ABC 22 (Chronicle P)

For a very brief introduction to the literary genre of chronicles, go here. The translation on this webpage was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975) and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).

The tablet, BM 92701 (82-7-4, 38), upon which Chronicle P is inscribed is in very poor condition. The fragment is 180 mm wide and 120 mm long and represents only about one third of the original tablet. The fragment comes from the bottom portion of the chronicle.

Column I

[i.2'] [lacuna]

... king of Karduniaš and ...

[i.3'] 'king of Assyria between them made a treaty and together they fixed the boundary.

[i.4'] ... he rebuilt and restored it.

[i.5']  

'Kadašman-harbe, son of Karaindaš, son of Muballitat-serua,

[i.6'] 'the daughter of Aššur-uballit,^note[Aššur-uballit was king of Assyria from 1353 to 1318. These events are also described in the Synchronistic Chronicle (ABC 21), which, however, offers slightly different names.] king of Assyria, ordered^[7] the overthrow of the Suteans

[i.7] 'from the east to west, and annihilated their extensive forces.

[i.8'] He reinforced the fortresses in Mount Šaršar.^note[Jebel Bišri.] He dug wells and

[i.9'] settled people on fertile lands to strengthen the guard. Afterwards

[i.10'] the Kassite people rebelled against him and killed him. Šuzigaš, a Kassite,

[i.11'] the son of a nobody,^note[This means that his father did not belong to a royal dynasty.] they appointed as sovereign over them. Aššur-uballit,

[i.12'] king of Assyria, marched to Karduniaš^[13], to avenge Kadašman-harbe, his daughter's son, and

[i.13'] 'Šuzigaš, the Kassite,

[i.14'] he killed. Aššur-iballit put Kurigalzu, son of Kadašman-harbe, on his father's throne.

Column II

[ii.1'-2'] [Too broken]

[ii.3'] upon them ... and a shout/complaint ...^note[The next section is very unlike other chronicles and may have belonged to an epic.]

[ii.4'] The enemy seized him. Together ... to the sword

[ii.5'] he put all of them, and he did not leave a soul. Those who were fallen,

[ii.6'] they put in distress. They colored the midst of the rolling sea with their blood.

[ii.7'] They sent out their troops, fought zealously, and achieved victory.

[ii.8'] They subdued the enemy troops. He gathered the possessions of the vast enemy and

[ii.9'] made piles of them. Again the warriors said:

[ii.10'] "We did not know, Kurigalzu, that you had conquered all peoples.

[ii.11'] We had no rival among people. Now you [have overcome us^??]

[ii.12'] We have set out, sought the place where you are and brought gifts.

[ii.13'] We have helped you conquer ..." Again he ...

[ii.14'] ... them and ...

Column III

[iii.1'] ...

[iii.2'] N thousand ...

[iii.3'] N thousand ...

[iii.4'] one thousand piebald horses their gift ...

[iii.5'] He^note[Probably the Babylonian king Kurigalzu II (r.1322-1298).] seized the spy and brought the knight ...

[iii.6'] He set a watch and ...

[iii.7'] the return, your path. Silver, gold, precious stones, ...

[iii.8'] I brought.

[iii.9'] I ... Babylon and Borsippa, upon/over me ...

[iii.10'] Hurbatila, king of Elam, wrote to Kurigalzu:

[iii.11'] "Come! At Dur-Šulgi, I and you,

[iii.12'] let us do battle together!" Kurigalzu heard ...

[iii.13'] He went to conquer Elam and Hurbatila,

[iii.14'] king of Elam, did battle against him at Dur-Šulgi.

[iii.15'] Hurbatila retreated before him and Kurigalzu brought about their defeat.

[iii.16'] He captured the king of Elam. All of Elam ...

[iii.17'] Bowing down, Hurbatila, king of Elam, said:

[iii.18'] "I know, king Kurigalzu, that this ...

[iii.19'] with the kings of all lands I have brought the tribute of Elam."

[iii.20'] He went to conquer Adad-nirari, king of Assyria.

[iii.21'] He did battle against him at Sugaga, which is on the Tigris, and brought about his defeat.

[iii.22'] He slaughtered his soldiers and captured his officers.

[iii.23'] Nazi-maruttaš, son of ... ^note[Nazi-maruttaš was king of Babylonia in 1302-1272.]

[iii.24'] king of Assyria in ....

[lacuna]

Column IV

[iv.1'] ...

[iv.2'] he threw iron bands and ...^note[Tikuluta-Ninurta I was king of Assyria from 1233 to 1197. The man he ordered to be chained was, probably, king Kaštiliašu (1222-1215).]

[iv.3'] ... Tukulti-Ninurta returned to Babylon and

[iv.4'] brought ... near. He destroyed the wall of Babylon and put^[5] the Babylonians to the sword.

[ív.5'] He took out the property of the Esagila and Babylon amid the booty. The statue of the great lord Marduk

[iv.6'] he removed from his dwelling-place and sent him to Assyria.

[iv.7'] He put his governors^[6] in Karduniaš. For seven years, Tukulti-Ninurta

[iv.8'] controlled Karduniaš^[7]. After the Akkadian officers of Karduniaš had rebelled and

[iv.9'] put Adad-šuma-ušur on his father's throne,

[iv.10'] Aššur-nasir-apli, son of that Tukulti-Ninurta who had^[9] carried criminal designs against Babylon, and the officers of Assyria rebelled against Tukulti-Ninurta,

[iv.11'] removed him from the throne, shut him up in Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta and killed him.

[iv.12'] For sixty^[?]-six (until the time of Ninurta-tukulti-Aššur),^note[In c.1132.] Bêl stayed in Assyria, in the time of Ninurta-tukulti-Aššur, Bêl

[iv.13'] went to Babylon.

[iv.14'] At the time of Enlil-nadin-šumi, the king,^note[c.1214.] Kiden-Hutran, king of Elam, attacked.

[iv.15'] He went into action against Nippur and scattered its people. Der and Edimgalkalamma

[iv.16'] he destroyed, carried off its people, drove them away and eliminated the suzerainty of Enlil-nadin-šumi, the king.

[iv.17']  

At the time of Adad-šuma-iddina,^note[c.1212-1207.] Kiten-Hutran returned and attacked Akkad a second time.

[iv.18'] ... he destroyed Isin, crossed the Tigris, all of

[iv.19'] ... Maradda. A terrible defeat of an extensive people 

[iv.20'] he brought about. ... and with oxen ...

[iv.21'] ... he removed to wasteland ...

[iv.22'] ...

[iv.23']  

... he dominated ...

[iv.24'] [Too broken]