Ubaru the commandant of Babylon reports to the king on his welcome in Babylon and the universal acclaim for the king's resettlement of the city (no. 14). In other sources Ubaru is linked with Esarhaddon's restoration of BabyIon and features as an authority opposed to Ṣillaya.[[28]] Zakir reports that Ubaru the commandant of Babylon opposed claims against the city initiated by Ṣillaya; Babylon's restoration has been underway for at least a year (SAA 10 169). A governor of Nippur requests that Ubaru the commandant of Babylon Intervene in a water dispute with Ṣillaya (no. 70). The name Ubaru in three damaged letters may refer to the commandant of Babylon (nos. 15, 16, and 103). No. 15 mentions Šuma-iddin, Ubaru, conflict, and Elam. Šuma-iddin may be the prelate of Esaggil attested during the eponymate of the commandant Ubaru and the author of a letter to Esarhaddon.[[30]] No. 16 probably comes from Babylon III view of the deities named.
In no. 17 Nergal-naṣir recommends men loyal to the king but reports that Ṣillaya has initiated the arrest of a royal subject without the king's consent in a climate of disloyalty. In view of the Nabû and Marduk blessing and evidence elsewhere of Ṣillaya's clashes with Assyrian-backed authorities in Babylon, the letter is probably from Babylon or its vicinity under Esarhaddon.[[31]]
A letter to the king reports that deities including gods of Der have arrived in Babylon (no. 18). The greeting formulae and subject matter suggest an Esarhaddon date. An unknown author reports on commodities, including iron and textiles, and on an ally's proposal for unifying territory under Assyria (no. 19). Raši-il in no. 19 r.2 may be the author of other letters; if so, Babylon under Esarhaddon may be the source.[[32]]
28 Ubaru's exact dates are uncertain, see Frame Babylonia 73, 271, 286. On Ṣillaya and Babylon, see nos. 17 and 54.
30 See Frame Babylonia 271; SAA 13 178.
31 On Ṣillaya and Babylon, see nos. 14 and 54. Zakir from Babylon complains of theft and intimidation by Ṣillaya (SAA 8 309).
32 SAA 13 173-176.
Frances Reynolds
Frances Reynolds, 'Letters from 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/esarhaddoncorrespondence/frombabylon/]