The Correspondence of Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II from Calah⁄Nimrud — State Archives of Assyria 19

State Archives of Assyria 19

During the reigns of the Assyrian kings Tiglath-Pileser III (744–727 BC) and, a generation later, Sargon II (721–705 BC), officials across the empire wrote to the king, and the king wrote back, on matters of administration, tribute, troop movements, building work, and provincial affairs. Two hundred and twenty-nine of these letters survive as clay tablets, all excavated at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu) — chiefly from the North-West Palace — and now held mainly in the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad. Nearly all are addressed to or from "the king" without further title; the rest carry the names of officials writing from provinces and frontier posts across the empire, from Babylonia in the south to the northern and eastern mountains.

The letters below follow the print edition's own thirteen-chapter division, which repeats the same five regional groupings once for each king's reign: a chapter of letters from the king and the crown prince, then Central Assyria, the Western Provinces, the Northern and Northwestern Provinces, the Eastern Provinces, and Babylonia — six chapters for Tiglath-Pileser III (Chapters 1–6), the same six regional groupings again for Sargon II (Chapters 7–12), and a closing chapter of varia and letters the editor could not otherwise place (Chapter 13). Sender, recipient, tablet provenience, and museum registration are given for each letter where SAAo's own catalogue records them. Twelve of these letters were independently re-edited a second time by SAAo under a different volume's designation — eight of them under SAA 1, two under SAA 5, and two under SAA 15 — and each such letter's own full text is present here as normal, with the cross-reference noted alongside its provenance line.

The English below is the State Archives of Assyria online (SAAo) project's own published translation, reproduced complete and verbatim as continuous reading prose; nothing has been added, paraphrased, or supplied by this library. Brackets, ellipses, and parenthetical notes such as "(Break)" and "(Rest destroyed)" are SAAo's own markers for damaged, restored, or lost text. Of the 229 letters, 129 survive with no disclosed gap; 100 carry at least one stretch too damaged for SAAo itself to have published a translation, each marked in place rather than filled.

Chapter 1. Letters from the King and the Crown Prince — Tiglath-Pileser III — SAA 19 001–011
Chapter 2. Letters from Central Assyria — Tiglath-Pileser III — SAA 19 012–021
Chapter 3. Letters from the Western Provinces — Tiglath-Pileser III — SAA 19 022–052
Chapter 4. Letters from the Northern and Northwestern Provinces — Tiglath-Pileser III — SAA 19 053–079
Chapter 5. Letters from the Eastern Provinces — Tiglath-Pileser III — SAA 19 080–097
Chapter 6. Letters from Babylonia — Tiglath-Pileser III — SAA 19 098–151
Chapter 7. Letters from the King and the Crown Prince — Sargon II — SAA 19 152–158
Chapter 8. Letters from Central Assyria — Sargon II — SAA 19 159–169
Chapter 9. Letters from the Western Provinces — Sargon II — SAA 19 170–182
Chapter 10. Letters from the Northern and Northwestern Provinces — Sargon II — SAA 19 183–188
Chapter 11. Letters from the Eastern Provinces — Sargon II — SAA 19 189–199
Chapter 12. Letters from Babylonia — Sargon II — SAA 19 200–203
Chapter 13. Varia and Unassigned — Sargon II — SAA 19 204–229

Reverse

(space of about 6(?) lines) (As to) the campaign against the Tabalean(s), they will explain to you how [to ...] between [GN an]d Apamea (and) between Qadeš and [GN]. (space of about 2(?) lines)

[2 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Edge

They say that this cornfield that is under cultivation is for the deportees who are coming. When they come from Damascus, there are 100 (homers of) wheat and 20 (homers of) barley to send them from Orontes.

[1 line of the Edge is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 004 — The King Encourages Amurru-šumu-iškun

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064040; CTN 5 p. 80. The king to Amurru-šumu-iškun. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 004; SAAo P224415.

Obverse

Say to Amurru-šumu-iškun: thus says the king: Let your guard be strong (over) Kihudaksi! You have feared Mišaru-naṣir for the sake of Assyria and he frightens (you). But fear not and don't be afraid of him. You will bear the responsibility for the land. Now, the troops of the chief cupbearer (and) Aššur-eṭir have sent 100 horses, two chariots, and 300 oxen and they [a]re at your disposal.

Reverse

[...] is harvesting [...] and they have sent the crop to you. My messengers, who are coming up to you fr[o]m Dummal, are entrusted to you. Guard them, but they should not take the horses of the delegate! Put them on the secure road and send them peacefully to me! You did not fear the cherub, but I am herewith sending to you 30 kor of sesame oil with Šamaš-ereš.

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 005 — Madayu to Meet the King in Urzuhina with 30 Riding Horses

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 252. The king to Madayu. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 005; SAAo P393606.

Obverse

The king's [word] to Madayu: You must be in my [prese]nce in [U]rzuhina on the first of Tammuz (IV) together with 30 riding horses. One [...]... [......]

Bottom Edge

(broken away)

Reverse

let [...] as [...] I have writ[ten to yo]u; [d]on't be [ne]gligent [wi]th your cavalry, although I may be delayed in the (home)land. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 006 — Take up your Responsibility!

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064143; CTN 5 p. 304. The king to Aššur-remanni, the scribe Nabû-bel-ahhešu. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 006; SAAo P224478.

Obverse

The king's word to Aššur-remanni and the scribe Nabû-bel-ahhešu. All the captives that I gave to you and whom you provisioned are people at your responsibility. Your [ox]en and sheep are at your disposal; [you] have received your provisions, having [requ]ested it from the Palace. [Bring] all [the captives] that [I will sen]d you from [to]day on [... across] to the [other] side (of the river), [you shall prov]ide [for] them there. [... to] them [......]. (Break) (SPACER)

Reverse

[...] from the Palace [...] You will give to the captives, [people of] your [province], from your [oxen] and sheep. (As for) the captives (to be) provisioned, don't be negligent over and over again (or) you will die because of it. If there is a sick person among the captives whom I send you from the empty-handed up to the needy, he is to be lifted up and placed in your care as long as he lives. The clothes fo[r] the troops should be good but those [o]f the Itu'eans and the [...] should be different. [The Itu']eans together with the shepherds [... cuts o]f shoulders

Edge

[... the capt]ives. Should [there b]e exempts [......]

SAA 19 007 — Equipment from the Palace

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 321. The king to Belu-lu-dari. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 007; SAAo P393707.

Obverse

The king's [word t]o Belu-lu-dari. A Babylonian messenger came, saying: "Ahu-nuri with the king [......] (Break)

[3 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

ask [...], take the (necessary) equipment from the Palace, find out in detail what the matter is (and) write me quickly. (space of about 5 lines) The 24th of Adar (XII). (one line uninscribed)

SAA 19 008 — Emissaries from the West

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 182. Ululayu to the king. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 008; SAAo P393607.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: yo[ur] servant Ululayu. The b[e]st of he[a]lth to the [k]i[ng], my lord! Ass[yria] is well, the temples are well, all the king's forts are well. The king, my lord, can be glad indeed. The emissaries of Commagene, Carc[hem]ish, Ma[r]qasa, Sam'al, Ashdod and Moab have come, but they have passed through Til-Barsip and Guzana without my permission. I sent (word) to detain th[em] in Kubana[še]. They say: "[......]

Reverse

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 015 — Farmers of the Town of Aššur-nirka-uṣur

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 196. Aššur-šimanni to the king, from Kilizu. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 015; SAAo P393609.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant Aššur-šimanni. As to the farmers of the town of Aššur-nirka-uṣur who appealed to the king, saying: "Our sown field has been flooded" - now their harvest has come out exceedingly well. The king knows that 10 ho[mers] of seed is cu[ltivated] annually. [......]

Bottom Edge

an estate of 40 [homers of sown land] [......]

Reverse

has cultiv[ated] 10 homers of s[eed]. [They have] utili[zed the la]nd of [th]is sust[enance field]. The k[ing] should have them watched more strictly. They say: "It is our own sown field." I will now place harvesters in the sustenance field. If (the harvest) falls short, I shall indemnify it fully.

Right Edge

SAA 19 020 — Construction Works

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064112; CTN 5 p. 287. (Unknown) to [the king], from Central Assyria. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 020; SAAo P224459.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [As to the order] that the king, my lord, gave me: "Break the [f]allow [g]round and [c]ut the hay" - [the f]allow ground has been broke[n] and two cubits high hay has been cut. All the corn and rice has been harv[ested. Real]ly, I ...[......] one homer of sesame oil to [......]... Ṣabu-d[amqu ...] the fo[r]t [...]... [... o]f the Arsazaeans [......] each [x] cubits to the four directions. 6 depots of broad bricks for 6 towers, 10 brick (depots of) broad bricks for 4 tow[er]s (and) 10 (depots of) bricks before the city wall for ... each 20 cubits (10 m) betw[een] them. (Of) the neare[st] tower befo[re the ga]te, 6 cubits of each wall set has been [l]aid down. They have been given from [the ... of NN] I have [...ed] his fi[e]ld. Much (Break)

[2 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

SAA 19 024 — Matenni of Tyre Pays Tribute

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064037; CTN 5 p. 152. [Qurdi-Aššur-lamur] to [the king], from Ṣimirra. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 024; SAAo P224412.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [On ...], Matenni [of Tyre had written] to the (ruler of) Danab[u, saying]: 'Let us r[aise] the king's money [and give it to him!]' When he had sent t[his] word to [NN], his brother, the royal [delegate NN], showed up, saying: "Give me [the tribute]." He (Matenni) [spoke] with the (ruler of) Danab[u] and told him to give the tribute. [Now then] let all the Sidonites who came w[ith him immediately] com[e] to me with the [delegate, and I shall as]sign [the tribute] and [send it] to the king. The delegate says: "When I heard [this matter I wrote] to the k[ing that ......] with the tribut[e ......] ... (Break)

[1 line of the Obverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

(beginning broken away) Per[haps the king] wi[ll say]: "Are their cornfields cultiva[ted?" Their cornfields and] their orchards [......] [Now] Giri-Ba'a[l, PN, and PN], three emissaries of [GN have entered with] the tribute. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 025 — Ionian Raids on Levant

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 164. Qurdi-ili-lamur to the king, from Ṣimirra. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 025; SAAo P393612.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant Qurdi-ili-lamur. The Ionians came and gave battle in Samsim[uruna], Hariṣû and [GN]. A cav[al]ry[man] came to Daman[...]; I [t]ook the free men and went away. They (= the Ionians) did [n]ot take anyth[ing] (and) when [they sa]w [my] tr[oops they embarked] th[eir] boats and [fled] into the midst of the sea. [...] after me (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [say]ing: "He/It is [at the p]ort of Io[nia]." I myself shall bui[ld] (in) Danab[u] before I go up to [...]. I shall sett[le] there the lone Itu'ean at my disposal and the Itu'[ean] ...[...]. (rest uninscribed)

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 026 — Digging a Moat; Pursuit to the Mountain

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 166. [Qurdi-Aššur-lamur] to [the king], from Ṣimirra. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 026; SAAo P393614.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [...] which [...] [which] in the town of [...] they sel[ec]ted the [...]s that are on [... and put them] in irons; they are diggi[ng] a moat on [{ithis}] side of the outer wall. Those approximately 400 Gurreans had been sen[t out] to raid [the steppe]. A guard sa[w] (this and) a cry was sounded. We pursued the[m], and they took to the snowy mountain in front of them. We caught them from the town of Yauna and R[e]š-ṣurri. I have sent 200 men to the commander-in-chief, who says that they should be brought to the Palace. 24 men have died here. There are (also) people who were caught with the ...s.

Reverse

Perhaps the king, my lord, will say: "Where are they digging the moat?" The outer wall has been ...... (and) I have finished the moat. [They will dig] another moat on t[his] side [of the outer wal]l. The outer wall between [......] If rep[ai]r (is needed) [in ...] and in the [moa]t [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 19 027 — Tabal, Que and Captives

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 187. Q[urd]i-Aššu[r]-lam[ur] to the kin[g], from Ṣimirra. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 027; SAAo P393613.

Obverse

[To] the kin[g], my l[o]rd: yo[ur servant] Q[urd]i-Aššu[r]-lam[ur]. [Conc]erning [... fr]om Ta[ba]l [a]nd Que [ab]out whom they wrote to me from the Palace - let [A]ššur, Bel (and) Na[bû] come into the presence of the ki[n]g as soon as they lay their [...] in Ṭurušpâ and their [...]s from [...] are visiting the crown prince in Assyria. [The one] in charge of the captives [of] the town [...] to the people of the Palace.

Reverse

Reverse

Now let [the king], my lord, write to Bel-Harran-šarru-uṣur and Attar-idri. They have a shepherd's house and a fodder store at their disposal. Let them take care of the king my lord's oxen. These (oxen) are the king my lord's and the ones at my disposal are likewise the king my lord's.

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 035 — Extracting the iškaru Dues on Horses

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064025; CTN 5 p. 251. [In]urta-belu-uṣur to [the ki]ng, from Arpad. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 035; SAAo P224401.

Obverse

[To the ki]ng, my lord: [your servant In]urta-belu-uṣur. [Good heal]th to the king, my lord! [Concerning] what the king, my lord, wrote to me: "[O]f the 1,000 cavalry which I formed and [is c]oming, you have extracted in my presence the iškāru tax on horses [for] this [y]ear that [I imp]osed on the merchants." "[You should speak] with your heart [accor]dingly!" - [I have not y]et [extracted the išk]āru tax! [... horse]s (Rest destroyed)

Reverse

(as far as preserved, uninscribed)

SAA 19 036 — Raising Barley

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 273. I[n]urta-belu-uṣur to [the king], from Arpad. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 036; SAAo P393616.

Obverse

[To the king], my [lord: your servant In]urta-belu-uṣur. [Good health] to the king, my lord! [Concerni]ng what the king, my lord, [wrote] to me: "20,000 [homers of barley] have been imposed on you - [wh]en will you raise them?" I have raised [x thousand] 966 homers [of barley] (Break)

Reverse

SAA 19 041 — Sending a Chiliarch to the King

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064031; CTN 5 p. 255. (Unknown) to [the king], from Western Assyria. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 041; SAAo P224407.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [those who ... de]scend to the count[ry] will die. [However], Mušallim-Marduk with his people [will not] pass (but) settle down. [As soon as] I send (word), and have him stay overnight [in Guz]ana, they [will dep]art (and) [... m]y messenger. Now then [...] (Break)

[1 line of the Obverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [......] the town Qarnina The chiliarch [Haramm]u [and ...] his [...]s are in the presence of the governor [...]-Šamaš. I have sent him [to] the king's presence, saying: "The king's men who [...] in m[y] pr[esence] (Rest destroyed)

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 042 — Unclear Status of a Town Near Guzana

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 179. (Unknown) to [the king], from Western Assyria. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 042; SAAo P393611.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [...] It is the third year (now) since they took the t[o]wn, (and) they are saying: "[...] in the village of the que[en]" [...]...[...]

[5 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Bottom Edge

[......] 140 (‘litres') of flou[r (in]stead of [......]

Reverse

He is taking (for himself) a town of the king. I have sent from Guzana 30 (‘litres') of flour, 50 sheep and 40 jars, but has the town itself been purchase[d] with silver? Is it a town that the queen is buying and [...]ing? I will be coming [to GN and at the king my lord’s] command [shall ... the ...] of the [...]. [...] an abat šarri [......] (Rest destroyed or too broken for translation)

Edge

[2 lines of the Edge are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 043 — Archers, Şimirra, and Work to be Finished

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 145. (Unknown) to [the king], from Western Assyria. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 043; SAAo P393620.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [......] ... the [k]ing (Break)

[8 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Bottom Edge

[......] whom the ki[ng|] [... ...]... the people

[1 line of the Bottom Edge is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

[... ...]... have taken [Concerning the a]rchers [about whom the king, my lord], wrote me, [saying] [......] eunuch [......] has [...]ed his archer(s) [le]t him attack [... ...] the archers [... On the x]th day two of them [......] 40 [......] [......] together [O]n the 20th [o]f Nisan (I), [Mušal]lim-Aššur retur[ned] from [Ṣ]imirra, [saying]: “Go, quickly [rem]ove the corpses [...] and res[ume] th[eir] work, so it can be fin[ished] before the king (comes)." [One] boat of Ṣi[mirr]a [...] [... i]n [Ṣ]imirra [......] [...] the [arche]r[s ...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 19 044 — Archers Arrested and Sent to the Palace

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064105; CTN 5 p. 177. (Unknown) to [the king], from Western Assyria. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 044; SAAo P224455.

[To the k]ing, my l[or]d: [yo]ur [servant] Sulaya. Good [heal]th t[o] my [lo]rd! Šamaš-naṣir, the deputy of Aššur-rema[nn]i has come [to] me, sa[ying]: "The king has given me the towns of Taku, Lulubani and Mila. Bring out your people so that I can bring my people in." I refused to give up the towns, saying: "Until I see the king's messenger, I will cultivate [the tow]ns." The king know[s] that Pirriya is not a subsoil-plough household; water is hard there. It is a shepherding household: pigs and deers are strong there. All the arable field[s] that can be cultivated [there ...]

Bottom Edge

(Break)

Reverse

[hors]es [...] [...]... th[ere ......] ...... the land of Hatti [...] they eat fodder ther[e]. I am cultivating barley in Pirriya. These towns are not pertinent to his t[own]s. The towns [o]f Hašdat and the governor of Arpad block the access between them. If he takes the t[own]s and I have cultivated 1,000 (homers of) cornfiel[d th]ere, should he harvest it? Moreover, should he enjoy my y[ok]e horse(s)? Where should I bring the unit of horses in my command? (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 048 — Information from a Deserter

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064106; CTN 5 p. 229. Aššur-ila’i to the kin[g], from Western Assyria. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 048; SAAo P224456.

Obverse

To the kin[g, my lo]rd: [yo]ur serva[nt] Aššur-ila'i. Good health to the king, my [lo]rd! The [f]orts a[n]d [se]rvants of the ki[n]g, my lord, are we[l]l. As to what the kin[g], my [lo]rd, wro[t]e to me: "[Le]t [your] guar[d] be [s]trong." The gods of the king, my lord, have been returned. The king, my lord, can be glad. Bur-il of Gu[bl]a, a servant of Anu-[...], has deserted [t]o [me]. I am herewith sending him to the k[ing], m[y] lord. (As to) the news of the town of Ba[r-Ur]i, he told me as follows: "They are selling half a (homer of) b[arl]ey fo[r ...] shekels of silver. In a month, each business [day], they are selling one pot of [...] sturgeons [fo]r [...] shekels of silver, one pot of sturgeons in oil for 12 shekels (of silver and) half a [...] for three shekels of si[l]ver [...] each in a month. One ox is being sold [for] 500 shekels of silver (and) a purṭû-weapon for sale [...]...s of ploughs, 30 oxen, ...[...] [...]s ......

Bottom Edge

4 male go[at]s, [x] riding horses [...] ... [......] [In] Marchesvan (VIII), bou[ght slav]es are not bought. [They s]ay: "Let them die." (As to) the stor[ed] grain that is given to the exempts at m[y] disposal, they have one (seah) of stored grain per man. (Should) one have wife [...], she comes out (with) three seahs.

Reverse

To deputies [they give] four seahs each. ...[.....] comes out [...] the main meadowland of ... [...] the main [meadowl]and of ... [...]...... massive [...] He has demolished the cistern [...] and is building it up in its entirety on a massive scale from the main meadowland of Dahinu as far as the [mount]ain pass from where the water flows into the city. He has (also) dug a moat – five cubits wide, seven cubits deep – near the outer wall. A horse trainer told me this. I am herewith sending [him] to the king, my lord. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 049 — Should They Cross the River or be Detained?

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 245. Aššur-ila’i to the king, from Western Assyria. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 049; SAAo P393678.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: yo[ur] servant Aššur-ila'i. Good he[alth] to the king, [my] lord! As to what the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Arrest the caravans! Until [... have ente]red, [nobody] shall cr[oss] the river!" (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) The ...s are coming to meet the king, my lord. Should I let them go to cross the river or detain them? Let the king, my lord, write me what (his) orders are.

Reverse

Total, commander-in-chief; cubit of Arpad. (rest uninscribed)

Chapter 4. Letters from the Northern and Northwestern Provinces — Tiglath-Pileser III

SAA 19 053–079.

SAA 19 053 — Unsuccessful Pursuit; Oxen Needed for the Harvest

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064050; CTN 5 p. 266. Inurta-ila’i to the king, from Naṣibina. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 053; SAAo P224421.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant Inurta-ila'i. Good health to the king, my lord! The former deserter whom I sen[t] to the Palace told me: "20 men chased me as far as the outskirts of the city." I sent horses after th[em] early in the morning at da[wn] but [they could] not reach [them]; they cam[e (back) ...] to the Pa[lace ...] (Break)

Reverse

[To] the king, my lord: your [servant] Duri-Aššur. The forts of the king, my lord, are very well. The king, my lord, can be glad. Perhaps the king, my lord, will say: "Why did you not send me m[y] messenger in the custody of [your] messe[nger]?"

Reverse

There is very much snow; I have sent out scouts but they have turned back, saying: "Where can we go?" As soon as the snow decreases, they will set off and enter (the Palace). Informers are bringing news of the enemy.

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 062 — My Major-Domo is Coming

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064176; CTN 5 p. 148. Duri-Aššur to the king, from Tušhan. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 062; SAAo P224500.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant Duri-Aššur. The very best of health to the king, my lord! As to what the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Let your major-domo come" – right now, he is provisioning all my [men], who are there, and they will (then) come quickly.

Reverse

(uninscribed)

SAA 19 063 — Duri-Aššur to the King

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 204. Duri-Aššur to the king, from Tušhan. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 063; SAAo P393628.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant Duri-Aššur. The best of health to the king, my lord! The f[orts] and the land of the ki[ng, my lord], are well. The king, [my lord], can be [glad] indeed. [PN ......] (Rest destroyed or too broken for translation)

Reverse

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [...] have been plo[tting] [...] has been il[l] I am now sending them off with [my] mes[senger]. All is well; we are doing our work. The king, my lord, can be glad indeed. (rest uninscribed)

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 070 — Urarṭian Attacking Forts on the Border

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064038; CTN 5 p. 109. Aššur-natkil to the pa[la]ce herald, from Northern Assyia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 070; SAAo P224413.

Obverse

To the pa[la]ce herald, my lord: your servant Aššur-natkil. Good health to my lord! A governor of the Urarṭian is going up to the city of Meṣi in order to capt[ure] the fort. The [c]ity has been shut off, at the command of the gove[rnor] of Meṣ[i ...] has been placed [in the] fo[rt], there is 1,000 (homers of) se[ed] corn in there. The city lords around th[em] have convened, saying: "W[hy ...] to the ilku-duty in Urarṭu [...] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [x Itu']eans [...] [... re]maining [...] ...... I ha[d] an argument [with him] about the Ukkean and the ki[ng’s] border, saying: “Why do you conquer a city of [his ...]?” He said: “He is my adversary." I told him: "Bring m[e] the booty, [I will return it] to the Ukkean. W[h]y do y[ou] remain inacti[ve] (while) the Urarṭian is capturing a fort on the ki[ng]'s b[o]r[d]er? The city lords around you are with you exempt of state service. Fight with them!"

[2 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Edge

Reverse

[Pa]rn[i]-aldê, (and) the messenger of Yada'-la-nibî (and) Ṣirâ: these are the later messengers. There were four messengers, [w]ho went up to Urarṭu. The messengers of Urarṭu came with them, brough[t] them into the house of Yata', his (= the Šubrian king's) village manager, and gave them bread and water in ... until they returned and went up to Urarṭu. Your servant Parni-aldê is plotting. (But) perhaps I am not telling the truth in the king my lord's presence? Let the king, my lo[rd], write to the Šubrian (king) that he s[en]d Pa[r]naldê, his augur and let the king, my lord, ask him [wh]y he is making the bird (omen)s so favourable. [The gove]rnor with his magnates has made [a sw]orn deal with the servants of Aššur-belu-uṣur, and they are plotting to kill me. The king, my lord, should know this.

SAA 19 077 — Itu’eans Requested

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064065; CTN 5 p. 136. (Unknown) to [the king], from Northern Assyia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 077; SAAo P224429.

Reverse

Bottom Edge

Obverse

To the king, [m]y lord: your servant Aššur-šallimanni. Good health to the kin[g], my lord! As to the order that the king, my lord, gave me: "Go, [let] them [occ]upy the fort." The king, my lord (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) "Bring me [......], or I will immediately go to the Palace." What are the king my lord's orders?

[2 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 086 — Military Camp in Maruru

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 43. Aššur-šallimanni to [the king], from Arrapha. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 086; SAAo P393638.

Obverse

[To the king, my lord: your servant] Aššur-šallimanni. [Good health to the king, m]y [lord!] The [king's] cam[p] is well. [As to the Aramean]s about whom the king, my lord, gave us orders: "[Get going and] march off!" – we have turned back from Maruru and [directed] our course [...] towards the Arameans. Opposite Nippur they brought us [the kin]g’s [sealed order], saying: "[...] is coming to them. [...] get assembled and go! Exact the dried corn [from the houses of Bi]t-Amukani!" We turned back and are staying [in Marur]u. The cavalrymen [whom] we transferred [to] Maruru (and) [who] are staying in Maruru have arrested 60 [wande]ring men. On the next day I conquered the [...]eans (Break)

Reverse

[1 line of the Obverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [...] not [...] [...] goes with them. I will send my messengers with them as soon as they take the fields. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 091 — Receiving Horses and the Tribute of Kišesim

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064128; CTN 5 p. 297. Aššur-da’’inanni to the king, from Mazamua. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 091; SAAo P224470.

Obverse

To the king, [m]y lord: your servant Aššur-da''inanni. Good health to the king, my lord! I have appealed to the king, my lord, saying: "Nobody listens to me." If there is a fault of mine before the king, my lord, let the king, my lord, kill me but why are these (people) killing me? The king, my lord, gave me the order: "Receive regular horses and give them to Dadî! Also receive the king’s horse!" The city-lord of Kišesim brought the tribute and the recruitment officers were in my presence. (As) he was about to enter, I sent my 'third man' to him, saying: ‘Come, stay with me, and let’s go and receive the tribute!" I (also) said: "(Tell me) if I should come to you and stay (there, so) we would receive the tribute (together)." He wrote to me: "(As for) you, receive the king's tribute! I shall colle[ct] and receive regular (horses) for profit." Now his son [...] (Break)

Bottom Edge

[......] why

[1 line of the Bottom Edge is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

[......] big [...... dif]ficult for him [......] He collects what he has heard of, (while) they carry him on litters. He sends his lads before me, but they do not receive the regular (horses) nor the king’s horse. He gives orders to the city-lords, saying: ‘Brace (your) heart, do not fall!" I wrote to him that the chief of tribute should come that I can ask (him). But he responded: "He is not your servant. Why should he come to you?" Now, he has been prompt to write to the king, my lord, and slander me. Ever after I wen[t where the king] sent me to, I [have don]e my work. We shall com[e] to the king my lord’s presence, and [I] and he shall litigate b[efore the king], m[y lord]. Because of the excellent enemy horses that I receive, he has been hostile with me, like an enemy. Because of envy, he has been prompt to slander me. He brings the enemy horses to the king, my lord, but receives the [re]gular (ones) as well as the king’s (horses) [in the trade col]ony, and (only then) brings them to the king, my lord.

Right Edge

[......] our work [... our] lord

Edge

[The king] gave me the order: "Honour him!" [By m]y [god], I do respect him greatly!

[1 line of the Edge is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 092 — Speaking with Witnesses in Apinunu

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064047; CTN 5 p. 118. Aššur-da’’inanni to the king, from Mazamua. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 092; SAAo P224420.

Obverse

[To the king, m]y [lo]rd: your servant Aššur-da''inanni. Good health to the king, my lord! (As regards) what the king, my lord, ordered me concerning the fort of Erimziqu, there is much snow, (so) I am (only) going up as far as Apinunu. I shall (then) send word that the elders should come (so) I (can) speak with them. The Erimziqaeans committed (a crime) and [B]ir-Bari[a]š [the Apin]unean ...[...] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [...] ... [...] ... I am [now] sending to the king, my lord, one [...] whom I have ab[du]cted. (rest uninscribed)

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 093 — Fragment Mentioning Şil-Bel

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064174; CTN 5 p. 318. [Aššur-da’’inanni] to [the king], from Mazamua. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 093; SAAo P224499.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [Let th]em dispa[tch ...] [The servants o]f Ṣil-Bel [...] sen[t] a chest to the scribe of A[šipâ]. The experts serving [him] se[aled the chest] which Ṣil-Bel had s[ent with] the scribe [and ...] an order [...]

Bottom Edge

[the de]por[tees ......] [...]... [...]

Reverse

the rest (of the people) [who ...] disappeared [......] their people went away t[o their ...]. The king should sen[d ......] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 19 094 — Receiving and Passing on Horses

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 141. Nergal-a[šared?] to the king, from Eastern Assyria. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 094; SAAo P393641.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant Nergal-a[šared]. Good health to the king, my lo[rd]! All the forts are [w]ell. I have received the horses from the chief of trade whom the king, my lord, sent to me, and have delivered them. All the [ki]ng's servants are well. I have [no]t yet rece[ived the r]est of the hors[es fr]om the la[nd of ...] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) their city [...] Those who led the fortified towns of the river basin of the House of Wargi - their loss was 370 killed. The king, my lord, may ask (about it). (rest uninscribed)

[3 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

(as far as preserved, uninscribed)

SAA 19 107 — Talents of Silver

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 78. Nabu-nammi[r] to the king, from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 107; SAAo P393649.

Obverse

[To the k]ing, m[y] lord: your [servant] Nabû-nammi[r. Good] health to the king, m[y] lord! May [Na]bû and Marduk bless [the king], my lord! [As to what the king, ou]r [lord], wrote to us, [......] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [... t]hey placed [...] [x ta]lent(s) of silver [...] [...] upon the ci[ty ...] [...] y[ou ...]

[2 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

(rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 111 — Boats and Water-Skin Rafts are Well Despite an Attack

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064011; CTN 5 p. 31. Ašipa to the king, from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 111; SAAo P224390.

Obverse

[T]o the king, my lord: your se[rvant] Ašipâ. Good health to the king, [m]y lord! I brought the boats to Sur[u]. The prefect of the boatmen who [...] (Break)

Reverse

[Bor]sippan [troops c]ame out and attacked the men of Balassu; seven men were wo[un]ded and five were killed. Also one chariot fighter of [mi]ne was killed with them. But the boats and water-skin rafts are well.

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 112 — “Should We Detain the Boats?”

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064030; CTN 5 p. 32. Ašipa to the king, from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 112; SAAo P224406.

Obverse

To the king, m[y] lord: your servant Ašipâ. Good health t[o the king, my lord]! Concerning the boats about which the king, my lord, wrote to me, 400 boats [and x] water-skin rafts (Break)

Reverse

[2 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [......] ... [......] is not [......] ...... [...] ... [...] [...] all [...] [x] houses from Mazamua and three from Urzuhina have c[ome] to Sippar. They are picking up all of their barley [which] they left there. [...] ...... [...] [As to what the kin]g wrote to [me]: "...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 19 116 — Fragment Referring to Boats and River Transport

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064014; CTN 5 p. 243. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 116; SAAo P224393.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [Nabû-šarru-uṣur], the eunuch of the gov[ernor], the official in charge of the boats, will come with the boats where the king commands. (Concerning the) four boats about which the king said: "You will b[ring] them to [t]his sid[e] (of the river) after [they have arrived].

Reverse

Nabû-šarru-[uṣur has (now) arrived saf]ely. (It was) Gurali, a [serva]nt of Adasi who told (this). [...] this news, he holds l[and] [......] of its side I have spoken to him in this side (of the river). He said that the workers (lit. “any single arm”) are far [from] the river. The cornfield which is in [......] (Break)

Edge

Should [the servants of the offic]ial (in charge of the boats) fetch [the boat]s [or] leave (them)?

[1 line of the Edge is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 117 — Boats, Water-Skin Rafts, and Accusations

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 86. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 117; SAAo P393685.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [......] who/which were plundered. P[N ...] Nabû-ahu-iddina [......] and Kudurru, the [......] of the governor of [......] boats together with those of G[N ...] and 20 water-skin rafts [......] with man[y] men [......] after [he had arrived] safely I appointed him as th[e ......] which are in the quay of ships [...] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) all the men [...] I do not tel[l] to the king [...] [...] have become available; who is taking [them] away? And now [...] is blaming me and I have become an outcast [and ... on account of] this. And they have insult[ed me], saying: "I will have [you] ousted [...], you will not proce[ed to ...] by making the [...] pass by I will [...] the plundered [...] May the king not [let me slip] from (his) hands (Rest destroyed or too broken for translation)

SAA 19 118 — Fragment Mentioning Balassu

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 38. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 118; SAAo P415762.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [... ...] fort [...] let the troops [...] (Break) [...] did [n]ot obey [becau]se of [......] [...]. Per[haps the ki]ng, my lord, will s[ay: “...] in [...] [......]. As to [what the kin]g, [my] lo[rd, wrote to] me: “[......]

[14 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Bottom Edge

(Break) [... w]e will releas[e ...] [...] kill [......] (Break)

Reverse

[... the king], my lord, knows that [...] [... s]ailed downstream. [Let ...] quickly [...] staying [at yo]ur [disposal] ...[...] [...] in the canal which [...] o[n ...] [...] the terrain [...] the previous people [...]... homer(s) ... two [...] [...] Balass[u] to [NN] [...] the seat ...[...] [...] say(s): “He knows [......] [... G]uard them! [...] [...] to them [...] [......] [......] mina(s) [...] [......], saying: “[...] (Rest destroyed)

[5 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 119 — Wounded in a Campaign

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 246. Mušezib-ilu to the king, from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 119; SAAo P393639.

Obverse

[T]o the king, my lord: yo[ur] se[rvant] Mušezib-ilu. Good health to the king, my lord! The Gambuleans were in Arrapha on the 3rd day. I was wounded in the military campaign and I am very ill. It is not possible for me to co[me] to the king, my lord. At the moment I am laid up in the town Ša-Turmiš on the Za[b] river. The king, my lord, [knows] that I [... whatev]er Šarru-i[qb]i of Ša-Turm[iš] together with the heralds have taken. If I write [...], I [...]. [Perhaps the king], my lord, will say: "Is [it true] that they have sent [...] to [NN]?" The kin[g, my lord], should not wo[rry about it]. [......] they will put [......] Marduk-emu[ranni ...]... [... the ki]ng, [my l]or[d ......] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [...] he ...[...] their [...]s [...... i]n finishing [...]... [...] their [...] there [...] Bananu [and NN] are [ac]ting like rebels. [...]-Šer has written and ... [.......], saying: "Mu[šezib-ilu is] not [going] to [Dur-Kur]igalzu. ...[......] if [......] [......] [...], saying: [...] slan[dered] him Let them bring in the [...] man like a common criminal, and let the king, my lord, interrogate him. W[hen] he came, he told me: "[You] should [stay off] Dur-Kurigalzu! If you come, [they] will ki[ll you]." I am te[lling] a matter which I have heard and seen. The king sent (his) messenger after me to the road of [L]ahiru. He said: "Come, let me bring you in[to] Dur-Kurigalzu." [But as I am ill], I refused to go.

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Right Edge

[Those who] keep watch [in] the fort sent out [m]y [letter(s)].

[1 line of the Right Edge is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 120 — Shipping Barley

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 68. [M]ušez[ib-ilu?] to the king, from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 120; SAAo P393653.

Obverse

[To the king, my lord: your servant M]ušez[ib-ilu. Good he]alth to the king, [my lord!] [As to what the ki]n[g], my lord, wrote to me: "Do not pile up the rest of the barley until Abi-hari comes. Let him give it to you. Let Ahunu come here quickly [and] super[vise] the Itu'[eans]." Ah[unu is departing] right now. For 20, 21 days [they have been] wa[iting for] the king my lord's [caravan], until A[bi-hari ......] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [The king, my lord], kno[ws that ...]. I went t[o ... ......] but there was no shipment to the king, my [l]ord. Let me see the king [my] l[ord]'s caravan! As soon as Abi-har[i] comes, I will return and receive from him all the barley to be measured out. [Let him] come and [make] the barley available. Moreover, the shipment [that goes upstream to B]abylon [...] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 19 121 — Fragment Mentioning Mušezib-ilu

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 249. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 121; SAAo P393694.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [... the ki]ng, my lord, sh[ould know ...] [...] for nonsen[se ...] [... be]fore me [was] not in the [...] I did not provide [...]. I departed [...... with] my [boa]ts [(and) we]nt [to ...]. Mušezib-ilu [...] [...]s in the well [...] [......] not [...] (Rest destroyed)

[1 line of the Obverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

(beginning broken away) not [...]. I have bless[ed my lord before] Nabû and [Marduk]. May Marduk and [Zarpanitu] ble[ss the palace] scri[be], my lord! (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 125 — Babylonia in Turmoil

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064132; CTN 5 p. 22. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 125; SAAo P224473.

Reverse

(beginning broken away) depor[ted] all of them. [The king] should know (this). The Elamites killed their soldiers with the son of Mukin-zeri and deported them by force. They too went into exile. News of the Li'tamu: Ga'amanu, the son of the [...], who among [his] brothers [...] [wi]th the messenger [o]f [NN] (Rest destroyed)

[2 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 128 — Barley Rations from the Household of Salamu

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064167; CTN 5 p. 66. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 128; SAAo P224494.

Obverse

[Your servant] Nabû-balassu-iqbi: [I would gladly di]e [for] the king, my lord! May Nabû and Marduk bless [the king, my lord]! [Say] to the king, my lord: I have sent [a messenger t]o greet [the king, my lord]. [Concerning the ne]ws of Babylon, [I have sen]t [messen]gers to Babylon (but) they [have not com]e back until now. (Break)

Reverse

Reverse

(beginning broken away) to the men [...] those who [stayed] until the end, did not return. No[w] I have provided 100 men from their midst for the royal mule express service. By the gods of the king, my lord, I and my father are servants of the king, my lord, (and) our loins [are girded] for the king.

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Edge

Let the king strive [...]. [He has gi]ven me [much], what [can I give] (him)? [May I hea]r [the well-b]eing of the king, my lord, and may I be happy!

[1 line of the Edge is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 142 — Letter to the Grand Vizier

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 79. Iqipi to the grand vizier, from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 142; SAAo P393657.

Obverse

Your servant Iqipi: I would gladly die for the grand vizier, [m]y lord! Say to my lord: After I had prepared for journey the king's messenger, who raised high her ritual, and after he had left for the king, the oblates of Cutha and Ba[byl]on, ki[ng]’s men, arrived in the fortress [under] our [pro]tection.

Reverse

(uninscribed)

SAA 19 143 — I Shall Keep my Watch

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM —; CTN 5 p. 253. [Mann]u-ki-Aššur to the king, from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 143; SAAo P224381.

Obverse

[To the k]i[ng], my lord: [your servant Mann]u-ki-Aššur. Good heal[th] to the king, my lord! Con[cerni]ng the [...] about which the king, my lord, [wrote to me]: "Right now [......] [......] to yo[u] [......] and I/he will raise seed (Break)

Reverse

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [of the king], my lord [.......] I sei[zed .......] did not [.......] I s[ent .......] men t[o ......] And [after ...] went [..., from ... un]til now he has sen[t] (them) to rob the open country [in the environs of Di]lbat. And one [particular] rob[ber ..., a ...] of the king, [is] like an enemy who g[oes out] to the open country [and] come[s] out [......]. They [have broken] into the p[lough] store, and he has robbed 200 Dilbateans of my (barley) rations for a (whole) ye[ar, fro]m their harvest, plus one mina of [silver]. Right now I cann[ot continue] cultivation and go out to the open country. He has taken the bread [of] this [ye]ar and does not let me go to [...], so I [cannot] cultivate [the cornfields]. [How can (a man) who] has made [a revolt against the k]ing, my lord, (and) conspired [against the King]dom, [e]njoy [... brea]d (and) happiness? [I have now written to the kin]g, my lord; my [he]art is ....

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 148 — (no title)

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064008; CTN 5 p. 69. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 148; SAAo P224387.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [...] t[o] the king, [my] lord [......] [...]... this [......] this ...[......] to the king, m[y] lord [...] now ...[......] in ... Marduk [......] ...... [......] up t[o ...] as far as [......] unt[il] to the house [of ......] amo[ng] the men [......] [...]... the king [......] (Reverse destroyed or too broken for translation)

[1 line of the Obverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

(beginning broken away) (rest broken away)

[11 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 149 — Take Over the Kingship!

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM —; CTN 5 p. 12. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 149; SAAo P224378.

Obverse

[Your servant NN]: I would [gladly] die [for the king, m]y [lord! Say to the king], my [lord]: I am (hereby) writin[g to the king], my [l]ord: "What shall I do?" [What I t]old [the king] (was): "Be[l has said]: 'Take over the [king]ship by m[y] command! [With]out me, [who] can ta[ke over] the kingship, [and who] has (ever) taken over the kingship?'" E[arlier] the king’s [scho]lar had told him: "[Exer]cise [the kingship]!" The king sent h[im to me ...] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [...] the king sent to me [...] [...]... who from [...] [...]...[...] [...]... Now [...] [...] lap ...[...] [...] his [...] in the town of [......]

Right Edge

(Rest destroyed or too broken for translation)

SAA 19 150 — Fragment Referring to Babylonians

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064006; CTN 5 p. 67. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 150; SAAo P224385.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [Concerning DN-rap]a' the [..., about whom the king, my lord, wro]te to m[e] [... N]N, the servant of [NN] [NN, the wif]e of Bel-iddina [......] ...... [......] [......] the ...[...] [......] [......] ... [...] [...] ...... [...]

[2 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Bottom Edge

[...] 12 cam[els], [...]zitu, [PNf]

Reverse

[...] ... [PNf] [...] Qa[...] [...]... [...] to [...] [...] ...... [L]u-gamil, the ... Bel-hutu, the son of Bel-iddina ... Babil-Aia-..., the wife of Marduk-šallimanni, Yansiatu [...] the maid of Bi[...] PN ...... the matter of Kašša[...], the [ma]id of Pî-itarru, the servant of Marduk-šallimanni [from] Dur-ša-Balihaya [......] NN (Rest destroyed)

SAA 19 151 — Marduk has Set out before New Year

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064067; CTN 5 p. 60. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Tiglath-Pileser III's reign, 744–727 BC. SAA 19 151; SAAo P224430.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [x] soldiers have come o[ut from .... Right now I am sending them] to the king, [my lord]. News of the La[rakeans]: I stayed a full month in Bit-[...]. They gave me 200 [..., but] they did not give me their king’s men. News of the [Bab]ylonians: One of their king’s [m]en [whom they se]nt out [to ...] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning (possibly one line) broken away) They are continually ignoring him and absolutely not giving up their king’s men. I am right now waiting for their rearguard. Whether or not they do give me king's men, I shall clarify whatever news they have, and when I come, I will tell it to the king, my lord. News of Bab[ylon]: Ma[rduk] left (his temple) in procession on the 25th of Adar (XII). The son of Nabû-naṣi[r] has g[i]ven the [...], (but) has not [given the ...] for [...] (Break)

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Edge

[8 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 158 — Silver and Chariot Owners from the Household of the Queen

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 200. [Sennacherib] to the ki[ng], from Nineveh. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 158; SAAo P393661.

Obverse

To the ki[ng, my lord]: your servant [Sin-ahhe-riba]. Good health t[o the king, my lord]! Assyria is well, the temples are well, all the king's forts are well. The king, my lord, can be glad indeed. Concerning the silver to be collected from ...... [about which the king, my lord], wrote to me, (saying): "Withhold the silver!" - now the[n] I am se[nding] it to the king, my lord. I am also sending 10 chariot ow[ne]rs from the household of the queen. 20 [......] (Rest destroyed)

Bottom Edge

(broken away)

Reverse

(uninscribed)

Chapter 8. Letters from Central Assyria — Sargon II

SAA 19 159–169.

SAA 19 159 — Report on a Festival and on Bull Colossi

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064159; CTN 5 p. 219. Marduk-rem[anni] to the king. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 159; SAAo P224487. Also edited as SAA 01 110 (SAAo P224487).

Obverse

[To the king, m]y lord: yo[ur servant] Marduk-rem[anni. Good health] to the king, [my] lord! [The festi]val has been celebrated; the god [...] came out and returned in peace. May Nabû and Marduk bless the king! As to the bull colossi about which the king, my lord, wrote to me, I have worked out their positions on (the pedestals of) the gates of the magnates and they are hewing them. We shall place the hewn colossi before the ... residence; they will trim the big ones and we shall place them before the middlemost gate. As to the stone bulls of which I spoke to the king, my lord, they will modify them and turn them into bull colossi, and we shall place them before the middlemost gate. Perhaps the king, my lord, will say: "It is hard work [...]." The work ... [...]; honestly, one cubit [...] bull colossi [...... (Break)

Bottom Edge

Let them draw and s[end me] the plan of the [...] of which I sp[oke] to the king, my lord, and [I will plant] the saplings accord[ing] to it.

[2 lines of the Bottom Edge are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

I have received 45 horses of the [pala]ce. The emissaries from Egypt, Gaza, Judah, Moab and Ammon entered Calah on the 12th with their tribute. The 25 horses of the (king) of Gaza are with him. The Edomite, Ashdodite and Ekronite [......]. The emissary from Que [......] is departing and going [to] the city of Zabban; the [...] of the commander-in-chief is with him. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 160 — A Team of Egyptian Horses

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064168; CTN 5 p. 317. Bel-e[riba?] to the gove[rnor (of Calah)]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 160; SAAo P224495.

Obverse

[T]o the gove[rnor, my brother: yo]ur [brother] Bel-e[riba. Good] health to m[y] bro[ther]! The guard Nabû-eṭiranni and Issar-šumu-ereš, a recruit of the team commander, brought me a team of Egyptian horses, saying: "This is a royal order: ‘[Br]i[ng] the horse(s) into the city of [......]

Reverse

[...] in the land of [...]. [I]f it is a royal order, [let] my brother send word that I may receive the team. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 161 — Mule Express not Available

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064013; CTN 5 p. 103. Mahde to the king, from Nineveh. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 161; SAAo P224392. Also edited as SAA 05 074 (SAAo P224392).

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant Mahdê. Good health to the king, my lord! (As to) the mule express that we provide and the royal bodyguard who comes citing a royal order that he should go as far as Šabirešu – he has used up the [...] in my (possession)! The king, my lord, knows that I do not main[tain] a team (to go) as far as Šabirešu; the ones that go do not return. My teams are used up; the king, my lord, should know (this).

Reverse

We let the teams from Calah go by; my chariot, my team (and) [my dri]ver went (with) Nabû'a the bodyguard as far as Šabirešu, and those of Šabirešu le[t them g]o by. Let the king, my lord, inve[stiga]te; let him send word that I come, and I shall come on foot! I have no chariot, no team, no driver!

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 162 — Problems in Maintaining the Express Service

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064041; CTN 5 p. 263. Mahde to the king, from Nineveh. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 162; SAAo P224416.

Obverse

[2 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Right Edge

[As for] the Suhaean, right now he [is performing] his work [...... in the town of Uq]imutaya.

SAA 19 165 — Aššur-nirka-da’’in in Trouble

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064115; CTN 5 p. 289. Aššur-nirka-da’’in to Nabû-nammir, from Ashur. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 165; SAAo P224461.

Obverse

[A tab]let of Aššur-nirka-da''in to [m]y brot[her] Nabû-nammir. The [b]est of heal[th] to my brother! The thing is: Yo[u] know that my family is fr[om the king] (and) the commander-in-chief, whom he (the king) entrusted into the service of Dayan-Adad in the Fortress, saying: "If he proves loyal in your service, return him." He has been having me as his delegate in the town Sahiru. [H]e is now selling the household of Dayan-[A]dad at my di[sp]osal and all the cities of the king that are at [my] disposal, the horses that [... and] the flo[cks of sheep].

Bottom Edge

All the hors[es and ...] that [......] (Break)

Reverse

which [......] whether [they are ......] or not, he does not (even) know them. N[ow], if it is convenient to you, speak up in the king’s presence! I may come down either on the 25th of Tishri (VII) or on the 1st of Tebet (X). See what is convenient for my brother, and write me! The thing is: my brother knows th[at the ...]s [...] this province, say: "Go [and speak] with Day[an-Adad]! The house of Bur-[...] belongs to Dayan-Adad." Let [my brother] act as he does.

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Right Edge

[As for yo]u, send me a time according to which I (can) come down.

SAA 19 166 — Excellent Harvest but Fodder Stolen

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 197. (Unknown) to [the king], from Central Assyria. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 166; SAAo P393673.

Obverse

Right Edge

(Rest too broken for translation)

SAA 19 175 — The Pack Animals of the Suhaean

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 283. Nabu-išmanni to the king, from Western Assyria. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 175; SAAo P393668.

[2 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 184 — Hu-Tešub’s Brother Making Trouble

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064043; CTN 5 p. 113. Hu-Tešub to [the king], from Šubria. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 184; SAAo P224418.

Obverse

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [NN] (and) Muq[alli]l-kabti, total two servants of the chief cupbearer from Našmedi; Adad-killanni (and) his son, total two servants of the priest of Dur-Illil; Tatû from Kapar-Ilu-bani, a servant of the recruitment officer Ambatî;

[1 line of the Obverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

Ahu-iddina [fr]om Singara, a servant of the chief cupbearer. In all six criminals, they have terrorized the town of Nashur-Bel. (rest uninscribed)

Chapter 11. Letters from the Eastern Provinces — Sargon II

SAA 19 189–199.

SAA 19 189 — The Troops of Mazamua

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064083; CTN 5 p. 128. Adad-issiya to the king, from Mazamua. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 189; SAAo P224439. Also edited as SAA 05 215 (SAAo P224439).

Obverse

[To the ki]ng, my lord: [your servant] Adad-issiya. [Good] health to the king, my lord! As to the order that the king, my lord, gave me: "Review the troops of Mazamua and write me!" – (here are the facts): 10 chariots, 20 large-wheeled chariots, 10 (of them) horse-drawn, 10 mule-drawn; in all 20 teams. 97 riding horses; 11 chariot drivers; 12 ‘third men'; [3]0 chariot fighters; 53 grooms of the teams, in all 106 men and [30] chariots. 161 cavalrymen, 130 grooms, 52 ...; in all 343 grooms. 8 lackeys, 12 tailors, 20 cupbearers, 12 confectioners, 7 bakers, 10 cooks: in all 69 domestics. 8 scholars, 23 donkey drivers, 1 information officer, 80 dispatch-riders. In all 630 Assyrians. 360 Gurreans, 440 Itu'eans.

Bottom Edge

All together, 1,430 king's men, including the previous ones which have been here, plus the ones whom the royal bodyguard brought.

Reverse

[Perh]aps the [ki]ng, my lord, (now) says: "Where are the rest of the troops?" M[y] major-domo is delayed but will (later) bring the rest of the troops. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 190 — Sending Horses to Calah, Snow Blocking the Roads

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 102 and p. 316. Nabu-belu-ka’’in to the king, from Kar-Šarrukin. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 190; SAAo P428978. Also edited as SAA 15 083 (SAAo P428978).

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant Nabû-belu-ka''in. The very best of health to the king, my lord! Concerning what the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Be at Calah on the 1st of Nisan (I)" – we are clearing the roads, but it is snowing and snow is filling them up. There is very much snow. [...] the 3rd of Shebat (XI) [...] ... (break of about 1 line) [...] he se[n]t the first 20 horses. The year before last, (when) there was as much snow, rivers were frozen and the men and horses who were with me died in the snow. I shall be in the king my lord's presence on the 6th or 7th of Nisan.

Reverse

As to what the king, my lord, wrote to me: "The men and horses should come with you" – hither[to] the ca[pti]ves (Break) the son [of NN ...] will not g[o ...] to them, (and) "they will not come [...] We shall buy the horses and bring them. The mule express of Aššur-da''inanni should alert the equipment of the Arzuhinaeans. (rest uninscribed)

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 191 — Receiving Tribute Horses; Constructing Kar-Šarruken

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064097; CTN 5 p. 134. [Nabu-belu-ka’’in] to [the king], from Kar-Šarrukin. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 191; SAAo P224449. Also edited as SAA 15 084 (SAAo P224449).

Obverse

Reverse

(beginning broken away) ...[...] to [NN ...] to [Na]bû-be[lu]-ka''in [...] to Mannu-laddi[n ...] saying: "This is what [......] Wh[y sho]uld they convict me [...]? [... ...n]i, [NN] [sa]ying: "[...], the [‘mule house] man' [......] (Rest destroyed or too broken for translation)

SAA 19 197 — An Orchard in Kiṣirtu

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 104. Ubru-Libbal[i] to the king, from Eastern Assyria. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 197; SAAo P428930.

(Beginning destroyed) I [went to the town] Rapiša. [I pl]aced [watchtow]ers th[ere] and p[ut them on alert], I transported [barley] and piled it up [th]er[e], and I brought troops into it. From there I am going to [...]li and Menaga, (two) fo[rt]s of Aššur-be[lu-taqq]in. Where they have not been put on alert, I will alert them, and I will transport barley, pile it up there, and bring troops into them.

Reverse

[I have e]qui[p]ped the fort[s which] were placed under Bel-aplu-iddina, saying: "[...li] (and) Menag[a ...]" [the fo]rts [......] (Rest destroyed)

SAA 19 201 — Refusing to Return the Booty

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064127; CTN 5 p. 55. Ahu-ila’i to the king, from Babylonia. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 201; SAAo P224469.

Obverse

Your [servant] Ahu-ila'i: I would gladly die for my lord! Say to the king, my lord: The guard of Esaggil and Babylon is very strong. (Z)ariqu and Mar-Biti set out (in procession) on the fourth day, saying: "Hail to the Ba[by]l[oni]ans and [Bo]rsippe[ans ...] (Break)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [...]... wit[h ......] [x] Babylonians [..., say]ing: "Hamanu and [NN shou]ld go and (they should return) [what] they have t[a]ken booty. [But they] refu[sed] (to return the booty), saying: "If you plunder ...[...]. T[he Ba]bylonians plunder a man from me (like one), who plunders a shadow in the open country. Return (the man) to Iqišaya!" As to the news [o]f [U]lmunaši, [...] if his [ap]pointees are safe. [...]wanû c[omes to] the king in the Palace

Right Edge

[upo]n his house, to the [......] [...].... And saying that: "[...] which is safe to them

Edge

[......] there is [...] [......] ...[...].

SAA 19 202 — I Shall Complete my Brother’s Mission

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 75. (Unknown) to (unknown), from Babylonia. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 202; SAAo P393689.

Obverse

[A tablet of NN to my brother NN. I am well; good health to] m[y broth]er! As to what [my] brother wrote: "The day you se[e] my tablet, go up [...] to meet the king." Is [h]e coming? It is not all due to me but [th]anks to my brother. The whole world knows that I have devoted myself to my brother. Behold that my brother gives credence to my prosperity and my good fortune. Let my brother send Nabû-le'i to me one day so that I can speak to him, and let him take in what I have to report and [s]ay, [a]nd let him tell it to my brother.

Reverse

Let me hear my broth[er]'s answer and let me undertake the journey that my brother is preparing for me. Moreover, I shall do anythi[ng th]at my brother t[e]lls me (to do). As [t]o Ahu-damqi about whom my brother wrote, Ahu-damqi did not come to me. (But) if he comes to me I shall prepare him for the journey. Moreover, I shall complete my brother's mission. My brother, his tablet – afterwards, [I ...] his report [... as] the one [wh]o [...]... the rep[ort ...].

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 203 — Cultivating and Harvesting

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 88. (Unknown) to [the king], from Babylonia. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 203; SAAo P393686.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [who ...]ed to cultivate their [fields ...] situated in outlying regions, saying: "Cultivate (them)!" - they are (now) being harvested. [(...) su]stena[nce field(s)] [...] .... Now that Zeru-ibni has g[o]ne [t]o the king, my lord,

Reverse

...[...] one to Zeru-ibni ... who with Ṣalam-šar[ri]-i[qbi] and Ma[...] we said [...] to li[v]e [...] m[e]n who [...] f[ro]m (Break)

Edge

The king, my lord, can be gl[ad ...] the captives whom the king, [my lord ......] a strong ox, their harve[st ......].

Chapter 13. Varia and Unassigned — Sargon II

SAA 19 204–229.

SAA 19 204 — Report on Stored Grain

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 320. Šarru-ila’i to the king. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 204; SAAo P393708.

Obverse

[T]o the king, [my] lor[d]: your [se]rvant Šarru-ila'i. Good health to the ki[ng], my lord! As to stored grain about which the king, my lord, wrote to me: "Inspect the crops under [......]. The crop[s ...] whi[ch ......]

Bottom Edge

(Break)

Reverse

I am se[nding ......] to [the king, my lord]. The crop[s ......] [h]e/[i]t is on the border. (rest uninscribed)

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 205 — Let the King my Lord Ask Him

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 311. [...]-Šarru-uṣur to the king. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 205; SAAo P393683.

Obverse

To the king, my lord: your servant [DN]-šarru-uṣur. The best of health to the k[ing, my lord]! May the [...] be w[ell]! (Break)

Reverse

[Let the king, my lord, a]sk him. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 206 — (no title)

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 311. Qizalayu to the k[in]g. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 206; SAAo P393684.

Obverse

To the k[in]g, [m]y lord: your servant QIzalayu. Good [he]alth to the [kin]g, m[y] lord! Concerning what the [ki]ng, [my] lo[rd, wrote] to me: "[......] (Break) [...]... I have sent [......], he will bring [......]. Thereaf[ter] the magnates went [...] I and Sada-[... ......].

[8 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

Concerning the [...s] about whom the king, [my lord], wr[ot]e to me. [(They are)] in Sam’al. As to the Isam[az]eans, [I have ...] as the king [wrot]e to me. They will return [...]. (Break) [who s]et up for[ts] in your country and [...] there. He has not yet set out ....... (rest uninscribed)

[4 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 207 — Executing the King's Orders

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064103; CTN 5 p. 286. (Unknown) to the kin[g]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 207; SAAo P224453.

Obverse

To the kin[g, my lord]: your servant [NN]. The very best of health t[o the kin]g, my [lo]rd! A sealed tablet of the king, my lord, came to me with the following message: "Receive carts with beds ... ... (and) take it with you; do not take (plain) carriages." I shall (now) do as the king, my lord, commanded. I have thickened/strengthened the [...]s of Gilû, [so]n of Hala[...], and am c[om]ing. The men [...] before [.....]

Reverse

(Rest too broken for translation)

SAA 19 208 — Treasury Horses

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 294. (Unknown) to [the king]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 208; SAAo P393687.

Obverse

Reverse

(beginning broken away) [......] the king, my lord, [...] (Break) [......] [... I sp]oke, [...] [......] the ki[n]g, my lord, should k[no]w [that (the people who) ...] have been bo[ug]ht, those [who ...] have not been bought. (rest uninscribed)

[7 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 213 — Criminals of the House of Nupari

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064162; CTN 5 p. 221. (Unknown) to [the king]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 213; SAAo P224490.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [......] ho[rses ...]. Concerning [the house of Nupari] where the k[i]n[g] s[ent me to, saying]: "Go! Let the criminal[s of] the house of Nupari die!" [(Now) ...]haya is with them; he is a criminal [(and) Nu]pari is dead. [...] his brothers [......] me [...... u]s [......] (Break)

Bottom Edge

[2 lines of the Bottom Edge are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

If the k[ing] so orders, we shall pay the [...] of the criminals. As to the number of beams about which the king wrote to me; 226 heavy beams (are) for the royal palace, 212 for the storehouses, [x+]10 for the tower (and) 639 beams [for] the palace of [Ekall]ate. [The wat]ch (of) the [...] men [...] I have seized the house, the equipment o[f ... (and) the ...]s [...] where [......] (Rest destroyed)

Edge

(illegible traces of two lines (not copied))

SAA 19 214 — (no title)

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 236. (Unknown) to the king. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 214; SAAo P393692.

Obverse

To the king, [my lord]: your servant [NN]. Good health [to the king, my lord]! Is the tree [......] which he[re ......] day [......] (Rest destroyed)

Reverse

(beginning broken away) (rest uninscribed)

[1 line of the Reverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 215 — Banquet

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM —; CTN 5 p. 236. (Unknown) to the king. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 215; SAAo P224379.

Obverse

[To] the king, [my] lor[d]: your servant [NN. Good heal]th to the king, my lord! [Concerning the ba]nquet about which the king, my lo[rd, wrote to m]e: "[...] should [...] [...] how [the w]ork [is ...] [...] (and) chos[en ...] [...] may he exemp[t DN]-šarru-uṣur [...] [...] the work of [...]. As to wh[at] the k[ing my lord wrote] to me: "[...] the [...]s should go to [NN]. ...[...] [...] ... the ... (official) [...]... houses ...... [who ...] held their ground [...] let them eat ...[......] [... m]an[y ......] (Rest destroyed or too broken for translation)

Reverse

(illegible)

SAA 19 216 — “Why Did I Appoint You?”

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 250. (Unknown) to [the king]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 216; SAAo P393695.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) he should co[me ......] he said: "Bring [......] ...[......] "w[ent] to (his) guard. [... why] did I appoint you? [......] "to guard [......] "Is it true? [......] The might of the king [will …] his [… …] (Break)

[3 lines of the Obverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

(beginning broken away) chari[ot ......] (Rest destroyed)

[4 lines of the Reverse are too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

SAA 19 217 — Herald and Apprentice

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064179; CTN 5 p. 254. (Unknown) to [the king]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 217; SAAo P224503.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [...... as to what the king, my lord], wrote to me: "[......] ...s." [...] certainly not [...] there. Concerning the her[a]ld (and his) apprentice about w[hom the kin]g, my lord, commanded, w[h]o should be held accountable for ... [...]? Ameli, Inurta-[...] two [...]s [......] (Break)

Reverse

The k[i]ng should send word that the eunuchs who ...[...] be broug[ht] there. Bel-ereš and [...]-Aššur [...] are the messenger(s) whom I send to [...]. A[s t]o ... about which/whom Atamar-Aššur ... told. I have inspected 32 [...]s; those are [...]. Nabû-killanni the [... official o]f Mu[šal]lim-Aššur [...] [......]s o[f ...] [W]hy 20 [...]? (Break)

Edge

who in the town of [......] [yo]u go [to] the border, [......].

SAA 19 218 — Items for the King’s Entourage

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064032; CTN 5 p. 256. (Unknown) to [the king]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 218; SAAo P224408.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [......] come down. [Yo]ur [...] did not tell it to me. I am sending some [lime]stone blocks [to the k]ing. [The ...]..., says: "It is [so that those I] made to be transported [are ...]." What is it that the king [command]s?

Reverse

[Aren't they] for the king's entourage? [......] together. [Now I am sending them] to the king. (rest uninscribed)

SAA 19 219 — Fragment Concerning Business

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). National Museum of Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, IM 064034; CTN 5 p. 258. (Unknown) to [the king]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 219; SAAo P224409.

Obverse

Tablet; clay; Nimrud (Kalhu). British Museum, London, UK, BM —; CTN 5 p. 284. (Unknown) to [the king]. Assigned to Sargon II's reign, 721–705 BC. SAA 19 226; SAAo P393703.

Obverse

(Beginning destroyed) [... ...]... on [...] his old [...] I have given [to Da]yan-Adad [... m]ina(s) of silver [... x hun]dred corn rations [...] people [... x] hundred sh[ee]p [...] b[u]l[l]s [......] horses (Break)

[1 line of the Obverse is too damaged for SAAo's published translation; nothing is invented here to fill the gap.]

Reverse

Edge

[The king, my lord], knows that the[s]e matters [......].

Colophon

Source and license. This edition reproduces the English translation of the State Archives of Assyria online (SAAo, oracc.museum.upenn.edu/saao/saa19/), the digital edition of M. Luukko, The Correspondence of Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud (State Archives of Assyria 19, 2012), lemmatised by Mikko Luukko (2012) as part of the AHRC-funded research project "Mechanisms of Communication in an Ancient Empire: The Correspondence between the King of Assyria and his Magnates in the 8th Century BC" (AH/F016581/1; University College London), directed by Karen Radner, fetched 2026-08-08. SAAo's catalogue data for this volume states it is "released under the CC0 license" (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/); the annotated edition's own per-text credit line states it is "released under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license 3.0." Both statements are recorded here; this edition credits SAAo, Mikko Luukko, and the project team regardless of which license term governs a given file, per academic courtesy and the Good Work Library's own attribution practice. No print publisher is stated in the frozen source pages consulted for this edition, so none is invented here.

What this edition is. The English text above is SAAo's own published translation of the 229 letters edited in Luukko's Correspondence of Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II from Calah/Nimrud, reproduced complete and verbatim and reformatted from an interlinear line-by-line display into continuous reading prose. The thirteen-chapter division follows the print edition's own chapters (as recorded in SAAo's catalogue), and each tablet's obverse, reverse, and edges are marked where the source itself marks them. No word has been altered, paraphrased, or supplied by this library. Brackets, ellipses, and parenthetical markers such as "(Break)," "(Rest destroyed)," and "(Beginning destroyed)" are SAAo's own, recording damaged, restored, or lost cuneiform. Line-by-line coverage is exactly tracked for 226 of the 229 letters, whose translations render from SAAo's own per-line HTML tables: of 5715 numbered lines, 5477 (95.8%) carry a published translation or an explicit editorial note, and the remaining 238 lines, across 97 of those letters, are silently uncovered in SAAo's own render and are not filled here. The remaining three letters — SAA 19 006, SAA 19 156, and SAA 19 168 — are rendered from SAAo's raw transliteration-and-translation source rather than its per-line HTML table, because SAAo's own renderer did not produce one for these three pages; their translations are reproduced complete and verbatim from that source, with SAAo's own dollar-line notes (“(Beginning destroyed)”, “(Break)”, “(Rest destroyed)”) disclosed in place exactly as published. SAAo's catalogue also marks twelve letters in this volume — SAA 19 152, 153, 157, 159, 161, 170, 171, 173, 174, 189, 190, and 191 — as independently re-edited a second time: eight of them (152, 153, 157, 159, 170, 171, 173, 174) under SAA 1, two (161, 189) under SAA 5, and two (190, 191) under SAA 15; each such letter's own full text is present here as normal, with the cross-reference noted alongside its provenance line.

Composite identification. Each letter above is given by its SAA 19 catalogue designation, its ancient sender and recipient where SAAo's catalogue names them, its tablet's excavation provenience and museum registration, its citation in the tablets' first cuneiform publication (CTN 5, Cuneiform Texts from Nimrud V) where SAAo notes one, and its SAAo text ID (a CDLI P-number or, for a small number of unpublished-elsewhere tablets, an X-number), under which the full transliteration and morphological analysis can be studied further at SAAo's own site.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted research, transcription, and editorial work.

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The Correspondence of Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II from Calah⁄Nimrud — State Archives of Assyria 19

State Archives of Assyria 19

Contents

Chapter 1. Letters from the King and the Crown Prince — Tiglath-Pileser III

SAA 19 001 — Soothing Babylon

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 002 — “You Are my Deputy”

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 003 — The Commander-In-Chief Defeated the Arabs

Obverse

Reverse

Edge

SAA 19 004 — The King Encourages Amurru-šumu-iškun

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 005 — Madayu to Meet the King in Urzuhina with 30 Riding Horses

Obverse

Bottom Edge

Reverse

SAA 19 006 — Take up your Responsibility!

Obverse

Reverse

Edge

SAA 19 007 — Equipment from the Palace

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 008 — Emissaries from the West

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 009 — Crown Prince Ululayu Sending Bales of Reed

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 010 — Crown Prince Ululayu Sending Bales of Reed of the Magnates

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 011 — All is Well

Obverse

Reverse

Chapter 2. Letters from Central Assyria — Tiglath-Pileser III

SAA 19 012 — Arabs Removed from Hindanu

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 013 — Šarru-duri to the Palace Scribe

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 014 — Palace Scribe’s Business in Assur

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 015 — Farmers of the Town of Aššur-nirka-uṣur

Obverse

Bottom Edge

Reverse

Right Edge

SAA 19 016 — Aššur-šimanni Reporting on People

Obverse

Bottom Edge

Reverse

SAA 19 017 — Provisioning Aramean Troops

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 018 — Wives for Aramean Troops

Obverse

Reverse

SAA 19 019 — Favourable Exchange Rate

Obverse

Bottom Edge

Reverse

SAA 19 020 — Construction Works

Obverse

Reverse

Edge

SAA 19 021 — Works in Turmuna

Obverse

Reverse

Chapter 3. Letters from the Western Provinces — Tiglath-Pileser III

SAA 19 022 — Restricted Trade in Tyre and Sidon

Obverse

Reverse