Ahhešaya, commandant of Uruk from at least 675 to 666 B.C., is the author of a broken letter to Esarhaddon or Assurbanipal (no. 79).[[45]] Itti-Marduk-balaṭu tells the king about temple affairs involving the king's gods (no. 80). After quoting an agreement to keep the king informed, he reports that sheikhs from Harmašu went to Elam via Uruk and that he is using horses from the kIng. Itti-Marduk-balaṭu, also known as Balaṭu, is attested as the chief administrator (prelate) of Eanna from 674 B.C. possibly to 666 B.C.[[46]] This treaty obligation is also quoted in no. 83:3-4; both texts are probably of Esarhaddon date.
An unknown author from Uruk appeals to Esarhaddon about prebends. He contrasts himself and his brothers who were consecrated as shaven personnel by Sennachenb "your father" with the shaven personnel, consecrated by Eriba-Marduk, Merodach-Baladan II, and Zer-kitti-Iišir, who still hold prebends (no. 82). The author requests that Balaṭu the chief administrator consecrate him and his brothers, presumably so that they too may be prebend holders. Sennacherib and Sargon consulted Ṣillaya on this issue and the author recommends Bel-eṭir's advice.[[47]] Eriba-Marduk and Merodach-Baladan were eighth century B.C. kings of Baylonia from Bit-Yakin.[[48]] Merodach-Baladan's son Zer-kitti-lišir, full name Nabû-zer-kitti-Iišir, was the rebellious governor of the Sealand driven out by Esarhaddon in 680 B.C.[[49]] The reference to Balaṭu, full name ltti-Marduk-balaṭu, dates the letter to 674-669 B.C. (see no. 80).
No. 83 lacks an epistolary introduction and named author but resembles the main body of a letter written in the first person to the king. The author was among those who entered into an agreement with "the king your father" and the king, and he quotes the obligation to keep the king informed which is also cited in no. 80 r.2-5. He reports on the prosecution of criminals who acted against the king in Uruk, emphasising that he and others passed on information to the king. Zera-ukin, accompanied by a son of Ina-tesî-eṭir, should be questioned before he is helped to escape. Ina-tešî-eṭir is attested as commandant in Uruk in 678 B.C. and Bel-ušezib reports his arrest to Esarhaddon.[[50]] A fragmentary letter mentions Uruk, "the king your father," and Ṣillaya (no. 84). The latter references may suggest an Esarhaddon date but Ṣillaya's identity in no. 84 is uncertain.[[51]]
45 See PNA 1/I 60f s.v. Ahhēšāia 2.
46 See no. 82; PNA 2/I 589 s.v. ltti-Marduk-balāṭu 1; Frame Babylonia 280.
47 On Ṣillaya and Bel-eṭir, see Arnold Uruk 43ff, 122f. The name Ṣillaya is also linked with Uruk in no. 84 r.8f and ABL 1204 r.3f.
48 See Brinkman PKB 221-24; Brinkman Prelude 46-60.
49 See Waters, SAAS 12 37; Porter Images 30; Frame Babylonia 60f, 65f. Nabû-zer-kitti-lišir may have taken office after 691 B.C. He appears as Zer-kitti-lišir in other Babylonian letters (no. 91; SAA 10 112; ABL 965; ABL 1248).
50 See PNA 2/I 541f s.v. lna-tēšî-eṭir 5, cf. no. 198:14-r.4.
51 On Ṣillaya, see no. 82.
Frances Reynolds
Frances Reynolds, 'Letters from Uruk', 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/fromuruk/]