Nabonidus Cylinder from Sippar

In the Nabonidus Cylinder from Sippar, a foundation text buried in the foundation of a building, Babylonian king Nabonidus (r. 556-539) describes how he carefully - after checking older foundation texts - repaired three temples in Harran and Sippar.:

1. the sanctuary of the moon god Sin in Harran;
2. the temple of the sun god Šamaš in Sippar, called Ebabbar;
3. the shrine of the warrior goddess Anunitu in Sippar.

One copy of this cylinder was excavated in Babylon, in the royal palace, and is now in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. Another copy, shown to the right, is in the British Museum in London. The text was written after Nabonidus' return from Arabia in his thirteenth regnal year, but before war broke out with the Persian king Cyrus, who is presented as an instrument of the god Marduk.

The Nabonidus Cylinder contains echoes from earlier foundation texts, and develops the same themes as later ones, like the better-known Cyrus Cylinder, which is only a couple of years younger: a lengthy titulary, a story about an angry god who has abandoned his shrine, is reconciled with his people, orders a king to restore the temple, and a king who piously increases the daily offerings. Prayers are also included; we hear that the gods return to their abodes; and the line that the gods are pleased with their dwellings is repeated.

The translation of the Nabonidus Cylinder was made by Paul-Alain Beaulieu, who is also the author of The Reign of Nabonidus, King of Babylon 556-539 B.C. (1989).

[i.1-7] I, Nabonidus, the great king, the strong king, the king of the universe, the king of Babylon, the king of the four corners, the caretaker of Esagila and Ezida, for whom Sin and Ningal in his mother's womb decreed a royal fate as his destiny, the son of Nabû-balâssi-iqbi, the wise prince, the worshiper of the great gods, I:

[i.8-ii.25] Ehulhul, the temple of Sin in Harran, where since days of yore Sin, the great lord, had established his favorite residence - his great heart became angry against that city and temple and he aroused the Mede, destroyed the temple and turned it into ruin - in my legitimate reign Bel and the great lord,^note[At this point, the Berlin text of the cylinder has the words "Sin and the great lord", in which the reader is supposed to know that Marduk is the great lord; the London text has "Bel and the great lord", in which the great lord refers to Sin. (Bel is another name for Marduk.) This probably expresses Nabonidus' attempt to assimilate both gods.] for the love of my kingship, became reconciled with that city and temple and showed compassion.

In the beginning of my everlasting reign they sent me a dream. Marduk, the great lord, and Sin, the luminary of heaven and the netherworld, stood together. Marduk spoke with me: "Nabonidus, king of Babylon, carry bricks on your riding horse, rebuild Ehulhul and cause Sin, the great lord, to establish his residence in its midst."

Reverently, I spoke to the Enlil of the gods, Marduk: "That temple which you ordered me to build, the Mede surrounds it and his might is excessive."

But Marduk spoke with me: "The Mede whom you mentioned, he, his country and the kings who march at his side will be no more."

At the beginning of the third year,^note[Summer 553.] they aroused him, Cyrus, the king of Anšan, his second in rank.^note[The exact significance of this line is unknown, but it is clear that Cyrus is presented as instrument of the will of the gods. He also presented himself in this fashion in the Cyrus Cylinder, and the prophet Isaiah (45.1) also presents the Persian king in this way.] He scattered the vast Median hordes with his small army. He captured Astyages, the king of the Medes, and took him to his country as captive. Such was the word of the great lord Marduk and of Sin, the luminary of heaven and the netherworld, whose command is not revoked. I feared their august command, I became troubled, I was worried and my face showed signs of anxiety. I was not neglectful, nor remiss, nor careless.

For rebuilding Ehulhul, the temple of Sin, my lords, who marches at my side, which is in Harran, which Aššurbanipal, king of Assyria, son of Esarhaddon, a prince who proceeded me, had rebuilt, I mustered my numerous troops, from the country of Gaza on the border of Egypt, near the Upper Sea^note[The Mediterranean.] on the other side of the the Euphrates, to the Lower Sea,^note[The Persian Gulf.] the kings, princes, governors and my numerous troops which Sin, Šamaš and Ištar - my lords - had entrusted to me. And in a propitious month, on an auspicious day, which Šamaš and Adad revealed to me by means of divination, by the wisdom of Ea and Asalluhi, with the craft of the exorcist, according to the art of Kulla, the lord of foundations and brickwork, upon beads of silver and gold, choice gems, logs of resinous woods, aromatic herbs and cuts of cedar wood, in joy and gladness, on the foundation deposit of Aššurbanipal, king of Assyria, who had found the foundation of Šalmaneser [III], the son of Aššurnasirpal [II], I cleared its foundations and laid its brickwork.

I mixed its mortar with beer, wine, oil and honey and anointed its excavation ramps with it. More than the kings -my fathers- had done, I strengthened its building and perfected its work. That temple from its foundation to its parapet I built anew and I completed its work. Beams of lofty cedar trees, a product of Lebanon, I set above it. Doors of cedar wood, whose scent is pleasing, I affixed at its gates. With gold and silver glaze I coated its wall and made it shine like the sun. I set up in its chapel a 'wild bull' of shining silver alloy, fiercely attacking my foes. At the Gate of Sunrise I set up two "long haired heroes" coated with silver, destroyers of enemies, one to the left, one to the right. I led Sin, Ningal, Nusk