Prism Annals

The god Aššur, the great lord, the one who properly administers all of the gods, the grantor of scepter and crown, the sustainer of kingship; the god Enlil, the lord, the king of all of the Anunnakū gods, the father of the gods, the lord of the lands; the god Sîn, the wise one, the lord of the lunar disk, the lofty divine crescent; the god Šamaš, the judge of heaven and netherworld, the one who detects the enemy’s treachery, the one who exposes the wicked; the god Adad, the hero who storms over hostile regions, the mountains, and seas; the god Ninurta, the valiant one, the slayer of criminals and foes, the fulfiller of heart’s desires; and the goddess Ištar, the foremost one among the gods, the lady of tumult who adorns battles;

the great gods, the managers of heaven and netherworld, whose attack means conflict and strife, the ones who make great the kingship of Tiglath-pileser I, the beloved ruler, your select one, the attentive shepherd whom you chose in the steadfastness of your hearts; upon him you set the exalted crown, you grandly established him for kingship over the land of the god Enlil, to him you granted leadership, supremacy, and valor, you pronounced forever his destiny of dominion as powerful and the destiny of his priestly descendants for service in Eḫursagkurkurra;

Royal Titles and Divine Commission

Tiglath-pileser I, strong king, unrivalled king of the world, king of the four quarters, king of all of the rulers, lord of lords, chief herdsman, king of kings, the attentive purification priest to whom by command of the god Šamaš the holy scepter was given and who had complete authority over the people, subjects of the god Enlil, the faithful shepherd whose name was called over the rulers, the exalted high priest whose weapons the god Aššur has sharpened and whose name he has pronounced eternally for control of the four quarters of the world, capturer of distant districts to borders above and below, the radiant day whose brilliance overwhelms the regions, the splendid flame that covers the hostile land like a rain storm and, by the command of the god Enlil, having no rival defeats the enemy of the god Aššur.

The god Aššur and the great gods who magnify my kingship, who granted me power and strength as my lot, commanded me to extend the border of their land. They placed in my hands their mighty weapons, the deluge in battle. I gained control over lands, mountains, cult centers, and rulers who were hostile to the god Aššur and I made all of their districts bow down. I fought against sixty crowned heads and achieved victory over them in battle. I have neither rival in strife nor equal in conflict. I added territory to Assyria and people to its people. I extended the border of my land and ruled over all of their lands.

The Campaign against the Mushku

In my accession year, 20,000 people of the land Musku and their five kings, who had held the lands Alzi and Purulumzi for fifty years, who brought tribute and tithe for the god Aššur — my lord — and whom no king had ever repelled in battle, being confident of their strength, came down and captured the land Katmuḫi. With the support of the god Aššur, my lord, I put my chariotry and army in readiness and, not waiting for my rear guard, I traversed the rough terrain of Mount Kāšiāru. I fought with their 20,000 warriors and five kings in the land Katmuḫi. I brought about their defeat.

Like a storm demon, I piled up the corpses of their warriors on the battlefield and made their blood flow into the hollows and plains of the mountains. I cut off their heads and stacked them like grain piles around their cities. I brought out their booty, property, and possessions without number. I took the remaining 6,000 of their troops who had fled from my weapons and grasped my feet and counted them as people of my land.

The Conquest of Katmuhi

At that time, I marched to the defiant land Katmuḫi, which had withheld its tribute and tax to the god Aššur, my lord. I conquered the land Katmuḫi in its entirety. I brought out their booty, property, and possessions. I burned with fire, destroyed, and demolished their cities. The remainder of the inhabitants of the land Katmuḫi, who had fled from my weapons and who had crossed over to the city Šerešše, which is on the opposite bank of the Tigris River, made that city their stronghold. Taking my chariots and warriors, I hacked through the rough mountain range and difficult paths with copper picks and made a good way for the passage of my chariots and troops.

I crossed the Tigris River and conquered their fortified city, Šerešše. I spread out the corpses of their warriors like grain heaps in that battle. I made their blood flow in the hollows and plains of the mountains. At that time, I laid low like sheep, with the army of the land Katmuḫi, the army of the land Papḫû, which had come to the aid and assistance of the land Katmuḫi. I built up mounds with the corpses of their warriors on mountain ledges. I allowed the Nāme River to carry the bodies of their warriors out to the Tigris River. In that same battle, I captured their king, Kili-Tešub, son of Kali-Tešub, who is called Errupi. I carried off his wives, his natural sons, his clan, 180 copper kettles, five bronze bath-tubs, together with their gods, gold, and silver, the best of their property. I brought out their booty. I burned with fire, destroyed, and demolished that city and its palace.

With regard to the city Urraḫinaš, their stronghold that is situated in the land Panari, the terror, fear, and splendor of the god Aššur, my lord, overwhelmed them. In order to save their own lives, they took their gods and possessions and flew like birds to ledges on high mountains. Taking my chariotry and army, I crossed the Tigris River. Šadi-Tešub, the son of Ḫattuḫu, the king of the city Urraḫinaš, grasped me in his own land. I took his biological sons and his family as hostages. He brought to me as tribute and tax 60 copper kettles, bronze vats, and large bronze bath-tubs, together with 120 men, cattle, and sheep. I accepted his payment, spared him, and preserved his life. I imposed upon him forever the heavy yoke of my lordly majesty. I conquered the wide land Katmuḫi in its entirety and made its people bow down at my feet.

At that time, from the booty and payment of the land Katmuḫi, I donated one bronze vat and one bronze bath-tub to the god Aššur. I gave sixty copper kettles, together with their gods, to the god Adad, the one who loves me.

Campaign in the Mountain Country

With the onslaught of my fierce weapons and through the strength and excellence that the god Aššur, the lord, had given me, I took my warriors trained for successful combat together with thirty of my chariots escorting my aggressive shock troops. I marched to the land Uišdiš, where rebellious and defiant people lived. Riding in my chariot when the way was smooth and going on foot when the way was rough, I passed through the rough terrain of the mighty mountains. In Mount Aruma, a difficult area that was impassable for my chariots, I abandoned my chariotry. Taking the lead of my warriors, I slithered victoriously with the aggressiveness of a viper over the perilous mountain ledges.

I destroyed the land Uišdiš so that it looked like ruin hills created by the Deluge. Like sheep, I laid low their warriors in battle. I carried off their booty, possessions, and property. I burned with fire all of their cities. I imposed upon them the obligation to provide hostages, tribute, and taxes.

Tiglath-pileser I, the valiant man, the one who opens remote regions in the mountains, the subduer of the defiant, and the one who overwhelms all of the fierce enemies.

Subartu and the Second Katmuhi Campaign

I conquered the rebellious and defiant people of the land Subartu. I imposed the heavy yoke of my lordly majesty upon the lands Alzi and Purulumzi, both of which had abandoned the practice of paying tribute and tax, so that they now annually send tribute and tax into my presence at my city, Aššur. As soon as with my valor and through the strong weapon that subdues the defiant, which the god Aššur, my lord, had placed in my hands, he commanded me to extend the border of his land.

4,000 people of the land Kasku and Urume, defiant troops of the land Ḫatti who had seized by force the cities of the land Subartu that were vassals of the god Aššur, my lord, heard of my coming to the land Subartu. The splendor of my valor overwhelmed them and, fearing battle, they grasped my feet. I took them, together with their property and 120 chariots and harnessed horses, and counted them as people of my land.

With my courageous assault, I marched to the land Katmuḫi for a second time. I conquered all of their cities and carried off their booty, possessions, and property without number. I burned with fire, destroyed, and demolished their cities. The remainder of their troops who had taken fright at my fierce weapons and who had been cowed by my strong and belligerent attack, took to secure heights in rough mountainous terrain, in order to save their own lives. I climbed up after them, to the peaks of those high mountains and perilous mountain ledges, where a man could not even walk.

They waged war, combat, and battle with me and I brought about their defeat. Like a storm demon, I piled up the corpses of their warriors on mountain ledges and made their blood flow into the hollows and plains of the mountains.⁠a I brought down their booty, possessions, and property from the heights of those mighty mountains. I became lord of the land Katmuḫi to its full extent and I added it to the borders of my land.

Tiglath-pileser I, the strong king, the snare for the defiant, and the one who overwhelms criminals in battle.

Campaigns in the Northern Mountains

With the exalted strength of the god Aššur, my lord, the god Aššur, my lord, commanded me to march to the land Ḫaria and the army of the wide land Papḫû in the high mountains, where no other king before me had gone before. Putting my chariotry and army in readiness, I took a rugged route between Mounts Itni and Aya. In those high mountains, which thrust up like pointed daggers and which were impassable for my chariots, I put the chariots on the soldiers’ necks and in this way passed through that difficult mountain range. All of the people of the land Papḫû, their extensive army, joined together and they aggressively took up a position to wage war, combat, and battle in Mount Azu.

I fought with them in that rough mountainous terrain and brought about their defeat. I built up mounds with the bodies of their warriors in the plains of the mountain and made the blood of their warriors flow into the hollows and plains of the mountain. I stormed the cities that were on the mountain ledges and conquered twenty-five cities of the land Ḫaria that lay at the foot of Mounts Aya, Šuira, Itni, Šēzu, Šelgu, Arzanibiu, Urusu, and Anitku. I carried off their booty, possessions, and property. I burned with fire, razed, destroyed, and demolished their cities.

The people of the land Addauš were frightened by my strong belligerent attack and abandoned their territory. They flew like birds to ledges on high mountains. The splendor of the god Aššur, my lord, overwhelmed them nevertheless and they came back down and grasped my feet. I imposed upon them tribute and tax.

I destroyed the lands Sarauš and Ammauš, which from ancient times had not known submission, so that they looked like ruin hills created by the Deluge. I fought with their extensive army in Mount Aruma and brought about their defeat. I spread out the corpses of their warriors like grain heaps on the mountain ledges. I conquered their cities, took their gods, and brought out their booty, possessions, and property. I burned with fire, destroyed, and demolished their cities and turned them into ruin hills. I imposed the heavy yoke of my lordly majesty upon them and made them vassals of the god Aššur, my lord.

I conquered the rebellious and defiant lands Išua and Daria. I imposed upon them tribute and tax and made them vassals of the god Aššur, my lord.

With my prowess, with which I conquered my enemies, I took my chariotry and army and crossed the Lower Zab. I conquered the lands Murattaš and Saradauš, which are within the rough terrain of Mounts Asaniu and Aṭuma. I butchered their troops like sheep. I conquered their fortified city, Murattaš, within the first third of the day after sunrise. I brought out their gods, their possessions, their property, 120 copper kettles, 30 talents of copper bars, the outstanding property of their palace, their booty. I burned, destroyed, and demolished that city.

At that time, I gave that copper to the god Adad, the one who loves me.

With the exalted power of the god Aššur, my lord, I marched to the land Sugi of the land Ḫabḫu, people who were defiant to the god Aššur, my lord. I fought on foot with 6,000 of their troops from the lands Ḫimme, Lūḫu, Arrirgi, Alamun, Nimni, and all of the people of the wide land Papḫû. I fought with all of those lands on Mount Ḫiriḫu, rough terrain that thrusts up like pointed daggers. I brought about their defeat. I built up mounds with the corpses of their warriors on its mountain ledges and I dyed Mount Ḫiriḫu red like wool with their blood. I conquered the land Sugi in its entirety. I brought out twenty-five of their gods, their booty, their possessions, and their property. I burned, destroyed, and demolished all of their cities. The remainder of their troops grasped my feet and I had mercy on them. I imposed upon them tribute and tax and regarded them as vassals of the god Aššur, my lord.

At that time, I donated twenty-five gods of those lands, my own booty that I had taken, to be door keepers of the temple of the goddess Mullissu, the beloved chief spouse of the god Aššur, my lord, the temple of the gods Anu and Adad, the temple of the Assyrian Ištar, of the other temples of my city, Aššur, and of the temples of the goddesses of my land.

Tiglath-pileser I, the strong king, the conqueror of enemy regions, and the rival of all other kings.

The Nairi Campaign

At that time, with the exalted might of the god Aššur, my lord, with the firm ‘yes’ of the god Šamaš, the warrior, with the support of the great gods with which I have properly ruled in the four quarters of the world and have no rival in battle nor equal in conflict, at the command of the god Aššur, my lord, I marched to the Naʾiri lands, whose distant kings, on the shore of the Upper Sea of the Setting Sun had not known submission. I pushed through rugged paths and perilous passes, the interior of which no king had previously known, blocked trails and unopened remote regions. As for Mounts Elama, Amadāni, Elḫiš, Šerabeli, Tarḫuna, Terkaḫuli, Kiṣra, Tarḫanabe, Elula, Ḫaštarae, Šaḫišara, Ubera, Miliadruni, Šulianzi, Nubanāše, and Šēše, altogether sixteen mighty mountains, I rode my chariot over smooth terrain and I hacked out the rough terrain with copper picks. I cut down the urumu-trees that grow in those mountains, and in this way constructed good bridges for the passage of my chariots and army. I crossed the Euphrates River with those bridges.

The king of the land Tumme, the king of the land Tunube, the king of the land Tuali, the king of the land Dardari, the king of the land Uzula, the king of the land Unzamuni, the king of the land Andiabe, the king of the land Piladarni, the king of the land Adurgini, the king of the land Kulibarzini, the king of the land Šinibirni, the king of the land Ḫimua, the king of the land Paiteri, the king of the land Uiram, the king of the land Šururia, the king of the land Abaeni, the king of the land Adaeni, the king of the land Kirini, the king of the land Albaya, the king of the land Ugina, the king of the land Nazabia, the king of the land Abarsiuni, and the king of the land Daiaeni, altogether twenty-three kings of the Naʾiri lands, combined their chariotry and army in their lands and advanced to wage war, strife, and combat.

With the onslaught of my fierce weapons, I approached them and destroyed their extensive army like a storm of the god Adad. I laid out the corpses of their warriors like grain heaps in the open country, the plains of the mountains, and the surroundings of their cities. In that battle, I seized 120 of their chariots, together with their equipment. As far as the Upper Sea, I chased at arrow point sixty kings of the Naʾiri lands, including those who had come to their aid. I conquered their large cult centers and brought out their booty, possessions, and property. I burned with fire, destroyed, and demolished their cities and turned them into ruin hills. I brought back extensive herds of horses, mules, and donkeys, the livestock of their pastures, without number. I captured all of the kings of the Naʾiri lands alive. I had mercy on those kings and spared their lives. I released them from their bonds and chains in the presence of the god Šamaš, my lord, and made them swear an oath of eternal submission by my great gods. I took their biological, royal, sons as hostages. I imposed upon them a payment of 1,200 horses and 2,000 cattle. I allowed them to return to their lands.

I brought Sēni, king of the land Daiaeni, who had not been submissive to the god Aššur, my lord, in bonds and chains to my city, Aššur. I had mercy on him and let him leave my city, Aššur, alive in order to proclaim the glory of my great gods. I became lord of the wide Naʾiri lands in their entirety. Moreover, I made all of their kings bow down to my feet.

In the course of that same campaign, I marched to the rebellious and defiant city Melid of the land Ḫanigalbat. Frightened by my strong belligerent attack, they grasped my feet and I had mercy on them. I did not storm that city, but I took hostages instead. As uninterrupted, annual payment, I imposed upon them one homer of lead ore.

Tiglath-pileser I, the darting and furious flame, the deluge in battle.

The Campaign against the Arameans

With the support of the god Aššur, my lord, I took my chariots and warriors and set off for the desert. I marched against the Aḫlamû-Arameans, the enemies of the god Aššur, my lord. In a single day, I plundered from the border of the land Sūḫu to the city Carchemish of the land Ḫatti. I massacred them and carried back their booty, possessions, and goods without number. The rest of their troops who fled from the weapons of the god Aššur, my lord, crossed the Euphrates River. I crossed the Euphrates River after them on rafts made of inflated goatskins. I conquered six of their cities at the foot of Mount Bisuru. I burned with fire, destroyed, and demolished those cities. I brought their booty, possessions, and goods to my city, Aššur.

Tiglath-pileser I, the one who treads upon dangerous people, the one who lays low the defiant, and the pacifier of all of the rebellious people.

The Conquest of Musri and Qumani

The god Aššur, the lord, commanded me to conquer the land Muṣri and I took the way between Mounts Elamuni, Tala, and Ḫarusa. I conquered all the land Muṣri in its entirety and laid low their warriors. I burned with fire, destroyed, and demolished their cities. The troops of the land Qumanî came to the aid of the land Muṣri. I fought with them in those mountains, and brought about their defeat. I confined them to one city, the city Arinu, which is at the foot of Mount Aisa. They grasped my feet and I spared that city. I imposed upon them hostages, tribute, and tax.

At that time, all the people of land Qumanî, who had agreed to assist the land Muṣri, mustered their entire territories and took up a position to do battle and conflict. With the onslaught of my fierce weapons, I fought with their 20,000 extensive troops at Mount Tala and brought about their defeat. I broke up their mighty force and pursued them in their retreat, as far as Mount Ḫarusa, which is before the land Muṣri. I spread out the corpses of their warriors on its mountain ledges like sheep and made their blood flow into the hollows and plains of the mountains. I conquered their large cult centers. I burned with fire, destroyed, and demolished them and turned them into ruin hills.

I overwhelmed the city Ḫunusa, their fortified city, so that it looked like a ruin hill created by the Deluge. I fought violently with their mighty army in that city and nearby mountain and brought about their defeat. I laid low their warriors in the mountains like sheep. Like lambs, I cut off their heads and made their blood flow into the hollows and plains of the mountains. I conquered that city. I took their gods and brought out their booty, possessions, and property. I burned that city. I destroyed, demolished, and turned into a ruin hill the three walls that were constructed with baked brick and the entire city and then I scattered ṣīpu-stones over it. I made bronze lightning bolts and inscribed on them a description of the conquest of the lands that I conquered had with the god Aššur, my lord, together with a warning not to occupy that city and not to rebuild its wall. On that site, I built a building of baked brick and put those bronze lightning bolts in it.

With the support of the god Aššur, my lord, I took my chariotry and warriors and surrounded the city Kipšūnu, their royal city. The king of the land Qumanî was frightened of my strong and belligerent attack and grasped my feet. I spared that city. I ordered him to destroy his great wall and towers of baked brick. He destroyed it from its foundations to its crenellations and he turned it into a ruin hill. He deported and I received from him 300 families, rebels in his midst who were not submissive to the god Aššur, my lord. I took hostages from him. I imposed upon him a tribute and tax that was larger than before. I conquered the wide land Qumanî to its full extent and I made its people bow down to me.

Summary of Conquests

Altogether, from my accession year to my fifth regnal year, I conquered forty-two lands and their rulers from the other side of the Lower Zab, in distant mountainous regions to the other side of the Euphrates River, people of the land Ḫatti, and the Upper Sea of the Setting Sun. I made them bow down to one authority, took hostages from them, and imposed upon them tribute and tax.

This is apart from the numerous foreign campaigns that do not appear in this account of my victories and upon which I pursued my enemies by chariot in favorable terrain and on foot in rough terrain. I prevented the enemies from setting foot in my land.

Royal Hunts

Tiglath-pileser I, the valiant man, the armed one with the unrivalled bow, and an expert in the hunt.

The gods Ninurta and Nergal gave me their fierce weapons and their exalted bow for my lordly arms. By the command of the god Ninurta, who loves me, with my strong bow, iron arrowheads, and sharp arrows, I killed four extraordinarily strong wild virile bulls in the desert, in the land Mittani, and at the city Araziqu which is before the land Ḫatti. I brought their hides and horns to my city, Aššur.

I killed ten strong bull elephants in the land Ḫarrān and the region of the Ḫābūr River and four live elephants I captured. I brought the hides and tusks of the dead elephants with the live elephants to my city, Aššur.

By the command of the god Ninurta, who loves me, I killed 120 lions on foot, with my wildly outstanding assault. In addition, I struck down 800 lions from my light chariot. I have brought down every kind of wild beast and winged bird of the heavens, whenever I shot an arrow.

Temples, Palaces, and Agriculture

After I had gained dominion over the enemies of the god Aššur in their full extent, I built and completed the temple of the Assyrian Ištar, my lady, the temple of the god Amurru, the temple of the god Bēl-labira, and the temple of the Ten Gods, the dilapidated temples of the gods of my city, Aššur. I established the dedications of their temples and brought the great gods, my lords, inside them. I pleased their divinities.

I built and completed the palaces, the royal residences of the large cult centers in the various districts of my entire land that had been abandoned and had fallen into ruin and decay since the time of my ancestors, during hard years. I repaired the dilapidated fortifications of my land. I caused plows to be hitched up all over Assyria and in this way piled up more grain than my ancestors.

I formed herds of horses, oxen, and asses from the booty that I had taken when I gained dominion over lands with the support of the god Aššur, my lord. Moreover, I got control of and formed herds of the nālu-deer, ayyalu-deer, gazelles, and ibex that the gods Aššur and Ninurta, the gods who love me, had given to me during the course of the hunt in high mountain ranges. I numbered them like flocks of sheep. Yearly, I sacrificed the young born to them to the god Aššur, my lord, as voluntary offerings, together with my other pure offerings.

I took cedar, box-tree, Kanish oak from the lands over which I had gained dominion — such trees that no one among former kings, my ancestors, had ever planted — and I planted them in the orchards of my land. I took rare orchard fruit that was not found in my land and I filled the orchards of Assyria with them.

I had in harness for the forces of my land more chariots and teams of horses than ever before. I added land to Assyria and people to its people. I brought contentment to my people and provided them with a secure abode.

Royal Genealogy

Tiglath-pileser I, the exalted ruler, the one whom the gods Aššur and Ninurta have continually guided wherever he wished to go and who pursued each and every one of the enemies of the god Aššur and laid low all of the rebellious people;

Son of Aššur-rēša-iši I, the strong king, the conqueror of enemy lands, and the subduer of all of the fierce enemies;

Grandson of Mutakkil-Nusku, whom the god Aššur, the great lord, chose through the selection of his steadfast heart and whom he had firmly appointed to the shepherdship of Assyria;

Legitimate heir of Aššur-dān I, the bearer of the holy scepter, the commander of the subjects of the god Enlil, the one whose deeds and offerings are pleasing to the great gods, and the one who lived to a ripe old age;

Offspring of Ninurta-apil-ekur, the martial king, the loved one of the god Aššur whose wings were spread like an eagle’s over his land and who faithfully tended the people of Assyria.

Rebuilding the Temple of Anu and Adad

At that time, the temple of the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords, which Šamšī-Adad III, the vice-regent of the god Aššur, the son of Išme-Dagān II, who was also vice-regent of the god Aššur, had previously built; after 641 years had passed, it had become dilapidated again and Aššur-dān I, the king of Assyria, the son of Ninurta-apil-Ekur, who was also the king of Assyria, tore that temple down, but did not rebuild it and for 60 years its foundation had not been relaid.

In my accession year, the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords, who love my priesthood, commanded me to rebuild their shrine and I made its bricks. I delineated its area, reached its foundation pit, and laid its foundations on solid bedrock. I piled up that area in its entirety with bricks, like an oven, making it fifty layers of brick deep. On it, I laid the limestone foundations of the temple of the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords. I built it from its foundations to its crenellations and made it larger than before.

I built two large ziggurats, which were appropriate for their great divinities. I planned and laboriously built and completed that pure temple, that holy shrine, their joyful abode, their happy dwelling that stands out like the stars of heaven and that represents the choicest skills of the building trade. I decorated its interior like the interior of heaven. I decorated its walls as splendidly as the brilliance of rising stars. I raised its towers and its ziggurats to the sky and made fast its crenellations with baked brick. I installed a conduit suitable for the conduct of the rites of their great divinities inside them. I brought the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords, inside and set them on their exalted thrones. I pleased their great divinities.

The ḫamru-temple of the god Adad, my lord, which Šamšī-Adad III, the vice-regent of the god Aššur, the son of Išme-Dagān II, who was also the vice-regent of the god Aššur, had built, became dilapidated and was in ruins. I delineated its site and built it from its foundations to its crenellations with baked brick. I adorned it and made it stronger than before. Inside, I made pure offerings to the god Adad, my lord.

At that time, I transported obsidian, ḫaltu-stone, and hematite from the mountains of the Naʾiri lands that I had conquered with the support of the god Aššur, my lord. I deposited them in the ḫamru-temple of the god Adad, my lord, forever.

Prayer for Divine Favor

Because I made plans without ceasing and was not slack in the work but quickly completed that holy temple, the exalted shrine, for the abode of the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords, and in this way pleased their great divinities, may the gods Anu and Adad faithfully have mercy upon me, love my prayers, heed my fervent petitions, grant abundant rain and extraordinarily rich years during my reign, lead me about safely in battle and strife, make all of the enemy lands, rebellious mountain regions, and rulers hostile to me bow down at my feet, pronounce a favorable blessing over me and my priestly descendants; and firmly place my priesthood in the presence of the god Aššur and their great divinities forever like a mountain.

Preserving the Inscriptions

I wrote on my monumental and clay inscriptions my heroic victories, my successful battles, and the suppression of the enemies and enemies of the god Aššur that the gods Anu and Adad had granted to me. I deposited them in the temple of the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords, forever. Moreover, the monumental inscriptions of Šamšī-Adad III, my ancestor, I anointed with oil, made offerings, and returned them to their places.

In the future, in days to come, may a future ruler, when that temple of the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords, and those ziggurats become old and dilapidated, restore their dilapidated sections. May he anoint with oil my monumental and clay inscriptions, make offerings, and return them to their places. Let him write his name with my name. Just like me, may the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords, guide him well in joy and success.

Curses on Those Who Damage Inscriptions

As for the one who breaks or erases my monumental or clay inscriptions, throws them into water, burns them with fire, covers them with earth, secretly stores them in a Taboo House where they cannot be seen, erases my inscribed name and writes his own name, or conceives of anything injurious and puts it into effect to the disadvantage of my monumental inscriptions,

may the gods Anu and Adad, the great gods, my lords, glare at him angrily and inflict upon him an evil curse, overthrow his kingship, tear out the foundations of his royal throne, terminate his noble line, smash his weapons, bring about the defeat of his army, and make him sit in bonds before his enemies. May the god Adad strike his land with terrible lightning and inflict his land with distress, famine, shortage, and plague. May he command that he not live one day longer. May he make his name and his seed disappear from the land.

Date

Kuzallu, twenty-eighth day, eponymy of Ina-ilīya-allak, the chief cupbearer.