The Eponyms of the Assyrian Empire 910-612 BC — State Archives of Assyria Studies 2

State Archives of Assyria Studies 2 — The Assyrian Eponym List and Chronicle

This volume gathers the two texts published together in Alan Millard's The Eponyms of the Assyrian Empire, 910-612 BC (State Archives of Assyria Studies 2, 1994), with a contribution by Robert Whiting: the Assyrian Eponym List and the Assyrian Eponym Chronicle. Neo-Assyrian scribes did not number their years; each year instead took its name from an official — usually a senior office-holder, and in certain years the king himself — who served as that year's limmu*, or eponym. The List simply runs through this roster of names, year by year, from 910 to 649 BC. The Chronicle follows much the same roster but adds, after many names, a brief note of what the year was remembered for: a military campaign, a building project, a plague, a revolt, a king's death or accession.*

Neither text survives complete on any single tablet. Both are official reference copies, made and recopied over centuries by scribes who needed them for the ordinary business of dating contracts and letters, and the edition below is — following SAAo's own presentation — a composite built from nine separate List witnesses and twelve separate Chronicle witnesses: tablets and fragments excavated at Nineveh, Assur, and Sultantepe, now held in London, Berlin, and Ankara. Where the witnesses disagree, or where all of them are broken in the same place, that disagreement or silence is part of what survives, and it is recorded here rather than resolved.

The importance of this plain bookkeeping device is out of proportion to its contents: the Eponym List and Chronicle are the backbone of Assyrian, and by extension much of ancient Near Eastern, absolute chronology. The Chronicle's entry for the eponym year of Bur-Sagalê records a solar eclipse that modern astronomical calculation places on 15 June 763 BC — an anchor point from which the surrounding centuries can be dated with confidence. What follows is SAAo's own published English translation of both texts, reproduced complete.

Part One. The Assyrian Eponym List — 910-649 BC
Part Two. The Assyrian Eponym Chronicle — 858-699 BC, as the surviving witnesses cover it

Part One. The Assyrian Eponym List

Composite text (SAAo Q004243), built from nine witnesses (A01-A09). Complete across all 270 of its lines, 910-649 BC. From 719 BC on, one witness (A09) alone preserves a second column giving each eponym's office or province; SAAo joins it to the name with a slash where the two are given in a single source line, and as a separate bracketed phrase where they come from separate columns. Both conventions are SAAo's own and are kept as published.

(910 BC) Adad-nērārī (II), king.
(909 BC) Šēʾi-Aššur.
(908 BC) Aššur-daʾʾinanni.
(907 BC) Aššur-dēnī-amur.
(906 BC) Barmu.
(905 BC) Abu-[...] (or Abi-[...]).
(904 BC) Aššur-taklāk.
(903 BC) Qurdi-illima?.
(902 BC) ...inanni.
(901 BC) Dūr-māti-Aššur.
(900 BC) Ilu-emūqāya.
(899 BC) Ninuāyu.
(898 BC) Likberu.
(897 BC) Adad-aḫu-iddina.
(896 BC) Adad-dān.
(895 BC) Ina-iliya-allak.
(894 BC) Šamaš-abuʾa.
(893 BC) Šamaš-bēlu-uṣur?.¹
(892 BC) Nergal-ṣarme*.
(891 BC) Ṭāb-kār-Aššur.
(890 BC) Aššur-lā-kēnu-ubāša.
(889 BC) Tukultī-Ninurta² (II), king.
(888 BC) Taklāk-ana-bēliya.
(887 BC) Abu-ilāya.
(886 BC) Il-milkī.
(885 BC) Naʾid-ilu.
(884 BC) Yarî.
(883 BC) Aššur-šēzibanni.
(882 BC) Aššur-nāṣir-apli (Ashurnasirpal II), king.
(881 BC) Aššur-iddin.
(880 BC) Miqtu-adur.
(879 BC) Ša-ilimma-damqā.
(878 BC) Dagān-bēlu-uṣur.
(877 BC) Ninurta-pīya-uṣur.
(876 BC) Ninurta-bēlu-uṣur.
(875 BC) Iššak-Aššur-lilbur.
(874 BC) Šamaš-upaḫḫir.
(873 BC) Nergal-āpil-kūmūʾa.
(872 BC) Qurdi-Aššur.
(871 BC) Aššur-lēʾi.
(870 BC) Aššur-natkil.
(869 BC) Bēl-mudammiq.
(868 BC) Dayān-Ninurta.
(867 BC) Ištar-emūqāya.
(866 BC) Šamaš-nūrī.
(865 BC) Mannu-dān-ana-ili.
(864 BC) Šamaš-bēlu-uṣur.
(863 BC) Ninurta-ilāya.
(862 BC) Ninurta-ēṭiranni.
(861 BC) Nergal-ilāya.
(860 BC) Nergal-nīrka-daʾʾin.
(859 BC) Ṭāb-bēl.
(858 BC) Šarru-balti-nišī.
Twenty-four years (of Ashurnasirpal II 883-859 BC).
(857 BC) Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser III), king.
(856 BC) Aššur-bēlu-kaʾʾin.
(855 BC) Aššur-bunāya-uṣur.
(854 BC) Abu-ina-ēkalli-lilbur.
(853 BC) Dayyān-Aššur.
(852 BC) Šamaš-abūʾa.
(851 BC) Šamaš-bēlu-uṣur.
(850 BC) Bēl-bunāya.
(849 BC) Ḫadi-libbušu.
(848 BC) Nergal-ālik-pāni.
(847 BC) Bur-Rammān.
(846 BC) Ninurta-mukīn-nišī.
(845 BC) Ninurta-nādin-šumi.
(844 BC) Aššur-būnāya.
(843 BC) Ṭāb-Ninurta.
(842 BC) Taklāk-ana-šarri.
(841 BC) Adad-rēmanni.
(840 BC) Šamaš/Bēl-abūa.
(839 BC) Šulmu-bēli-lāmur.
(838 BC) Ninurta-kibsī-uṣur.
(837 BC) Ninurta-ilāya.
(836 BC) Qurdi-Aššur.
(835 BC) Šēp-šarri.
(834 BC) Nergal-mudammiq.
(833 BC) Iaḫalu.
(832 BC) Ulūlāyu.
(831 BC) Šarru-ḫattu-ipella.
(830 BC) Nergal-ilāya.
(829 BC) Ḫubāyu.
(828 BC) Ilu-kēnu-uṣur.
(827 BC) Salmānu-ašarēd (king Shalmaneser III).
(826 BC) Dayyān-Aššur.
(825 BC) Aššur-būnāya-uṣur.
(824 BC) Iaḫalu.
(824 BC) Bēl-būnāya.
(822 BC) Šamšī-Adad (V), king.
(821 BC) Iaḫalu.
(820 BC) Bēl-dān.
(819 BC) Ninurta-ubla.
(818 BC) Šamaš-ilāya.
(817 BC) Nergal-ilāya.
(816 BC) Aššur-būnāya-uṣur.
(815 BC) Šarru-ḫattu-ipella.
(814 BC) Bēlu-lū-balaṭ.
(813 BC) Mušekniš.
(812 BC) Ninurta-ašarēd.
(811 BC) Šamaš-kūmūa.
(810 BC) Bēl-qātē-ṣabat.
(809 BC) Adad-nērārī (III).
(808 BC) Nergal-ilāya.
(807 BC) Bēl-dān.
(806 BC) Ṣil-Bēl.
(805 BC) Aššur-taklāk.
(804 BC) Ilu-ittīya.
(803 BC) Palil-ēreš.
(802 BC) Aššur-balti-ekurri.
(801 BC) Ninurta-ilāya.
(800 BC) Šēp-Ištar.
(799 BC) Marduk-šimanni.
(798 BC) Mutakkil-Marduk.
(797 BC) Bēl-tarṣi-iluma.
(796 BC) Aššur-bēlu-uṣur.
(795 BC) Marduk-šaddûni.
(794 BC) Kēnu-abūa.
(793 BC) Mannu-kī-Aššur.
(792 BC) Mušallim-Ninurta.
(791 BC) Bēl-iqīšanni.
(790 BC) Šēp-Šamaš.
(789 BC) Ninurta-kēnu-uṣur.
(788 BC) Adad-mušammer.
(787 BC) Ṣil-Ištar.
(786 BC) Nabû-šarru-uṣur.
(785 BC) Adad-uballiṭ.
(784 BC) Marduk-šarru-uṣur.
(783 BC) Ninurta-nāṣir.
(782 BC) Ilumma-lē'i.
[Twenty]-eight years (of Adad-nērārī III 810-783 BC).
(781 BC) Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser IV), king.
(780 BC) Šamšī-ilu.
(779 BC) Marduk-rēmanni.
(778 BC) Bēl-lēšer.
(777 BC) Nabû-išdēya-kaʾʾin.
(776 BC) Pān-Aššur-lāmur.
(775 BC) Pālil-ēreš ³.
(774 BC) Ištar-dūrī.
(773 BC) Mannu-kī-Adad.
(772 BC) Aššur-bēlu-uṣur.
(771 BC) Aššur-dān (III), king.
(770 BC) Šamšī-ilu.
(769 BC) Bēl-ilāya.
(768 BC) Aplāya.
(767 BC) Qurdi-Aššur.
(766 BC) Mušallim-Ninurta.
(765 BC) Ninurta-mukīn-nišī.
(764 BC) Ṣidqi-ilu.
(763 BC) Bur-Sagalê. ✸⁴
(762 BC) Ṭāb-bēl.
(761 BC) Nabû-kēnu-uṣur.⁵
(760 BC) Lā-qēpu.
(759 BC) Pān-Aššur-lāmur.
(758 BC) Ana-bēli-taklāk.
(757 BC) Ninurta-iddin.
(756 BC) Bēl-šadûa.
(755 BC) Iqīsu.
(754 BC) Ninurta-šēzibanni.
(753 BC) Aššur-nērārī (V), king.
(752 BC) Šamšī-ilu.
(751 BC) Marduk-šallimanni.
(750 BC) Bēl-dān.
(749 BC) Šamaš-kēnu-dugul.
(748 BC) Adad-bēlu-kaʾʾin.
(747 BC) Sîn-šallimanni.
(746 BC) Nergal-nāṣir.
(745 BC) Nabû-bēlu-uṣur.
(744 BC) Bēl-dān.
Ten years (of Aššur-nērārī V 754-745 BC).
(743 BC) Tukultī-apil-Ešarra (Tiglath-pileser III), king.
(742 BC) Nabû-daʾʾinanni.
(741 BC) Bēl-Harrān-bēlu-uṣur.
(740 BC) Nabû-ēṭiranni.
(739 BC) Sîn-taklāk.
(738 BC) Adad-bēlu-kaʾʾin.
(737 BC) Bēl-ēmuranni.
(736 BC) Ninurta-ilāya.
(735 BC) Aššur-šallimanni.
(734 BC) Bēl-dān.
(733 BC) Aššur-daʾʾinanni.
(732 BC) Nabû-bēlu-uṣur.
(731 BC) Nergal-uballiṭ.
(730 BC) Bēl-lū-dāri.
(729 BC) Lipḫur-ilu.
(728 BC) Dūr-Aššur.
(727 BC) Bēl-Ḫarrān-bēlu-uṣur.
(726 BC) Marduk-bēlu-uṣur.
(725 BC) Maḫdê⁶.
(724 BC) Aššur-šimanni.
years (of Tiglath-pileser III 744-727 BC)
(723 BC) Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser V), king.
(722 BC) Ninurta-ilāya.
(721 BC) Nabû-tāriṣ.
(720 BC) Aššur-nīrka-daʾʾin.
years (of Shalmaneser V 726-722 BC)
(719 BC) Šarru-ukīn (Sargon II) king [of Assyria].
(718 BC) Zēru-ibni governor of Ra[ṣappa].
(717 BC) Ṭāb-šār-Aššur trea[surer].
(716 BC) [Ṭāb-ṣil]-Ešarra governor of the Inner [City (of Ashur)].
(715 BC) Taklāk-ana-Bēl " (= governor of) Naṣibi[na].
(714 BC) Ištar-dūrī " Arrap[ḫa].
(713 BC) Aššur-bāni " Kalḫu (Nimrud) [x].
(712 BC) Šarru-ēmuranni " Mazāmu[a].
(711 BC) Ninurta-ālik-pāni " Siʾimm[e].
(710 BC) Šamaš-bēlu-uṣur " Ar[zuḫina].
(709 BC) Mannu-kī-Aššur-lēʾi " Til[lê].
(708 BC) Šamaš-upaḫḫir " Ḫabr[rūri].
(707 BC) Ša-Aššur-dubbu " Tušḫan [...].
(706 BC) Mutakkil-Aššur " Gūzā[na].
[Senn]acherib, king.⁷
(705 BC) Nasḫir-bēl " Amēdi x-[x x x x]
(704 BC) Nabû-dēnī-ēpuš " Nineveh.
(703 BC) Nuhšāya " Kilizi.
(702 BC) Nabû-lēʾi " Arbail.
(701 BC) Ḫanāna " Til-Barsip.
(701 BC) Mitūnu " Isana.
(699 BC) Bēl-šarrāni " Kurbail.
(698 BC) Šulmu-šarri (governor) of [x x x]
(697 BC) Nabû-dūru-uṣur " [Tamnuna]
(696 BC) Šulmu-bēli " [of Talmusi]
(695 BC) Aššur-bēlu-uṣur [" Šaḫuppa]
(694 BC) Ilu-ittīya [" Damascus]
(693 BC) Iddin-ahhē [" Ṣimirra]⁸
(692 BC) Zazāya [" ] Arpad[da]
(691 BC) Bēl-ēmuranni [" ] Carchemish.
(690 BC) Nabû-kēnu-uṣur [" ] Samaria.
(689 BC) Giḫilu [" ] Hatarikka.
(688 BC) Iddin-ahhē [" ] Ṣimir[ra].
years (of Sennacherib? II 704-681 BC)⁹
(687 BC) Sīn-aḫḫē-erība (Sennacherib) [king of] Assyria.
(686 BC) Bēl-ēmuranni [comma]nder in chief of the right.
(685 BC) Aššur-daʾʾinanni [governor of] Quê.
(684 BC) Manzernê [" (= governor of)] Kullania.
(683 BC) Mannu-kī-Adad [" ] Ṣu[pite].
(682 BC) Nabû-šarru-uṣur [" ] Marqasi.
(681 BC) Nabû-ahhē-ēreš [" ] Samʾal.
Esarhaddon took the throne¹⁰
(680 BC) Danānu [" Man]ṣuate.
(679 BC) Itti-Adad-anēnu [" Me]giddo.
(678 BC) Nergal-šarru-uṣur [c]hief cupbearer.
(677 BC) Abi-rāmu [g]rand vizier.
(676 BC) Banbâ [g]rand vizier.
(675 BC) Nabû-ahhē-iddina chief [treas]urer.
(674 BC) Šarru-nūrī / governor of Barḫ[alzi].
(673 BC) Atar-ili / (governor) of Lahi[ru].
(672 BC) Nabû-bēlu-uṣur / (governor) of Dūr-Šarruk[ên].
(671 BC) Kanūnāyu / chief judge.
(670 BC) Šulmu-bēli-lašme / governor of Dēr.
(669 BC) Šamaš-kāšid-ayābi / [gov]ernor of Ašdod.
(668 BC) Mār-larīm / commander in chief.
(667 BC) Gabbāru / governor of Dūr-[Sennacherib??].
(666 BC) Kanūnāyu / governor of the New Palace.
(665 BC) Mannu-kī-šarri / palace herald.
(664 BC) Šarru-lū-dāri / governor of Dūr-Šarru[kên].
(663 BC) Bēl-naʾdi / commander in chief.
(662 BC) Ṭāb-šār-Sîn / governor of Raṣappa.
(661 BC) Arbailayu.
(660 BC) Gīr-ṣapūnu.
(659 BC) Silim-Aššur.
(658 BC) Ša-Nabû-šû.
(657 BC) Lā-abâši.
(656 BC) Milki-rāmu.
(655 BC) Awiānu.
(654 BC) Aššur-nāṣir.
(653 BC) Aššur-ilāya.
(652 BC) Aššur-dūru-uṣur.
(651 BC) Sagabbu.
(650 BC) Bēl-Ḫarrān-šaddûʾa.
(649 BC) Aḫu-ilāya.

Notes to the Eponym List

Part Two. The Assyrian Eponym Chronicle

Composite text (SAAo Q007771), built from twelve witnesses (B01-B12). The surviving witnesses cover 858-699 BC; SAAo's own text directs readers to Part One for the flanking years, in place, at the appropriate lines below. Ditto marks (") stand for a repeated introductory phrase exactly as the source repeats it.

(For the eponyms of years from 910 to 859, see here the Assyrian Eponym List. Composite text)
(858-824 BC) [Since the eponym] of Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser III) son of Aššur-naṣir-apli (Ashurnasirpal II) K[ing of Assyria.]
(858 BC) Eponym (of) Šarru-balti-nišī t[o? ...]
(857 BC) ["] Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser III) King of Assyria t[o? ...]
(856 BC) ["] Aššur-bēlu-kaʾʾin commander in chief t[o? ...]
(855 BC) ["] Aššur-bunāya-uṣur chief cup bearer t[o? ...]
(854 BC) ["] Abu-ina-ēkalli-lilbur palace herald [...]
(853 BC) ["] Dayyān-Aššur commander in chief [...]
(853 BC) ["] Šamaš-abūʾa governor of Naṣibina [...]
(851 BC) ["] Šamaš-bēlu-uṣur governor of Kalḫu [...]
(850 BC) ["] Bel-bunāya palace herald [...]
(849 BC) ["] Ḫadi-libbušu governor of Naʾiri [...]
(848 BC) ["] Nergal-ālik-pāni [governor of ... ...]
(847 BC) ["] Bur-Rammān [...] [...]
(For the eponyms of years 846-840 (Ninurta-mukīn-nišī, Ninurta-nādin-šumi, Aššur-būnāya, Ṭāb-Ninurta, Taklāk-ana-šarri, Adad-rēmanni, Šamaš/Bēl-abūa, see here Assyrian Eponym List. Composite text)
(841 BC) [" (in the eponym of)] [...] [...] [...]
(840 BC) ["] [Šamaš/Bēl-abūa ¹¹] [...] [... to the] cedar [mountain].
(839 BC) ["] [Šulmu-bēli-lāmur] [governor of Arzuḫina] [to Qu]e.
(838 BC) ["] [Ninurta-kibsī-uṣur] [governor of] Raṣappa! to Malahi.
(837 BC) ["] [Ninurta-ilāya¹²] [governor of Ar]zuhina to Danabi.
(836 BC) ["] [Qurdi-Aššur] [governor of] Raqmat to Tabal.
(835 BC) ["] [Šep-šarri] [governor of] Ḫabrūri to Melid.
(834 BC) ["] [Nergal-mudammiq] [governor of] Nineveh to Namri.
(833 BC) ["] [Iaḫalu] [treasurer] [...]
(832 BC) ["] [Ulūlāyu] [governor of] Kilizi to Que.
(831 BC) ["] [Šarru-ḫattu-ipella] [governor of xx] to Que; the god Ištaran came from Deri.
(830 BC) ["] [Nergal-ilāya] [governor of I]sana to Urarṭu.
(829 BC) ["] [Ḫubāyu] [governor of x x] to Unqi.
(828 BC) ["] [Ilu-kēnu-uṣur] [governor of xx]-ḫa to Ulluba.
(827 BC) ["] [Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser III)] [king of As]syria to Mannea.
(826 BC) ["] [Dayyān-Aššur] [commander in ch]ief revolt.
(825 BC) ["] [Aššur-būnāya-uṣur] [chief cup bearer!] revolt.
(824 BC) ["] [Iaḫalu] [treasurer] revolt.
(823 BC) ["] [B]ēl-būnāya [x x x x] revolt.
years of Sal[mānu-ašarēd] (Shalmaneser III), king of Assyria.
(822 BC) [" (in the eponym of)] [Šamšī]-Adad king [of Assyria] revolt.
(821 BC) ["] [Ia]ḫalu c[ommander in chief] revolt.
(820 BC) ["] [Bēl-]dān p[alace herald] revolt, suppressed.
(819 BC) ["] [ Ninurta-]ubla p[alace herald] to Mannea.
(818 BC) ["] [Šamaš]-ilāya [x x x x] x-x.
(817 BC) ["] [Nergal]-ilāya govern[or of x x x x to Til]lê(?).
(816 BC) ["] [Aššur-būn]āya-uṣur chief [cup bearer to Til]lê
(815 BC) " [Šarru-ḫattu-ipella governor of] Naṣibina to Zarate.
(814 BC) " [Bēlu-lū-balaṭ filed marsh]al to Dēr; the god Ištaran went to Dēr.
(813 BC) " [Mušekniš governor of] Ḫabrūri to Aḫsana.
(812 BC) ["] [Ninurta-]ašarēd governor of Raqmat to Chaldea.
(811 BC) " [Šamaš-kūmūa governor of] Arrapha to Babylon.
(810 BC) " [Bēl-qātē-ṣabat governor of] Mazāmua in the Land.
years [of Šamšī-Adad (V), king of Assyria].
(809 BC) " (in the eponym of) [Adad-nērārī (III) king of] Assyria to Media.
(808 BC) " [Nergal-ilāya commander in ch]hief to Gūzāna.
(807 BC) " [Bēl-dān palace] herald to Mannea.
(806 BC) " [Ṣil-Bēl chief] cupbearer to Mannea.
(805 BC) ["] Aššur-taklāk treasurer to [Arpadda].
(804 BC) " [Ilu-ittīya governor of] the land to Ḫazāzu.
(803 BC) " [Palil-ēreš governor of] Raṣappa to Baʾalu.
(802 BC) " [Aššur-balti-ekurri governor of] Arrapḫa to the Sea; plague.
(801 BC) " Ninurta-ilāya governor of Arzuḫina to [Ḫubuškia].
(800 BC) " Šēp-Ištar governor of Naṣibina to [Media/Mannea].
(799 BC) " Marduk-šimanni governor of Amēdi to [Media/Mannea].
(798 BC) " [Mutakkil-Marduk c]hief eunuch to Lušia.
(797 BC) " [Bēl-tarṣi-iluma governor of K]alḫu (Nimrud) to Namri.
(796 BC) " Aššur-bēlu-uṣur [governor of Habruri] to Manṣuate.
(795 BC) " [Marduk-šaddûni governor of] Raqmat to Dēr.
(794 BC) " [Kēnu-abūa governor of] Tušḫan to Dēr.
(793 BC) " [Mannu-kī-Aššur governor of] Gūzāna to Media.
(792 BC) " Mušallim-Ninurta governor of Tillê to Media.
(791 BC) " [Bēl-iqīšanni governor of Šib]ḫiniš to Ḫubuškia.
(790 BC) ["] Šēp-Šamaš governor of Isana to It[uʾa].
(790 BC) " Ninurta-kēnu-uṣur governor of Nineveh to Media.
(788 BC) " Adad-mušammer governor of Kilizu to Media.
foundation of the temple of Nabû of Nineveh laid.
(787 BC) " (in the eponym of) Ṣil-Ištar governor of Arbail to Media.
Nabû in the new the temple has entered.
(786 BC) " (in the eponym of) Nabû-šarru-uṣur governor of Talmusu to Kiski.
(785 BC) " Adad-uballiṭ governor of Tamnunna to Ḫubuškia.
the god Ištaran in Dēr has gone.
(784 BC) " (in the eponym of) Marduk-šarru-uṣur governor of Kurbail to Ḫubuškia.
(783 BC) " Ninurta-nāṣir governor of Mazāmua to Ituʾa.
(782 BC) " Ilumma-lēʾi governor of Naṣibina to Ituʾa.
28 years of Adad-nērārī (III) king of Assyria.
(781 BC) in the eponym of Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser IV) king of Assyria to Urarṭu.
(780 BC) " Šamšī-ilu commander in chief to Urarṭu.
(779 BC) " Marduk-rēmanni chief cup bearer to Urarṭu.
(778 BC) " Bēl-lēšer (palace) herald to Urarṭu.
(777 BC) " Nabû-išdēya-kaʾʾin chief treasurer in Ituʾa.
(776 BC) " Pān-Aššur-lāmur governor of the land to Urarṭu.
(775 BC) " Pālil-ēreš¹³ [go]vernor of Raṣappa [...].
(774 BC) " Ištar-dūrī [go]vernor of Naṣibina to Urarṭu Namri.
(773 BC) " Mannu-kī-Adad [go]vernor of Raqmat to Damascus.
(772 BC) " Aššur-bēlu-uṣur [go]vernor of Kalḫu (Nimrud) to Ḫatarikka.
years of Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser IV), king of Assyria.
(771 BC) " (in the eponym of) Aššur-dān (III) king of Assyria to Gananati.
(770 BC) " Šamšī-ilu commander in chief to Marad.
(769 BC) " Bēl-ilāya governor of Arrapḫa to Ituʾa.
(768 BC) " Aplāya governor of Mazāmua in the Land.
(767 BC) " Qurdi-Aššur governor of Arzuḫina to Gananati.
(766 BC) " Mušallim-Ninurta governor of Tillê to Media.
(765 BC) " Ninurta-mukīn-nišī governor of Ḫabrūri to Ḫatarikka; plague
(764 BC) " Ṣidqi-ilu governor of Tušḫān in the Land.
(763 BC) " Bur-Sagalê governor of Guzana rebellion in Libbi-Ashur (Inner Citiy of Ashur); in the month of Simanu an eclipse¹⁴ of the sun took place.✸
(762 BC) " Ṭāb-bēl governor of Amēdi rebellion in Libbi-Ashur (Inner Citiy of Ashur).
(761 BC) " Nabû-kēnu-uṣur¹⁵ governor of Nineveh rebellion in Arrapḫa.
(760 BC) " Lā-qēpu governor of Kilizu rebellion in Arrapḫa.
(759 BC) " Pān-Aššur-lāmur governor of Arbail rebellion in Gūzāna; plague.
(758 BC) " Ana-bēli-taklāk governor of Isana to Gūzāna; peace in the Land.
(757 BC) " Ninurta-iddin governor of Kurbail in the Land.
(756 BC) " Bēl-šadûa governor of Tamnuna in the Land.
(755 BC) " Iqīsu governor of Šibḫiniš to Ḫatarikka.
(754 BC) " Ninurta-šēzibanni governor of Talmusa to Arpad.
return from Ashur.
(753 BC) in the eponym of Aššur-nērārī (V) king of Assyria in the Land.
(752 BC) " Šamšī-ilu commander in chief in the Land.
(751 BC) " Marduk-šallimanni palace herald in the Land.
(750 BC) " Bēl-dān chief cupbearer in the Land.
(749 BC) " Šamaš-kēnu-dugul treasurer to Namri.
(748 BC) " Adad-bēlu-kaʾʾin governor (of Ashur) to Namri.
(747 BC) " Sîn-šallimanni governor of Raṣappa in the Land.
(746 BC) " Nergal-nāṣir governor of Naṣibina rebellion in Kalḫu (Nimrud).
(745 BC) " Nabû-bēlu-uṣur governor of Arrapḫa in the month of Ayyaru (April/May).
Tukultī-apil-Ešarra (Tiglath-pileser III) took the throne.
in the month of Tišri he crossed the river.
(744 BC) " Bēl-dān governor of Kalḫu (Nimrud) to Namri.
(743 BC) " Tukultī-apil-Ešarra (Tiglath-pileser III) king of Assyria in Arpad.
the defeat of Urarṭu he made.
(742 BC) " Nabû-daʾʾinanni commander in chief to Arpad.
(741 BC) " Bēl-Harrān-bēlu-uṣur palace herald " (to Arpad); taken in three years.
(740 BC) " Nabû-ēṭiranni chief cupbearer to Arpad.
(739 BC) " Sîn-taklāk treasurer to Ulluba; fort seized.
(738 BC) " Adad-bēlu-kaʾʾin governor (of Ashur) Kullani captured.
(737 BC) " Bēl-ēmuranni governor of Raṣappa to Media.
(736 BC) " Ninurta-ilāya governor of Naṣibina to the foot of Mount Nal.
(735 BC) " Aššur-šallimanni governor of Arrapḫa to Urarṭu.
(734 BC) " Bēl-dān governor of Kalḫu (Nimrud) to Philistia.
(733 BC) " Aššur-daʾʾinanni governor of Mazāmua to Damascus.
(732 BC) " Nabû-bēlu-uṣur governor of Siʾme to Damascus.
(731 BC) " Nergal-uballiṭ governor of Arzuḫina to Šapiya.
(730 BC) " Bēl-lū-dāri governor of Tillê in the Land.
(729 BC) " Lipḫur-ilu governor of Ḫabrūri the king took the hands of Bel.
(728 BC) " Dūri-Aššur governor of Tušḫan the king took the hands of Bēl; the city [...].
(727 BC) " Bēl-Ḫarrān-bēlu-uṣur governor of Gūzāna to the city [...].
[...] [...] Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser V) [sat] on [the throne].
(726 BC) " Marduk-bēlu-uṣur governor of Amēdi(?) i[n ...].
(725 BC) " Mahdê¹⁶ governor of Nineveh to [...].
(724 BC) " Aššur-šimanni governor of Kilizi to [...].
(723 BC) [" Salmānu-ašarēd (Shalmaneser V) king of Assy]ria to [...].
(722 BC) [" Ninurta-ilāya feld mars]hal [to ...].
(721 BC) [" Nabû-tāriṣ governor of ... to Ḫat]ti.
(720 BC) [" Aššur-nīrka-daʾʾin governor of ... to ...]ru.
(719 BC) [" Šarru-ukīn (Sargon II) king of Assyria ... ent]ered.
(718 BC) [" Zēru-ibni governor of Raṣappa Against the land Ta]bal.
(717 BC) [" Ṭāb-šār-Aššur treasurer The city Dūr-Šarru]kīn was founded.
(716 BC) [" Ṭāb-ṣil-Ešarra governor of the Inner City (of Ashur) Against the ci]ty of the Manneans..
(716 BC) [" Taklāk-ana-Bēl governor of Naṣibina ...] provincial governors were appointed.
(714 BC) [" Ištar-dūrī governor of Arrapḫa Against the land Ur]arṭu, the city Muṣaṣir, (and the god) Ḫaldi.
(713 BC) [" Aššur-bāni governor of Kalḫu (Nimrud) the no]bles in Ellipi;
[ the god/goddess ...] entered (his/her) new [tem]ple;
[ again]st the city Muṣaṣir.
(712 BC) [" Šarru-ēmuranni governor of Mazāmua] (The king stayed) in the land (Assyria).
(711 BC) [" Ninurta-ālik-pāni governor of Siʾimme] Against the city Marqasa.
(710 BC) [" Šamaš-bēlu-uṣur governor of Arzuḫina] Against Bīt-zēri; the king stayed in Kish.
(709 BC) [" Mannu-kī-Aššur-lēʾi governor of Till]ê Sargon (II) took the hands of the god Bēl.
(708 BC) " [Šamaš-u]paḫ[ḫir governor of Ḫabrū]ri The city Kummuḫu was captured; a provincial governor was appointed.¹⁷
(707 BC) " Ša-Aššur-dubbu governor of Tušḫan The king returned fr[om Ba]bylon;
the (chief) vizier (and) the nobles carried off the booty of Dūr-Yakīn;
[...] the city Dūr-Yakīn was destroyed;
on the twenty-second day of Tašrītu (VII) the gods of the city Dūr-Šarrukīn entered their temples.
(706 BC) " Mutakkil-Aššur governor of Gūzāna The king (stayed) in the land (Assyria); the nobles (were) in Karalla;
on the sixth day of Ayyāru (II), the city Dūr-Šarrukīn was inaugurated; [...] received.
(705 BC) " Nasḫir-bēl governor of Amēdi The ki[ng ... to the land Tabal]
against Gurdî, the Kulummian ... [(...)];
the king was killed; the camp of the king of Assyria [was] sei[zed ...];
on the twelfth day of the month Abu (V) Sennacherib [ascended the throne].
(704 BC) " Nabû-dēnī-ēpuš governor of Nineveh T[o ...]
the cities Larak, Sarrabānu, [...];
the palace of the city Kilizi was built; ... in [...];
nobles against ... [...]
(703 BC) " Nuhšāya [governor of Kilizi] [...]
[(702 BC) " Nabû-lēʾi governor of Arbail ...]¹⁸
(701 BC) " Ḫanāna governor of Til-Barsip [...]
(700 BC) " Mitūnu governor of Isana [...]
Aššur-nādin-šumi son of [Sennacherib]
[...] of the palace in the citadel [...];
large cedar beams [...];
alabaster from Mo[unt Ammanana];
from Kapardargil[â ...];
... to/for ... [...]]
of the king ... [...].
(699 BC) " Bēl-šarrāni governor of Kurbail [...]
(For the eponyms of years from 698 to 649, see here the Assyrian Eponym List. Composite text)

Notes to the Eponym Chronicle

Colophon

Source and license. This edition reproduces the English translation of the State Archives of Assyria online (SAAo, oracc.org/saao/saas2/), the digital edition of Alan Millard, with a contribution by Robert Whiting, The Eponyms of the Assyrian Empire, 910-612 BC (State Archives of Assyria Studies 2; Helsinki University Press, 1994), adapted and lemmatised by Nathan Morello (2019) as part of the research programme of the Alexander von Humboldt Chair in the Ancient History of the Near and Middle East at LMU Munich (Karen Radner, Humboldt Professorship 2015), fetched 2026-08-08. SAAo's SAAS 2 subproject states its content is released under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license, both on the subproject's own page and in each text's individual catalogue record; the project's machine-readable catalogue and lemmatisation data files carry the further, separate statement "This data is released under the CC0 license." Both statements are recorded here; this edition credits SAAo, Alan Millard, Robert Whiting, and Nathan Morello regardless of which license term governs a given file, per academic courtesy and the Good Work Library's own attribution practice.

A note on the series. SAAS 2 is a volume of State Archives of Assyria Studies — SAAo's companion series of monographs and stand-alone critical editions — not of State Archives of Assyria proper. It is unrelated to State Archives of Assyria 2, Simo Parpola and Kazuko Watanabe's Neo-Assyrian Treaties and Loyalty Oaths, already held elsewhere on this shelf. This edition is cited throughout by its full series name, State Archives of Assyria Studies 2 (SAAS 2), precisely so the two are not mistaken for one another.

What this edition is. The English text above is SAAo's own published translation of the two composite critical editions in Millard's SAAS 2 — the Assyrian Eponym List (SAAo Q004243) and the Assyrian Eponym Chronicle (SAAo Q007771) — reproduced complete and verbatim, reformatted from SAAo's line-by-line score display into a year-by-year list. No word has been altered, paraphrased, or supplied by this library. Brackets, ellipses, and marks such as "?", "!", and "*" are SAAo's own, recording damaged, restored, or uncertain readings; a slash between a name and an office (e.g. "Šarru-nūrī / governor of Barḫalzi") is also SAAo's own notation, used where a single source line gives both. The List is translated complete across all 270 of its lines. The Chronicle is translated across 190 of its 194 lines; the remaining four lines (846, 845, 843, and 842 BC) are silent in every surviving witness, a gap SAAo's own text discloses in place, at the year 844 BC: "For the eponyms of years 846-840 ... see here Assyrian Eponym List." That note, like everything else here, is reproduced exactly as SAAo published it, and nothing has been invented to fill it.

Witnesses. The Eponym List composite draws on: A01 (British Museum K 04329; cited in earlier literature as 3 R 1), A02 (BM K 04388; 2 R 68 no. 2), A03 (BM K 04389; 2 R 68 nos. 3, 5), A04 (BM K 04390; 2 R 68 no. 4), A05 (BM 1885-05-22, 0121; ADD 1098), A06 (BM Rm 0580), A07 (Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin, VAT 11254 + VAT 11257 + VAT 11259a + VAT 11276; KAV 021), A08 (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi, Ankara, excavation no. SU 1952, 150; STT 047), and A09 (Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin, VA 08249; KAV 020). A07 and A09 were excavated at Qalat Sherqat (Assur), A08 at Sultantepe (Huzirina), and the rest at Kuyunjik (Nineveh).

The Eponym Chronicle composite draws on: B01 (BM K 00051; 2 R 52 no. 1), B02 (BM K 03403 + 1881-02-04, 0187 + 1895-04-06, 0004; BSBA 11, 286), B03 (BM K 03202), B04 (BM Rm 2, 097; PSBA 11, 298 pl. III), B05 (BM 1885-05-22, 0526; PSBA 11, 297 pl. III), B06 (BM K 04446; 2 R 69, no. 6), B07 (BM K 10017), B08 (BM K 14183), B09 (BM K 14304), B10 (Anadolu Medeniyetleri Müzesi, Ankara, excavation nos. SU 1952, 018 + 018A + 021 + 333 + 227; STT 046 + STT 348, from Sultantepe/Huzirina), B11 (BM DT 142), and B12 (a private collection; I. L. Finkel and J. E. Reade, Or. 67 (1998), 254). All but B10 were excavated at Kuyunjik (Nineveh).

Each witness's own SAAo text ID (a CDLI P- or X-number) resolves at oracc.org/saao/saas2/, where its transliteration and the full critical apparatus of variants can be studied further. The individual witness pages carry only transliteration and score; SAAo publishes the English translation solely on the two composite texts reproduced above.

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

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There is no evidence at the moment to decide whether the correct name of this eponym was Šamaš-bēlu-uṣur, Šamaš-šarru-uṣur, or Ilu-kettu-uṣur. ↩
This edition follows the guidelines of transcription system given by Parpola in PNA (p. xxiiff.). Therefore, six divine names (Ištar, Ninurta, Aššur, Ea, Ninlil, and Enlil) are lemmatized according to their Neo-Assyrian reading (Issār, Inūrta, Aššūr, Aia, Mulissu, and Illil; see evidence for these forms in PNA p. xxv-xxvii). Also as in PNA, the trnaslation maintains the classic reading, guaranteeing the reader with the widest possible range of readings. The grapheme <i>, which is frequently used for writing the semivowel [y], has been consistently transcribed as i in PNA (or j, when used as a glide after i); this rule is applied for the lemmatization, but also in this case (and this time differently than in PNA) the translation keeps [y]. As an example for what here explained: Ninurta-ilāya (a name common to five eponym years: 863, 837, 801, 736, and 722 BC) is lemmatized as Inūrta-ilāʾī and translated as Ninurta-ilāya. ↩
Previously read Nergal-ēreš (see, PNA p. 981). ↩
See note to Bur-Sagalê, eponym of 763, in the Eponym Chronicles' page. ↩
Previously read Nabû-mukīn-ahi (see, PNA p. 840). ↩
For this name as a form of Ammi-hātî, see PNA p. 104, with previous bibliography. ↩
A2 has the king's name before the Nasḫir-bēl's eponym, i.e. before Sennacherib's coronation after the death of Sargon II; A4 has it after Nasḫir-bēl's eponym. ↩
Probably a mistake for Dūr-Šarrukên ↩
This note on the years of reign of Sennacherib is present only in source A7 (see the socres). ↩
This note on the incoronation of Esarhaddon is present only in source A1 (see the scores). ↩
See the scores of the eponym list for this eponym. ↩
This edition follows the guidelines of transcription system given by Parpola in PNA (p. xxiiff.). Therefore, six divine names (Ištar, Ninurta, Aššur, Ea, Ninlil, and Enlil) are lemmatized according to their Neo-Assyrian reading (Issār, Inūrta, Aššūr, Aia, Mulissu, and Illil; see evidence for these forms in PNA p. xxv-xxvii). Hoewever, as also in PNA, the translation maintains the classic reading, guaranteeing the user with the widest possible range of readings. The grapheme <i>, which is frequently used for writing the semivowel [y], has been consistently transcribed as i in PNA (or j, when used as a glide after i); this rule is applied for the lemmatization, but also in this case (and this time differently than in PNA) the translation keeps [y]. As an example for what here explained: Ninurta-ilāya (a name common to five eponym years -- 863, 837, 801, 736, and 722) is lemmatized as Inūrta-ilāʾī and translated as Ninurta-ilāya. ↩
Previously read Nergal-ēreš (see, PNA p. 981). ↩
This is a crucial event for the calculation of absolute chronolgiers in Mesopotamia and the ancient Near East. It has been identified with an almost complete solar eclipse occured on 15 th of June 763 BC, and it works as anchor for the compilation of a patchwork of sources - including the eponym lists and the Assyrian and Babylnoian king lists, among others - which allows for a fairly grounded reconstruction of years' succession from the reign of Adad-nērāri II (911-891 BC), going down across the centuries, and up to our age through Ptolemy's "Canon" (see, R. Pruzinzsky, Mesopotamian Chronology of the 2nd Millennium B.C., 2009, p. 17.) ↩
Previously read Nabû-mukīn-aḫi (see, PNA p. 840). ↩
For this name as a form of Ammi-hātî, see PNA p. 104, with previous bibliography. ↩
B6 r. 1-2 (see scores) has "The nobles ... [(...)] against the city Kummuḫu [(...)]." ↩
Entries for years 702 and 701 have no sources for the Eponym Chronicles. The reconstruction of the lines is guessed on the basis of the Eponym Lists. ↩