Marduk-naṣir is the author of two fragmentary letters to the king (nos. 92-93). The other letter links Sasiya, Erišu, Remanni-Adad the chariot driver, and Bel-eṭir with activity detrimental to the king (no. 92). On probable references to Sasiya and Bel-eṭir in two other letters, one concerning conspiracy in 675 B.C., see no. 131. Erišu and the Egyptian king Šarru-lu-dari are probably mentioned in a broken letter from Nabû-iqbi from Cutha (SAA 10 162:3, 7). The same Erišu may be named by an unknown author who links an arrest and a deportation for high treason with Ša-Nabû-šû and Erišu's brothers (no. 101). The offenders had committed a crime under the king's grandfather and the latest act of treason involves the house of Nabu-eṭir and Erišu (possibly his brothers). The author probably exonerates his lords' house. Ša-Nabû-šû and Nabû-eṭir are probably the otherwise unnamed chief eunuch and the Nabû-eṭir who both conspired with Sasiya in 671-670 B.C.[[57]] The letters 92, 93, and 101 could have been included in the Babylon section on the basis of the Nabû and Marduk blessings in nos. 92 and 93, but these gods are also invoked in letters from other sources.[[58]]
A damaged letter to Esarhaddon early in his reign recounts events in the course of Arda-Mullissi's successful conspiracy to kill his father Sennacherib (no. 100).[[59]] An unknown man, possibly from Babylon, learns of this and tries to warn the king through a direct appeal. Nabû-šuma-iškun and Ṣillaya question him and discover that his appeal concerns Arda-Mullissi. They take their victim blindfolded before Arda-Mullissi and order him to speak out. Believing that he is speaking to Sennacherib, the man declares that Arda-Mullissi will kill his father. His blindfold is removed and Arda-Mullissi interrogates him. On the identity of Nabû-šuma-iškun, see Parpola, CRRAI 26 177 n. 17. Ṣillaya's treachery against Sennachenb and his heir Esarhaddon may suggest that he is the troublemaker Ṣillaya mentioned in other letters who carried out anti-Assyrian activities in Babylonia under Esarhaddon (see p. XXIIf, above, on nos. 54, 69, and 70; no. 69 on SAA 10 2). Nabû-aha-ereš named in no. 100 r.10 may be the eponym of 681 B.C.[[60]]
A redemption dispute involves the Pahharu family and Ubaru' s son Nabû-ahhe- bulliṭ, and a royal eunuch has taken charge of a colony connected with Calah, as recommended by the unknown author (no. 103). Zakir quotes a reference by the commandant Ubaru to Esarhaddon's presence in Calah (SAA 10 169). References to a citizen of Babylon, the Pahharu family, and the Ṭabih-kari or Ṭabihu may indicate Babylon as the source.[[29]]
A broken letter refers to Mar-Issar, who is attested as Esarhaddon's agent in Babylonia in 671-669 B.C. (no. 106)[[61]] Two fragmentary letters mention the crown prince (nos. 107 and 108) and two mention the Succession Palace (nos. 109 and 110).[[18]] An unknown author mentions Kunâ (no. 111). He may occur in a scholarly letter to Esarhaddon or a letter probably from Sargon but no. 111 is of uncertain date.[[62]] Another fragmentary letter mentions Bunanu (no. 112). A son of Bunanu occurs in a letter to Esarhaddon and Bel-iqiša, Bunanu's son, is named in a letter to Esarhaddon or Assurbanipal.[[63]]
Nabû-iqbi from Cutha is the author of letters and astrological reports, and three of his letters to Esarhaddon are edited in this volume among a number of other additions to SAA 10.[[22]] He alleges a miscarriage of justice and urges that Ašaredu the commandant of Cutha, who escaped conviction before the king, should be convicted before the chariot driver, the governor of HAR, and the mayor Sasiya, before their loyalty is corrupted (no. 131). Nabû-iqbi also repeats the king's order to the magnates that all scholars are to be sent to the king. Nabû-iqbi's desire for Ašaredu's conviction probably relates to their property dispute which he mentions in other letters.[[23]] Ašaredu is the author of a letter to the king's mother (no. 10) and is attested as late as 656 B.C.[[24]] The governor of HAR and Sasiya are probably referred to in two other Babylonian letters. In 675 B.C. Bel-ušezib suspects the Egyptian king Šarru-lu-dari, his friend the governor of HAR, probably called Bel-eṭir, and his friend Sasiya of conspiracy against Esarhaddon (SAA 10 112 r.11-14).[[25]] Marduk-naṣir mentions Sasiya and Bel-eṭir in a fragmentary context, possibly as wrongdoers (no. 92:5-14). Two damaged letters from Nabû-iqbi concern absentees from the king's audiences and a temple of Marduk (nos. 132 and 133).
18 The identity of Natan or Natannu in no. 108:3 is uncertain. A mna-tan-nu occurs in a letter to Sargon (ABL 422:5, r.2, r.8). A mna-tan associated with the Puqudu participated in the Šamaš-šumu-ukin revolt (e.g. ABL 282:17, r.17; ABL 1437:2, 9). On mna-tan, probably also written mna-ta-[nu], in ABL 839:20, r.1, r.6, see Frame Babylonia 128 n. 146.
22 Letters: nos. 131-133; SAA 10 162-164. Reports: SAA 8 416-436. All Nabû-iqbi's letters, as preserved, have the same greetings and closure, except the invocation of Aššur, Šamaš, and Marduk in no. 131:2 and the title "king of the lands" in SAA 10 163 r.13 and 164 r.16.
23 SAA 10 163 and 164.
24 On Ašaredu commandant of Cutha, see PNA 1/I 141 s.v. Ašarēdu 5-6. He also is the author of no. 11, but probably not of SAA 10 156.
25 On the date, see Nissinen, SAAS 7 138.
29 These family names are attested in various cities, including Babylon, see e.g. Wunsch Egibi II 331, 346. Professional family names were very common.
57 On the chief eunuch, see Nissinen, SAAS 7 147ff. On Nabû-eṭir, see ABL 1217 + CT 53 118 r.14; Nissinen, SAAS 7 110f, 126f.
58 See Introduction on blessings.
59 For a treatment of ABL 1091 and the conspiracy, see Parpola, CRRAI 26 171-82. Arda-Mullissi is described as mār šarri in a document dated 694 B.C. (SAA 6 103) and is mentioned in a letter from Bel-ušezib to Esarhaddon (SAA 10 113 r.5). For his name in non-cuneiform sources, see Parpola, CRRAI 26 176 n. 6.
60 See Millard, SAAS 2 102f.
61 On Mar-Issar, see Frame Babylonia 90f. For Assyrian letters from Mar-Issar in Babylonia, see SAA 10 347-70. The name occurs in one Babylonian letter (SAA 13 178:4, 10, r.17).
62 CT 54 212 r.16; SAA 1 18:3. See PNA 2/I 673 s.v. Kunâ 1, 2, 4.
63 ABL 965 r.27f; no. 56:14.
Frances Reynolds
Frances Reynolds, 'Miscellaneous Letters', 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/miscellaneousletters/]