Chronocle of the Fall of Nineveh
This is the text of a chronicle that
describes the final years of the Assyrian empire. The translation
was made by A.K. Grayson and can be found in Assyrian and Babylonian
chronicles (1975); some minor changes have been made. An
introduction can be found here.
The eleventh year [615-614]: The king
of Babylonia mustered his army, marched along the bank of the
Tigris, and in the month Ajaru he encamped against Aššur. On the
[lacuna] day of the month Simanu he did battle against the city but
he did not capture it. The king of Assyria mustered his army, pushed
the king of Babylonia back from Aššur and marched after him as far
as Takrit, a city on the bank of the Tigris. The king of Babylonia
stationed his army in the fortress of Takrit. The king of Assyria
and his army encamped against the army of the king of Babylonia,
which was stationed in Takrit, and did battle against them for ten
days. But the king of Assyria did not capture the city. Instead, the
army of the king of Babylonia, which had been stationed in the
fortress, inflicted a major defeat upon Assyria. The king of Assyria
and his army turned and went home. In the month Arahsamna the Medes went down to
Arraphu [modern Kirkuk] and [lacuna]. The twelfth year [614-613]: In the
month Âbu [July/August] the Medes, after they had matched against
Nineveh [lacuna], hastened and they captured Tarbisu, a city in the
district of Nineveh. They went along the Tigris and encamped against
Aššur. They did battle against the city and destroyed it. They
inflicted a terrible defeat upon a great people, plundered and
sacked them. The king of Babylonia and his army, who had gone to
help the Medes, did not reach the battle in time. The city [lacuna]
The king of Babylonia and Cyaxares the king of the Medes met one
another by the city and together they made an entente cordiale.
[lacuna] Cyaxares and his army went home. The king of Babylonia and
his army went home. The thirteenth year [613-612]: In the
month Ajaru the Subeans rebelled against the king of Babylonia and
became belligerent. The king of Babylonia mustered his army and
marched to Suhu. On the fourth day of the month Simanu [11 May 613]
he did battle against Rahilu, a city which is on an island in the
middle of the Euphrates and at that time he captured the city. He
built his [lacuna] The men who live on the bank of the Euphrates
came down to him. [lacuna] he encamped against Anat and the siege
engines he brought over from the western side [lacuna] he brought
the siege engine up to the wall. He did battle against the city and
captured it. [lacuna] the king of Assyria and his army came down and
[lacuna] the king of Babylonia and his army. The king of Babylonia
went home. From the month Simanu [June] until the month
Abu [August] -for three months- they subjected the city to a heavy
siege. On the [lacuna] day of the month Âbu they inflicted a major
defeat upon a great people. At that time Sin-šar-iškun, king of
Assyria, died. [lacuna] They carried off the vast booty of the city
and the temple and turned the city into a ruin heap [lacuna] of
Assyria escaped from the enemy and [lacuna] the king of Babylonia
[lacuna]. On the twentieth day of the month Ulûlu [15
August 612] Cyaxares and his army went home. After he had gone, the
king of Babylonia dispatched his army and they marched to Nasibin.
Plunder and exiles [lacuna] and they brought the people of Rusapu
[modern Kirkuk] to the king of Babylonia at Nineveh. On the [lacuna]
of the month [lacuna] Aššur-uballit ascended to the throne in Harran
to rule Assyria. Up until the [lacuna] day of the month [lacuna] the
king of [lacuna] set out and in [lacuna] The sixteenth year [610-609]: In the
month Ajaru [May] the king of Babylonia mustered his army and
marched to Assyria. From the month [lacuna] until the month
Arahsamna [November] he marched about victoriously in Assyria. In
the month Arahsamnu the Medes, who had come to the help of the king
of Babylonia, put their armies together and marched to Harran
against Aššur-uballit, who had ascended to the throne in Assyria.
Fear of the enemy overcame Aššur-uballit and the army of Egypt which
had come to help him, and they abandoned the city. [lacuna] they
crossed. The king of Babylonia reached Harran and [lacuna] he
captured the city. He carried off the vast booty of the city and the
temple. In the month Addaru the king of Babylonia left their
[lacuna]. He went home. The Medes, who had come to help the king of
Babylonia, withdrew. Let the one who loves [the gods] Nabû and
Marduk keep this tablet and not let it stray into other hands. |