 166-169).



72 On this format, cf. no. 69.

73 See PNA 1/II 418f s.v. Gahal.

74 See PNA 1/II 408 s.v. Ēṭiru 2; J.A. Brinkman and S. Dalley, ZA 78 (1988) 83, 88f.

75 See J.A. Brinkman and S. Dalley, ZA 78 (1988) 83, 89.

76 See Millard, SAAS 2 78, 81; Frame Babylonia 271, 286f.

77 md+EN-TIN-iṭ DUMU mAD-na-a-a, no. 161:9, see PNA 1/I 18 s.v. Abunaia.

78 See Frame Babylonia 271; no. 164. On the writing, cf. md+EN-DA LÚ.GAR-UMUŠ TIN.TIR.KI, E.A. Wallis Budge, ZA 3 (1888) 228 no. 5:4f.

79 See PNA 2/I 594 s.v. Kabtīa 1 ; Frame Babylonia 102. For a different interpretation, see Cole, SAAS 4 77. Kabtiya is a common name.

Frances Reynolds

Frances Reynolds, 'Letters from or Relating to Babylon', The Babylonian Correspondence of Esarhaddon and Letters to Assurbanipal and Sin-šarru-iškun from Northern and Central Babylonia, SAA 18. Original publication: Helsinki, Helsinki University Press, 2003; online contents: SAAo/SAA18 Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2020 [http://oracc.org/saao/saa18/assurbanipalletters/frombabylon/]

 
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