Ex Libris
C. K. OGDEN
c^
r
THE
ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON
BY
GEORGE SMITH.
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2007 with funding from
IVIicrosoft Corporation
http://www.archive.org/details/assyrianeponymcaOOsmitiala
THE
ASSYRIAN EPONYM
CANON;
CONTAINING TRANSLATIONS OF THE DOCUMENTS, AND
AN ACCOUNT OF THE EVIDENCE, ON
THE COMPARATIVE CHRONOLOGY OF THE
ASSYRIAN AND JEWISH KINGDOMS,
FROM THE DEATH OF SOLOMON TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR.
BV
GEORGE SMITH,
Of the Deparfi)ie)it of Oriental Antiquities, British Museum ; Author of History of
Assurbaiiipal ; Assyrian Discoveries, &-c., &^c.
Multac terricolis lingux, coelestibus una.
LONDON:
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS,
15, PATERNOSTER ROW.
CONTENTS
Preface. .
Chapter I. Former Literature and Systems of
Chronology i
Chapter II. Assyrian Calendar; Methods of dating
Documents; Institution and Order
of the Eponymes . . . .17
Chapter III. The Assyrian Eponym Canon . 27
Chapter IV. Evidence of the Chronological Ac-
curacy of the Assyrian Eponym
Canon ...... 72
Chapter V. The Eponym Canon and Canon of
Ptolemy compared . . . , roi
Chapter VI. Assyrian Notices of Palestine and
Jewish History . . . . .106
Chapter VII. The Comparative Chronology of A.s-
syria and Palestine .150
Appendix 205
2000189
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PREFACE.
HE Assyrian Eponym Canon will, I think, re-
quire little preface or excuse. There is a
general desire among all persons interested in Bib-
lical and Assyrian history to have, in as complete a
form as possible, the translations of the Assyrian
eponym canon, and the accompanying historical
dates and inscriptions. Having these monuments
under my charge, to satisfy this wish I have prepared
the present work. I have searched through the
whole of our national collection, and picked out
every date and circumstance likely to be of use in
these chronological enquiries. I have translated
these for the present work, and have collected in it
an amount of evidence for the use of students not
before available. The labour of these researches
can only be estimated by those who know something
of the extent and condition of the texts. I have, in
Vlll ' PREFACE.
the course of its preparation, examined over a
thousand fragmentary Assyrian historical inscrip-
tions, and I quote in the body of the book more than
three hundred Assyrian documents. Others beside
chronologists will be interested in the new texts I
have given, especially those of the time of Esarhad-
don, containing his war with Tirhakah, and the
association of his son, Assurbanipal, on the throne of
Assyria. Many chronologists will differ from me as
to my conclusions, but I think all will agree with my
main purpose in setting together the Assyrian evi-
dence, to enable students to estimate the contempo-
rary materials bearing on any question of the time of
the Jewish kings.
It will be understood that the numbers and letters
before dates and extracts, as k 398 at the top of p. 8g,
refer to the numbers of the objects in the British
Museum collection, and will enable them to be found
in case of reference. I have only to add, that in
comparing so many dates, accidental cases of error
in the numbers may escape me ; but I have tried to
check this, and hope that the data will be found
reliable throughout.
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
CHAPTER I.
Former Literature and Systems of Chronology.
HE chronology of the period of the kings of
Judah and Israel has formed a fruitful subject
of discussion in all subsequent ages. Works have
been written on this epoch from the time of the
Greek kings of Egypt until now, and yet we are
unable, after the lapse of two thousand years, to
settle the leading dates. The difficulties which stand
in the way have led some to throw on one side
entirely the chronological question; this result is
unfortunate because history cannot be satisfactory
without chronology.
The discovery of the Cuneiform Inscriptions, and
particularly of the Assyrian eponym canon, altered
the condition of the problem, and introduced much
new evidence on the one side while it increased the
difficulties on the other.
2 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
The publication of numerous contemporary docu-
ments and official chronological works, turned the
discussion of the chronology of the kings of Judah
and Israel into entirely new channels, and made a
marked difference between the works published before
and after the discovery of the Assyrian inscrip-
tions.
In the discussion of these matters I have some-
times joined, after discovering new points of contact
between the Books of Kings and the Assyrian in-
scriptions, or additions to the Assyrian eponym
canon, but my own opinions have completely altered
since I took up the study, and this is the first time I
have ventured to give a complete system of chronology
for this period. I still consider the chronology very
doubtful in some places, and my views differ widely
from those of the other chronologists who have taken
up the subject. I have therefore, wherever it is ne-
cessary, noted their conclusions along with the evi-
dence for settling the questions.
In tracing the more prominent chronological works
written since the discovery of the Assyrian canon,
preference must be given to those of Sir Henry
Rawlinson, the discoverer of this document. Sir
Henry Rawlinson has not given any system of chro-
nology, and with respect to the changes in Jewish
dates, rendered necessary by the discovery of the
Assyrian canon, he has generally contented himself
with the view that a reduction of about forty years is
required for the date of the accession of Jehu, and he
has occasionally suggested lower dates for other
Scripture events between the accession of Jehu and
LITERATURE AND CHRONOLOGY. 3
that of Manasseh. The remarks and views of Sir
Henry Rawlinson were published in the AthencBum,
No. 1805, May 31, 1862; No. 1812, July ig, 1862;
No. i86g, August 22, 1863; No. 2055, March 15,
1867, and No. 2080, September 7, 1867.
The Rev. Canon Rawlinson, who has taken part in
this discussion, has generally adopted the views of
his brother.
Dr. Hincks, a distinguished Assyrian scholar and
chronologist, unfortunately died during the discussion
of the canon, having contributed little to the matter
except some critical remarks and doubts.
Professor Oppert, who early took up the study, has
given his final opinions in a paper communicated to
the Revue Archeologique, called " La Chronologic
Biblique," Paris, 1868.
The system of dates given by Professor Oppert at
the conclusion of his paper, " Chronologic Biblique,"
is: —
B.C.
930 Accession of Sardanapulus III. (Assurnazir-
pal).
905 Accession of Shalmaneser III.
900 Defeat of Ben-hadad and Ahab. Death of
Ahab.
874 Jubilee of Shalmaneser.
870 Reign of Samas-bin.
857 Reign of Belochus and Semiramis.
828 Reign of Shalmaneser IV.
818 Reign of Assuredilel.
810 Accession of Uzziah of Judah.
809 13th of-June, eclipse of the sun.
4 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
800 Reign of Assurlikhis.
792 First capture of Nineveh. Interruption of
the eponymes during forty-seven years.
759 First reign of Pekah.
758 Reign of Jotham.
744 Accession of Tiglath Pileser.
742 Reign of Ahaz and Menahem II.
737 Tribute of Menahem to king of Assyria.
733 Campaign of the Assyrians against Pekah.
730 Accession of Hoshea.
727 Accession of Shalmaneser V. and of Heze-
kiah.
724 Commencement of the siege of Samaria.
722 Death of Shalmaneser V.
721 Reign of Sargon, capture of Samaria.
713 Illness of Hezekiah.
704 Reign of Sennacherib.
700 Expedition to Judah.
698 Reign of Manasseh.
, 680 Reign of Esarhaddon.
667 Reign of Sardanapalus and his brother Sa-
moul-samoukin.
643 Reign of Amon in Judah.
641 Reign of Josiah.
610 Reign of Jehoiakim.
606 Destruction of Nineveh.
599 Reign of Jehoiachin and Zedekiah.
588 Destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnez-
zar.
The main feature of Dr. Oppert's system is the
view that there was a break in the eponym canon
LITERATURE AND CHRONOLOGY. 5
between b.c. 792 and 744, forty-seven years being
here, according to him, omitted. The insertion of
this period of forty-seven years makes all his earlier
Assyrian dates forty-six years too high, and his later
ones one year too low.
Professor F. Lenormant, who has written on Assy-
rian history, has generally followed the dates of Pro-
fessor Oppert.
The Rev. D. H. Haigh, another Assyrian scholar,
sums up a series of ingenious articles on the Assyrian
canon and comparative chronology in the Zeitschrift
fur Aegyptische Sprache, August, 1871, with the follow-
ing system of chronology embodying his views : —
B.C.
EGYPT.
JUDAH,
ISRAEL,
ASSYRIA.
I04I
David
Assurrabbur
1014
Re-maka = Pi-
netem j
1005
Asemxeb j
Salomo
1000
Irbabarku
999
Pinetem
990
Horpasusanu
976
Sasank I.
.
Assuriddinaxi
960
.
Rexabeam
Yanibeam
955
Uasarkan I.
.
.
Assurdayan
943
.
Abyahu
i
940
Tekelut I.
Asa
939
.
.
Nadab
938
.
.
Baasa
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C.
EGYPT.
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
ASSYRIA.
931
. .
. . .
Barkunarar II.
9^5
•
.
Ela
913
•
•
Zimri
Umri
909
.
TukultininipII.
903
Uasarkaji II.
.
Assumazirpal
901
.
.
Axab
899
.
Yahusapat
879
.
.
A^azyahu
878
Sasank II.
.
.
Salmanuris II.
877
.
.
Yahuram
874
.
Yahuram
866
.
A^azyahu
865
Atalyahu
Yahua
859
Tekelut II.
Yahuas
843
.
.
Assurdaninpal
837
.
.
Yahua^az
829
Sasank III.
.
824
SamsibarkuIII.
820
.
Yahuas
819
Amasyahu
815
.
Yarubeam II.
8n
.
Barkunarar III.
800
Amunrut
799
Pianxi
790
.
Azriyahu
782
. . .
.
Salmanuris III.
LITERATURE AND CHRONOLOGY.
B.C. EGYPT.
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
ASSYRIA.
778
Petsabast
772
.
.
.
Assuridilil III.
754
.
.
.
Assumarar
753
.
.
Zakaryahu
752
•
.
Sallum
Minaxim
745
•
.
Tukultipalesar
II.
741
.
.
Pakaxyahu
739
.
.
Pakax
738
Uasarkan III.
Yutam
730
Psamut
727
.
.
T. and Salma-
niiris
722
.
A^az
721
.
.
.
Sanikin
720
Bokenrenef
.
(interregnum)
714
Sabaka
711. 0
.
.
Husi
•
706
.
Xazakyahu
705
.
.
.
Sinaxiirib
702
Sabatoka
701
.
.
Minaxim
696
690
Taharka
681
.
.
Abibaal
Assuraxiddin
677
Minasi
668
.
.
Assurbanipal
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C.
EGYPT.
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
ASSYRIA,
664
642
640
626
610
609
605
594
Psametik I.
Nekau
Psametik II.
Haafra
Aahmes
Psametik III.
Amon
Yusyahu
Yahuaxaz
Yahuyakim
Yahuyakin
Sidekyahu
BABYLON
Nabupalusur
Nabukudumsur
Avilmaruduk
Nirgalsarusur
Nabuna'id
Assuridilili
589
587
570
562
560
556
•
539
530
526
Kuras
Kambuziya
The Rev. D. H. Haigh also suggests a break in
the Assyrian canon of nineteen years, from B.C. 843
to B.C. 824. The great objection to his system lays
in his denying the statement of Tiglath Pileser, that
Hoshea began to reign in his time (Haigh gives this
LITERATURE AND CHRONOLOGY. Q
inscription to Sargon), and his assertion that Samaria
was taken in the reign of Sennacherib.
Following in the same direction, but to a far greater
length, comes the system of Mr. J. W. Bosanquet,
which is summed up in its most recent form in the
Transactions of the Society of Biblical ArchcBology^ Vol.
III., Part I.
The following table is abridged from this and other
papers of Mr. Bosanquet : —
B.C.
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
ASSYRIA.
993
Solomon
953
Rehoboam
Jeroboam
936
Abijah
933
Asa
Nadab
931
•
Baasha
938
.
.
Vul-nirari
908
.
.
Tukulti-ninip
907
.
Elah
906
.
Zimri
906
.
Omri
902
.
.
Assur-nazir-pal
894
.
Ahab
892
Jehoshaphat
877
.
.
Shalmaneser II.
872
.
Ahaziah
871
.
Joram
868
Jehoram
861
Ahaziah
10
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C
JUBAH.
ISRAEL.
ASSYRIA.
860
Athaliah
Jehu
842
.
.
Assurdaninpal
854
Jehoash
832
Jehoahaz
823
.
.
Samsi-vul III.
815
.
Jehoash
814
Amaziah
810
.
Vul-nirari
800
Jeroboam
785
Uzziah
781
.
.
Shalmaneser
771
.
.
Assur-dayan
759
interregnmn
753
.
.
Assnr-nirari
747
.
Zechariah
746
.
Menahem
,
745
.
.
Tiglath Pileser
736
.
Pekahiah
735
Pekah
734
Jotham
727
.
.
Shalmaneser
722
.
.
Sargon
718
Ahaz
:
715
.
end of reign of
Pekah
706
.
Hoshea
705
.
.
Sennacherib
702
Hezekiah
LITERATURE AND CHRONOLOGY.
II
B.C.
JUDAH.
1
ISRAEL. 1 ASSYRIA.
697
capture of Samaria
681
•
.
Esarhaddon
673
Manasseh
668
.
Assurbanipal
626
death of Assurbani-
pal
618
Amon
616
Josiah
The chronological system of Mr. Bosanquet is im-
possible; but Assyriologists are under great obliga-
tions to him for the noble manner in which he sup-
ports their labours.
A little work, published by Mr. S. Sharpe, called
Chronology of the Bible, has been the foundation of
another school of chronology. This work deals only
with Biblical dates; and the accession of the Hebrew
kings according to it, are :
B.C.
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
936
Rehoboam
Jeroboam
919
Abijam
917
Asa
916
Nadab
915
Baasha
892
Elah
12
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
891
880
877
861
860
856
849
843
821
807
806
804
801
764
750
749
741
730
727
722
698
643
641
Jehosaphat
Jehoram
Ahaziah and Athaliah
Jehoash
Amaziah
Azariah
Jotham
Ahaz
Hezekiah
Manasseh
Amon
Josiah
Omri
Ahab
Ahaziah
Jehoram
Jehu
Jehoahaz
Jehoash
Jeroboam
Zachariah
Menahem
Pekahiah
Pekah
Hoshea
Captivity of Samaria
Following in the steps of Mr. Sharpe, came Ernest
de Bunsen, who published a work with the same title
LITERATURE AND CHRONOLOGY. I3
as that of Mr. Sharpe, Chronology of the Bible. The
dates of Ernest de Bunsen are slightly lower than
Mr. Sharpe's ; he commences four years later : his
date of Rehoboam and Jeroboam being 932 B.C., but
by the time of Jehu he only differs two years : his
date being b.c. 847. All his next dates are two years
lower down, to Manasseh, who is given at b.c. 697,
one year below Mr. Sharpe, and at the accession of
Josiah the two coincide, b.c 641.
Ernest de Bunsen is supported by Rev. A. H.
Sayce, and his system accords in most places with
the statements of the inscriptions, but it does not
agree in respect to the reigns of Azariah of Judah, and
Menahem of Samaria, which, according to the Assy-
rian records, synchronise with the reign of Tiglath
Pileser.
In Germany the study of these chronological ques-
tions has been pursued with characteristic ardour,
the way being led by Professor Lepsius, who pub-
lished an excellent account of the Assyrian canon,
called Uber den Chronologischen werth der Assyrischen
Eponyme7t, 1869.
After this came an admirable work by Professor
Schrader, called Die Keilinschriften und das Alte Testa-
ment^ 1872, in which the bearings of the Assyrian
inscriptions on all the passages of the Bible involved
were excellently and critically discussed, and the best
suggestions were given for correcting the chronology.
It is true that in the main identification of Pul with
Tiglath Pileser, Schrader had been preceded by Sir
Henry Rawlinson, but the German scholar added so
much weight to this argument that it may fairly be
14
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
called his own. It is to be regretted that Professor
Schrader has not given any comparative tables or
exact chronological results.
Germany has contributed another Assyrian chrono-
logist in Professor H. Brandes, who in 1874 pub-
lished his Abhandlungen zur Geschichte des Orients.
Professor Brandes assumes that several of the kings
of Judah and Israel reigned contemporaneously, and
he thus compiles the following dates of the accessions
of Jewish kings to compare with the Assyrian: —
B.C.
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
929
Rehoboam
Jeroboam
912
Abijam
910
Asa
;
908
Nadab
907
Baasha
884
Elah
883
Omri
874
.
Ahab
869
Jehosaphat
853
Ahaziah
852
Jehoram
848
Jehoram
841
Ahaziah, Athaliah
Jehu
835
Joash
813
Jehoahaz
799
Joash
798
Amaziah
LITERATURE AND CHRONOLOGY.
15
B.a
JUDAH. ISRAEL.
796
793
756
755
750
749
741
738
730
727
722
696
641
639
Uzziah
Jotham
Ahaz
Hezekiah
Manasseh
Amon
Josiah
Jeroboam
Zachariah
Menahem
Pekah
Pekahiah
Hoshea
Capture of Samaria
Other writers have joined in the discussion of these
questions but have not produced original or complete
systems of chronology. My own former papers on
the subject have only taken in parts of the chronology,
and I have reserved a full account of my own con-
clusions for the final chapter of the present work. I
may, however, state here, that I first suggested some
of my present views in a paper read before the Society
of Biblical Archaeology, and printed in Vol. II. In
this short notice of the works of other scholars, to
whose labours I have alluded in this chapter, I have
of course not been able to do justice to their argu-
l6 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
ments and proofs, and I have confined myself, as
much as possible, to a statement of their principal
results ; but it will be easily seen, that among so many
different dates for the same events, more than one
cannot possibly be right, and it is quite possible that
all are wrong.
CHAPTER II.
Assyrian calendar ; methods of dating documents; institution and order
of the eponymes.
|N a country which has no settled calendar, any-
thing like accurate chronology is impossible ;
and the possession of a regular system of registering
and dating events, necessarily implies some advance
in civilization.
One great value of the Assyrian records lays in the
excellent system they adopted for registering events,
and the perfection of their chronology. We are
through these aids enabled to compare the Assyrian
records critically with those of the surrounding na-
tions, and thus they throw much light, not only on
the events in which the Assyrians were actually in
contact with their neighbours ; but on other circum-
stances in which the indirect influence of Assyria is
observed.
Ever since the first discovery of the Assyrian
3
l8 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
inscriptions a constant discussion has gone on as to the
chronology of Western Asia, and particularly of the
Hebrew kingdoms, and every circumstance known to
have any bearing on the subject has been examined
with care and attention.
It is evident from the Assyrian inscriptions that
there was a regular chronological computation in
Babylonia, reaching up at least to the beginning of
the twenty-third century B.C. ; and in Assyria to at
least the nineteenth century b.c. The period of the
Assyrian canon comprehended in the present work,
does not ascend to anything like this antiquity, for
there is no date in question with respect to it, earlier
than B.C. 1000 ; and if the Assyrians knew the dates
of events more than 2,000 years b.c, we may safely
trust them with reference to the comparatively
modern period of the Hebrew kings.
The first question in reference to the subject is as
to the nature of the Assyrian calendar.
The Assyrian year consisted of twelve lunar
months, each month commencing on the evening
when the new moon was first observed ; or in case
the moon was not observed, the new month started
thirty days after the last month. The months were
thus all either of twenty-nine or thirty days, and
these two numbers generally, but not always, alter-
nated. In C. I. vol. iii. p. 51, 1. 7-13, we read :
" On the 27th day the moon was visible ; on the
28th day, the 29th day, and 30th day observations
for an eclipse we made ; but it passed, and an eclipse
did not take place ; the first day when the moon was
seen the day of the month Tammuz fixed."
ASSYRIAN CALENDAR. ig
The Assyrian year commenced at the vernal
equinox, the new moon next before the equinox
marking the commencement of the new year, the
equinox thus falling some time during the first month,
Nisan. In C. I. vol. iii. p. 51, are two reports giving
the day when the equinox fell. One is :
" On the 6th day of Nisan, the day and night are
equal, 6 kaspu the day, 6 kaspu the night."
The other reads:
" On the 15th day of Nisari, the day and night are
equal, 6 kaspu the day, 6 kaspu the night."
Twelve lunar months make about 354 days, or 11
days less than the year of 365 days ; therefore, in order
to keep their year in its proper position in regard to
the seasons, they adopted an occasional thirteenth
month, to be intercalated whenever the twelfth month
ended more than 30 days before the equinox.
As the Assyrians had official astronomers, who ob-
served the heavens and regulated the calendar, they
could not be far out in their calculations ; probably
one or two days would be the limit of error. On the
average, in the Assyrian calendar the year would
begin about fourteen days before the vernal equinox,
and the fifteenth day of the tenth month would thus
be about the longest night. In accordance with this,
on one fragment I found a list of the comparative
length of the night in an average Assyrian year, and
the longest night was fixed in it on the fifteenth day
of the tenth month.
Among the Assyrians the first twenty-eight days
of every month were divided into four weeks of seven
days each, the seventh, fourteenth, twenty-first, and
3'
20
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
twenty-eighth days, respectively, being sabbaths ; and
there was a general prohibition of work on these
days.
Besides the ordinary Veader, or intercalary thir-
teenth month, the Assyrians had two other inter-
calary months, one a second Nisan, the other a
second Elul. When all three intercalary months
were used, the year would have fifteen months ; and
judging from the fact that an intercalation of three
months is required in every eight years, it appears
probable that these two extra months were connected
with a cycle of eight years : seven years in succession
being normal, that is having twelve months each, while
the eighth year has fifteen. Only in early Babylonian
dated tablets have I found any notice of this fifteen
month year, and it may be doubted if it was ever used
in Assyria.
The following is a table of the Assyrian calendar
including these intercalary months.
ASSYRIAN CALENDAR.
ASSYRIAN MONTHS.
JEWISH MONTHS.
APPROXIMATE
ENGLISH MONTHS.
Nisannu
Nisan
March
2nd Nisannu
(intercalary month)
Aim
lyyar
April
Sivanu
Sivan
May
Dusu
Tanunuz
June
Abu
Ab
July
Ululu
Elul
August
ASSYRIAN CALENDAR.
Assyrian Calendar, Continued.
21
ASSYRIAN MONTHS.
JEWISH MONTHS.
APPROXIMATE
ENGLISH MONTHS.
2nd Ululu
(intercalary month)
Tasritu
Tisri
September
Arah-samna
Marchesvan
October
Kisilivu
Kislev
November
Debitu
Tebet
December
Sabatu
Sebat
January
Addaru
Adar
February
Mahru sa addaru
Ve-adar
(intercalary month)
Among the Assyrians the regnal years of the kings
were not reckoned from the day of accession, but
from the Assyrian new year's day either before, or
after, the day of accession. There does not appear
to have been any fixed rule as to which new year's
day should be chosen, but from the number of known
cases, it appears to have been the general practice to
count the regnal years, from the new year's day next
after the accession ; and to call the period between
the accession day, and first new year's day, " The
beginning of the reign ; " while the year from the
new year's day was called the "First year;" and
the following ones were numbered successively from
it. Nevertheless, in the dates of several Assyrian and
Babylonian sovereigns, there are cases of the year of
accession being considered as the first year, thus
giving two reckonings for the reigns of the following
monarchs :
22
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
NAMES.
YEAR OF
ACCESSION.
DATES OF
1ST YEAR.
Shalm%neser
860
860—859
Tiglath Pileser
745
745—744
Sargon
722
722 — 721
Sennacherib
705
705—704
Nebuchadnezzar
605
605 — 604
In Assyria the practice of dating documents
according to the regnal years of the reigning mo-
narchs was seldom used : by far the greater number of
inscriptions being dated by the names of certain
officers called by the Assyrians limu; a word which,
by general consent, is translated " eponym." The
Assyrian limu or eponymes were appointed accord-
ing to a general rotation ; and each one in succession
held office for a year, and gave name to that year ; the
usage of the Assyrians in this respect being similar
to that of the Archons at Athens, and the Consuls at
Rome. The Lord Mayors of London are also
appointed for a year, and a parallel case would be
presented, if we dated our documents according to
the years when successive Lord Mayors held office :
calling the years after their names.
Originally the majority of the Assyrian eponymes
were governors of the principal towns and districts,
and this leads to the inference that the eponymes
were an institution dating from the time when
Assyria consisted of a confederacy of small states,
before the rise of the Assyrian empire. This would
make the eponymes very ancient : their foundation
probably being as early as B.C. 2,000.
There has been some difference of opinion as to the
ASSYRIAN CALENDAR. 23
season of the year when the eponymes were changed,
it has been suggested that the new eponymes were
appointed at the beginning of the seventh month and
when the evidence of the inscriptions proved this
impossible the commencement of the eleventh month
was suggested. The dated tablets of the reign of
Sargon prove, however, that the change of the
eponymes took place either at the commencement
of the twelfth, or the first month ; for a series of
tablets commenced in the nth month in the i6th
year of Sargon, when Mutaggil-assur was eponym,
were in progress in the first month of the 17th year,
when Pahar-bel was eponym.
From this it appears highly probable that the
epoch of the new year was the time for instituting the
new eponym ; and certainly it cannot have taken
place long before that period.
From some slight indications I believe that the
eponym was "nominated" or "appointed" some
time before he entered on his office ; probably he was
appointed at the commencment of the year, and
entered on his office one twelvemonth later, thus
every year an eponym would enter on his office, and
his successor would be appointed or nominated.
Probably in consequence of this it happened in most
if not every case, that the kings (who as a rule took
the office of eponym once after their accession) did
not enter on that office until more than one clear
year had passed since their accession. If they had
to be nominated on the first new year after their
accession, and to take the office of eponym on the
second new year, this would be accounted for.
24
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON,
In the ordinary rotation of the eponymes, the
series was commenced by the king, and he was
followed by the tartan, who was commander-in-chief
of the forces and represented the army.
After the tartan generally came the niru-ekali,
or chief of the palace, the great representative of the
state ; he was followed by the rab-bitur or head
of the priesthood, who represented the national
religion; while the tttkulu, a military officer in at-
tendance on the king, came next. These four offi-
cers, together with the king, formed the principal
eponymes and representatives of the government of
the country, and they were followed by the governors
of various chief towns, the head of these being the
general governor or head of the prefects. The
official order of the eponymes sometimes varied ;
but the general succession of the titles will be shown
by the following table of the titles of four lines of
eponymes; the first, in the reign ofVul-nirari III,
B.C. 8io to 782 ; the second, from b.c. 781 to 754 ; the
third, from e.g. 743 to 724; and the fourth, from e.g.
719 to 697.
B.C. 810-782
781-754
743-724
719-697
king
king
king
king
tartan
tartan
tartan
chief of palace
rab-bitur
chief of palace
rab-bitur
chief of palace
rab-bitur
tukulu
tukulu
tukulu
tukulu^abu
governor
governor
governor
g. Assur
ASSYRIAN CALENDAR.
25
B.C. 810-782.
781-754-
743-724-
719-697.
Rezeph
Rezeph
Rezeph
Arbaha
Nisibin
Nisibin
Nisibin
Ahi-zuhina
Sallat
Arbaha
Arbaha
Nisibin
Calah
(king)
(tartan)
Calah
Calah
Amidi
Arbaha
Mazamua
Lullumu
the rabshakeh
Mazamua
Sihime
Sihime
Calah
Ahi-zuhina
Ahi-zuhina
Ahizuhina
Kirruri
Bele
Bele
Bele
Sallat
Kirruri
Kirruri
Kirruri
Tushan
Tushan
Tushan
Tushan
Gozan
Gozan
Gozan
Gozan
Bele
Amida
Amida
Amida
Siphinis
Nineveh
Nineveh
Nineveh
I Sana
Kalzi
Kalzi
Kalzi
Nineveh
Arbela
Arbela
Kalzi
Isana
Isana
Arbela
Kurban
.
Kurban
Sibaniba
Dihnun
....
Rimusi
Siphinis
Rimusi
Dihnun
Kurban
Mazamua
. . . ina
1
So far as the earlier titles are concerned this order
was in use at least as early as the eleventh century
26 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C. and probably much earlier. In the cylinder of
Tiglath Pileser I., B.C. 1120, the eponym date is in
the time of the rab-bitur who is generally fourth in
the list. The cylinder belongs to the fifth year of
the monarch, and as the royal eponymy was usually
the second year this will agree exactly with the list
of titles given above, it will stand thus :
year i
„ 2 king
„ 3 tartan
„ 4 chief of palace
„ 5 rab-bitur
There were altogether about thirty functionaries,
officers and governors who held the right of being
eponymes ; and it is probable that when all had served
their terms, the king took a second eponymy and
re-started the series.
After the accession of Sargon, b.c. 722, irregularities
were gradually introduced into the office, and his son
Sennacherib did not take his place as eponym at
the commencement of his reign, but delayed his
eponymy until his eighteenth year. From this time
the old order of the eponymes ceased, and the office
was only held by governors, generals, and court
officials ; no later monarch taking any part in it.
CHAPTER III.
The Assyrian Eponym Canon.
NE of the most important historical documents
ever discovered was found by Sir Henry
Rawlinson, among the inscribed terra cotta tablets,
which Mr. Layard, and other explorers, brought over
from Nineveh.
Sir Henry Rawlinson described his discovery in
the Athenaeum No. 1805, May 30, 1862, and No.
1812, July 19, 1862.
After the discovery of the canon numerous
theories were started with respect to it which have
not stood the test of time, these need not be
repeated here, as they have no influence on the pre-
sent views of the documents.
Sir Henry Rawlinson distinguished four copies of
the Assyrian canon, all imperfect, which he numbered
I., H., HI., IV. ; but since his discovery of these
28 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
several new fragments have been found belonging to
canon I., and to three further copies, canons V., VI.,
VII.
All these documents, so far as they are preserved,
closely agree. They consist of lists of the annual
eponymes in their chronological order, and to those
names, in canons V., VI., VII., there are added the
titles of the eponymes, and short notices of the
principal events, during their terms of office.
The four canons first distinguished by Sir Henry
Rawlinson, are all in the same form, and differ only
in certain glosses and divisonal lines.
Canon I., which is the principal and standard copy,
commenced at the eponymy of Vul-nirari II., b.c.
gii, and ended about b.c. 650, in the reign of
Assurbanipal.
Canon II., commenced at the same date, but ended
in the reign of Sennacherib.
Canon III., commenced with the eponymy of Vul-
nirari III., B.C. 810, and ended about b.c. 647.
Canon IV., commenced with the eponymy of Assur-
nirari, b.c. 753, and probably ended later than
canon III.
The following table gives a comparative view of
these canons ; the date b.c. of the eponymes is
inserted to show their chronological position :
TABLE OF THE EPONYM CANON.
29
p TABULAR VIEW OF THE FRAGMENTS OF
THE ASSYRIAN COPIES OF THE EPONYM CANON.
pa
mur
mu
idin
gil
Muha ... ma
Assur-dain . . .
Assur-dini . . .
Mas ....
Abu-iliya
Assur-taggil
Assur . . .
. . sar . . .
Ninip-zir-ipus
Dabu-kar . . ya
Assur-lakin-ili
TugLilti-ninip
the king
(U
^
so
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
H 2 a
< 9
CANON I.
CANON II.
CANON III.
. CANON IV.
888
Taggil-ana-
beli-ya
887
Abu-ili-ya
886
Ilu-milki
885
Yari
884
. . . the king
Assur-sezib-ani
883
Assur-nazir-pal
the king
882
. . . idin
Assiu--idin
881
. . . ku
Simutti-aku
880
. . , damga
. . anma-damga
879
. . . nazir
Dagan-bel-
nazir
878
Nmip-piya-
Ninip-piya-
■t-I
877
uzur
Ninip-bel-uzur
uzur
Ninip-bel-uzur
<
876
Sangu-assur-
lilbur
. . . lUbur
875
Samas-ubla
. . . upahar
874
Nibat-bel-
kumua
. . . bel-kumua
873
Qurdi-assur
. . . assur
872
Assur-liha
. . . liha
871
Assur-natgil
. . .gil
870
Bel-sum-damiq
. . . iq
#
869
Dayan-ninip
868
Istar-iddan
867
Samas-nuri
TABLE OF THE EPONYM CANON.
31
Table of the Eponym Canon, Cojitinued.
" s "
CANON I.
CANON II.
CANON III.
CANON IV.
866
Mannu-daan-
ana-ili
865
Samas-bel-uzur
864
Ninip-ilai
863
Ninip-edir-anni
862
Assur-ilai
861
Nibat-izka-dain
t
860
Dabu-bel
859
Sar-mahir-nisi
858
Saliman-usur
the king
-
857
Assur-bel-kani
856
855
Assur-banai-
uzur
Abu-ina-ekal-
lilbur
«
a
<
854
Dayan-assur
853
Samas-abua
852
Samas . . . uzur
Samas . .
851
Bel . . . ai
Bel-ban . .
850
Hade-libusu
Hade-libu
849
Nibat-alik-pani
Nibat-alik-pani
848
. . . mana
Esdu-raman
847
Ninip-mukin-
nisi
846
84«;
Ninip-nadin-
sum
Assur-banai
32
.THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
si.
CANON I.
CANON II.
CANON III.
CANON IV.
844
Dabu-ninip
843
. . . sari
Taggil-ana-sari
842
. . . ni
Vul-utul-ani
~
841
. . . a
Bel-abua
840
. . . mur
Salmu-bel-
lamur
839
Ninip-kipsi-
uzur
838
Ninip-ilai
837
Qurdi-assur
836
Niri-sar
835
Nibat-sum-
damiq
834
Yahalu
^
CO
833
Ulul-ai
832
Sar . .
Sarpati-bel
<
<
831
Nergal-ilai
Nergal . .
830
Hubai
Hu . . .
829
Ilu-kin-uzur
828
Saliman-uzur
the king
827
Dayan-assur
826
Assur-banai-
uzur
825
Yaha . .
824
Bel-ban . .
823
Sam ...
822
Yahalu
TABLE OF THE EPONYM CANON.
$3
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
u> in
o w
2-^ «
" 5 "
CANON I.
CANON II.
CANON III.
CANON IV.
821
Bel-daan
820
Ninip-ubla
819
Samas-ilai
818
Nibat-ilai
817
Assur-banai-
uzur
816
Sarpati-bel
81S
Bel-balad
<
814
Musiq-sar
813
Ninip-uzur
812
Samas-kumua
811
Bel-qat-zabat
810
Vul-nirari the
4J
G
<u
en
king
<
809
Nibat-ilai
808
. . .-daan
807
. . .-bel
806
Assur-taggil
Assur . . .
805
Ilu . . ya
Ilu . . .
804
Si. . .
Sidu . . .
803
Assur-mahir . .
Assur-mahir . .
802
Ninip-il . .
Ninip-il . .
801
Niri . . .
Niri . . .
800
Mamduk-tar . .
799
798
Mutaggil . .
Bel-tarzi-anva
Mu . .
34
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
" M
i
1 ; !
CANON I. j CANON II. ' CANON III. j CANON IV.
797
796
795
794
793
792
791
790
789
788
787
786
785
784
783
782
Assur-bel . . .
Maruduk-sadu.
Kin-abu . .
Mannu-ki-assur
Musalim-ninip
Bel-basani
Niri-samas
. . kin-uzur
. . uzur
. . uzur
. . nazir
. . va-liha
Salimanu-uzur
the king
Samsi-il
Maruduk-utul-
ani
. . . esir
. . esdu-ukin
. . lamur
. . du-eris
Bel-basani
Niri-samas
Ninip-kin-uzur
Vul-musammir
Zilli-istar
Baladu
Vul-uballad
Maruduk-sur-
uzur
Nabu-sar-uzur
Ninip-nazir
Anva-liha
t
^
^
781
Sa
Salimanu-uzur
the king
780
779
778
777
776
775
Sam . . .
Maruduk . . .
Bel . . .
Nabu-esdu
Pan-assur . .
Si . . .
Samsi-il
Maruduk-utul-
ani
Bel-esir
Nabu-esdu-
ukin
. . assur-lamur
. . du . .
TABLE OF THE EPONYM CANON.
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
35
El. '■/> I
M >: "^ i CANON I.
H 2: m
<: o
a a- I
CANON III.
CANON IV.
774 Istar-duri
773 I Mannu-ki-vul
Assur-bel-uzur
Islar
Assur-daan the
king
Samsi-il
Bel-ilai
Pali-ya
Qurdi-assur
Musalim-ninip
Ninip-mukin-
nisi
Zidqi-il
Esdu-sa-rabe
Dabu-bel
Nabu-kin-uzur
Laqipu
Pan-assur-
lamur
Bel-taggil
Ninip-idin
Bel-sadua
Qi-su
Ninip-sezib-ani
Assur-nirari the
king
752 Samsi-il
Assur-nirari
Samsi-il
. nirari king
of Assyria
Samsi-il
*
4
36
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Table of the Eponym* Canon, Continued.
fc. tn
H Z m
CO
CANON I.
CANON II.
CANON III.
CANON IV.
751
Maniduk-salim
anni
Maruduk-
salim-a . .
Maruduk-
salim-anni
750
Bel-daan
Bel-daan
. . daan
749
Samas-mukin-
duruk
Samas-mukin-
duruk
Samas-mukin-
duruk
748
Vul-bel-ukin
Vul-bel-uzur
Vul-bel-uzur
Assur-bel-uzur
747
Sin-salim-anni
Sin-salim-a . .
Sin-salim-ani
Sin-salim-anni
746
Nergal-nazir
Nergal-nazir
Nabu-bel-uzur
Bel-daan
Nergal-nazir
Nabu-bel-uzur
Bel-daan
Nergal-nazir
745
Nabu-bel-uzur
Bel-daa,n
Tugulti-pal-
esar
. . bel-uzur
744
. . of Assyria
743
Tugulti-pal-
esar the king
742
Nabu-dain-anni
Nabu-dain-anni
741
Bel-harran-bel-
uzur
Bel-harran-bel-
uzur
740
Nabu-edir-anni
Nabu-edir-ani
739
Sin-taggil
Sin-taggil
738
Vul-bel-ukin
Vul-ukin
737
Bel-emur-anni
. . emur-ani
" 736
Ninip-ilai
. . ilai
735
Assur-salim-
anni
Assur-salim-
anni
734
Bel-daan
Bel-daan
733
Assur-dain-
anni
Assur-dain-ani
TABLE OF THE EPONYM CANON.
n
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
CANON I,
CANON II.
CANON III.
CANON IV.
Nabu-bel-uzur
Nergal-uballid
Bel-ludari
Naphar-ili
Duri-assur
Nabu-bel-uzur
Nergal-uballid
Bel-ludari
Bel-harran-bel-
uzur
Maraduk-bel-
uzur
Tizqaru-iqbi
Assur-semu-ani
Salimanu-uzur
Ninip-ilai
Nabu-tariz
Assur-izka-dain
Sar-gina
Zira-ibni
Dabu-sar-assur
Dabu-zilli-esar
Taggil-ana-bel
Istar-duri
Assur-bani
Saru-emur-anni
Ninip-alik-pani
Ninip . . .
Nabu . . .
Assur-izka
Sar-gina the
king
Zira-ibni.
Dabu .
Dabu-zilli-e
Taggil-a . .
Istar . . .
Zira-ibni
Dabu-sar-assur
Dabu-zilli-esar
Taggil-ana-bel
Istar-duri
Assur-bani
Saru-emur-
anni
Ninip-alik-pani
3«
THE ASSYRIAN EFONYM CANON.
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
b, CO
°^ .
s * "^
I. z a
5 ?
CANON I.
CANON II.
CANON III,
CANON IV,
710
709
708
707
706
705
704
702
701
700
699
698
697
696
695
694
692
Samas-bel-uzur
Mannu-ki-
assur-liha
Samas-upahhir
Sa-assur-gubbu
Mutaggil-assur
. -bel-uzur
. -ki-assur-
liha
, -upahar
-assur-gubbu
taggil-assur
Pahara-bel
Nabu-deni-ipus
Kannunai
Nabu-liha
, na , . .
, tu , , ,
. sar . , ,
, mu-sari
. dur-uzur
, . . bel
. bel-uzur
. ki-ya
Nadni-ahi
Zazai
ahi-iriba the
king
Pahara-bel
Nabu-deni-ipus
Kannunai
Nabu-liha
Hananu
Mi , . . .
Bel . , , .
Sul , . , ,
Nabu , , . .
Dabu (?).,,
Nabu , . , ,
V
Samas-bel-uzur
Mannu-ki-
assur-Iiha
Samas-upahar
Sa-assur-gubbu
Mutaggil-assur
Pahar-bel
. . ahi-iriba
king of Assy-
ria
. , deni . , .
. , nun . , ,
Nabu , . , .
Canon IV,
originally
contained
about 60
later names
all of which
are lost.
TABLE OF THE EPONYM CANON. 39
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
S >• H
CANON 1.
CANON II.
CANON III.
CANON IV.
691
Bel-emur-ani
End of Canon
doubtful
690
Nabu-kin-uzur
689
Gihilu
688
Nadni-ahi
Sin-ahi-iriba
. . -emur-anni
Nadni . . .
687
Assur-ahi . .
686
Bel-emur-ani
685
. . -dain-anni
Assur-dain-ani
684
. . . -zir-ile
Man-zir-ile
683
. . . -ki-vul
Mannu-ki-vul
682
. . . -sar-uzur
;nt.
Nabu-sar-uzur
Nabu-ahi-eris
681
. . . -ahi-eris
. . . idina the
<
throne as-
cended
.
680
Dananu
Dananu
679
Ta-vul-aninu
Da-vul-ninu
678
Nergal-sar-uzur
Nabu-nergal-
sar-uzur
677
Abramu
Abramu
676
Bamba
Bamba
675
Nabu-ahi-idina
674
Saru-nuri
673
Atar-ili
4P.
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Table of the Eponvm Canon, Continued.
H Z P°
< O
o ft
CANON I.
CANON II.
CANON III.
CANON IV.
672
Nabu-bel-uzuT
671
Debit-ai
670
Salimu-bel-
lasmi
669
Samas-kasid-
aibi
668
Mar-larmi
667
. . . abbaru
666
, . . . ai
665
' \
664
663
Bel . . .
'
662
Dabu-sar . .
t
661
Arba . . .
xn
660
Kirza . . .
659
Silim . . .
End of Canon I
658
'
657
656
Sa-nabu-su
655
Labasi
654
Milki-ramu
653
Avyanu
652
Assur-nazir
651
Assur-ilai
650
Assur-dur-uzur
TABLE OF THE EPONYM CANON.
Table of the Eponym Canon, Continued.
41
h. in
a > ^
(- 2: a
CANON I.
CANON II,
CANON III.
CANON IV.
-i
649
Sagabbu
648
Bel-harran-
sadua
647
Ahi-ilai
End of Canon
III.
42
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
TABULAR VIEW OF ASSYRIAN CANONS
WITH HISTORICAL NOTICES ATTACHED.
Canon V.
About 30 lines lost.
829.
828.
827.
826.
825.
824.
823.
822.
821.
820
819
818
817
816
815
814
813
812
811
810
809
808
807
zibina
nu expedition
to Deri
ruri
Sallat
Arbaha
Mazamua
Assur
tanu
palace
bitur
expedition to Bele
expedition to Zarati
the great god to Deri
went
expedition to Ahsana
expedition to Kaldi
expedition to Babili
in the country
expedition to Matai
expedition to Guzana
expedition to Mannai
expedition to Mannai
TABLE OF ASSYRIAN CANONS.
43
Fragments of Canons VI. and VII.
About 30 lines lost.
Canon VII.
829
. . kin . . .
828
. . Salmanu . . .
827
. , Dayan . . .
826
. . Assur-banai . .
825
. . Yaha . . .
824
. . Bel-banai . . .
823
. . Samsi-vul . . .
822
. . . . lu .
821
Canon VI.
820
.
.
819
. . the . . .
818
. . ai governor of . .
817
. . uzur the chief of .
816
. . bel governor of .
815
. . the tur . . .
814
. . governor . . .
8t3
.
812
.
811
.
810
Eponyra
.
809
Eponym
808
Eponym
Bel-daan . . .
807
Epon
ym
Zilli-bel . . .
44
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
806,
805
804,
803
802
801
800,
799
798,
797
796,
795
794.
793
792
791
790,
789,
788
787
786,
785.
784.
783
tukulu
governor
zappa
Arbaha
hi-zuhina
zibina
Amidi
saki
kalhi
kirruri
sallat
Tushan
Guzana
Bele
hinis
Sana
nua
zi
. expedition to
Matai
. musi
expedition to Hu-
puskia
. an
. mua
expedition to Arpadda
expedition to Hazazi
expedition to Bahili
expedition to over the
sea, pestilence
expedition to Hupu-
skia
expedition to Matai
expedition to Matai
expedition to Lulima
expedition to Zimri
expedition to Man-
zuat
expedition to Deri
expedition to Deri
expedition to Matai
expedition to Matai
expedition to Hupu-
skia
expedition to Ituha
expedition to Matai
expedition to Matai
the festival(?) cycle(?)
the god Nabu entered
into the new temple
expedition to Kiski
the great god to Deri
went
expedition to Hupu-
skia
expedition to Ituha
TABLE OF ASSYRIAN CANONS.
45
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
I
806 Eponym
Assur-taggil the tukulu
805 Epon)mi '
Ilu-ki-ya . . .
804 Eponym
Sidu-eris . . .
803 .
.
802 .
.
801 .
• • • •
800 .
.
799 •
.
798 .
797
'
796
795
794
793
792
• •
791
790
789
788
787
786
785
784
783
46
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
782 ditto
In the
781 Epony-
my
780 ditto
779 ditto
778 ditto
777 ditto
776 ditto
775 ditto
774 ditto
773 ditto
772 ditto
771. ., .
770. . .
769. . .
768 ditto
767 ditto
766 ditto
765 ditto
764 ditto
763 ditto
Sal
Sam
Nabu ,
Pad-assur
Sidu .
Istar
Mannu-ki
Assur-bel
ina
Bel-ilai .
Pali-ya
Qurdi-assur
Musallim-ninip
Ninip-mukin-
nisi
Zidqi-il
of Esdu-sarabe
Assur
tanu
bitur
palace
tukulu
governor
kazappa
bina
sallat
hi
expedition to Ituha
. . tanu
governor of Arbaha
governor . . zamua
governor . . Zuhina
governor of Bele
governor of Kirruri
governor of Tu-
shan
governor of Gu-
zana revolt in
city of Assur
expedition to Urardi
expedition to Urardi
expedition to Urardi
expedition to Urardi
expedition to Ituha
expedition to Urardi
expedition to Erini
expeditions to Urardi
and Zimri
expedition to Dimas-
qa
expedition to Hata-
rika
expedition to Gana-
nati
expedition to Surat
expedition to Ituha
in the country
expedition to Ganna-
nati
expedition to Matai
expedition to Hata-
rika, pestilence
in the country
in month Sivan sun
was eclipsed
770
769
768
767
766
765
764
763
TABLE OF ASSYRIAN CANONS. 47
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
782
781
1
\ 780
779
'' 778
777
-
776
775
774
1
^ 7,3
772
771
Canon VII.
Assur
nanati
Matai
expedition to Hatarika, pes-
tilence
in the country
in month Sivan sun was ecHpsed
48
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
In the
762 Epony-
my
761 ditto
760 ditto
759 ditto
758. . .
757- •• •
756. . .
755- • •
754. • •
Dabu-bel
Nabu-kin-uzUr
Laqipu
Pan-assur
governor of Amidi
governor of Ninua
governor of Kalzi
. . Arbail
. . Isana
. . Kurban
. . Dihnunna
. . Siphinis
, . Rimusi
revolt in the city of
Assur
revolt in city of Ar-
baha
revolt in city of Ar-
baha
revolt in city of Gu-
zana, pestilence
expedition to Guza-
na, peace in the
country
in the country
in the country
expedition to Hata-
rika
expedition to Arpad-
da
from the city of Assur
the return
753
752
751
750
749
748
747
746
• . . r
. . Assur
. . tanu
. . palace
the rab-bitur
the tukulu
the governor
. . Razappa
. . Nazibina
in the country
in the country
in the country
in the country"
expedition to Zimri
expedition to Zimri
in the country
revolt in the city of
Kalhi
745
. . Arbaha
Tugulti-pal-esar
in the month lyyar
13th day
the throne ascended
TABLE OF ASSYRIAN CANONS.
49
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
revolt in city of Assur
revolt in city of Arbaha
revolt in city of Arbaha
revolt in city of Guzana, pestilence
expedition to Guzana, peace in the
country
in the country
in the country
expedition to Hatarika
expedition to Arpadda, from the
city of Assur the return
Assur in the country
in the country
in the country
in the country
expedition to Zimri
expedition . . .
50
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
745
744
743'
742
741
740
739
738
737
736
735
734.
733
732
731
730 •
729
728,
. . Tisri to the
. . Kalhi
king of Assur
the overthrow of
the turtanu
chief of the palace
the rab-bitur
the tukulu expedi-
tion to Ulluba
the governor
governor of Razap-
pa
governor of Nazi-
bina
governor of Arbaha
governor of Kalhi
governor of Maza-
mua
governor of Sihime
governor of Ahi-
suhina
governor of Bile
governor of Kirruri
governor of Tu-
shan
vicinity of the river he
marched
expedition to Zimri
in the city of Arpad-
da
Urardi he accom-
plished
expedition to Arpad-
da
expedition to the
same city, three
years war
expedition to Arpad-
da
city of Birtu built
city of KuUani cap-
tured
expedition to Matai
expedition to the foot
of mount Naal
expedition to Urardi
expedition to Pilista
expedition to Di-
masqa
expedition to Di-
masqa
expedition to Sapiya
in the country
the king took the
hands of Bel
TABLE OF ASSYRIAN CANONS. 5 1
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
745
*
744
743
742
741
740
Canon VII.
. e
zuhina
expedition to . . .
. e
in the . . .
. ri
the king . . the hand . .
. han
the king took the hand of Bel, the
city Di . . .
52 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
727
726.
725-
724.
723-
722 to 709
708. . .
lost.
707
706
705- •
704
703
702,
TABLE OF ASSYRIAN CANONS. 53
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
727 .. .
. . . zan
expedition to city , .
,
. . neser
in the throne . . .
726 . . .
. . . di
in the . . .
725 .. .
. . Nineveh
expedition to . . .
724 .. .
. . . zi
expedition to . . .
723 .. .
.
expedition . . .
722 to 709
708 Eponym
707 Eponym
706 Eponym
705 Eponym
704 Eponym
703
702
Canon VI.
lost
Samas . . .
chiefs to the land of Kummuha . . .
Sa-assur-gubbu governor of Tushan . . .
great Suhra trees and . . .
in the month Tisri 22nd day the gods of the city of
Dur-sargina . . .
Mutaggil-assur governor of Guzana, the king . . .
in the month lyyar 6th day in the city of Dur-
sargina . . .
Pahar-bel governor of Amida . . .
over the espai of the KuUumites . . .
the king slew, and the camp of the king of Assy-
ria .. .
in the month Ab 12 th day Sin-ahi-iriba . . .
Nabu-deni-ipus governor of Nineveh . . .
cities of Larak, Sarapanu . . .
the palace of the city of Halzi he built . . .
chiefs against . . .
54 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
701 . , .
...
•
.
700, . .
699. . .
End of Canons V., VI., and VII. uncertain.
TABLE OF THE ASSYRIAN CANONS. 55
Tabular View of Assyrian Canons, Continued.
701
700 Eponym
699 .
from the land of Halzihi . . .
Mitunu governor of . . .
Assur-nadin-sum son of . . .
... of the palace in the midst of the city
great beams of cedar . . .
great stone obelisks in the midst . . .
in the midst of the city of Sedargiza . . .
. . to . . .
of the kings of the city . . .
56 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
NOTICE ON TABLET
CONTAINING THREE SUCCESSIVE EPONYMES.
13 horses for riding all . . .
in the eponymy of Bel-nahid
2 horses in the month Tisri
in the eponymy of Dahu-sar-sin
2 horses in the- month Nisan
■ 6 horses in the month Tisri -
making 8 horses in the eponymy of Arba-ilai
making 23 horses for riding
(dated) Month Tisri 25th day eponymy of Arba-ilai
the priest the second man.
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES.
57
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES,
With the dates and events drawn tip from the seven copies of the canon,
and other sources.
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
^Z2>o
Salmanu-urris
j
i
Reign of Vul-nirari I. four-
teenth century B.C.
I310
Musipsi
Reign of Shaltnaneser I.
II20
Ina-iliya-allik
rab-bitur
Reign of Tiglath-Pileser J.
Assur-ram-nisi-
king(?) . .
s
su
From broken obelisk
Ilu-idin
king(?) . .
■
Assur-nazir
.
From obelisk
911
Vul-nirari
king
910
909
... pa
908
. . . mur
907
. . . mu
906
. . . idin
905
.. . gil
904
Muha . . ma
903
Assur-dain
902
Assur-dini
901
Mas . . .
.'
900
Abu-iliya
899
Assur-taggil
898
Assur . . .
897
1
58 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE.
EPONYM,
TITLE.
REMARKS.
896
895
894
893
. . . sar . . .
892
Ninip-zir-ipus
8gi
Dabu-kar . . ya
890
Assur-lakin-ili
889
Tugulti-ninip
king of Assyria
888
Taggil-ana-beli-
ya
887
Abu-ili-ya
886
Ilu-milki
885
Yari
.
accession of Assur-nazir-pal
884
Assur-sezib-ani
883
Assur-nazir-pal
king of Assyria
882
Assur-idin
881
Simutti-aku
880
Sa-anva-damga
879
Dagan-bel-na-
zir
878
Ninip-piya-uzur
877
Ninip-bel-uzur
876
Sangu-assur-lil-
bur
875
Samas-ubla
874
Nibat-bel-ku-
mua
873
Qurdi-assur
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
59
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
872
Assur-liha
1
871
Assur-natgil
870
Bel-sum-damiq
869
Dayan-ninip
868
Istar-iddan
867
Samas-nuri
866
Mannu-daan
' -ana-ili
•
865
Samas-bel-uzur
874
Ninip-ilai
863
Ninip-edir-anni
862
Assur-ilai
861
Nibat-izka-dain
860
Dabu-bel
.
accession of ShcUmaneser 11
859
Sar-mahir-nisi
858
Saliman-uzur
king of Assyria
857
Assur-bel-kani
856
Assur-banai-
uzur
chief of palace
855
Abu-ina-ekal-
lilbur
854
Dayan-assur
.
expedition to Syria
853
Samas-abua
852
Samas-bel-uzur
851
Bel-banai
850
Hade-libusu
.
expedition to Syria
849
Nibat-alik-pani
expedition to Syria
848 I Esdu-raman
6o • THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE.
EPONYM.
i
TITLE.
i
remarks.
847
Ninip-mukin-
nisi
846
Ninip-nadin-
sum
.
expedition to Syria
845
Assur-banai
'
844
Dabu-ninip
843
Taggil-ana-sari
842
Vul-utul-ani
•
expedition to Syria
841
Bel-abua
840
Salmu-bel-la-
mur
'
839
Ninip-kipsi-
uzur
•
expedition to Syria
838
Ninip-ilai
837
Qurdi-assur
836
Niri-sar
835
Nibat-sum-da-
miq
834
Yahalu
833
Ulul-ai
832
Sarpati-bel
831
Nergal-ilai
830
Hubai
829
Ilu-kin-uzur
828
Saliman-uzur
king of Assyria
827
Dayan-assur
the tartan
826
Assur-banai-
uzur
825
Yahalu
•
accession of Samsi-vul (?)
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES.
6i
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
824
Bel-banai
823
Samsi-vul
king of Assyria
822
Yahalu
821
Bel-daan
820
Ninip-ubla
819
Samas-ilai
the governor (?)
818
Nibat-ilai
governor of Re-
zeph (?)
817
Assur-banai-
uzur
chief of the palace
expedition to Bele
816
Sarpati-bel
governor of Nisibin
expedition to Zarati
815
Bel-balad
the tartan
expedition to Deri, the
great god to Deri went
814
Musiq-sar
governor of Kirruri
expedition to Ahsana
813
Ninip-uzur
governor of Sallat
expedition to Chaldea
812
Samas-kumua
governor of Arbaha
expedition to Babylon
8ii
Bel-qat-zabat
governor of Maza-
mua
in the country
810
Vul-nirari
king of Assyria
expedition to Media
809
Nibat-ilai
the tartan
expedition to Gozan
808
Bel-daan
chief of the palace
expedition to Minni
807
Zilli-bel
the rab-bitur
expedition to Minni
806
Assur-taggil
the tukulu
expedition to Arpad
805
Ilu-ki-ya
the governor
expedition to Hazazi
804
Sidu-eris
governor of Rezeph
expedition to Bahili
803
Assur-mahir-
nisi
governor of Arbaha
expedition to over the sea,
pestilence,
802
Ninip-ilai
1 governor of Ahi-
! zuhina
i expedition to Hupuskia
62
DATE.
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
EPONYM.
TITLE,
REMARKS.
80 1
800
799
798
797
796
795
794
793
792
791
790
789
788
787
786
785
784
783
782
781
780
779
Niri. . . .
governor of Nisibin
expedition to Media
Maruduk-tar . .
governor of Amidi
expedition to Media
Mutaggil . . ,
the rab-saki
expedition to Lulima
Bel-tarzi-anva
governor of Calah
expedition to Zimri
Assur-bel-uzur
governor of Kimiri
expedition to Manzuat
Maniduk-sadua
governor of Sallat
expedition to Deri
Kin-abua
governor of Tushan
expedition to Deri
Mannu-ki-assur
governor of Gozan
expedition to Media
Musalim-ninip
governor of Bele
expedition to Media
Bel-basani
governor of Siphinis
expedition to Hupuskia
Niri-samas
governor of Isana
expedition to Ituha
Ninip-kin-uzur
governor of Nineveh
expedition to Media
Vul-musammir
governor of Kalzi
expedition to Media
Zilli-istar
governor of Arbela
the festival (?), cycle (?)
Baladu
governor of Siba-
niba
expedition to Media, the
god Nebo entered into
the new temple
Vul-uballad
governor of Rimusi
expedition to Kiski
Maniduk-sar-
uzur
.
expedition to Hupuskia,
the great god to Deri
went
Nabu-sar-uzur
governor of Kurban
expedition to Hupuskia
Ninip-nazir
governor of Maza-
mua
expedition to Ituha
Anva-liha
governor of . . ina
expedition to Ituha
Shalmaneser
king of Assyria
expedition to Ararat
Samsi-il
the tartan
expedition to Ararat
Maruduk-utul-
the rab-bitur
expedition to Ararat
ani
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES. 63
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
778
777
776
77S
774
773
772
771
770
769
768
767
766
765
764
763
762
761
760
759
Bel-esir
Nabu-esdu-
ukin
Pan-assur-la-
mur
Sidu-eris
Istar-duri
Mannu-ki-vul
Assur-bel-uzur
Assur-daan
Samsi-il
Bel-ilai
Pali-ya
Qurdi-assur
Musalim-ninip
Ninip-mukin-
nisi
Zadkiel
Esdu-sarabe
Dabu-bel
Nabu-kin-uzur
Laqipu
Pan-assur-la-
mur
chief of the palace
the tukulu
the governor
governor of Rezeph
governor of Nisibin
governor of Sallat
governor of Calah
king of Assyria
the tartan
governor of Arbaha
governor of Maza
mua
governor of Ahi
zuhina
governor of Bele I
governor of Kirruri
governor of Tushan
expedition to Ararat
expedition to Ituha
expedition to Ararat
expedition to Erini
expedition to Ararat and
Zimri
expedition to Damascus
expedition to Hadrach
governor of Gozan
governor of Amida'
governor of N ineveh
governor of Kalzi
governor of Arbela
expedition to Gananat
expedition to Surat
expedition to Ituha
peace in the land
expedition to Gannanati
expedition to Media
expedition to Hadrach,
pestilence
peace in the land
revolt in city of Assur, in
month Sivan, sun was
eclipsed
revolt in city of Assur
revolt in city of Arbaha
revolt in city of Arbaha
revolt in city of Gozan,
pestilence
04 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
List OF Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
758
Bel-taggil
governor of Isana
expedition to Gozan, peace
in the land
757
Ninip-idin
governor of Kurban
peace in the land
756
Belsadua
governor of Dihnun
peace in the land
755
Qisu
governor of Siphinis
expedition to Hadrach
754
Ninip-sezib-ani
governor of Rimusi
expedition to Arpad. The
return from the city of
Assur
753
Assur-nirari
king of Assyria
peace in the land
752
Samsi-il
the tartan
peace in the land
751
Maruduk-sa-
lim-anni
chief of the palace
peace in the land
750
Bel-daan
the rab-bitur
peace in the land
749
Samas-mukin-
duruk
the tukulu
expedition to Zimri
748
Vul-bel-ukin
the governor
expedition to Zimri
747
Sin-salim-anni
governor of Rezeph
peace in the land
746
Nergal-nazir
governor of Nisibin
revolt in the city of Calah
745
Nabu-bel-uzur
governor of Arbaha
in the month lyyar 13th
day Tiglath-Pileser the
throne ascended.
in the month Tisri to the
vicinity of the river he
marched
744
Bel-daan
governor of Calah
expedition to Zimri
743
Tiglath-Pileser
king of Assyria
in the city of Arpad the
overthrow of Ararat he
accomplished
742
Nabu-dain-anni
the tartan
expedition to Arpad
741
Bel-harran-bel-
uzur
chief of the palace
expedition to the same city
three years war
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
e^
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
740
Nabu-edir-anni
the rab-bitur
expedition to Arpad
739
Sin-taggil
the tukulu
expedition to Ulluba, city
of Birtu built
738
Vul-bel-ukin
the governor
city of Kullani (Calno)
captured
737
Bel-emur-anni
governor of Rezeph
expedition to Media
736
Ninip-ilai
governor of Nisibin
expedition to the foot of
mount Naal
735
Assur-sallim-
anni
governor of Arbaha
expedition to Ararat
734
Bel-daan
governor of Calah
expedition to Palestine
733
Assur-dain-anni
governor of Maza-
mua
expedition to Damascus
732
Nabu-bel-uzur
governor of Sihime
expedition to Damascus
731
Nergal-uballid
governor of Ahi-
suhina
expedition to Sapiya
730
Bel-ludari
governor of Bele
peace in the land
729
Naphar-ili
governor of Kirruri
the king took the hands of
Bel
728
Duri-assur
Bel-harran-bel-
uzur
governor of Tushan
the king took the hands ot
Bel, Di . . . .
727
governor of Gozan
expedition to . .in the
month . . .
Shalmaneser the throne as-
cended
726
Maruduk-bel-
uzur
governor of Amida
peace in the land
725
Tizkaru-iqbi
governor of Nineveh
expedition to . . •
724
Assur-semu-ani
governor of Kalzi
expedition to . . •
723
Shalmaneser
king of Assyria
expedition to . . .
66
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
722
Ninip-ilai
.
accession of Sargon, siege of
Samaria
721
Nabu-tariz
.
ivarwith Babylon andElam
720
Assur-izka-dain
•
expedition to Palestine
719
Sargon
king of Assyria
expedition to Minni
718
Zira-bani
.
expedition to Sinukta
.717
Dabu-sar-assur
the great tukulu
expedition to Carchemish
716
Dabu-zilli-esar
governor of Assur
expedition to Minni and
Media
715
Taggil-ana-bel
governor of Nisibin
expeditions to Minni, Asia-
Minor and Arabia
714
Istar-duri
governor oiArbaha
expedition to Media, Ara-
rat and Muzazir
713
Assur-bani
governor of Calah
expedition to Media and
Tubal
712
Saru-emur-anni
governor of LuUume
expedition to Milid
711
Ninip-alik-pani
governor of Sihime
expedition to Ashdod
710
Samas-bel-uzur
governor of Ahi-
zuhina
conquest of Babylon
709
Mannu-ki-as-
surliha
governor of Bele
expedition to Chaldea
708
Samas-upahhar
governor of Kirruri
chiefs to the land of Kum-
muha he sent
707
Sa-assur-gubbu
governor of Tushan
great Suhra trees and . . .
in the month Tisri, 22 nd
day the gods of the city
of Dur-sargon . . .
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
67
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
706 Mutaggil-assur
Pahar-bel
governor of Gozan
governor of Amida
the king . . .
in the month lyyar 6th
day in the city of Dur-
sargon
Nabu-deni-ipus
governor of Nineveh
Kannunai
Nabu-Uha
Hananu
Mitunu
Assur-nadin-
sum
governor of Kalzi
governor of Arbela
governor of . . .
governor of Isana
son of Sennacherib
made king of
Babylon
over the espai of the Kul-
lumites . . .
the king slew, and the
camp of the king of As-
syria . . ,
in the month Ab, 1 2th day
Sennacherib the throne
ascended.
expedition to Babylon
cities of Larak, Sarapanu,
the palace of the city of
Kalzi he built . .
chiefs against . . .
expcditio7i to Kassi and
Ellipi
expedition to Palestine
from the land of Halzihi
expedition to Babylon
... of the palace in the
midst of the city of
Nineveh he built
great beams of cedar . . .
great stone obelisks in the
midst he raised . . .
in the midst of the city of
Sedargiza . . .
. . . to . . .
of the king of the city . . .
68 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE,
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
699
Bei-sar-ani
governor of Kurban!^^(?rfit'//(?7^ to Nipur and
Anara
698 Sulmu-sari
697
696
695
694
693
692
691
690
689
688
687
686
685
684
683
682
681
680
679
678
Nabu-dur-uzur
Dabu(?)-bel
Nabu-bel-uzur
Il-ki-ya
Nadni-ahi
Zazai
Bel-emur-ani
Nabu-kin-uzur
Gihilu
Nadni-ahi
Sennacherib
Bel-emur-ani
Assur-dain-ani
Mannu-zir-iie
Mannu-ki-vul
Nabu-sar-uzur
Nabu-ahi-eris
Dananu
Ta-vul-aninu
Nergal-sar-uzur
governor of Dihnun
kisir of the king
governor of Damas
cus
governor of Zim-
mirra
governor of Arpad
governor of Car-
chemish
governor of Dur-
sargon
king of Assyria
the tartan
governor of KuUani
governor of Marqasi
governor of Samalla
expedition to Nagitu (?)
expedition to Elam (?)
expedition to Babylonia^)
expedition to Babylonia (?)
expedition to Palestine (?)
Esarhaddon ascended the
throne, expedition to
Chaldea
governor of Man- expedition to Palestine
zuat
the rab-bitur
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES. 69
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
677
Abramu
the sukulu-rabu
676
Bamba
the second sukulu
675
Nabu-ahi-idina
674
Saru-nuri
673
Atar-ili
governor of Lahiru
672
Nabu-bel-uzur
. . .
expedition to Egypt
671
Debit-ai
sardinnu of the new
palace
670
Salmu-bel-las-
mi
governor of Duran
669
Samas-kasid-
aibi
governor of . . .
668
Marlarmi
tartan of Kummuha
Esarhaddon died
667
Gabbaru
666
. . . ai
665(?)
Mannu-ki-sar
officer of the king
664(?)
Saru-ludari
663
Bel-nahid
the tartan
662
Dabu-sar-sin
#
661
Arba-ilai
the priest the se-
cond man
660
Kirzabuna
659
Silim-assur
the sukul-dan
658(?)
657(?)
'
656
Sa-nabu-su
the saki
655
Labasi
the rabkar
654
Milki-ramu
70 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
DATE.
EPONYM.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
652
650
649
648
647
646(?)
645(?)
644(?)
Avyanu
Assur-nazir
Assur-ilai
Assur-dur-uzur
Sagabbu
Bel-harran-sa-
dua
Ahi-ilai
Bel-sunu
Nabu-sar-ahi-su
Samas-dain-
anni
Sin-sar-uzur
Sin-sar-uzur
Bulludu
Vul-utul-ani
Nabu-sar-uzur
Assur-mati-iz-
mad
Musallim-assur
Mannu-ki-ahi
Nabu-bel-idin
Nabu-dain
anni
Assur-dain-sar
Assur-utul-ani
of Babylon (?
the sukul
governor of Hin
dana
governor of Samaria
governor of Babylon
the scribe of the
land
governor of Hin
dana
scribe of the land
governor of . . .
governor of Alihi
governor of Zimirra
governor of Que
revolt of Babylon and Elam
war with Babylon and Elam
conquest of Babylon
LIST OF ASSYRIAN EPONYMES.
List of Assyrian Eponymes, Continued.
71
EPONYN.
TITLE.
REMARKS.
the great tukulu
the tartan of Kum
muha
governor of Que
Assur-gimil- [
turri I
Upaqa-ana-ar-
ba-il
Nusar-iqbi
Zamama-iriba
Maniduk-sar-
uzur
Nur
Bel-sab-anni
Nabu-nadin-
ahu
I Saru-nahid
' Saru-nahid
I
I Nabu-saqap
I Assur-garua-
niri
! Barku-utul-anni
Daddi ! the great tukulu reign of Bel-zakir-iskun
I I
Sin-aUk-pani I
the rabkamadu
the tukulu
CHAPTER IV.
Evidence of the Chronological Accuracy of the Assyrian Eponym Canon.
|N consequence of a difficulty in reconciling the
Assyrian chronology with the dates of the cor-
responding events, according to the Second book of
Kings, some authors have suggested that the Assy-
rian canon is incomplete, and that there are places
in the documents where numbers of years should be
inserted to make the earlier dates correct.
Up to the present time, three possible breaks have
been suggested in the canon ; the first between the
reigns of Shalmaneser II. and Samsivul ; the second
one year after the eponymy of Assurdaan III. ; and
the third at the close of the reign of Assurnirari II.,
and previous to the reign of Tilgath Pileser II. A
reference to the copy of the canon in Chapter II. will
show the position of these supposed breaks.
I have seen no reason in support of any of these
gaps, from any cuneiform text with which I am ac-
quainted ; and I believe myself that the canon is a
complete and accurate document ; but I here give a
sketch of the theories that have been propounded
with respect to these supposed gaps in the canon.
The first conjectured gap is suggested by the Rev.
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 73
D. H. Haigh, who believes that nineteen years are
omitted between the reigns of Shalmaneser II. and
Samsivul III.
It is related, in the monolith inscription of Sam-
sivul III., that during the reign of his father, Shal-
maneser II., another son of that king, named Assur-
dainpal, revolted against him, and was followed by
twenty-seven districts of Assyria, principally in the
east and south. These districts were subdued, and
again brought under the rule of Shalmaneser by
Samsivul, who afterwards succeeded to the throne,
instead of the rebel prince.
The Rev. D. H. Haigh supposed that this revolt
lasted nineteen years. He believes that the date
of the revolt is given in a passage of where it is
stated that the Assyrian empire ended sixty-seven
years before the Olymiads (b.c. 776-67=6. c. 843) ;
and he assumes that a notice of Shalmaneser en-
gaging in some ceremony in his thirty-first year,
B.C. 829, belongs really to b.c. 848, and comes sixty
years before the notice, in the canon b.c. 788, of a
karru, which he translates cycle ; and he suggests
that the notice of the king taking the hand of Bel,
in B.C. 729, and the festival of Bel on the day of
Assurbanipal's accession, are other examples of this
cycle of sixty years.
This is quite impossible, as the four notices re-
ferred to all belong to different subjects ; the first, in
the time of Shalmaneser, b.c. 829, records the re-
storation of something called a btina, probably an
emblem or altar, which was placed before the gods
Assur and Vul.
74 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
The second notice in the canon, B.C. 788, merely
says karru, "return," or "turning;" this may pos-
sibly mean a cycle, but the single entry is not
enough to prove it.
The third notice occurs in B.C. 729 and 728, and
refers to sacrifices and ceremonies in Babylonia ; the
same ceremonies being repeated by Sargon, m
B.C. 710; these, therefore, cannot possibly refer to a
sixty -year cycle.
The last notice, at the accession of Assurbanipal,
is only the calendar festival for the day in question,
and occurred every year ; therefore it also could not
refer to a cycle.
With regard to the idea of the rebellion of Assur-
dainpal lasting nineteen years, this is opposed to
the Assyrian statement. Samsivul says, "When"
the twenty-seven districts revolted, he subdued them ;
and no allusion is made to any long period between
the revolt and its extinction ; and it is impossible to
insert nineteen years in the canon here, as the
official Assurbanaiuzur, governor of the palace, was
eponym in B.C. 856, and again in B.C. 826, and a
third time in B.C. 817 ; thus holding office at least for
forty years. Now if twenty years were inserted in
the canon here, it would make this officer occupy the
third post in the kingdom for at least sixty years !
Another gap has been suggested in the canon, be-
tween B.C. 770 and 769, by the Rev. D. H. Haigh, as
there appeared an interruption in the titles of the
eponymes ; but this theory was abandoned afterwards
by its author as untenable. Excellent remarks in
answer to it were given by Canon Rawlinson, in
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 75
Zeitschrift fur Agyptische Sprache, April 1870 ; but it
must be allowed that in this place, if anywhere, a
gap should take place, as there is a break in the titles.
The third gap is proposed by Professor Oppert,
between the eponymes for B.C. 746 and 745. Here
he proposes to insert forty-seven years, during which
time he believes a Chaldean, named Pul, reigned,
who instituted no eponymes. The reasons against
this theory are :
1. The regular order of the titles of the eponymes
is not interrupted in the place of the supposed gap ;
the governor of Arbaha, B.C. 745, succeeded to the
governor of Nisibin, B.C. 746, as usual.
2. The officer Vulbeluzur was eponym B.C. 748
and 738 ; and if forty-seven years were inserted, he
would have held office fifty-seven years at least,
which is extremely unlikely.
3. There is an utter absence in the inscriptions of
any contemporary account, or later notice, of this
supposed* period of forty-seven years.
Slight errors in the Assyrian canon have been sug-
gested in other places ; but these only rest on un-
tenable conjectures, and therefore I do not introduce
them here.
One great reason why Professor Oppert proposed
the gap of forty-six years was the fact that the Pul,
king of Assyria, who, according to 2 Kings xv. ig, took
tribute from Menahem, had not been identified
among the known Assyrian monarchs ; and Professor
Oppert inserts his reign in the supposed gap.
The fact that we are unable to identify the king
called Pul in the Bible is a grave difficulty, and
76 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
lends some support to the idea that he was a
monarch whose name is not in the eponymous list.
While I do not agree with the idea of a gap of forty-
seven years in the canon, I must confess this difficulty
cannot at present be solved ; but it appears to me
that there are three possible explanations :
1. That Pul is Vul-nirari III., who may have been
still reigning in b.c. 772, and who may have made ex-
peditions to Palestine in B.C. 773 and 772, at the
beginning of the reign of Menahem (according to
Ussher's chronology), and at the very time when Pul
is supposed to have taken tribute from the Israelites.
Vul-nirari claims the conquest of Omri (or Samaria),
Philistia, and Edom.
2. The second possible explanation is, that Pul
was a monarch who followed Assur-daan II., and
whose name has been excluded from the eponym list
between our present eponymes for b.c. 770 and 769 ;
this would necessitate admitting Haigh's second gap
in the canon, which might be from six to sixteen
years.
3. The third explanation supposes Pul to be a
second name of Tiglath Pileser II., who reigned
^•c. 745-727 ; this theory first suggested by Sir Henry
Rawlinson, has been adopted by several eminent
scholars, including Professor Schrader, of Germany.
The principal reasons in favour of this view are :
a. The Bible states that Pul took tribute from
Menahem, and the annals of Tiglath Pileser state
that he took tribute from Menahem.
b. Late in his reign, Tiglath Pileser ascended the
throne of Babylon ; and, at this time, the canon of
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. ']']
Ptolemy registers a king at Babylon named Porus,
that is, Pul.
c. The passage in i Chronicles v. 26, seems to
speak of Pul and Tiglath Pileser as the same person.
Of all the theories brought forward at present for
the identification of Pul, the supposition that he is
the same monarch as Tiglath Pileser has the most
evidence in its favour.
I have recently put together some considera-
tions in favour of the accuracy of the canon, from
three texts of Sennacherib. The first of these is
dated in the twenty-second year of Sennacherib,
B.C. 684. This states that the tablet was copied
from one which had been neglected and buried, and
was found after loi years. As this tablet belonged
to Nebbi Yunas, the palace of which was built by
Vulnirari III., and restored by Sennacherib about
B.C. 693, it appeared probable that the tablets were
found when the restoration of the palace commenced,
in B.C. 693, and they would then have been written
in B.C. 794 ; but for a long time I gained no clue in
confirmation of this date, until I found a companion
tablet, according to which, Sennacherib restored the
ofi'erings and institutions made by Vulnirari, in the
" eponymy of Mannukiassur," that is, b.c. 794. ; and
a third tablet, of the same period, relates that various
predecessors of Sennacherib had made offerings ;
and among the names mentioned are Samsivul, Vul-
nirari, Tiglath Pileser, Shalmaneser, and Sargon.
The only date given in the tablet is again b.c 794,
and it states that Vulnirari had made the "writings"
and offerings in the eponymy of Mannukiassur."
78 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
These incidental statements of the inscriptions and
offerings of Vulnirari, in b.c. 794, the finding of the
tablets after loi years, and the restoration of the
offerings and palace of Vulnirari, in b.c. 693, form a
curious confirmation of the accuracy of the canon,
but do not amount to a proof, as the connection be-
tween the three statements of Sennacherib is not
certain.
A considerable portion of the evidence in favour of
the accuracy of the Assyrian canon consists of the
dates on various contemporary documents, which
contain the names of the contemporary eponymes,
and these, although presenting some variations, cor-
respond with the proper names in the eponym canon.
The following dates are given in their chrono-
logical order. They are from historical inscriptions,
cylinders, contract tablets, etc., and will show the
extent of the Assyrian evidence in favour of the
accuracy of the canon.
Dates on Monuments and Documents.
Inscription of Vul-nirari I., dr. 1330.
I. Month Muhur-ili, 20th day, eponym Shal-
manurris.
Inscribed Tablet of Shalmaneser /., from Nimroud,
B.C. 1310.
I. Month .... 4th day, eponym Musipsi, priest
of
2 Shalmaneser the ruler
3 to his country
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 79
Date on Cylinder containing the annals of five years of
the reign of Tilgath Pileser /., b.c. 1120.
1. Month Kislev, 29th day, eponym.
2. Ina-iliya-allik the rab-bitur.
Dates in inscription on broken Obelisk, {C- l-i vol. iii.
p. 4, No. i).
3. Month .... eponym Assur-ram-nisi-su.
20. Month Marchesvan, eopnym Ilu-idina.
I conjecture that this inscription was a brief chro-
nicle of Assyrian wars, and that Assur-ram-nisi-su
and Ilu-idina were two Assyrian kings. Many dates,
apparently annual, are given on the document.
Date on obelisk from Kouyunjik.
I. In the eponymy of Assur-nazir.
All these dates are before the Assyrian copies of
the canon, and serve to show that the usage as re-
gards dating from eponymes was already in use. .
The earliest dates within the period of the canon
are in the great inscription of Assur-nazir-pal. C. I.,
vol. i. p. 17-26. These dates are :
B.C. 885. C. /., vol. i., p. 18, 1. 43.
In the beginning of my reign, in my first year.
B.C. 884. C. I., vol. i. p. 18, 1. 69.
In the next eponymy in the month Ab, 24th day.
B.C. 883. C. /., vol. i., p. 19, 1. 99.
In the eponymy called after my name {i.e., Assur-
nazir-pal's own eponymy).
C. I., vol. i., p. 19, 1. loi.
In the same eponymy.
80 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C. 882. C. /., vol. i., p. 20, 1. 23.
In the eponymy of Assur-idin.
B.C. 881. C. I., vol.Y., p. 21, 1. 49.
In the eponymy of Simut-a-ku.
B.C. 880. C. /., vol. i., p. 22, 1. 86.
In the month Sivan, ist day, in the eponymy of
Anva-damqa.
B.C. 879. C. /., vol. i., p. 25, 1. I.
In the month Sivan, 22nd day, eponymy of Dagan-
bel-nazir.
B.C. 865. C. /., vol. i., p. 25, 1. 92.
In the eponymy of Samas-nuri .... in the
month lyyar, 20th day.
In the next reign, that of Shalmaneser II., there
are several eponym dates. All but one are found in
the Kurkh monolith. C. /., vol. iii., p. 7, 8.
These dates are :
B.C. 860. C. /., vol. iii., p. 7, 1. 14.
In the beginning of my reign, in my first year.
B.C. 859. C. /., vol. iii., p. 7, 1. 29.
In the month lyyar, 13th day (year not specified).
B.C. 858. C. /., Vol. iii. p. 7, col. 2, 1. 13.
In the eponymy called after my name (i.e.
Shalmaneser's own eponymy) in the month lyyar,
13th day.
B.C. 857. C. /., Vol. iii., p. 8, 1. 30.
In the eponymy of Assur-bel-kain, in the month
Tammuz, 13th day.
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 8 1
B.C. 858, and 856. C. /., Vol. iii., p. 8, 1. 66-6g.
In the beginning of my reign, in the eponymy
called after my name, (b.c. 858) from Nineveh I had
departed after two years, in the eponymy
of Assur-banai-uzur, (b.c. 856) after him I pursued.
B.C. 854. C. /., Vol. iii. p. 8, 1. 78.
In the eponymy of Dayan-assur, the month lyyar
14th day.
In the black obelisk inscription of Shalmaneser
there is a statement that the fourth expedition was
in the eponymy of Dayan-assur, this appears how-
ever to be erroneous, as this expedition took place
during the eponymy of Assur-banai-uzur, two years
earlier.
During the reign of Samsi-vul there is only one
dated tablet, which falls in the royal eponymy b.c.
823 ; this reads :
1. In the month Muhur-ili 25th day.
2. In the eponymy of Samsiwul.
There are dates in three eponymes during the
reign of Vul-nirari III. : the first, which is not a
contemporary statement, is on two tablets of the
time of Sennacherib; one, K2655, reads:
a. The king had given in the month Tebet, in the
eponymy of Mannu-ki-assur.
b of Samsi-vul and Vul-nirari.
The other reads :
The writings appointed and he the sacrifices gave
in the eponymy of Mannu-ki-assur, making of Vul-
nirari ....
These statements refer to the eponymy b.c. 794.
82 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
There is one tablet, K310, dated in the next
eponymy b.c. 793 I this commences :
1. Vul-nirari, king of Assyria, the ruler.
2. Son of Samsi-vul, king of Assyria, the ruler.
3. Son of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, the ruler,
also. The date at the end reads :
Month Tebet, 29th day, eponym Mussallim-ninip.
There is another mutilated date in this reign,
belonging to b.c. 787, which reads :
Eponymy of Baladu, governor of Sibanibi.
During the next reign, that of Shalmaneser III.,
there is no dated monument, but the name of the
eponym for b.c. 775 occurs on a small seal, the
inscription on which reads :
1. Seal of Assur-bel-uzur.
2. The officer of Sidu-eris.
3. Governor of Rezeph.
The next reign, that of Assur-daan III., presents
some peculiarities : and although there are no con-
temporary dated tablets, there is during it the record
of an eclipse which forms a strong confirmation of
the accuracy of the canon.
In the reign of Assur-daan after the eponymy of
the tartan, in B.C. 770, the titles which usually follow
are absent, and the governor of Arbaha comes next
in B.C. 769. It is conjectured that the reason of this
omission lays in the fact that these officers had so
recently held the office of eponym during the last
reign that their names were passed over.
The eclipse of the sun in this reign which forms
so important a proof of the correctness of the canon
happened in the eponymy of Esdu-sarabe, (see
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON.
83
pp. 46, 47, 63) in the month Sivan. Its elements have
been calculated by Mr. Hind ; and the following
table is given from these calculations, by Mr. Airy,
the Astronomer Royal.
ECLIPSE OF THE 15TH JUNE, B.C. 763.
G. M. T.
NORTHERN LIMIT.
CENTRE LINE.
SOUTHERN LIMIT.
Long.
Lat.
Long.
. Lat.
Long.
Lat.
18-54
35° 23'
37° 52'
36° 3'
37° 7'
36° 44'
36° 20'
19*0
38° 29'
38° 53'
39° 6'
38° 4'
39° 43'
37° 14'
ig'6
41° 33'
39° 46'
■ 42° 7'
38° 54'
42° 39'
38° 3'
19*12
44° 35'
40° 31'
45° 4'
39° 38'
45° 32'
38° 46'
19-18
47° 34'
41° 9'
47° 59'
40° 14'
48° 23'
39° 21'
19-22
50° 32'
41° 40'
50° 52'
40° 45'
51° 12'
39° 49'
The total absence of contemporary dated docu-
cuments during the reigns of Shalmaneser III. and
Assur-daan III. is remarkable; the Assyrian canon is
here the only proof of the reigns of these kings.
In the reign of the next sovereign, Assur-nirari II.,
B.C. 755-745, two tablets fall. These are :
On an unnumbered tablet, b.c. 750.
Month Ab, 27th day, eponym Bel-daan the
rab-bitur.
On K 326. B.C. 747.
Month lyyar, 4th day, eponym Sin-salim-ani,
governor of Rezeph.
During the reign of Tiglath Pileser, b.c. 745-727,
we have the following dates :
On K 427, B.C. 742.
Month Sebat, 26th day, eponym Nabu-dain-anni
the tartan in the time of Tiglath Pileser ....
84 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
On K 378. B.C. 734.
.... 8th day, eponym Bel-daan in his second
eponymy (?)
On K 384. B.C. 730.
Month Nisan, loth (?) day, eponym Bel-ludari.
On K 639. Same year.
Month Nasan, 15th day, eponym Bel-ludari.
In the time of Shalmaneser IV., B.C. 727-722, there
is only one eponym date.
On K407. B.C. 723.
.... 22nd day, eponym Shalmaneser, king of
The following are the dates in the reign of Sargon,
B.C. 722-705.
On K3781. B.C. 719.
Month lyyar, loth day, eponym Sargon.
No dated tablet of b.c. 718 is known, but the
eponym Zira-ibni is mentioned on the contemporary
tablets, K 1270, K 1076, K 1235.
From this time there is a regular series of dated
tablets, almost every year in the canon being repre-
sented ; these are :
B.C. 717.
K 280 Month Nisan, eponym Dabu-sar ....
K 352 Month Sebat, i6th day, eponym Dabu-sar-
assur, the great tugulu.
B.C. 716.
K 2686 City of Calah, Month Sivan, 27th day,
eponym Dabu-zilli-esar, governor of Assur, 6th year
of Sarukin-arqu (the later Sargon) king of Assyria.
K 3067 .... Dabu-zilli-esar, governor of ... .
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 85
K 3129 of Assur, 6th year of Sarukin-
arqu ....
K 5283 zilli-esar ......
B.C. 715.
K 335. Eponym Taggil-ana-bel, governor of
Nisibin.
s 2276 Month Tebet, 25th day, eponym Taggil-
ana-bel.
B.C. 714.
Istr-duri, the eponym of this year, sent the two
tablets K 1068 and 504.
B.C. 713.
K 391 .... 14th day, eponym Assur-bani.
K 403 .... 1 8th day, eponym Assur-bani.
K 2679 City of Calah, month Veadar, 15th day,
9th year of Sargina-arqu
K 351 Assur-bani, governor of Calah.
K 1989 City of Nineveh, month Sivan, 5th d ay
eponym Assur-bani.
B.C. 712.
K 403 Eponym Saru-emur-anni.
From fragments k 2680, k 2691, k 5284, k 2681,
we have the following date : Month Kislev, 12th day,
eponym governor of Lullume, loth year of
Sarukin-arqu, king of Assyria.
B.C. 711.
K 287 Month Nisan, 21st day, eponym Ninip-
alik-pani, governor of Sime.
K 351 Month lyyar, 15th day, eponym Ninip-
alik-pani.
K 2678 City of Calah, month Elul, 25th day.
86 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
eponym Ninip-alik-pani, governor of Sihimme, nth
year of Sarukin-arqu, king of Assyria.
K 2692 City of Calah, month Elul, ... day
alik-pani, governor of Sihimme, nth year of
Saru king of Assyria.
K 2683 ip-Hk-pani, governor of ....
me .... . king of Assyria.
K 2690 Month Elul governor of Si . . .
... nth year of Saru .....
Unnumbered fragment .... pani, governor of
.... arqu
B.C. 710.
K 358 Month Adar, 15th day, eponym Samas-
bel-uzur.
B.C. 709.
K 383 Month Ab, 20th day, eponym Mannu-ki-
assur-liha.
K 427 eponym Manu-ki-assur-liha.
K 5280 City of Calah .... eponym Mannu-ki-
assur-liha, governor of Be [-le 13th] year of Sar
[-gina-arqu king of Assyria and ist year king of
Babylon].
K 2688 eponym Mannu-ki-assur . . . 13th year
of Sargina-arqu
K 5277 Bele Assyria, and
1st year king of Babylon.
Tablet in Louvre. Month Marchesvan, 13th day,
eponym Mannu-ki-assur-liha, governor of Bele, 12th
year of Sargon, king of Assyria.
B.C. 708.
K 2682 City of Calah, month Nisan, 14th day,
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 87
eponym Samas-upahhir, governor of ... . 14th
year of Sargina-arqu, king of [Assyria, and] 2nd year
[king of Babylon].
K 2689 .... ah, month Nisan, 4th day, eponym
Samas-upahhir, governor of gina-arqu,
king of Assyria, king ....
K 2685 .... Nisan, 15th day hir . . .
K 3070 .... eponym Samas-upahhir, governor
14th year of Sargina-arqu, king
B.C. 707.
K 3074 City of Calah, month Marchesvan, i6th
day, eponym Sa-assur-gubbu, governor of Tushan,
15th year of Sargina-arqu, king of [Assyria], and
[3rd] year [king of Babylon].
K 3066 City of Calah, month Marchesvan, 14th
day Tushan Assyria
K 3055 Sa-assur-gub of
Tushan king of Assyria, and 3rd
K 3064 assur-gubbu, prefect of Tushan,
3rd year king of Babylon.
s 2045 eponym Sa-assur-gubbu, gover-
nor of Tu of Assyria, 3rd year king of
Bab
B.C. 706.
K 5281 Month Sebat, 22nd day, eponym, Mu
gina-arqu
K 3044 Month Sebat, 24th day, eponym Mutag
[-gil-assur, governor of Gozan], i6th year of Sargina-
arqu [king of Assyria], and 4th year [king of Baby-
lon].
K 5279 assur, governor of Go
88 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C. 705.
Unnumbered fragment, Month Nisan, 2nd day,
eponym 17th year of Sar
B.C. 704.
Fragments of three tablets give: Month Adar,
22nd day, eponym Nabu-deni-epus, governor of
Nineveh, ist year of Sennacherib, king of Assyria.
K 325 Month Nisan, ist (?) day, eponym Nabu-
denu-epus.
B.C. 703.
Unnumbered fragment .... i6th day
Kannunai.
B.C. 702.
BelHno cyHnder : Month seventh, eponym Nabu-
Hha, governor of Arbela.
B.C. 701.
K 3163 eponym Hananu, governor of
B.C. 700.
K 304 Eponym Mitunu, prefect of Isana.
K 2856 Month Kislev, nth day, eponym Mitunu,
governor of Isana, 6th year of Sennacherib, king of
Assyria.
Cyhnder B. Month lyyar, eponym Mitunu,
governor of
B.C. 699.
K316 Month Adar, 21st day, eponym Bel-sar-
ani, governor of Kurban.
K 450 Month Sivan, ist day an ... .
governor of Kurban.
B.C. 698.
K 393 Month lyyar, 2nd day, eponym Sulumu-sari.
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 89
K 398 Month Kislev .... eponym Sulumu ....
7th year of Senna
B.C. 697.
K 300 Eponym Nabu-dur-uzur, Month Tebet, 7th
day.
CyHnder C 8th day .... uzur ....
nunna.
B.C. 696.
There are no dates of this year.
B.C. 695.
K 349 Month Adar, 4th day, eponym Nabu-bel-
uzur, collector of Assuracherib (Sennacherib) ....
of Assyria.
B.C. 694.
K 346 Month Tisri, ist day, eponym Ilkiya, go-
vernor of Damascus.
K 389 Month Ab, 15th day, eponym Ilkiya, go-
vernor of Damascus.
K 370 Month Adar, loth day, eponym Ilkiya.
K 1867 Eponym Ilkiya.
K 75 Month Adar, 23rd day, eponym Ilkiya, go-
vernor of Damascus, and nth year of Sennacherib,
king of Assyria.
B.C. 693.
K 414 Month Ab, 9th day, eponym Nadni-ahi.'
K 3501 Eponym Nadni-ahi.
s 461 Month Nisan, eponym Nadni-ahi, governor
of Zimira.
B.C. 692.
K 294 Month Sivan, i6th day, eponym Zazai,
governor of Arpad.
K 360 Month Sebat, ist day eponym Zazaku.
00 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C. 691.
Taylor cylinder. Month Adar, 20th day, eponym
Bel-emur-ani, governor of Carchemish.
B.C. 6go, 68g.
There are no contemporary dates of these years.
B.C. 688.
K 441 Month lyyar, 15th day, eponym Nadni-
ahi, governor of Dur-sargon.
B.C. 687.
K 423 .... Kislev, 3rd day .... Sennacherib.
K 405 Month Ab, 13th day, eponym Sennacherib.
K 419 Month Ab, 15th day, eponym Sennacherib,
king of Assyria.
K 413 Month Tisri, 20th day, eponym Senna-
cherib.
T 156 Month Sebat, 22nd day, eponym Senna-
cherib, king of Assyria.
B.C. 686.
K 343 Month Ab, 2nd day, eponym Bel-emur-ani,
the tartan.
K 308 Month Tammuz, ist day, eponym Bel-
emur-ani, the tartan.
K 1575 Eponym Bel-emur-ani, the tartan, month
Sivan, 29th day.
B.C. 685.
K 395 .... 8th day, eponym Assur-dain-ani.
K 406 Month Tisri, eponym Assur-dain-ani.
B.C. 684.
K 2670 Month Tebet, 20th day, eponym Mazar
.... governor of Kulla .... 22nd year of Senna-
cherib, king of Assyria.
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. QI
K 1429 .... eponym .... ile.
Unnumbered tablet. Month Nisan, loth day,
eponym Man-zar-ile.
B.C. 683.
K 361 Month Tebet, 25th day, eponym Mannu-
ki-vul.
K 394 Eponym Mannu-ki-vul.
K 380 Month Tebet, 25th day, eponym Mannu-
ki-vul.
K 366 Month Elul, 20th day, eponym Mannu-ki-vul.
K 371 Eponym Mannu-ki-vul.
s 475 Month Sivan, 7th day, eponym Mannu-ki-
vul.
B.C. 682.
K 339 Month Tisri, 5th day, eponym Nabu-sar-
uzur.
K 379 Month Ab, 7th day, eponym Nabu-sar ....
governor of Marqasi.
K 445 .... nth day .... sar-uzur, governor
of Marqasi.
K 373 Month Nisan, 21st day, eponym Nabu-
sar-uzur.
K 1858 Month lyyar, 20th day, eponym Nabu-sar-
uzur.
B.C. 681.
s 701 Month lyyar, 5th day, eponymy after Nabu-
sar-uzur, governor of Marqasi.
K 348 Month Kislev, eponym Nabu-ahi-eres.
K 333 Month Elul, 27th day, eponym Nabu-
ahi-eres, governor of Samalla.
K 354 lyyar, 1 2th day, eponym Nabu-
ahi . . . . es, governor of Sama ...
92 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
K 288 Month Ab, 21st day, eponym Nabu-ahi-
eres, governor of Samalla.
s 1064 Month Elul, 22nd day, eponym Nabu-ahi-
eres.
B.C. 680.
K 76 Month Tisri, eponym Dananu.
K 322 Month Nisan, 28th day, eponym Dananu,
governor of Marqasi.
K 332 Month Tammuz, i8th day, eponym Dananu,
governor of Manzuat .... haddon, king of Assyria.
K 3789 Month lyyar, i6th day, eponym Dananu,
governor of Manzuat-.
B.C. 679.
K 341 Month Tisri, 13th day, eponym Ta-vul-
aninu.
K 400 Month Sivan, 12th day, eponym Ta-vul-
aninu.
B.C. 678.
K 1617 7th day Nergal-sar-uzur
the rab-bitur.
B.C. 677.
K 4283 . . . Adar, 6th day, eponym Ab-ramu.
Fragment of cylinder Ab-ramu the sukulu-
rabu.
B.C. 676.
K 350 Month Sivan, nth day, eponym Bamba.
K 356 Month Tisri, ist day, eponym Bamba.
K 410 Month Nisan, 22nd day, eponym Bamba,
the second sukulu.
K 1397 .... 4th day ... . Bamba.
B.C. 675.
K 1575 .... eponym Nabu-ahi-idina.
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 93
B.C. 674.
K 285 Month Tebet, 25th day, eponym Saru-nuri.
K ■^']'] Month Tisri, eponym Saru-nuri.
B.C. 673.
K 376 Month lyyar, 7th day, eponym Adar-ili.
Broken cylinder : Month Bel-babi, eponym Adar-
ili, governor of Lahiru.
B.C. 672.
K 284 Month Sivan, 28th day, eponym Nabu-bel-
uzur.
B.C. 671.
K 347 Month Tammuz, 20th day, eponym De-
bitai, of the new palace.
K 306 Month Adar, ist day, eponym Debitai, of
the new palace.
K 416 Month Adar, ist day, eponym Debitai, the
sardinnu.
K 399 Month Tammuz, 21st day, eponym De-
bitai, of the new palace.
B.C. 670.
K 327 Month Elul, 20th day, eponym Salmu-bel-
lasmi, governor of Duran.
K 977 Month eponym Salmu-bel-lasmi.
s 3 Month lyyar, ist day, eponym Samu-bel-
lasmi, governor of Diri.
B.C. 669.
K 363 Month Tisri, 23rd day, eponym Samas-
kasid-aibi.
K 388 Month Nisan, 20th day, eponym Samas-
kasid .... governor of ... .
K 1492 .... 5th day .... Samas-kasid-aibi.
94 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C. 668.
K321 Month Ab, 24th day, eponym Marlarim,
the tartan of Ku .... in the time of Assurbanipal,
king of Assyria.
K387 Month lyyar, loth day, eponym Mar-
lar . . . .
K 1474 Month Sebat, eponym Marlarim.
B.C. 667.
K 309 Month lyyar, 26th day, eponym Gabbaru.
K 372 Month Adar, i6th day, eponym Gabbaru.
Unnumbered fragment .... 5th day, eponym
Gab ... .
B.C. 666 (?)
Eponym of this year uncertain.
B.C. 665(?)
K 365 Month Tebet, 22nd day, eponym Mannu-
ki-sari.
s 957 Month Marchesvan, 17th day, eponym
Mannu-ki-sari, officer of the king.
B.C. 664 (?)
K 404 Month Tebet, 25th day, eponym Sara-
ludari.
B.C. 663 (?)
K 319 Month lyyar, 26th day, eponym Bel-nahid,
K 324 Month Tebet, 25th day, eponym Bel-
nahid, the tartan.
B.C. 662 (?)
Mentioned on k hi.
B.C. 661 (?)
Kill. Month Tisri, 25th day, eponym Arabailai,
the second priest.
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 95
B.C. 660 (?)
K 217 Month Tammuz, 26th day, eponym Girza-
bunu.
B.C. 659 (?)
K 281 Month lyyar, eponym Silin-assur.
B.C. 658 (?) and B.C. 657 (?)
Eponymes unknown.
B.C. 656 (?)
K 342 Month Sivan, 15th day, eponym Sa-nabu-
su, the officer.
B.C. 655 (?)
K 211' Month Marchesvan, 9th day, eponym
Labasi, the ....
B.C. 654 (?)
There is no date of this year.
B.C. 653 (?)
K 4211 Month Sivan 26th day, eponym Au-yanu,
governor of Babylon (?)
B.C. 652 (?)
There is no date of this year.
B.C. 651 (?)
K 328 eponym Assur-ilai, the sukulu.
Unnumbered fragment. Month lyyar, 20th day,
eponym Assur-ilai.
B.C. 650 (?)
K 84 Month lyyar, 23rd day, eponym Assur-dur-
uzur.
K 455 Month Tammuz, 23rd day, eponym Assur-
dur-uzur.
B.C. 649 (?)
K 286 Month Sivan, loth day, and month Tisri,
9th day, eponym Sagab.
q6 the ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
K 159 Month Nisan, 4th day, eponym Sagab.
K 1360 Month Elul, 7th day, eponym Sagab.
K 4 Month Tisri, 15th day, eponym Sagab.
K3161 Month Marchesvan, 17th day, eponym
Sagab.
B.C. 648 (?)
K 312 Month lyyar, 5th day, eponym Bel-harran-
sadua.
K 1292 Month Nisan, 13th day, eponym Bel-
sadua, governor of Tyre.
K 291 Month lyyar, 22nd day, eponym Bel-sadua.
K 417 Month Sivan, nth day, eponym Bel-
harran
K 402 .... 20th day, eponym Bel-sadua.
Observatory report. Month Sebat, ist day,
eponym Bel-harran-sadua.
B.C. 647 (?)
There are no dated tablets of this year.
B.C. 646 (?) *
On Cylinder B. Month Ab . . . . eponym Bel-
sunu ....
Another copy. Month Tammuz, eponym Bel-
suna, governor of Hinda . . .
Observatory report : Month Tammuz, 2nd day,
eponym Bel-sunu, Bel-sunu, governor of Hindana.
B.C. 645 (?)
K 323 Month Elul, 13th day, eponym Nabu-sar-
ahi-su.
Cylinder date : Month Ab, 6th day, eponym Nabu-
sar-ahi-su, governor of Samaria.
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. 97
B.C. 644 (?)
K 381 Month Elul, 5th day, eponym Samas-'
dain-ani.
K 1378 Month Nisan, ist day, eponym Samas-
dain-ani.
Cylinder A. Month Nisan, ist day, eponym
Samas-dain-ani, governor of Akkad.
Another copy. Month Elul, 28th day, eponym
Samas-dain-ani, governor of Babylon.
Later dates, years uncertain.
Eponymy of Sin-sur-uzur, the scribe.
K 421 Month Tebet, 3rd day, eponym Sin-sur-
uzur, scribe of the country.
K 173 Month lyyar, eponym Sin-sar-uzur.
K311 Month Sivan, 17th day, eponym Sin-sar-
uzur.
K 329 Month lyyar, 20th day, eponym Sin-sar-
uzur, scribe of the country.
K 420 Month Sebat, 13th day, eponym Sin-sar-
uzur, the scribe.
Eponymy of Sin-sar-uzur, governor of Hindana.
K 309 Month Sebat, 3rd day, eponym Sin-sar-
uzur, governor of Hindana.
Eponymy of Bulludu.
K 293 Month lyyar, 5th day, eponym Bulludu.
K 418 nth day, .... Buluddu.
Eponymy of Vul-utul-ani.
K 318 Month Sebat, 3rd day, eponym Vul-
util-ani.
K 313 Month Tisri, 9th day, eponym Vul-util-ani.
8
q8 the ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Eponymy of Nabu-sar-uzur.
K 320 Month Nisan, 19th day, eponym Nabu-
sar-uzur, scribe of the country.
Eponymy of Asstir-mati-izmad.
K 330 Month Tebet, 7th day, eponym Assur-mati-
izmad.
K 295 Month Elul, 1st day, eponym Assur-mati-
izmad.
K 368 Month Tisri, 21st day, eponym Assur-
mati-izmad.
Unnumbered fragment. Month Sebat, 6th day,
eponym Assur-mati-izmad, governor of
Eponymy of Musallim-assur.
K 331 Month Kislev, 18th day, eponym Musallim-
assur.
K 279 Month Elul, 1 2th day, eponym Musallim-
assur.
K 353 Month Sebat, 22nd day, eponym Musallim-
assur, governor of Alihi.
Eponymy of Mannu-ki-ahi.
K 336 Month lyyar,. 20th day, eponym Mannu-ki-
ahi, governor of Zimirra.
Eponymy of Nabu-bel-idina.
K 334 Month Elul, 5th day, eponym Nabu-bel-
idina.
Eponymy of Nabu-dani-anni.
K 314 Month Sivan, ist day, eponym Nabu-dani-
anni, governor of Que.
Eponymy of Assur-dain-sar.
. K 340 Month Nisan, 27th day, eponym Assur-
dain-sar.
ACCURACY OF THE ASSYRIAN CANON. QQ
Eponymy of Assur-utul-ani.
K 305 Month lyyar, loth day, eponym Assur-
utul-ani.
Eponymy of Assur-gimil-tirri.
K 362 Month Tammuz, eponym Assur-gimil-tirri.
K 364 Month lyyar, nth day, eponym Assur-
gimil-tirri.
K 382 Month Elul, i8th day, eponym Assur-
gimil-tirri, the great tukulu.
Eponymy of Upaqa-ana-arbail.
K 299 Month Nisan, 26th day, eponym Upaqa-
ana-arbail.
K 408 Month lyyar, 17th day .... Upaqa-ana-
arbail.
Eponymy of Nusar-iqbi.
K 301 Month lyyar, 20th day, eponym Nusar-
iqbi, the left-hand tartan.
K 282 Month Ab, 24th day, eponym Nusar-iqbi.
K 298 Month Sebat, 17th day, eponym Nusar-
iqbi, tartan of the city of Kummuha.
K 415 Month . . . 17th day, eponym Nusar-iqbi.
K 409 Month Sebat, eponym Nusar-iqbi.
Eponymy of Zamama-iriba.
K 296 Month Tammuz, 17th day, eponym Za-
mama-iriba.
Eponymy of Maruduk-sar-uzur.
K 3721 Month .... 14th day, eponym Maruduk-
sar-uzur.
K 345 Month .... 8th day, eponym Maruduk-
sar-uzur.
K 386 Month Adar, 14th day, eponym Maruduk-
sar-uzur, governor of Que.
100 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
K 436 eponym Maruduk-sar-uzur.
Eponymy of Nur.
K 289 Month Marchesvan, 3rd day, eponym Nur.
Eponymy of Bel-saba-anni.
K 412 Month Adar, 25th day, eponym Bel-saba-
anni.
Eponymy of Nabu-nadin-ahu.
K 355 Month Elul, 5th day, eponym Nabu-nadin-ahu.
Eponymy of Saru-nahid, the rabkarnadu.
K 2729 Month Marchesvan, 6th day, eponym
Saru-nahid, the rabkarnadu.
Eponymy of Saru-nahid, the tukulu.
K 359 Month Ab, 20th day, eponym Saru-nahid,
the tukulu.
K 374 Month Marchesvan, 21st day, eponym
Saru-nahid, the tukulu.
Eponymy of Nabu-saqap.
K 367 Month Nisan, 15th day, eponym Nabu-
saqap.
Eponymy of Assur-garua-niri.
K 411 Month Nisan, 23rd day .... Assur-garua-
niri.
K 397 Month Tisri, 13th day, eponym Assur-
garua-niri.
Eponymy of Barku-utul-anni.
K 344 Month Sivan, eponym Barku-utul-anni.
Eponymy of Daddi.
On Barrel Cylinder: 13th day, eponym
Daddi, the great tukulu.
Eponymy of Sin-alik-pani.
Tablet copied by Layard (since lost). Month
Sivan, I4(?)th day, eponym Sin-alik-pani.
CHAPTER V.
The E^onym Canon and Canon of Ptolemy compared.
HE important bearing of the Assyrian canon on
general chronology is shown most clearly in its
relations to the canon of Ptolemy, and the chronology
of the Books of Kings.
The canon of Ptolemy, is a chronological compila-
tion with astronomical notes, commencing B.C. 747
with the reigns of the Babylonian kings. This
canon suppresses all reigns which are shorter than
a year, making the odd months complete the
years of the other monarchs ; in this respect, its
system is artificial ; and the years being further
counted according to the vague or wandering Egyp-
tian year, differ to the extent of a month or two from
the ordinary Assyrian and Babylonian year. In
spite of these changes, so far as it has been tested,
the canon has proved an accurate and reliable docu-
ment ; and it is, therefore, of the first importance to
compare its dates with those of the Assyrian canon,
wherever it is possible to do so. There is one point
102
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
to be noticed before this comparison : Ptolemy starts
with the first year of each king named ; and as this
was generally, in Assyria and Babylonia, the first full
year after the accession, we must, as a rule, add one
year to Ptolemy's dates to obtain the accession year.
The list of Ptolemy in the Assyrian period is as
follows :
LIST.
1 LENGTH
I OF REIGN.
DATE B.C.
I Nabonassar
14
747
2 Nabius
2
733
3 Chinzirus and Porus
5
731
4 Jugseus or Ilulceus
5
726
5 Mardocempadus
12
721
6 Arkianus
5
709
7 Interregnum
2
704
8 Belibus
3
702
9 Apronadisus
6
699
10 Iregibelus
I
693
1 1 Mesesimordakus
4
692
12 Interregnum
8
688
13 Asaridinus
13
680
14 Saosduchinus
20
667
15 Isiniladanus
22
647
1 6 Nabopolassar
21
625
■
%J
We have here sixteen dates to compare with the
Assyrian annals, and our evidence confirms ten of
them ; the two first, three in the middle, and the last
EPONYM CANON AND PTOLEMY. IO3
being the only ones on which no information has
been discovered.
The first date of Ptolemy, B.C. 747, falls one year
before the revolt at Caleb, B.C. 746, and two years
before the accession of Tiglath Pileser, b.c. 745, and
does not appear to synchronise with any Assyrian
date.
The next date, b.c. 733, also does not appear in
the Assyrian annals.
The third date of Ptolemy, the first year of Ghin-
zirus and Porus, b.c. 731, is the point where his list
and the Assyrian canon first come into contact. In
the eponymy corresponding to b.c. 731, Tiglath
Pileser, king of Assyria, invaded Babylonia, killed
Nabu-usabsi, who may correspond to the Nabius of
Ptolemy, and besieged Kin-ziru (the Chinzirus of
Ptolemy), in his capital, Sapiya. Some time after
this, Tiglath Pileser claimed the Babylonian crown ;
and the canon of Ptolemy inserts with the name of
Chinzirus that of Porus or Pul, who has been sup-
posed by Rawlinson, Schrader, and others to be the
same as Tiglath Pileser.
The next date in Ptolemy, b.c. 726, is also the
first year of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, who as-
cended the throne, B.C. 727.
The Mardocempadus of Ptolemy is well known as
the Merodach Baladan of the Second Book of Kings,
and the Maruduk-bal-idina of the inscriptions, who
ascended the throne of Babylon, b.c. 722, contempo-
rary with the accession of Sargon in Assyria, the
first year of the reign of both monarchs being
B.C. 721, perfectly agreeing with Ptolemy. Thus
104
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Arkianus, who, according to Ptolemy, succeeded him
and had his first year in b.c. 709, must be Sargon
who conquered Merodach Baladan, in B.C. 710, and
who counts his own first year as king of Babylon,
equivalent to his thirteenth in Assyria (see dated
tablets, p. 86), b.c. 709.
The reign of Sargon ended B.C. 705, and Ptolemy
reckons B.C. 704 and 703 as years of interregnum.
According to the Assyrian inscriptions, in B.C. 704,
Sennacherib drove out Merodach Baladan ; and in
B.C. 703 set up at Babylon Bel-ibni, whom Ptolemy
calls Belibus, giving his first year b.c. 702. In the
year b.c. 700, Sennacherib again invaded the country,
and set up his son, Assur-nadin-sum, as king of
Babylon : he corresponds to the Apronadisus of
Ptolemy ; his first year was B.C. 699. The following
dates of Ptolemy, b.c. 693,692, and 688, are not con-
firmed by any known inscription ; but the next date,
B.C. 680, for the first year of Esarhaddon, agrees
with the Assyrian inscriptions, which make his acces-
sion B.C. 681. The first year of Saosduchinus, ac-
cording to Ptolemy, b.c. 667, also agrees with his
accession, according to the Assyrian history, on the
death of Esarhaddon, b.c. 668.
Our evidence is not quite complete with respect to
the next date, b.c. 647 in Ptolemy, probably agreeing
with the end of the reign of Saul-mugina (Saosdu-
chinus), in B.C. 648. The Isiniladanus of Ptolemy
here probably agrees with the name Sin-nadina-pal,
a son of Esarhaddon, whom I conjectured to be the
same as Assurbanipal ; this identification is, how-
ever, extremelv doubtful.
EPONYM CANON AND PTOLEMY.
105
The following table will show the principal dates
in Ptolemy and the Assyrian canon for the period
B.C. 747-625.
PTOLEMY'S CANON.
ASSYRIAN CANON.
NAMES.
NAMES.
2
0 .
IS
0 >•
0
<
Nabonassar
747
Tiglath Pileser (in Assyria)
745
Nabius
733
Nabu-usabsi
Chinzirus and Poms
731
Kinziru
731
Ilulaeus
726
Shalmaneser (in Assyria)
727
Mardocempadus
721
Merodach Baladan
722
Arkianus
709
Sargon
710
Interregnum
704
Sennacherib (in Assyria)
70s
Belibus
702
Bel-ibni
703
Apronadisus
699
Assur-nadin-sum
700
Iregibelus
693
Mesesimordakus
692
Interregnum
688
Asaridinus
680
Esarhaddon
681
Saosduchinus
667
Saulmugina
668
Isiniladanus
647
Sin-nadina-pal (?)
648
Nabopalassar
625
Death of Assurbanipal (?)
626
CHAPTER VI.
Assyrian Notices of Palestine and yewish History.
I HE relation of the Assyrian canon to the chro-
nology of the second Book of Kings, and many
important questions arising out of it, are at present
not by any means settled ; and so conflicting is the
evidence, that it is difficult to arrive at a satisfactory
opinion.
It will be convenient, in relation to this subject, to
give first by themselves all the references to Pales-
tinian events in the inscriptions with their dates, and
follow them by any necessary comment.
The first notice occurs in the eponymy of Dayan-
assur, in the sixth year of Shalmaneser II, b.c. 854.
Of this there are three copies.
Extract I. Kurkh Monolith, reverse 1. 71-102.
C. /. Vol. iii. p. 8.
78 In the eponymy of Dayan-assur, the month
lyyar, 14th day, from Nineveh I departed, the river
Tigris I crossed ; to the cities
79 of Giammu, by the river Belichus I approached.
The terribleness of my dominion and the fierceness
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. lOJ
of my powerful soldiers they feared, and with their
own weapons Giammu their lord
80 they slew. Into Kitlala and Tul-abilahi I
entered ; my gods I placed in his palaces ; a contri-
bution in his palaces I levied ;
81 the storehouse I opened ; his treasures I re-
moved ; his goods, his furniture, I carried off, to my
city Assur I brought. From Kitlala I departed, to
Karu-Shalmaneser
82 I approached, on rafts of inflated skins a second
time the river Euphrates in its flood I crossed. The
tribute of the kings on the other side of the river
Euphrates, of Sagara
83 of Carchemesh, of Kundaspi of Kumuha, of
Aram son of Gusi, of Lalli of Milid, Hayani son of
Gabari,
84 of Garparuda of Patina, of Garparuda of
Gauguma ; silver, gold, lead, copper, vessels of
copper,
85 in the city of Assur-utir-azbat, on the other side
of the river Euphrates over against the river Sagur,
which the people of Syria the city of Pethor
86 call, in the midst of it I received. From over
the river Euphrates I departed, to the city of Halman
(Aleppo) I approached, they avoided war and took
my yoke.
87 Silver and gold their tribute I received, sacri-
fices and libations before the god Vul of Halman I
made. From Halman I departed, to two cities
88 of Irhuleni of Hamath I approached, Addena,
Barga, and Agana, his capital I captured, his furniture,
89 the goods of his palaces I brought out, I set
I08 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
fire to his palaces. From Argana I departed, to
Aroer I approached,
go Aroer my {sic) royal city I pulled down, des-
troyed, and in the fire I burned. 12,000 chariots,
12,000 carriages and 20,000 men of Ben-hadar
91 of Syria, 700 chariots, 700 carriages, and
10,000 men of Irhuleni of Hamath, 2000 chariots
and 10,000 men of Ahab
92 of Sirhala (Israel ?) 500 men of the Goim, 1000
men of Egypt, 10 chariots and 10,000 men of Irqanata,
93 200 men of Matinu-bahal of Arvad, 200 men
of Usanata, 30 chariots and 10,000 men
94 of Adoni-bahal of Siana, 1,000 camels of
Ginidibuh of Arabia ... 00 men
95 of Baasha son of Rehob of Ammon. These
12 kings to his aid he brought, to make
96 war and battle to my presence they came.
With the mighty power which Assur the lord gave,
with the strong weapons which Nergal marching
before me
97 furnished, with them I fought. From Aroer to
Kirzau their overthrow I accomplished, 14,000 men
98 of their warriors with weapons I destroyed.
Like Vul over them a storm I raised, their wounded
99 the face of the district I caused to fill, the
whole of their army with weapons I struck down.
With their corpses the extent of the district
100 was turned to desert, to the bottom its life I
crushed, the whole of their fields I destroyed, and
with the bodies
loi over the river Orontes a bridge I made. In
the midst of that battle their chariots, their carriages.
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. lOQ
102 their horses fastened to the yoke, I took from
them.
Extract II.
The second account of this war is in the Bull
inscription. Layard p. 46, 1. i to g.
1 In my sixth year from Nineveh I departed, to
the cities which are beside
2 the river BeHchus I approached, before my
powerful warriors they feared, and Giammu their lord
they slew. To Tul-abilahi I entered
3 the city for myself I took. From the side of the
river Belichus I departed, the river Euphrates in
flood I crossed, the tribute of the kings
4 of the Hittites I received. From Hatti I de-
parted, to Halman I approached, sacrifices and liba-
tions before the god Vul of Halman I made.
5 From Halman I departed, to Aroer I approached,
Ben-hadar of Syria, Irhulini of Hamath,
6 and the 12 kings of the shore of the sea to each
other's power trusted, and to make battle and war
7 to my presence came. With them I fought, their
overthrow I accomplished, 25,000 men of their war-
riors with weapons I destroyed, their chariots,
8 their carriages, their weapons of war I took from
them. To save their lives they fled. In ships I
rode, to the midst of the sea I went.
Extract III.
The third account is on the black obelisk. Layard^
p. 89, 90, 1. 54 to 66.
54 In my sixth year to the cities which are beside
the Belichus
no THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
55 I approached. Giammu lord of those cities
they slew.
56 Into Tul-abilahi I entered,
57 the river Euphrates in its flood I crossed,
58 tribute of the kings of the Hittites
59 all of them I received. In those days Ben-hadar
60 of Syria, Irhulini of Hamath, and the kings
61 of the Hittites and beside the sea, to each
other's power
62 trusted, and to make battle and war
63 to my presence came. By the will of Assur
the great lord my lord
64 with them I fought, their overthrow I ac-
complished,
65 their chariots, their carriages, their weapons of
war I took from them.
66 20,500 men of their warriors with weapons I
destroyed.
A few years later in the loth and nth years of
Shalmaneser b.c. 850, 849 there was again war in
this direction ; two accounts of which remain.
Extract IV.
On Bulls. Layard p. 15, 1. 29 to 41 and p. 46, 47,
17 to 26.
29 In my tenth year
30 the eighth time the river Euphrates I crossed,
the cities of Sangar of Carchemesh I pulled down,
destroyed, and burned in the fire. From the cities
31 of Carchemesh I departed, to the cities of
Aram I approached, Arne his capital I captured and
100 cities which were near it
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. Ill
32 I pulled down, destroyed, and burned in the
fire, their warriors I slew, their spoil I carried off.
In those days Ben-hadar of Syria, Irhulini
^2, of Hamath, and the 12 kings beside the sea,
to each other's power trusted, and to make battle and
war to my presence came.
34 With them I fought, their overthrow I ac-
complished, their chariots, their carriages, their
weapons of war, I took from them. To save their
lives they fled.
35 In my eleventh year from Nineveh I departed,
the ninth time the river Euphrates in its flood I
crossed, 97 cities of Sangar I captured, 100 cities of
Arami
36 I captured, I pulled down, destroyed, and burned
in the fire. The side of Hamanu I took, Yaraqu I
crossed, to the cities of Hamath I went down.
37 Astamaku and gg cities I captured, their war-
riors I slew, their spoil I carried off. In those days
Ben-hadar of Syria, Irhulini of Hamath,
38 and the 12 kings beside the sea, to each other's
power trusted, and to make battle and war to my
presence came. With them I fought, their over-
throw
39 I accomplished, 10,000 of their fighting men
with weapons I destroyed, their chariots, their carri-
ages, their weapons of war, I took from them. On
my return Apparasu
40 the fortress of Arami I captured. In those days
the tribute of Garparundi of Patina, silver, gold,
lead, horses, oxen, sheep,
41 garments of wool and linen I received.
112 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Extract V.
Black obelisk. Layard, p. gi, 1. 85 to 89.
85 In my tenth year the eighth time the river
Euphrates I crossed, the cities of Sangara of Car-
chemesh I captured,
85 to the cities of Arami I approached, Arne his
capital and 100 of his cities I captured.
87 In my eleventh year the ninth time the river
Euphrates I crossed, cities without number I cap-
tured ; to the cities of the Hittites
88 of Hamath I went down, 89 cities I captured.
Ben-hadar of Syria, 12 kings of t/.e Hittites,
89 to each other's power trusted. Their over-
throw I accomplished.
In his fourteenth year b.c. 846, Shalmaneser again
defeated the same confederacy, there are two accounts
of this war.
Extract VI.
On Bulls. Layard, p. 16, 1. 43 to 46.
43 In my fourteenth year the whole of the country
without number I collected, with
44 120,000 of my warriors the river Euphrates in
its flood I crossed. In those days Ben-hadar of
Syria, Irhulini of Hamath and
45 the kings beside the sea above and below, their
warriors without number collected, to my presence
they came. With them I fought,
46 their overthrow I accomplished, their chariots
their carriages, I brought out, their weapons of war I
took from them. To save their lives they fled.
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. II3
Extract VII.
Black obelisk. Layard, p. gi, 92, 1. 91, 92.
91 In my fourteenth year the country I gathered,
the river Euphrates I crossed, 12 kings to my pre-
sence came,
92 I fought, their overthrow I accomplished.
Four years later Shalmaneser again attacked Pa-
lestine : there are three extracts belonging to this
war.
Extract VIII.
Bull Inscription. C. /., vol. iii., p. 5. No. 6.
1 In my eighteenth year the sixteenth time the
river Euphrates
2 I crossed. Hazael of Syria
3 to the might of his warriors
4 trusted, and his warriors
5 in numbers he gathered.
6 Saniru a peak of the mountains
7 which are in front of Lebanon as his stronghold
8 he made. With him I fought,
9 his overthrow I accomplished. 18,000
10 men of his army with weapons
11 I destroyed, 1,121 of his chariots,
12 470 of his carriages, with his camp
13 I took from him. To save
14 his life he fled. After him I pursued,
15 in Damascus his royal city I besieged him,
16 his plantations I cut down, to the mountains
17 of Hauran I went, cities
18 without number I pulled down, destroyed,
19 in the fire I burned, their spoil
114 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
20 without number I carried off.
21 To the mountains of Bahlirahsi
22 which are at the head of the sea I went. An
image of my majesty
23 in the midst I made. In those days
24 the tribute of Tyre
25 and Zidon, of Jehu,
26 son of Omri I received.
Extract IX.
Black obehsk. Layard, p. 92, 1. 97 to 99.
97 In my eighteenth year the sixteenth time the
river Euphrates I crossed. Hazael
98 of Syria to fight came. 1,121 of his chariots,
470 of his carriages, with
99 his camp, I took from him.
Extract X.
Black obelisk. Layard, p. 98, 1. 2.
Tribute of Jehu son of Omri, silver, gold, bowls of
gold, cups of gold, bottles of gold, vessels of gold,
maces, royal utensils, rods of wood I received of him.
The last notice of Palestine in Shalmaneser's in-
scriptions relates to his 21st year, b.c. 839.
Extract XL
Black obelisk. Layard, p. 92, 1. 102 to 104.
102 In my twenty-first year the eighteenth time
the river Euphrates I crossed, to the cities
103 of Hazael of Syria I went, 4 of his fortresses I
captured, the tribute of Tyre,
104 Zidon, and Gubal I received.
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. II 5
The next reference to Palestine is in an inscription
of Vul-nirari, grandson of Shalmaneser. No date is
given for these events, and it is generally supposed
that Vul-nirari died about b.c. 783 or 782, being suc-
ceeded by Shalmaneser III. I, however, suspect
that Shalmaneser was only his son, associated with
him on the throne, and that the real date of his
Palestinian campaigns was about b.c. 'j'J'^ and 772.
It must be observed that this date is only conjec-
tural ; and it is quite possible that these campaigns
took place much earlier, either in e.g. 806 to 803,
797 or 786.
Extract XII.
Inscription of Vul-nirari III. C. /., vol. i., p. 35.
11 From over the river Euphrates, Syria, and
Phoenicia, the whole of it,
12 Tyre, Zidon, Omri, Edom and Philistia,
13 to over against the great sea of the setting sun
to my feet
14 I have subjugated, taxes and tribute over them
I fixed. To
15 Syria I went. Mariha king of Syria
16 in Damascus his royal city I besieged him,
17 fear and terror of Assur his lord overwhelmed
him and my yoke he took,
18 submission he made, 2,300 talents of silver, 20
talents of gold,
ig 3,000 talents of copper, 5,000 talents of iron,
clothing of wool and flax,
20 a couch of ivory, a chair of ivory, a high table,
his goods and his furniture
9*
Il6 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
21 without number in Damascus his royal city, in
his palace I received.
From the time of Vul-nirari we know nothing of
the affairs of Palestine until the time of Tiglath
Pileser, b.c. 745-727.
The annals of Tiglath Pileser are very mutilated ;
and the fragments referring to Palestine are so de-
tached, that it is difficult to determine their dates.
The dates given here are only approximate calcula-
tions, and future discoveries may alter them con-
siderably.
Extract XIII.
Probable date, b.c. 743-740.
Lines i to 8, list of conquered cities.
9 of Ma
10 over him I appointed. Of Rezin king of Syria
11 18 talents of gold, 300 talents of silver, 200
talents of copper
12 20 talents of spices, 300 I appointed.
The tribute
13 of Kustaspi of Kummuha, Rezin of Syria ...
.... Hiram
14 of Tyre, Uriakki of Que
15 Pisiris of Carchemesh, Tarhulara of Gaugama,
gold, silver, lead,
16 iron, skins of buffaloes, horns of buffaloes, blue
. . . black .... clothing of wool and linen the
productions of their countries numerous,
^7 instruments and weapons .... in
the midst of the city of Arpad I received.
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. II7
Extract XIV.
C. /., vol. iii., p. 9. No. 2.
Probable date, b.c. 738.
I course of my expedition the tribute of
the kings
2 Azariah of Judah like a
3 Azariah of Judah in
4 without number to high heaven were
raised
5 in their eyes which as from heaven
6 . . . . war and
7 .... of the great army of Assyria they heard
and their hearts feared
8 . . . their cities I pulled down, destroyed
9 .... to Azariah turned and strengthened him,
and .
10
II
12
13
14
15
16
17
like an arch
fighting
he closed his camp
were placed and his exit
he brought down and
his soldiers he drew together to ... ,
made to surround them and ....
his great .... like
Extract XV.
C. /., vol. iii., p. 9, No. 3.
Probable date b.c. 738.
1 . . . . Judah
2 .... of Azariah my hand greatly captured
Il8 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
3 . . , . right tribute like that of .
4 to his assistance the city of Ma
5 . . . . the cities of Uznu, Sihanu, Ma . . . ka
. . . bu beside the sea, and the cities to Sana
6 the mountain which is in Lebanon were di-
vided, the land of Bahalzephon to Ammana, the land
of Kiska, and Sana, the whole of it, the district of
Kar-rimmon.
7 Hadrach the district of Nuqudina, Hazu, and
the cities of the whole of them, the city of Ara . . .
cities helping them,
8 the cities of the whole of them the country of
Sarbua, the mountain the whole of it, the cities Ash-
ani and Yadabi, of Yaraqu, the mountain the whole
of it.
9 the cities of ri Ellitarbi and Zitanu, to
the midst of the city Altimi . . . Bumami, ig dis-
tricts
10 of Hamath, and the cities which are round
them, which are beside the sea of the setting sun in
sin and defiance to Azariah had turned,
11 to the boundaries of Assyria I added, and my
generals governors over them I appointed. 30,300
12 . . .in their cities and the city of Ku
I caused to take. 1,223 people in the district of
Ulluba I placed. The tribe of Qura
13 I took the road. The tribe of Qu-
ra ... . across the river Zab to capture the Akla-
miakkazi and the Gurumi
14 . . . she and the Arameans who were beside the
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. IIQ
river, their warriors they slew, their cities they cap-
tured, and their spoil they carried off
15 . . . she and the Arameans in great numbers
came and a battle they made, and the Arameans his
helpers they slew ....
16 . . .to save his life alone he fled, and ascended
to the city Birtu of Kiniya. The city of Saragitu
17 and the cities which are round them they took.
12,000 of their people and children, their oxen and
sheep, Dira . . .
18 to the land of the Hittites, to my presence
they brought. My general the governor of Lulumi
the city Mulugani
19 . . . Kuri-dannitu of the people of Babylon,
and the cities which were round them he took, their
warriors he slew
20 .... to the land of the Hittites to my pre-
sence they brought. My general the governor of
Nahiri, the city of Sarbagillu
21 and the cities which are round them
he took, their spoil he carried off. Siqila the com-
mander of the fortress
22 .... to the land of the Hittites to my pre-
sence he brought, 600 women of the city of Amlate of
the Damuni, 5400 women of the city of Dur,
23 in the city of Kunalia cities of Hu-
zarra, Tae, Tarmanazi, Kulmadara, Hatarra, San-
gillu,
24 in the country of Unqi I placed women
of Quti, Bethsangibuti ; 1200 men of the tribe of
mil, 6208 men of the tribes of Nakkip and Buda,
120 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
25 ... . cities of Zimarra, Arqa, Uznu, and Si-
annu, which are beside the sea I placed. 588 men of
the Buda and Duna
26 . . . 250 men of the Bela, 544 men of the
Banita, 380 men of Sidu-ilu-ziri, 460 men of San-
gillu,
27 ... . men of the Illil, 457 women of the Quti
and Bethsangibuti, in the district of Tuhimmi I
placed 555
28 women of Quti and Bethsangibuti, in the city
of Tul-garimi I placed, with the people of Assyria
I joined them, and the performance of service like
the Assyrians
29 I placed upon them. The tribute of Kustaspi
of Kummuha, Rezin of Syria, Menahem of Samaria,
30 Hirom of Tyre, Sibitti-bahal of Gebal, Urikki
of Que, Pisiris of Carchemesh, Eniel
31 of Hamath, Panamma of Samhala, Tarhulara
of Gaugama, Sulumal of Milid, Dadilu
32 of Kaska, Vassurmi of Tubal, Ushitti of Tuna,
Urpalla of Tuhana, Tuhammi of Istunda,
33 Urimmi of Husunna, and Zabibi queen of
Arabia, gold, silver, lead, iron, skins of buffaloes,
horns of buffaloes,
34 clothing of wool and linen, violet wool, purple
wool, strong wood, weapon wood, female slaves (?)
royal treasures, the skins of sheep, their fleece of
35 shining purple, birds of heaven the feathers
of their wings of shining violet, horses, riding horses,
oxen and sheep, camels
36 she-camels and young ones I received. (Here
follows account of the gth year, b.c. 737.)
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. 121
Extract XVI.
Assyrian discoveries, p. 282.
Probable date B.C. 734-732.
1 . . . . his warriors I captured .... with the
sword I destroyed
2 . . . . rusat .... luri .... before him
3 . . . . the charioteers and .... their arms I
broke and
4 . . . . their horses I captured .... his warriors
carrying bows,
5 . . . . bearing shields and spears, in hand I
captured them, and their fighting
6 . . . . line of battle. He to save his life fled
away alone and
7 . . . . like a deer, and into the great gate of his
city he entered. His generals alive
8 in hand I captured, and on crosses I raised them.
His country I subdued. 45 men of his camp
9 . . . . Damascus his city I besieged, and like a
caged bird I enclosed him. His forests
10 ... . the trees of which were without number,
I cut down and I did not leave one.
11 ... . Hadara the house of the father of Rezin
of Syria
12 . . . . the city of Samalla I besieged, I captured,
800 people and children of them
13 ... . their oxen their sheep I carried captive,
750 women of the city Kuruzza
14 ... . the city Armai, 550 women of the city
Mituna I carried captive, 591 cities
15 .... of 16 districts of Syria like a flood I
swept
122 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
i6 . . . . Samsi queen of Arabia who the oath of
the sun-god had broken and ....
Extract XVII.
Assyrian discoveries, p. 283.
Probable date, B.C. 734-732.
3 of the city
4 of the city districts of Beth-gu ....
5 of 16 districts of . . . . . .
6 women of ... . bara, 625 women of the city
. . . a . . .
7 226 women of the city of
8 women of the city of . . hinatuna, 650 women
of the city of Qana
9 400 women of the city of . . . atbiti
10 656 women of the city of Sasi making
11 13,520 women of
12 and their children the cities Arumaand
Marum
13 the rugged mountains
14 Metinti of Azkelon in my service was wicked,
and
15 with me revolted .... the defeat of Rezin
16 he saw, and in striking ....
17 his own fear overcame him and he
died (?)
18 Rukiptu his son sat in his throne, to ... .
19 he raised and prayed (?) 500 ....
20 and to his city he entered. 15 cities ....
21 Idibihilu the Arabian ....
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. 1 23
. ^ Extract XVIII.
Assyrian discoveries, p. 284.
General summary, b.c. 740 to 730.
1 . . . . the city Hadrach to the land of Sana.
2 . . . . the cities Zimirra, Arqa and Zimarra
3 . . . . the cities Uznu, Sihanu, Rihisuza
4 . . . the cities beside the upper sea I possessed,
six of my generals
5 as governors over them I appointed . . . asbuna
which is beside the upper sea
6 the cities .... niti, Galhi .... Abel [-beth-
Maacha] which is the boundary of the land of Beth
Omri
7 . . . . li wide the whole of it to the borders of
Assyria I joined,
8 my generals, governors over them I appointed.
Hanun of Gaza
9 who before the face of my soldiers fled, and to
Egypt got away ; Gaza
10 I captured . . . his furniture, his gods ....
and my royal couch
II... within his palace .... their gods I dis-
tributed and
12 ... I fixed them .... him like a bird
13 .... to his place I restored him
14 ... . gold silver, clothing of wool and linen
15 . . . great ... I received. The land of Beth
Omri
16 . . . illut the tribe . . . the goods of its people
17 and their furniture I sent to Assyria. Pekah
their king . . . and Hoshea
124 "^^^ ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
1 8 to the kingdom over them I appointed ....
their tribute I received and ....
19 to Assyria I sent.
Extract XIX.
Assyrian discoveries, p. 286.
Probable date B.C. 734 to 730.
17 . . . whom in my former campaigns all their
cities I had reduced,
18 . . . his helpers, Samaria alone I left. Pekah
their king ....
Extract XX.
C. /., vol. ii,, p. 67.
Probable date b.c. 732.
57 The tribute of Kustaspi of Kumuha, Urik of
Que, Sibitti-bahal of Gubal, Pisiris of Carchemesh,
58 Eniel of Hamath, Panammu of Samhala, Tar-
hulara of Gaugama, Sulumal of Milid, Dadilu of
Kaska,
59 Vassurmi of Tubal, Ushitti of Tuna, Urpalla of
Tuhana, Tuhammi of Istunda, Urimmi of Husinna
60 Mattan-bahal of Arvad Sanipu of Beth-ammon
Salamanu of Moab ....
61 Metintiof Askelon, Jehoahazof Judah, Chemosh-
melek of Edom, Muz ....
62 Hanun of Gaza, gold, silver, lead, iron, anti-
mony, clothing the clothing of their countries, lapis-
lazuh(?) ....
63 . , . produce of the sea and land, taken from
their countries selected for my kingdom, horses and
asses trained to the yoke
palestine and jewish history. 1 25
Reign of Sargon.
Extract XXI.
B.C. 722. Annals of Sargon.
II Samaria
12, 13
14 ... . Samas causer to overcome my enemies
15 ... I carried off, 50 chariots, my royal portion,
from among them ....
16 ... I restored and beyond what was before I
settled. People the conquest of my hands ....
17 . . . tribute the same as that of the Assyrians
I fixed upon them.
Extract XXII.
B.C. 722 (?) {Fastes of Oppert, 1. 23 to 25).
23 Samaria I besieged, I captured,
24 27,290 people dwelling in the midst of it I
carried captive, 50 chariots from among them I
selected, and the rest of them I distributed. My general
over them I appointed, and the taxes of the former king,
25 I fixed on them.
Extract XXIII.
B.C. 720. Annals of Sargon, lines 36 to 57.
36 In my second year Ilu-bihid ....
37 ... . wide in Aroer caused to rebel and . . .
38 ... . Damascus, Samaria, ....
39 to 52
53 . . . accomplished and Sibahki ... to his aid
with him make battle
126 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
54 and war to my presence came. In the name of
Assur my lord their overthrow I struck, and
55 Sibahki the ruler, who had slight courage, fled
away alone and got off.
56 Hanun in hand I captured, and his family to my
city Assur I sent.
57 Raphia I pulled down, destroyed, in the fire I
burned, 20,033 people and their abundant goods I
carried captive.
Extract XXIV.
B.C. 720. Pastes, 1. 25 and 26.
25 Hanun king of Gaza, with Sibahe general of
Egypt, in Raphia to make battle and war to my
presence came.
26 Their overthrow I struck. Sibahe the attack of
my soldiers avoided, fled away, and his place could
not be seen. Hanun king of Gaza in hand I captured.
Extract XXV.
Pastes, 1. 33 to 36.
33 Yahu-bihid of Hamath a soldier (?) not heir to
the throne, a man extremely wicked, to the kingdom of
Hamath his heart aspired, and Arpad, Zimirra, Da-
mascus, and Samaria,
34 against me he caused to revolt, and of one
mouth he caused them to be, and he prepared to
fight. The great army of Assur I gathered and in
Aroer the city of his choice, himself and his army
35 I besieged and captured. Aroer in the fire I
burned, of him his skin I flayed off, in their cities the
leaders of rebellion I slew, and reduced them to deso-
lation. 200 chariots and 600 carriage horses.
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. 1 27
36 from the midst of the people of Hamath I
selected, and to my kingdom I added.
Extract XXVI. Cyprus monolith.
B.C. 720.
51 The land of Hamath to its extreme limit
52 like a flood I swept.
53 Yahu-bihid king of them,
54 and his family, and his warriors,
55 the spoil of his country, the whole of it,
56 to Assyria I brought.
57 300 chariots and 600 carriage horses,
58 those carrying shields and spears,
59 from among them I selected.
60 Over the garrisons of my kingdom I spread.
61 4,300 Assyrians ....
62 in the midst of Hamath I settled,
63 my general as governor
64 over them I appointed, and taxes and tribute
65 I fixed upon them.
Extract XX VH. k. 1349.
B.C. 720,
17 Ilu . . . .
18 the Hamathite, not heir to the throne, not com-
ing out of the palace, on the government of the people
his aspirations
19 to the god Assur his country and his people, evil,
and not good sought, and removed the ....
20 Arpad and Samaria he gathered and to his side
he turned
21 ... he then at once was struck and life not
128 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
22 ... my hand I raised to conquer the land of
Hamath ....
23 . . . the land of the west the whole of it I re-
ceived and Assur the god ....
24 . . . heard and took my supplications thus . .
25 .... the west, I will cause thee to take the
land of Hamath . . .
26 .... the opening of the knowledge and will of
27 .... the "west to my feet he caused to subju-
gate ....
28 to my city Assur I brought, and those who the
might ....
29 went to my aid.
Extract XXVIII.
Khorsabad Salle II. 11, 1. 3 to 8.
B.C. 715.
3 The Tamudu, Ibadidi,
4 Marsimani and Hayapa, remote tribes of Ara-
bians dwelling in the land of Bari, whom the Aklu
and Sapiru knew not of, and
5 who to any of our kings their taxes had not
brought ; in the service of Assur my lord I destroyed
them, and the rest of them I removed, and
6 in the city of Samaria I placed them. Of
Pharaoh king of Egypt, Samsi queen of Arabia and
Itamar the Sabean
7 kings who dwell by the sea and the land of ... .
gold precious stones, ivory, .... wood,
spices, all ... . horses and camels their tribute I
received.
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I29
Extract XXIX.
C.I., vol. i., p. 36, 1. 20.
B.C. 715.
20 Conqueror of the Tamudu, Ibadidi, Marsimani,
and Hayapa, who the rest of them enslaved, and
caused them to be placed in the land of Beth Omri.
Extract XXX.
Assyrian Discoveries, p. 289-292.
B.C. 711.'
From Kouyunjik Cylinder and Khorsabad Text.
1 In my ninth year to the land beside
2 the great sea to Philistia and
3 Ashdod I went.
4 Azuri king of Ashdod not to bring tribute
5 his heart hardened, and to the kings round him,
6 enemies of Assyria, he sent and did evil.
7 Over the people round him his dominion I broke
8 and carried off ... .
9 From that time ....
10 Ahimite son of ... .
1 1 his brother before his face over his kingdom
12 I raised and appointed him.
13 Taxes and tribute to Assyria
14 like those of the kings round him
15 over him I appointed. But the people
16 evil, not to bring taxes and tribute
17 their heart hardened and ....
18 their king they revolted against,
19 and for the good he had done
' The annals of Sargon give this expedition under the elc\ cnth year of
the king.
10
130 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
20 they drove him away and ....
21 *Yavan not heir to the throne,
22 to the kingdom over them they appointed. In
the throne
23 of their lord they seated him
24 and their cities they prepared
25 to make war ....
26 the dominion ....
27 against capture they fortified
28 its ... . they faced ....
29 and round it a ditch they excavated,
30 twenty cubits (34 feet) in its depth they made it,
31 and they brought the waters of the springs in
front of the city.
32 The people of Philistia, Judah, Edom,
^^ and Moab, dwelling beside the sea, bringing
tribute
34 and presents to Assur my lord
35 were speaking treason. The people and their
evil chiefs
36 to fight against me unto Pharaoh
^y king of Egypt, a monarch who could not save
them,
38 their presents carried and besought his
39 alliance. I, Sargon, the noble prince
40 revering the oath of Assur and Merodach,
guarding
41 the honour of Assur; the rivers Tigris and
Euphrates
42 in their full flood my warriors of my guard
43 entirely I passed over. And he Yavan
44 their king, who in his own might
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I3I
45 trusted, and did not submit to my dominion,
46 of the advance of my expedition to the land of
the Hittites heard, and
47 the majesty of Assur my lord overwhelmed him,
and
48 to the border of Egypt, the shore of the river,
49 at the boundary of Meroe . . . under the waters
50 he took part
51 .... a place remote
52 .... he fled away
53 and his hiding place was not seen. The cities
of Ashdod and
{Continued from Botta.)
54 Gimzo of the Ashdodites
55 I besieged and captured. His gods, his wife,
his sons, and his daughters,
56 his furniture, his goods, and the treasures of his
palace, with the people of his country
57 as a spoil I counted, and those cities a second
time
58 I built. People the conquests of my hands
59 from the midst of the countries of the rising sun,
within them I seated ; and with the people of Assyria
I placed them, and they performed my pleasure.
Extract XXXI.
Assyrian Discoveries^ p. 302 to 306.
B.C. 701.
Cylinder C, Sennacherib, Col. III.
1 In my third expedition to the land of the Hittites
I went.
2 Elulias king of Zidon,
10*
132
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
3 fear of the might of my dominion overwhelmed
him, and
4 to a distance in the midst of the sea
5 he fled, and his country I took.
6 Great Zidon,
7 Lesser Zidon,
8 Bit-sette, Zarephath,
9 Mahalliba, Hosah,
10 Achzid, and Accho,
1 1 his strong cities, fortresses, walled
12 and enclosed, his castles ; the might of the
soldiers
13 of Assur my lord overwhelmed them, and they
submitted
14 to my feet. Tubahal in the throne of the king-
dom
15 over them I seated, and taxes and tribute to my
dominion
16 yearly, unceasing, I fixed upon him.
17 Of Menahem of Samaria
18 Tubahal of Zidon
19 Abdilihitiof Arvad,
20 Urumelek of Gubal,
21 Metinti of Ashdod,
22 Buduil of Beth Ammon,
23 Kemoshnatbi of Moab,
24 Airammu of Edom,
25 kings of the Hittites, all of them of the coast,
26 the whole, their great presents and furniture,
27 to my presence they carried, and kissed my
feet.
28 And Zidqa king of Askelon,
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I33
29 who did not submit to my yoke ; the gods of
the house of his father, himself,
30 his wife, his sons, his daughters, and his
brothers, the seed of the house of his father,
31 I removed, and to Assyria I sent him.
• 32 Sarludari son of Rukibti their former king,
2^ over the people of Askelon I appointed,
34 and the gift of taxes due to my dominion,
35 I fixed on him, and he performed my pleasure.
36 In the course of my expedition, Beth Dagon,
Joppa,
37 Bene-berak and Azor,
38 cities of Zidqa,
39 which to my feet homage did not render,
40 I besieged I captured I carried off their spoil.
41 The priests, princes, and people of Ekron,
42 who Padi their king, faithful
43 and stedfast to Assyria, in bonds of iron
44 placed and to Hezekiah
45 king of Judah gave him as an enemy ;
46 for the evil they did their hearts feared.
47 The kings of Egypt, and the archers,
48 chariots, and horses, of the king of Meroe,
49 a force without number gathered and
50 came to their help.
51 In the vicinity of Eltekeh,
52 before me their lines were placed,
53 and they urged on their soldiers.
54 In the service of Assur my lord with them
55 I fought, and I accomplished their overthrow.
56 The charioteers and sons of the kings of Egypt,
57 and the charioteers of the king of Meroe,
134 '^^^ ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANQN.
58 alive in the midst of the battle my hand cap-
tured.
59 Eltekeh and Timnah I besieged, I captured,
60 I carried off their spoil. To Ekron
61 I approached ; the priests and princes,
62 who the rebellion had made with the sword I
slew,
63 and in heaps over the whole of the city I threw
down their bodies.
64 The sons of the City committing sin, and the
revilers
65 into slavery I gave ; the rest of them
66 not making rebellion and defiance,
67 who of their section were not,
Column IV.
1 their innocence I proclaimed. Padi their king
2 from the midst of Jerusalem
3 I brought out, and on the throne of dominion
4 over them I seated, and tribute
5 to my dominion I fixed upon him.
6 And Hezekiah of Judah,
7 who did not submit to my yoke,
8 46 of his strong cities, fortresses, and small cities,
9 which were round them, which were without
number,
10 with the marching of a host, and surrounding
of a multitude,
11 attack of ranks, force of battering-rams, mining
and missiles,
12 I besieged, I captured. 200,150 people, small
and great, male and female,
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I35
13 horses, mules, asses, camels, oxen,
14 and sheep, which were without number, from
the midst of them I brought out, and
15 as spoil I counted. Him like a caged bird
within Jerusalem
16 his royal city I had made, towers round him
17 I raised, and the exit of the great gate of his
city I shut, and
18 he was conquered. His cities which I spoiled,
from the midst of his country
19 I detached, to Metinti king of Ashdod,
20 Padi king of Ekron, and Zilli-bel
21 king of Gaza, I gave, and I reduced his country.
22 Beside their former taxes, their annual gift
23 the tribute due to my dominion, I added and
24 fixed upon them. He, Hezekiah,
25 fear of the might of my dominion overwhelmed
him, and
26 the Urbi and his good soldiers
27 whom to be preserved within Jerusalem
28 he had caused to enter, and they inclined
29 to submission, with 30 talents of gold,
30 800 talents of silver, precious carbuncles,
31 daggasi, great .... stones
32 couches of ivory, elevated thrones of ivory,
33 skins of buffaloes, horns of buffaloes, izdan,
weapons,
34 everything, a great treasure, and
35 his daughters, the eunuchs of his palace, male
musicians, and female musicians,
36 to the midst of Nineveh the city of my dominion
37 after me he sent, and
136 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
38 to give tribute
39 and make submission he sent his messenger.
Extract XXXII.
Bull Inscription, 2 and 3, lines 17 to 22.
B.C. 701.
17 And EluHas king of Zidon retreated from my
attack ; to Cyprus,
18 which is in the midst of the sea, he fled, and
sought refuge in that country.
19 By the might of the soldiers of Assur my lord,
I took possession of his country. Tubahal on the
throne
20 of his kingdom I seated, and tribute to my
dominion I fixed upon him. I subdued
21 the extent of the district of Judah, powerful,
and rugged. Hezekiah its king, I subjected
22 to my yoke.
Extract XXXIII.
Memorial Tablet, lines 13 to 15.
13 Of Elulias king of Zidon, I took away his
kingdom ;
14 Tubahal in his throne I seated, and tribute to
my dominion I fixed upon him.
15 I subdued the extent of the district of Judah.
Hezekiah its king set up my pleasure.
Extract XXXIV.
From broken Memorial Tablet. Fragment of war in
Palestine.
Probable date between b.c. 694 and 690.
I marching ot a host .....
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I37
2 their great tribute
3 they brought. Kapanu . . .
4 place of her treasures ....
5 queen of Arabia and her gods
6 earrings, stones
7 spices abundant
8 and kings, eyes of ... .
g carried off those cities ....
Extract XXXV.
Cylinder of Esarhaddon.
Probable date between B.C. 694 and 690.
a. Edom the strong city of Arabia,
b. which Sennacherib king of Assyria,
c. the father my begetter, had captured
d his goods and his gods
. e. had carried off to Assyria.
Extract XXXVI.
Probable date b.c. 680.
Cylinder of Esarhaddon, Col. I.
9 conqueror of the city of Zidon which is in the
midst of the sea
10 sweeper away of all its cities
11 its castles and its dwellings I removed, and
12 into the sea I cast, and
13 the place of its habitations I destroyed.
14 Abdi-milkutti king of it,
15 who from the face of my soldiers
16 in the midst of the sea had fled,
17 like a fish from the midst of the sea
18 I caught him and cut off his head.
138 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
19 The collection of his goods, gold, silver, pre-
cious stones,
20 skins of buffaloes, horns of buffaloes, izdan,
weapons,
21 dresses woven and dyed, all of them
22 the treasure of his palace
23 in abundance I carried off.
24 The whole of his people without number,
25 oxen, and sheep, asses,
26 I took away to the midst of Assyria.
27 I gathered also the kings of the Hittites,
28 and of the side of the sea all of them.
29 The former city I changed, a city I caused to
build,
30 the city of Esarhaddon I called its name.
31 People the conquest of my bow from the lands
32 and sea of the rising sun
33 in the midst I placed and
34 my general governor over them I appointed.
35 And Sanduarri
36 king of Kundi and Sizu
37 the obstinate rebel who did not fear my power,
38 who abandoned the gods and
39 to his difficult mountains trusted
40 and Abdi-milkutti
41 to his aid he brought, and
42 the names of the great gods to each other they
swore and
43 to their power trusted :
44 I to Assur my lord trusted, and
45 like a bird from the midst of the mountains
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I39
46 I caught him, and cut off his head.
47 By the power of Assur my lord
48 the people
49 the heads of Sanduarri
50 and Abdi-milkutti
51 round the necks of their great men I hung, and
52 with musicians and singers (?)
53 into the vicinity of Nineveh I came.
Extract XXXVII.
From broken Cylinder of Esarhaddon.
C. /., Vol. III. p. 16. Probable date, B.C. 680.
12 I gathered also the kings of the Hittites and of
over the sea,
13 Bahal king of Tyre, Manasseh king of Judah,
14 Qavus-gabri king of Edom, Muzuri king of
Moab,
15 Zilli-bel king of Gaza, Mitinti king of Askelon,
16 Ikasamsu king of Ekron, Milki-asaph king of
Gebal,
17 Matan-bahal king of Arvad, Albi-bahal king of
Samaria,
18 Buduil king of Beth-ammon, Ahimelek king of
Ashdod,
19 twelve kings who are by the shore of the sea,
iEgistus king of Idalium,
20 Pythagoras king of Kitrusi, Kinyras (?) king of
Salamis,
21 Ituander king of Paphos, Eresu king of Soli,
22 Damastes king of Curium, Garmisu king of
Tamissus,
23 Damusi king of Ammochosta,
140 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
24 Unasagusu king of Lidini, Puzusu king of
Aphrodisia,
25 ten kings of Yatnan (Cyprus) in the midst of
the sea,
26 making twenty-two kings of the Hittites beside
the sea and in the midst of the sea ; all of them
27 I sent to them.
Extract XXXVIII.
From Tablet of Esarhaddon.
Probable date between B.C. 680 and 673.
1 Were given the ships which Bahal and his
people who were in Philistia and in the
neighbourhood
2 of the whole of Assyria who were in
the midst of the ships of Esarhaddon king of Assyria,
he
3 and the people appointed who were in the
midst of the ships, in the midst of them
their names
4 These are the forts and roads which Esarhad-
don king of Assyria to Bahal his servant appointed.
5 To the city of Accho and Dor, in the district of
Philistia, all ;
6 and in the cities of the neighbourhood of
Assyria, by the side of the sea, all ;
7 the city Gebal, Lebanon, and the cities
which were in the mountain, all ;
8 Esarhaddon king of Assyria, Bahal,
servants
9 king of Assyria gave
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I4I
Extract XXXIX.
From unpublished fragment.
Probable date B.C. 673.
Tablet in bad condition, translation not literal.
1 Esarhaddon king of Assyria, his warriors and
his camp war
2 against the men of Egypt are going to fight,
with Tarqu (Tirkahah)
3 king of Kush, and the soldiers who are with
him fighting, battle and war are made.
4 In making fighting, battle and war, Esarhaddon
king of Assyria, his forces
5 sends against Tarqu king of Kush, and the
men his allies
6 the ranks are set the over-
throw of
7 Tarqu he makes, glory and power ....
8 over him he gains, Esarhaddon king of
Assyria, his life
7 . . . . flight of Tarqu .... he tramples . . .'
Extract XL.
Assyrian Discoveries, p. 312, 313.
Probable date, B.C. 672.
6 In my tenth expedition, the god
7 I set my face to the country of Magan [and
Miluhha(?)]
8 which in the language of the people of Kush
(Ethiopia) and Muzur (Egypt) are called
9 I collected my powerful army, which within . . .
' Another very fragmentary copy says the battle took place in the
district of Askelon in Philistia.
142 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
10 in the month Nisan the first month, from my
city Assur I departed, the rivers Tigris and Euphrates
in their flood I crossed over,
11 difficult countries Hke a bull I passed through.
12 In the course of my expedition against Bahal,
king of Tyre, who to Tirhakah, king of Kush, his
country entrusted, and
13 the yoke of Assur my lord threw off and made
defiance ;
14 fortresses over against him I built, and food and
drink to save their lives, I cut ofi".
15 When for the land of Muzur (Egypt) my camp
I collected, and to the country of Miluhha (Meroe) I
directed the march,
16 30 kaspu of ground {200 miles) from the city of
Aphek, which is at the border of Samaria, to the city
of Raphia,
17 to the boundary of the stream of Muzur (Egypt) ,
a place where there is no water, a very great
desert.
18 Water from wells in buckets for my army I
caused to carry.
19 When the will of Assur my lord into my ears
entered my mind.
20 The camels of the kings of Arabia all of them
them
21 30 kaspu of ground a journey of 15 days in
I pursued
. 22 4 kaspu of ground with boulder stones
I went
23 4 kaspu of ground a journey of two days, with
serpents having two heads . r . . . death and
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I43
24 I trampled on and passed. 4 kaspu of ground
a journey of two days burning
25 of winged flies. 4 kaspu of ground a journey of
two days full
26 15 kaspu of ground a journey of eight days I
pursued a journey.
27 Merodach the great lord to my aid came ....
28 and saved the lives of my soldiers. 27 days
29 of the border of Egypt the city of Magan ....
30 From the city of Magan to
31 a measure of 20 kaspu of ground I pursued
32 that ground was like stone
^^ like fowl with maces . . .
34 blood and marrow
35 the obstinate enemy to . .
36 to the city it swept ....
Extract XLI.
Cylinder C, Assurbanipal.
Probable date, B.C. 668.
1 To Egypt and Ethiopia I directed the march.
2 In the course of my expedition,
3 Bahal king of Tyre,
4 king of Judah,
5 king of Edom,
6 king of Moab,
7 king of Gaza,
8 king of Askelon,
g . . . . . king of Ekron,
10 king of Gebal,
144
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
II king of Arvad,
12 to 17 lost.
18 Ituander king of Paphos,
19 Eresu king of Soli,
20 Damastes king of Curium,
21 Garmisu king of Tamissus,
22 Damusi king of Ammochosta,
23 Unasagus king of Lidini,
24 Puzuzu king of Aphrodisia,
25 making twenty-two kings
26 of the side of the sea, and the middle of the sea,
all of them,
27 tributaries dependent on me,
28 to my presence came and kissed my feet.
29 Those kings, their
30 on sea and land their forts I took,
31 the level road ..... them.
The cylinder goes on to describe the course" of the
expedition against Egypt, the renewed expulsion of
Tirhakah, and the restoration of Assyrian dominion
there.
'Extract XLII.
Cylinders of Assurbanipal.
Probable date, about b.c. 664.
84 In my third expedition against Bahal, king of
Tyre,
85 dwelling in the midst of the sea, I went ; who
my royal will
86 disregarded, and did not hear the words of my
lips.
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. 1 45
87 Towers round him I raised, and over his people
I strengthened the watch,
88 On sea and land his forts I took ; his going out
I stopped. Water and sea-water to preserve their
lives, their mouths drank. By a strong blockade
which removed not, I besieged them,
89 their work I checked and opposed,
90 to my yoke I made them submissive.
91 The daughter proceeding from his body, and
the daughters of his brothers,
92 for concubines he brought to my presence.
93 Yahimilki his son, the glory of the country, of
unsurpassed renown,
94 at once he sent forward, to make obeisance to
me.
95 His daughter and the daughters of his brothers,
96 with their great dowries I received.
97 Favour I granted him and the son proceeding
from his body
98 I restored and gave him.
Extract XLIII.
Cylinder A, Assurbanipal, Column VII.
Probable date about b.c. 648.
97 In my ninth expedition I gathered my army:
98 against Vaiteh king of Arabia,
99 I directed the march, who against my agree-
ment
100 had sinned, the benefits done to him he did
not regard, and
loi threw off the yoke of my dominion.
u
146 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
102 When Assur had set him up to perform my
pleasure,
103 to seek my alliance his feet broke off, and
104 he ended his presents, and great tribute.
105 When Elam was speaking sedition with Akkad,
he heard and
106 disregarded my agreement. Of me Assurbanipal
107 the king, the noble priest, the powerful leader,
108 the work of the hands of Assur, he left me, and
109 to Abiyateh and Aimu, sons of Tehari,
no his forces with them to the help of
111 Saul-mugina my rebellious brother he sent, and
112 set his face. The people of Arabia
113 with him he caused to revolt, and carried away
the
114 plunder of the people, whom Assur, Ishtar, and
the great gods
115 had given me; their government I had ruled,
116 and they were in my hand.
117 By command of Assur and Ishtar my army in
the regions
118 of Azaran, Hirataqaza,
119 in Edom, in the neighbourhood of Yabrud,
120 in Beth-ammon, in the district of Hauran,
121 in Moab, in Saharri,
122 in Harge, and in the district of Zobah,
Column VIII.
1 his numerous fighting men I slew without num-
ber, I accomplished
2 his overthrow. The people of Arabia, all who
with him came,
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY. I47
3 I destroyed with the sword ; and he from the
face
4 of the powerful soldiers of Assur fled, and got
away.
Extract XLIV.
Cylinder A. Assurbanipal. Col. VIII., 1. 19 to 29.
Probable date about b.c. 648.
19 And he, Ammuladi king of Kedar,
20 brought to fight the kings of Syria ;
21 whom Assur and Ishtar the great gods had en-
trusted to me.
22 In the service of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel,
Nebo,
23 Ishtar of Nineveh, Sarrat-kitmuri,
24 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal, and Nusku,
25 his overthrow I accomplished. Himself alive
with Adiya
26 the wife of Vaiteh king of Arabia,
27 they captured and brought to my presence.
28 By command of the great gods my lords, with
the dogs
29 I placed him, and I caused him to be kept
chained.
Extract XLV.
Cylinder B. Assurbanipal. Col. VIII., 1. 31-44.
Probable date about b.c. 648.
31 Ammuladin king of Kedar, who like him also
32 revolted and carried away the plunder of the
kings of Syria.
33 In the service of Assur, Sin, Shamas, Vul, Bel,
Nebo,
148 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
34 Ishtar of Nineveh, Sarrat-Kitmuri,
35 Ishtar of Arbela, Ninip, Nergal, and Nusku ;
36 by the power of my name, which Assur had
magnified,
'^^'j Kamazhalta king of Moab,
38 a tributary dependent on me,
39 in the battle-field accomplished his overthrow.
40 Ammuladin and the rest of his people,
41 who from the face of
42 he captured in hand.
43 His hands and feet in bonds of iron he placed,
and
44 to Nineveh to my presence he sent.
Extract XL VI.
Cylinder A, Assurbanipal. Col. IX. 1., 96 to 108.
Probable date, b.c. 645.
96 On my return Hosah,
97 which by the side of the sea has its place, I
captured.
98 The people of Hosah, who to their governors
99 were not reverent, and did not give the
tribute,
100 the gift of their country, I slew. Amongst the
people
loi unsubmissive, chastisement I inflicted.
102 Their gods and their people I carried off to
Assyria.
103 The people of Accho unsubmissive I destroyed.
104 Their bodies in the dust I threw down, the
whole of the city
PALESTINE AND JEWISH HISTORY.
149
105 I quieted. The rest of them I brought
106 to Assyria in rank I arranged, and
107 over my numerous army,
108 which Assur strengthened, I spread.
CHAPTER VII.
The Comparative Chronology of Assyria and Palestine.
HAVE given in the former chapters the
principal Assyrian materials bearing on the
chronology of the period, from the time of Solomon
to that of Josiah, and sketches of the principal
chronological systems drawn from them. Those
who wish to investigate the chronology of this
period for themselves, and to form their own con-
clusions from translations of the original documents,
will require nothing more, except, perhaps, some
explanation of the texts and extracts as they
stand. There is, however, a larger body of readers
who do not wish to enter themselves into chrono-
logical discussions, and only desire to know what
conclusions may fairly be drawn from the monu-
ments, the extracts and translations being so
many pieces of evidence to them in any case of
doubt. Without some plan for the solution of these
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. I51
chronological problems, the work would appear to
these, my most numerous class of readers, incom-
plete ; and even those who wish to found their own
opinions on the evidence always desire to see the
conclusions of other students. With these excuses I
put forward the following comments and views, with-
out any desire to attach too much weight to them.
On most points they represent what appear to me as
the true explanations and dates, but I cannot say I
am certain even on the main points, and I hold
myself ready to change all my conclusions, if satis-
factory evidence should turn up against them.
Caution in this matter appears to me all the more
necessary from the difficulty in reconciling the Assy-
rian statements with those of the Bible, and the
widely different views expressed by the best scholars
who have investigated the subject.
The Assyrian eponym canon must be considered
as a contemporary document. The earliest date in
question in it is the date of the battle of Qarqar
or Aroer, fought between the Syrian league under
Benhadad, and the Assyrians under Shalmaneser II.
(See Extracts I. -III., pp. 106-110.) The date of this
event, according to the Assyrian canon, was B.C. 854,
and the earliest known copies of the Assyrian canon
were made in the reign of Sennacherib, about 150
years after this. Other copies were made after-
wards, containing in every case the same dates,
which do not var}^ a single year; these later copies
adding to them the eponymes who had held office
since the former ones were inscribed ; thus the list
was posted up from time to time, and served as a
152
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
skeleton national chronology. It is most probable
that copies were made long before the reign of
Sennacherib, but even if this was not the case, most
of the events now in dispute happened so near to the
time of the writers, that they, with the state docu-
ments at their command, could not help knowing
their dates.
In the period subsequent to B.C. 731 the close
correspondence of the Assyrian canon dates with
those of Ptolemy's canon, the large number of con-
temporary dated tablets given in chap. IV., and the
perfect agreement of the eponym canon with the
contemporary annals of the successive Assyrian
kings, all combine to prove incontestibly the truth of
the record.
In the period from B.C. 763 to 731 the dated tablets
are few, and the historical inscriptions rarer ; but the
annals of Tiglath Pileser prove the accuracy of the
canon up to b.c. 745, and the eclipse of B.C. 763,
equally confirms the next stage, so that up to that
date there is no doubt of the truth of the list.
Above the date b.c 763 there is no positive proof
of any Assyrian canon date, but there is some
evidence in the agreement of the successive names
in the eponym list with those in the contemporary
annals of Assurnazirpal and Shalmaneser, and in the
fragments of Sennacherib mentioning the date b.c.
794 in the reign of Vulnirari ; while the names of
functionaries who appear more than once in the
Hst, such as Assur-banai-uzur, the chief of the palace
in B.C. 856, 826, and 817 ; Dayan-assur in b.c. 854
and 827; Musalim-ninip governor of Bele in b.c. 793
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 53
and 766 ; Ninip-kin-uzur, governor of Nineveh in
B.C. 790 and 761, and Samsi-il, the tartan, in b.c.
780, 770, and 752, show, that no lapse of years of any
extent unrepresented in the canon, can have happened
in this period.
Looking at the imperfect state of our present
knowledge of Assyrian history, the amount of evi-
dence in favour of the accuracy of the Assyrian
eponym canon appears to me remarkable and con-
clusive ; and in the present state of the enquiry I see
no reason for doubting that it is a correct chrono-
logical computation.
The first point of contact in the period of the
canon, between the Assyrian and Hebrew histories,
occurs in the eponymy of Dayan-assur, b.c. 854,
when the annals of Shalmaneser mention a prince
named Ahab (see Extract I.), and as the date of
this event is more than forty years after the date of
the death of Ahab king of Israel, according to the
Bible chronology, this has given rise to several
attempts to adjust the two histories so as to make
them agree. One of the first in the field in this
direction was Professor Oppert who holds the
opinion that there is a break of forty-seven years in
the eponym canon, between the eponym Nergal-nazir,
B.C. 746, and the accession of Tiglath-Pileser, which
he lowers to b.c. 744. He thus lowers all the later
Assyrian dates one year, and raises the earlier ones
forty-six years, identifying the eclipse in the eponymy
of Esdu-sarabe, b.c 763, with one which happened
B.C. 809. In page 75 I have given my reasons for
not agreeing with this theory, and for similar reasons
154 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
I have objected to other proposed gaps in the canon.
The Rev. D. H. Haigh (see page 5), proceeding on
another plan, adds nineteen years between the reign
of Shalmaneser and that of Samsi-vul, and on the
other hand cuts down the reign of Manasseh, king of
Judah from 55 to 35 years, thus altering both the
Biblical and the Assyrian dates, this theory also I
believe to be untenable.
Other scholars, like Bunsen, and Brandes, cut
down the numbers in the Biblical history, but adhere
to the Assyrian chronology.
I have already stated that I have faith in the
accuracy of the Assyrian canon, I am therefore
unable to follow Oppert and Haigh in their attempts
to find a flaw in it; and although there are un-
doubtedly some errors in the numbers given in the
Books of Kings, yet I believe that the Biblical
chronology of the period following the death of
Solomon, is in the main correct, or very nearly so ;
for this reason, I cannot agree with the school of
Bunsen and Brandes, who reduce the Biblical dates
by over forty years.
I would suggest instead of these chronological
alterations, that some of the Biblical names in the
Assyrian annals on which they are based, either do
not refer to the kings supposed, or are errors on the
part of the Assyrians. If we allow that the Ahab
and Jehu mentioned in the Assyrian records may not
be the Ahab and Jehu of the Bible, we are not under
the necessity of altering the chronology of either
nation in order to make the Assyrian notices fit the
time of the Hebrew monarchs.
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 55
Taking the Assyrian and Biblical chronologies as
they stand, and examining the various dates in detail,
it is best to commence with the later dates which
are well established, and to advance to the earlier
ones which are more doubtful.
Before proceeding to this examination, it will be
convenient to give, in a tabular form, my own view
of the dates of the accession of the Hebrew kings
according to the Bible, as there will be constant
references to these dates in subsequent parts of the
chapter. In common with several other chrono-
logists, I read 51 years instead of 41 for the reign of
Jeroboam II., and 30 instead of 20 for the reign of
Pekah, but this makes no difference to the general
scheme of chronology, which varies very little from
the chronology of Ussher in the margins of our
Bible.
B.C.
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
981
Rehoboam
963
Abijam
960
Asa
959
958
934
933
921
919
Jehoshaphat
899
897
Jeroboam
Nadab
Baasha
Elah
Omri
Ahab
Ahaziah
Jehoram
156
THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
B.C.
JUDAH.
ISRAEL.
894
Jehoram
886
Ahaziah
885
Athaliah
Jehu
879
Jehoash
857
,
Jehoahaz
840
.
Jehoash
839
Amaziah
824
.
Jeroboam
8^10
Uzziah .
773
.
Zachariah
772
•
Menahem
761
.
Pekahiah
759
•
Pekah
758
Jotham
742
Ahaz
729
•
Hoshea
726
Hezekiah
720
^97
Manasseh
capture of Samaria
673
642
Amon
final captivity of Israel.
640
Josiah
609
Jehoiakim
598
Jehoiachin and Zedekiah
587
end of monarchy
536
ist year of Cyrus; return
from captivity.
'
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 57
There is a doubt in my own mind whether all
these dates should not be raised one or two years ;
there appears in several places a latitude to this
extent in the evidence.
The centre point where Greek and Oriental
chronology meet is the capture of Babylon by the
Medes and Persians under Cyrus. Our best au-
thority, the canon of Ptolemy, places the first year of
Cyrus B.C. 538, which would indicate the previous
year, b.c. 539, as the date of the capture of Babylon
and the fall of the Babylonian monarchy.
The subsequent history and chronology are given
by so many authorities and are so well fixed that only
one professed chronologist ventures to object to them.
Mr. Bosanquet, ignoring the testimony of all ancient
authorities and inscriptions, brings down the Baby-
lonian monarchy into the reign of Darius Hystaspes.
Ancient testimony and modern research are how-
ever so clear upon the subject, that no discussion on
this point is necessary here.
The Book of Daniel states, that after the conquest
of Babylon, a monarch named Darius, the Mede,
took the kingdom previous to the reign of Cyrus.
This Darius has not been identified with any prince
known to history, and his reign has been supposed to
have been short, not exceeding two years ; this
would reduce the accession of Cyrus, as king of
Babylon, to b.c. 537, his first year, in which the
Jews were released from captivity, falling in b.c 536.
Ptolemy's canon omits the reign of Darius, and gives
the whole period from the capture of Babylon to the
accession of Cambyses to Cyrus.
ie8 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
One of the tablets of the reign of Cyrus illustrates
the custom of the Assyrians and Babylonians in
reckoning the regnal years of their kings from the
beginning of their new years, and not from the
anniversary of the monarch's accession. The passage
in the tablet in question reads :
" From the month Nisan (the first month) of
the third year of Cyrus, king of countries, to the
month Adar (the twelfth month) of the third year of
Cyrus king of countries."
Previous to the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus,
there reigned over the Babylonians, Nabu-nahid, or
Nabonidus, for seventeen years, his reign commen-
cing B.C. 556. Late in his reign he associated with
himself on the throne his son, Bel-sar-uzur, the
Belshazzar of the Book of Daniel, who was slain on
the night of the capture of Babylon, b.c. 539.
Previous to the reign of Nabonidus, the canon of
Ptolemy, omitting a short reign of nine months,
inserts the name of Neriglissar, or Nergalsharezer,
the son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar, whose first year
was B.C. 559, and his accession 560. The prede-
cessor of Nergalsharezer was Evilmerodach, son of
Nebuchadnezzar, who ascended the Babylonian
throne b.c. 562.
The accession of Evilmerodach is stated in
2 Kings 25. 27, to have happened in the thirty-
seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of
Judah, this captivity being thus fixed at b.c. 598.
The captivity of Jehoiachin took place seven years
after the battle of Carchemesh, and accession of
Nebuchadnezzar; these events consequently be-
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 59
longing to B.C. 605. There is a slight difference of
opinion among chronologists as to the date of the
battle of Carchemesh, which was fought between the
forces of Pharaoh Necho and the Babylonians under
Nebuchadnezzar. Mr. Sharp and Ernest de Bunsen
place it B.C. 607 ; Professors Oppert and Lenormant in
B.C. 606 ; whilst most other chronologists make it
happen b.c. 605. At present there is really no proof
as to which of these is the correct date, but the
difference between scholars here, is at the most
two years. I have chosen the date b.c 605, as it
appears to fit best the other dates and circum-
stances mentioned, and is followed by the majority
of chronologists.
The next date in question previous to the battle
of Carchemesh, is the date of the fall of Nineveh.
This date however does not much affect the general
chronological question, and there is some variety of
opinion with respect to it. It is placed as low as
B.C. 606 by Professor Oppert, and as high as 6og by
others ; here again we have no means of determining
exactly the date, but the circumstances are related
as follows :
An arrangement was made between the king of
Media, called in Berosus, Astyages, but by other
authors Cyaxares, and Nabopolassar, king of Baby-
lon, according to which Amuhia, or Amytis, the
daughter of the Median monarch, was married to
Nebuchadnezzar, son of Nabopolassar, and the
Babylonian and Median kings joined their forces in
an attack against Nineveh. Nineveh was besieged
by the Babylonian and Median armies for two years.
l60 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
and at the end of that time, part of the wall of the
city being destroyed by the overflow of the river,
the king of Assyria, in despair, set fire to his palace
and perished in the flames.
The destruction of Nineveh is connected with
Jewish chronology through the action of Necho king
of Egypt, who marched out to take part in the final
war against Assyria. Josiah king of Judah resisted
the passage of Necho through his territory, and in a
battle at Megiddo, Josiah was slain (see 2 Kings 23.
29, and 2 Chron. 35. 22-24). The advance of Necho
and death of Josiah happened four years before the
battle of Carchemesh ; and there is the same differ-
ence of two years as to this date among chronologists,
some placing the death of Josiah in b.c. 611, others
in B.C. 610, and others in b.c. 6og, which last date I
believe to be the correct one.
In the period immediately before these events
Western Asia was exposed to the ravages of hordes of
Scythians, who passing the mountains of Caucasus,
overran Media, Assyria, and Syria. The date of the
Scythian invasion is unknown, and the chronology of
this period very confused. No Assyrian date can be
fixed with any certainty after the date of the accession
of Nabu-pal-uzur or Nabopolassar at Babylon in b.c.
626 ; and this event appears to have closely followed
the death of Assurbanipal, king of Assyria.
In the whole of this period Assyrian chronological
evidence is entirely wanting, for although the later
eponymes, whose names I have given in pp. 70, 71,
belong to the period from b.c. 643 to 610, and pro-
bably extend to near its close, yet the order of the
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. l6l
names is uncertain, and no political events are fixed
to their eponymes.
The next date in order in the list is the accession
of Josiah king of Judah, which I fix at B.C. 640. This
date is generally agreed upon ; only a few chrono-
logists differ to the extent of one year, placing it at
B.C. 641.
Probably about this time happened an Assyrian
campaign in Palestine, the account of which is now
lost. In p. 96 I have given a late date in the reign
of Assurbanipal, in the eponymy of Belsadua of Tyre,
apparently an Assyrian governor appointed after some
, conquest of the city. I have placed this date pro-
visionally under the year B.C. 648, but it more
probably belongs to another eponymy some years
later.
The evidence of the Assyrian inscriptions and of
the eponym canon ends with the eponymy of Samas-
dainani, governor of Babylon, which I have provi-
sionally placed B.C. 644 ; this eponymy may, however,
have been a little later. In the time of Assurdainani
the last known record of Assurbanipal, king of Assyria,
was written, and we obtain a good approximate idea
of the chronology of the reign down to this point. I
arrange the events of this period as follows :
B.C.
668 Death of Esarhaddon, Assurbanipal re-con-
quers Egypt.
667 Revolt in Egypt under Tirhakah and Necho.
Necho captured and sent to Nineveh. Death of Tir-
hakah. Undamane, son-in-law of Tirhakah, recovers'
Egypt.
12
1 62 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
666 Assurbanipal expels Undamane from Egypt.
665-661 Siege of Tyre.
660 Submission of Arvad, Tubal, and Lydia, to
Assurbanipal.
659 Conquest of Karbat.
658 Invasion of Minni.
657 Submission of Minni.
656 Invasion of Media.
655 Urtaki, king of Elam, driven out of Babylonia.
654 Death of Urtaki, flight of Elamite princes to
Assyria.
653 Assurbanipal conquers Elam.
652 Conquest of Gambuli.
650 Revolt of Babylonia under Saulmugina.
649 War in Babylonia.
648 Conquest of Babylonia, death of Saulmugina.
647 Second invasion of Elam.
646 Third invasion of Elam.
645 War with the Arabians.
Excepting the dates of the death of Esarhaddon,
B.C. 668, and the war with Babylon, B.C. 650-648, all
these dates are only conjectural, and the events may
cover a longer period.
All these dates fall within the reign of Manasseh,
king of Judah, who died b.c. 642, two years before
the accession of his grandson, Josiah. Chronologists
are generally agreed as to the date of the death of
Manasseh ; some, however, place it one year earlier,
in B.C. 643; and one, Brandes, makes it b.c 641.
The Extracts, XLIII. to XL VI., p. 145 to 149, from
the historical inscription of Assurbanipal, belong to
the period b.c 650 to 645, during which time part of
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 163
Palestine was overrun by the forces of Vaiteh, king
of Arabia.
The Extract XLII., p. 144, from the same docu-
ments, relates the successful siege of Tyre and the
submission of Arvad to Assurbanipal ; it belongs to
about B.C. 663 to 659.
The Extract XLL, p. 143, from Cylinder C, relates
the tribute and submission of all the kings of Pales-
tine and Cyprus to Assurbanipal, on the occasion of
his first expedition to Kgypt, about B.C. 668. Among
these names was that of the king of Judah, un-
doubtedly Manasseh, who was a faithful vassal of
Assyria at this time.
Assurbanipal, king of Assyria, was the successor of
Esarhaddon, whose reign began in b.c. 681, and
ended in b.c 668.
In my history of Assurbanipal, I pointed out that
before his death Esarhaddon associated him on the
throne, but I then supposed it was shortly before his
decease. In Assyrian Discoveries, p. 417, I showed
that Assurbanipal was reigning for three or four
years, at least, with his father, and I am now able to
prove, that the act of crowning the young prince,
took place before ■ Esarhaddon started for Egypt.
Previous to this no Assyrian king had gone beyond
Palestine, and it was probably considered an ex-
pedition of considerable risk, when Esarhaddon
started to attack Tirhakah, and to expel him from
Egypt. Tirhakah had already contended on nearly
equal terms with Sennacherib, and had now stripped
Assyria of her Western provinces. Under these
circumstances, Esarhaddon settled the succession to
12*
164 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
the crown, before his departure ; and this is stated,
with some marvellous incidents, in an address from
one of his courtiers, k 2701 :
1 The god Assur in a dream, to the grandfather
of the king my lord, the just prince
2 the king, the lord of kings, the heart of hearts
(grandson) of the just prince
3 thou shalt restore the wisdom of the deep, and
all the people
4 When the father of the king my lord, to the
land of Egypt went,
5 into the plantations of Harran, the dwelling of
the god of cedar wood, he turned,
6 and the moon over the corn fields stood, having
two crowns on his head {i.e., with double halo round
it.),
7 while Nusku stood at his side. The father of
the king my lord entered, and
8 the crown on his (Assurbanipal's) head he
placed, and the government of the countries (he gave
him),
9 and when the road to Egypt he took, the
blessing of the countries (followed him) .
It appears from this, that the double halo seen
round the moon, was interpreted on the principle of
its representing two kings, in favour of the corona-
tion of Assurbanipal, who assumed the government
from the time when his father left for Egypt, pro-
bably in B.C. 673. As a matter of fact, however,
Esarhaddon was in this probably only yielding to the
desire of the Assyrian people, in settling the succes-
sion before leaving on a dangerous expedition, as a
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 165
few years previously they had seen a deplorable
civil war between the sons of Sennacherib, on the
death of that monarch.
The extracts from the Assyrian annals belonging
to this reign refer to three epochs :
1. The period at the beginning of his reign, when
Esarhaddon attacked and conquered Zidon, and
took tribute from the kings of Palestine and Cyprus,
B.C. 680 (Extracts XXXVI., XXXVII.).
2. The period subsequent to this: when Bahal,
king of Tyre, was faithful to Assyria (Extract
XXXVIII.).
3. B.C. 673 and 672, when Esarhaddon attacked
Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, and Bahal, king of Tyre,
who had revolted and relied for assistance upon
Tirhakah (Extracts XXXIX., XL.).
The name of Manasseh, king of Judah, occurs
among the tributaries of Esarhaddon after the cap-
ture of Zidon, B.C. 680, yet two of the chronologists,
whose systems I have quoted in Chapter I., make his
accession later than this event : Haigh in b. c. 677,
and Bosanquet in B.C. 673. The Bible, both in
Kings and Chronicles, gives Manasseh a reign of
fifty-five years ; and as he died B.C. 642, his accession
must have taken place in B.C. 697. He thus reigned
during the latter part of the reign of Sennacherib, the
whole of that of Esarhaddon, and part of that of
Assurbanipal. According to 2 Chron. 23. 11- 13 a
king of Assyria sent and carried Manasseh captive to
Babylon, and after being a short time in captivity he
was restored to his kingdom. Now of these three
Assyrian kings contemporary with Manasseh, king of
l66 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Judah, only one, Esarhaddon, resided at Babylon ;
and ancient testimony and modern opinion are en-
tirely in favour of the view, that it was he who
conquered Palestine and Egypt, and carried captive
the remnant of the ten tribes, and Manasseh, king of
Judah.
The chronology of the reign of Esarhaddon here
given, will show the date and position of these events.
B.C. 68 1 Civil war between Esarhaddon and his
brothers. Esarhaddon defeats them at Hanirabbat
and takes the throne.
B.C. 680 Conquest of Chaldea and of Abdimilkutti
king of Zidon ; tribute from the kings of Palestine and
Cyprus, including Manasseh, king of Judah.
B.C. 679 Defeat of a tribe of Cimmerians in Hu-
puskia (N.W. of Assyria).
B.C. 678 Conquest of Cilicia.
B.C. 677 Conquest of Telassar, Asguza, and
Minni.
B.C. 676 Punishment of the Dakkuri, a Chaldean
tribe.
B.C. 675 Invasion of" Arabia.
B.C. 674 Submission of Median chiefs, and of Bel-
basa the Gambulian.
B.C. 673 Tirhakah having made the whole of Pales-
tine revolt, Esarhaddon marched against him, de-
feated his forces in Philistia, carried into captivity
the remnant of Israel, sent Manasseh, king of Judah,
prisoner to Babylon, and drove Tirhakah out of
Egypt into Ethiopia. Assurbanipal, son of Esar-
haddon, associated with his father.
B.C. 672 Continuing the war, he besieged Bahal,
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 67
king of Tyre ; and crossing Palestine and Egypt, in-
vaded Ethiopia.
B.C. 671 Egypt re-organized and divided into
twenty governments by Esarhaddon ; Manasseh par-
doned and restored.
B.C. 669 Tirhakah again invades Egypt and expels
the Assyrians.
B.C. 668 Death of Esarhaddon.
Some of these dates are doubtful, but the time of
the revolt and conquest of Palestine and Egypt,
B.C. 673, 672, is fairly certain.
I have found altogether five accounts of Esar-
haddon's war with Tirhakah, all of these are, how-
ever, mutilated ; I have given among the Extracts
the fragments of the two best copies, one among the
others is on a stele cut in the rock, near the mouth
of the river Nahr el Kelb, in the North of Palestine.
The British Museum possesses a cast of this curious
monument in very bad condition, but a new inspec-
tion of the rock might give a much better cast. The
following fragments can be made out from our
present impression :
I To the god Hea lord of the sea . . .
2 maker of fate ....
3 (Esarhaddon) power and glory . . .
4 king of Assyria, high priest of Babylon ....
5 of Karduniyas, king
6 and Kush, king of the four regions, son of
Sennacherib
7 king of nations, king of Assyria. With joy and
shouting into Memphis the capital city of (Tarqu
king of Kush) ,
1 68 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
8 he entered. His in that city, which
from (remote times) had not been taken, he sat
9 and mace
10 all of them he entered, and
II his the houses of Tarqu king of Kush,
and his goods
12 the houses of ... . his sons ....
13 favour goods ....
14 . . . precious stones gold he brought
out ....
15 precious stones, everything without
number
16 beautifully made .... I opened, and ....
the treasures
17 . . . . of his royalty, the house of ... .
18 of a king which were beautiful
royalty ....
19 their . . . and 15 ... . of gold of the women
of his palaces ....
20 brickwork great . . .
21 camp of ... . without number
22 bronze, lead, antimony, horns of
buffaloes,
23 Tarqu king of Kush ... the royal
goods
24 his relatives and his family
25 his . . . and the . . . of the kings
26 wise men
27 silver like ....
28 women
29 and 30 lost.
31 Askelon
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 69
32 which Tarqu for his fortress had
made
53 city of Tyre
34 22 kings
35 to sy lost.
This confirms the fragment already mentioned in
p. 141, and appears to state, that Tirhakah had
fortified Askelon against the Assyrians. He had
evidently extended his influence over the whole of
Palestine and Cyprus, for Tyre and the 22 kings
of these regions are mentioned, and Esarhaddon was
forced to march against him, or to give up the com-
mand of the Mediterranean coast.
. The extent of the revolt will account for the
retribution of Esarhaddon, which included, as before
stated, the final captivity of Israel, and the impri-
sonment of Manasseh, king of Judah, at Babylon, to
which city Esarhaddon retired after the conquest of
Egypt.
Up to this time the people of Israel had been
allowed their own rulers, although they had been
directly appointed by the Assyrian monarchs since
the capture of Samaria ; but after this they were
placed under military governors like the rest of
Syria, and, in fact, incorporated with the empire.
The writer of the Book of Isaiah (ch. 7. 8) fixes
the date of this final captivity of Israel sixty-five
years after one of the attacks of Pekah and Rezin on
Ahaz, king of Judah ; and, adding sixty-five to B.C. 673,
we come to B.C. 738, at which date, according to
Tiglath Pileser, the king of Judah was at war with
some of his northern neighbours.
170 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
There is no other question connected with the
reign of Esarhaddon ; but on passing to the previous
reign, that of Sennacherib, there are several import-
ant points. It will be more convenient here, before
giving these, to sketch the chronology of the reign,
giving the limits within which it appears the various
campaigns took place :
B.C.
705 Accession of Sennacherib, revolt of Babylon.
704 Conquest of Merodach Baladan, king of Baby-
lon.
703 Bel-ibni (Belibus) made king of Babylon.
703, 702 Conquest of Illipi,
702, 701 Expedition against Hezekiah (Extracts
XXXI., XXXII., XXXIIL).
700 Expedition to Babylon, Assur-nadin-sum, son
of Sennacherib, made king of Babylon.
699, 698 Expedition to Nipur and Anara.
698-696 Expedition to Nagitu on the Persian
gulf.
697-694 Expedition to Elam.
696-691 Expedition to Babylonia.
695-690 Expedition to Babylonia ; destruction of
Babylon.
694-689 Expedition to Palestine and Arabia (Ex-
tracts XXXIV., XXXV.).
Sennacherib continued to reign at least down to
the year 684, and probably two or three years later,
but there is no record of the last part of his reign,
and no event can be fixed, even approximately, after
his second expedition to Palestine ; there is, in fact,
some doubt if the two last campaigns here given were
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. I7I
not later than I have placed them, the destruction of
Babylon may possibly be as late as b.c. 689.
It is evident that the fragment which I have given
in Extract XXXIV., refers to a late campaign in the
neighbourhood of Palestine, and the names of some
of the Arab tribes subdued are there given ; in this
war Sennacherib stormed the city of Edom, and
carried captive the gods of the king of that place ;
which deities were restored by Esarhaddon to the
Arabian monarch. There is, however, nothing to
prove that he touched Judea in this campaign, and
as the war happened after the death of Hezekiah, it
cannot be the one in which Sennacherib lost his
army.
There is a general agreement among chronologists
as to the date of the accession of Manasseh in Judah,
which happened somewhere between b.c. 6g8 and
697 ; I have chosen b.c, 697 as the most probable
date.
In the earlier part of the reign of Sennacherib, b.c.
702-701, he conducted his great campaign against
Hezekiah, king of Judah, which is recorded in Ex-
tract XXXI. In the Assyrian annals, the date
of this expedition is very clearly fixed ; and there is
no difference of opinion among scholars as to it ; but
there is some difficulty in fitting this date to the
statements of the Second Book of Kings. As Heze-
kiah died B.C. 697, after a reign of twenty-nine years,
his accession must have happened b.c. 726, and
2 Kings 18. 13, states, that the expedition of Senna-
cherib took place during his fourteenth year, which
would be B.C. 7i2-. This date is just about ten years
172 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
higher than the date of Sennacherib's expedition,
B.C. 702-701 ; and as the Assyrian date rests on the
best contemporary evidence, various suggestions have
been made to account for the discrepancy between
the two. The most curious of these are the specula-
tions of Haigh and Bosanquet. Mr. Bosanquet, who
cuts all the Bible dates down, finds the Assyrian
date of Sennacherib's invasion, B.C. 702-701, too high
for his system, and proposes that Sennacherib made
an expedition against Hezekiah in the second year of
the Jewish monarch's reign, which he fixes at B.C.
701 ! The Rev. D. H. Haigh, who also reduces the
chronology here, makes this the expedition in which
Samaria was besieged. These two views are fairly
out of question, as they are inconsistent with the
Assyrian inscriptions. Dr. Oppert reads the Biblical
date, "fourteenth year after Hezekiah's illness," in-
stead of "fourteenth of his reign." Ernest de Bun-
sen supposes that a previous expedition against Judah
in the reign of Sargon, B.C. 711, which was close to
the fourteenth year of Hezekiah, was the one intended,
and there is certainly some ground for this opinion,
in which he is supported by the Rev. A. H. Sayce,
Mr. Basil Cooper, and some other chronologists. I
myself think it a simpler, and probably more correct
view, to suppose that there is an error in the Book of
Kings, and that we should read "twenty-fourth"
instead of " fourteenth." The twenty-fourth of He-
zekiah would be B.C. 702, and would well synchronise
with the Assyrian date of this expedition. There is,
however, so much to be said in favour of the view
adopted by Ernest de Bunsen, that I must point out
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 73
some considerations in support of it. The Bible
states that the expedition in the fourteenth year of
Hezekiah was commanded by " Sennacherib, king of
Assyria," while the Assyrian canon and the annals of
Sargon show that the expedition of B.C. 711 was in
the reign of Sargon ; that of Sennacherib not com-
mencing until six years later. It appears probable,
however, that Sennacherib held some official rank
during his father's reign, and it is quite possible that
he commanded the expedition in B.C. 711, as his
father's deputy. In the tablet k 2169 Sennacherib is
called "rabsaki" (rabshakeh) or general, and "great
royal son," that is, heir to the throne; and he is said
to possess his own scribe ; the passage reads :
1 Tablet of Aia-suzubu-ilih the scribe
2 of the rabshakeh, of Sennacherib,
3 the great royal son of Sargon, king of Assyria.
The title, great royal son, was assumed by Assur-
banipal when he was associated with his father on
the throne.
Although it may not be certain if the campaign in
B.C. 711 is the one mentioned in the Second Book of
Kings, as directed against Hezekiah in his fourteenth
year, yet there are two other events mentioned which
evidently belong to this period. One is the illness of
Hezekiah, and the other is the embassy from Mero-
dach Baladan, to congratulate him on his recovery.
These events certainly belong to B.C. 712; and m
that year there was a partial eclipse of the sun
visible at Jerusalem, which may possibly account for
the alteration of the shadow on the dial of Ahaz,
2 Kincxs 20. 8-1 1. The cylinder of Sargon in the
174 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
British Museum, and the annals on the walls of his
palace, appear to differ as to the regnal year of the
expedition, B.C. 711. In the cylinder it is called the
ninth year, but in the annals it is called the eleventh
year. I have supposed the difference to have arisen
from the two documents counting the reign of
Sargon from two different starting points ; but it is
possible that this may be not so ; it may indicate
that the operations against Palestine were spread
over the two years, from B.C. 713 to 711.
These operations against Ashdod, are mentioned
in Isaiah 20, where we read : "In the year that
Tartan came unto Ashdod (when Sargon the king
of Assyria, sent him), and fought against Ashdod,
and took it."
A little earlier than these operations, in b.c. 715,
the Assyrians were also in Palestine. In that year
Sargon conquered some of the Arabian tribes, and
transported them into Samaria ; and Samsi, queen
of Arabia, with Ithamar the Sabean, and Pharaoh of
Egypt, gave presents to the Assyrians (Extract
XXVI n.).
Before this year, there are, belonging to the reign
of Sargon, the notices and fragments of the period,
B.C. 722 and 720. These are given in Extracts
XXII. to XXVII. In the present broken state of
these fragments, it appears as if operations against
Samaria, the capital of Israel, are mentioned, both
in B.C. 722 and 720, and the capture of the city and
captivity of the inhabitants are both mentioned in
B.C. 722. This date is therefore assumed by some
scholars as the date of the captivity of the ten tribes ;
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 75
but as the siege lasted two years, it appears to me
more likely that it commenced in b.c. 722, and ended
in B.C. 720. I account for the notice of the capture
of Samaria in the annals at b.c. 722, by supposing
that Sargon, having commenced the siege in that
year, went on to describe its conclusion before men-
tioning the campaign of b.c. 721, which was in a
totally different district. In confirmation of this
opinion, it may be mentioned that the earliest in-
scription of Sargon, from which Extract XXVII. is
taken, which was made in B.C. 720, is silent as to the
events of b.c. 722, and does not mention the capture
of Samaria.
From a consideration of the various texts, I judge
the order of the events to be :
B.C. 722 Death of Shalmaneser, accession of Sar-
gon, general revolt, Assyrians marched into Palestine
and besieged Samaria.
B.C. 721 Continuation of the siege.
B.C. 720 Sargon conquers Ilubihid of Hamath,
then marched to Samaria, which was stormed ; after-
wards he defeated Sibahe (Sevechus) of Eg>'pt, and
Hanun of Gaza.
The Assyrian evidence leads me to suggest a new
arrangement of the kings of the 25th, or Ethiopian,
dynasty in Egypt. The Assyrian texts mention all
three kings, but instead of the first being Sabaco, as
in the copies of Manetho, it is Sevechus who appears
first in the Assyrian inscriptions. Manetho at pre-
sent gives :
Sabaco.
Sevechus.
176 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Tirhakah.
While the Assyrian account gives :
Sibahe, or Sibahki ; the Sevechus of Manetho,
the Sabatok of the inscriptions, and the So, or
Sheva, of 2 Kings 17. 4. He was reigning B.C. 720.
Sabaku ; the Sabaco of the Greeks.
Tarqu ; the Tirhakah of the Bible, brother of the
wife of Sabaku. * •
The year b.c. 722 belongs partly to the reign of
Shalmaneser and partly to that of Sargon ; it is un-
certain if the siege of Samaria was commenced be-
fore the death of Shalmaneser or not : the passage
in 2 Kings 18. 9, favours the view that Shalmaneser
commenced the siege. Taking the accession of
Hezekiah at b.c. 726, the siege of Samaria from
B.C. 722 to 720, would precisely agree with the Bible
account, which makes, it last from the fourth to the
sixth of Hezekiah. Hoshea, the last king of Israel,
reigned nine years, and, as Samaria was captured
B.C. 720, his reign must have commenced b.c. 729 ;
and in Extract XVHI., Tiglath Pileser, whose
annals end in this year, mentions Hoshea's acces-
sion. The Second Book of Kings, chaps. 17, 18,
mentions that Hoshea was contemporary with Shal-
maneser, king of Assyria, and paid him tribute ; and
during the reign of Hoshea, b.c. 729 to 720, the
Assyrian canon gives a reign of five years to Shal-
maneser, B.C. 727 to 722. Throughout the reign of
Hoshea the correspondence between the Assyrian
records and the Bible is striking and complete ; and
it is not possible for any chronological system to be
correct which moves his reign from the position in
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 77
which it is fixed both by the Assyrian inscriptions
and the Second Book of Kings.
It is rarely that we can fix from external sources,
both the commencement and close of a reign, and
therefore this case, in which the accession of Hoshea
is given by Tiglath Pileser, the contemporary king,
Shalmaneser, given by the canon, and the fall of
Samaria by Sargon, is one of great chronological
importance.
The passage in Isaiah 14. 28, 29, appears to indi-
cate that the death of Tiglath Pileser took place very
near the time of the death of Ahaz ; and while Ahaz
died in B.C. 726, according to the Bible, Tiglath
Pileser died late in b.c. 727, according to the Assy-
rian inscriptions. Here again there appears a very
close agreement between the two records. On pass-
ing up from this point to the reign of Ahaz, we are,
however, surrounded with difficulties from which the
lower dates are free. Ahaz is stated to have reigned
sixteen years ; and therefore, as he died b.c. 726, he
must have ascended the throne B.C. 742. His reign
was contemporary with that of Tiglath Pileser, which
extended from b.c. 745 to 727, and in their time
there was an important and intimate connection be-
tween Assyria and Palestine.
The last synchronism of importance in the annals
of Tiglath Pileser is at the accession of Hoshea, king
of Israel. The date of this event is fixed within
narrow limits ; it took place after Tiglath Pileser's
expedition to Palestine, which ended b.c. 732, and
not later than b.c. 729, which was the seventeenth
year of Tiglath Pileser, and the year in which his
18
lyS THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
annals ended. This makes a possible latitude of
two years, b.c. 731 to 729; and it is a curious fact,
which I have pointed out with respect to the later
dates, that there is a doubt to the extent of two
years all down the chronology. I have, as I stated
in p. 176, chosen the date b.c. 729 for the accession
of Hoshea, having adhered to the lower dates
throughout, as they appear to me to agree better
with the Assyrian evidence.
Next in order, above the accession of Hoshea, we
have the war in Palestine, which lasted from b.c. 734
to 732. The date and place of this war are fixed by
the Assyrian canon, and Extracts XVI. to XX. give
what now remains of the Assyrian account. Beside
these, there is one fragment which formed the first
words of the war, and in position goes before Ex-
tract XVI., and should form part of that Extract, but
there is so much matter lost between the fragments
that I did not introduce it ; it is, " Rezin of Syria
" Small as this fragment is, it is
valuable, as showing that the name of Rezin was
in the heading which explained the origin of the
war. It is generally agreed among Assyriologists,
that this war was the one mentioned in 2 Kings 16,
2 Chronicles 28, and Isaiah 7, in which Ahaz, being
attacked by Rezin, king of Damascus, and Pekah
of Israel, sent and asked the aid of Tiglath Pileser,
who then came and conquered the whole of
Palestine.
The agreement between the fragments of the Assy-
rian record and the Biblical account is here clear
enough, and there can be no doubt that they refer to
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 79
the same events, but there is a curious difference as
to the name of the king of Judah. Ahaz is the name
given to this monarch in the Bible, but the Assyrian
inscription. Extract XX., calls him Yahuhazi or
Jehoahaz. In this case there is no question as to the
identity of the monarch, that is certain ; and in con-
sequence various theories have been advanced to
account for the difference of name, nothing, however,
is known on this point, but I am able to bring some
evidence to show that these tribute lists were some-
times carelessly compiled, and in error as to names.
This very tribute list. Extract XX., is one instance
in point, it contains the name of Metinti of Askelon,
who was already dead, according to Extract XVII.,
and had been succeeded by Rukiptu his son ; and
among the other tributaries is quoted Vassurmi of
Tubal, who, we are informed directly afterwards,
refused to come and give tribute, yet his name figures
among the others as paying it.
There is another instance in the tribute list in the
first expedition of Assurbanipal, Extract XL I., which,
so far as it is preserved, contains the same names as
that of Esarhaddon, about thirteen years before,
being most probably a literal copy of the earlier
document, without any attempt to ascertain if these
kings were still reigning, and if they really paid
tribute. One of these names is particularly doubtful,
the first in the list, Bahal of Tyre, who was in
rebellion late in the reign of Esarhaddon, and only
submitted on the third expedition of Assurbanipal.
These evidences of error in the tribute lists are
accompanied by similar false statements as to foreign
13
l8o THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
proper names in the annals of some of their kings,
and should serve as a caution against attaching too
much importance to a difference in a proper name
between the Bible and the inscriptions.
Before the year b.c. 734 Tiglath Pileser came to
Palestine, in B.C. 738, and found a war already
raging there, in which Judah and Hamath were
involved. It appears, so far as we can gather from
the Assyrian fragments. Extracts XIV. and XV.,
that in this contest the people of Hamath sided with
Judah ; but this is not quite certain, owing to the
mutilation of the fragments. This expedition fell
within both the reign of Ahaz and that of Pekah of
Israel, the predecessor of Hoshea, yet the Assyrian
annals give the name of Azariah to the king of Judah,
and Menahem to the monarch of Israel. Menahem
was the name of the king of Israel who had some years
previously paid tribute to Pul, king of Assyria, and
Azariah was his contemporary in Judah. In this case
it is probable that the Assyrian writer did not know
that the crowns had changed hands, or that Ahaz and
Pekah had more than one name. This is not so im-
probable as it might appear at first sight, for there are
two other instances in which kings are certainly called
by more than one name, in 2 Chron. 21. 17, we have
Jehoahaz ; in 22. i, we have Ahaziah, which is the same
name with the elements reversed; and in ch. 22. 6,
we have Azariah, all for the same monarch. Now
if Ahaziah and Azariah were considered equivalent
names, or names of the same meaning, then Ahaz,
who is certainly called Ahaziah, might also be
called Azariah. Otherwise, if we are to suspect
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. l8l
some error of the Jews with respect to their own
proper names, how much more is it likely that the
Assyrians, living at a distance, might make a mis-
take. The second instance in the Bible where a
king bears two names, is that of Uzziah, who is also
called Azariah. In the case of the expedition of
Tiglath Pileser in B.C. 738, it appears to me far
more reasonable to suppose that Ahaz and Pekah
are intended, in preference to altering all the earlier
Bible chronology and bringing down the date of
Azariah and Menahem to the middle of the reign
of Tiglath Pileser. The fact that when Tiglath
Pileser came to Palestine, in b.c. 738, he found
a war going on against the king of Judah, in which
the people, even as far as Hamath, joined, Extracts
XIV. and XV., accords also much better with the
Biblical account of the reign of Ahaz than with that
of Azariah, for while Ahaz was engaged in war with
his northern neighbours, no such contest is noticed
in the Bible during the reign of Azariah. In this
campaign of Tiglath Pileser he appears to have been
hostile to Judah, for so far as we can gather from
the mutilated inscriptions, he punished some of the
people of Hamath for taking part with Judah in the
war.
There is a still earlier Syrian war of Tiglath Pileser
which extended from b.c. 743 to 740. Very few details
of it are preserved. Extract XIII. being the only frag-
ment of importance. In this war Tiglath Pileser
conquered Northern Syria, the centre of his operations
being the city of Arpad, which lay somewhere near
Hamath. This expedition of Tiglath Pileser coin-
1 82 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
cided with the accession of Ahaz, b.c. 742, and the
first attack made by Syria and Israel against Judah.
In the view which I now take, that the Syrian wars
of Tiglath Pileser, in b.c. 743-740, and 738, happened
during the reign of Ahaz, I am departing from my
original opinion, which was that these events hap-
pened in the time of Azariah, and I am differing from
the opinion of Sir H. Rawlinson, Canon Rawlinson,
Professors Schrader and Brandes, who accept as
correct the Assyrian statements. In noticing this
difference, I must confess that the view held by the
two Rawlinsons and the German Professors is more
consistent with the literal statements of the Assyrian
inscriptions than my own, but I am utterly unable to
see how the Biblical chronology can be so far astray
here as the inscriptions lead one to suppose.
The view of Professor Oppert is, that the Mena-
hem mentioned in the inscriptions of Tiglath Pileser,
was a grandson of the Menahem of the Bible, and
an opponent of Pekah in the Assyrian interest, and
he makes the Azariah, mentioned by Tiglath Pileser,
to be the '' son of Tabeal," spoken of in Isaiah 7. 6.
Professor Oppert's date for Ahaz, is b.c. 742, the
same as that of Archbishop Ussher, and the one I
have now adopted.
About ten years before the accession of Tiglath Pi-
leser, in B.C. 755, and 754, there were two expeditions
to Syria : one to Hadrach, the other to Arpad. These
are only known from, the Assyrian Canon, and no
details have been discovered respecting them ; they
must have happened during the reign of Jotham the
father of Ahaz, b.c. 758 to 742.
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 183
In B.C. 765 there was also an expedition to Hadrach,
of which we have no details ; this must have fallen
during the reign of Azariah king of Judah. In the
year B.C. 763 an event happened in Assyria which
appears also to have been noticed in Palestine ; this
was a great solar eclipse (see p. 63), which Mr. J. W.
Bosanquet has happily connected with the passage
in Amos 8. 9. There appears also a slight allusion
to it in Amos 5. 8.
The next point of contact between Assyria and
Palestine appears to have happened at the accession
of Menahem, king of Israel.
Uzziah or Azariah, king of Judah, reigned fifty-two
years, from B.C. 810 to 758. In his thirty-eighth year,
B.C. 773, Jeroboam died ; and after two short reigns,
amounting to seven months, Menahem, an Israelitish
general, took possession of the throne. The people
were dissatisfied at his usurpation, and refused to ac-
knowledge him as king, on which Menahem turned
to Pul king of Assyria, who was then in Palestine,
and purchased his recognition at the price of one
thousand talents of silver, 2 Kings 15. IQ- It is evi-
dent from the Biblical account that Pul was a power-
ful monarch, who was then extending his dominion
over Palestine ; and it has been one of the greatest
problems of Assyriologists to discover which king of
Assyria is called Pul in the Bible. This question
forms the key of the whole chronological problem.
I have already given some notice of it in p. 76, but
the importance of the subject justifies a fuller dis-
cussion of the evidence. The third suggestion which
I have there noticed (that of Sir H. Rawlinson and
184 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Professor Schrader) is closely in accordance with the
Assyrian evidence, if the Biblical chronology is ig-
nored. According to this, Pul and Tiglath Pileser
are names of the same monarch, and while we have
in the Bible, Azariah, Menahem and Pul contem-
porary, we have in the inscriptions Azariah, Menahem
and Tiglath Pileser (see Extract XV.) . This view,
however, necessitates lowering the date of the acces-
sion of Menahem, king of Israel, to b.c. 744, and
obliges us to make corresponding reductions above,
so that the date of the death of Solomon would fall
about B.C. 932. There are two points apparently in
favour of this low chronology :
1. There is some evidence from Roman authors that
Carthage was founded about b.c. 715, and the founda-
tion of that city is stated by Josephus to have been
155 years and 8 months after the accession of Hirom,
king of Tyre, the friend and contemporary of Solomon.
This would give b.c. 971 for the accession of Hirom.
2. The best copy of Manetho, that of Africanus,
gives the date of the accession of Sheshonk or Shishak,
the leader of the twenty-second Egyptian dynasty, at
B.C. 935, and as Shishak came to the Egyptian throne
during the latter part of the reign of Solomon, this
would suit the lower date b.c. 932 for the death of
Solomon.
The theory that Pul is Tiglath Pileser is supported
by stronger evidence than any other which has been
brought forward, but the difficulty of crowding all the
events, from the accession of Menahem, king of Israel,
down to that of Hosea, a period according to the
Bible of three successive reigns, and forty-three years.
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 185
into the seventeen years of Tiglath Pileser's annals,
forms, I think, an insuperable objection to this view.
Canon Rawlinson, Ernest de Bunsen, and Rev.
D. H. Haigh, all suppose that Pul reigned a little
before Tiglath Pileser ; Canon Rawlinson thinks he
was a Pretender, who held possession of the western
provinces ; Ernest de Bunsen thinks he began his
reign b.c. 763, the year of the eclipse ; and Rev. D.
H. Haigh makes him the Assur-nirari of the Assyrian
canon, with the date b.c. 754. This was at first
my own view, but I have been forced to abandon it
as untenable. These speculations have, however,
little support, and are not likely to be correct.
Dr. Oppert, as I have stated in pp. 4, 5, 75, makes
a gap of forty-seven years in the canon, and places
Pul there. The evidence of the truth of the canon
already given, appears to me to place this hypothesis
out of the question.
My own theory for the solution of the problem is
founded on the principle I have followed out in all
these dates, the principle of taking the Assyrian
records to be correct as to Assyrian dates, and the
Hebrew records as to Hebrew dates. The date I fix
for the accession of Zachariah, king of Israel, is
B.C. 773, which is exactly the same date as Ussher's,
in the margin of our Bible, 2 Kings 15. 8. According
to our marginal dates, the submission of Menahem
to Pul took place within two years of this, that is, m
B.C. 771. I should be inclined to place this event a
little earlier, at least in b.c 772, probably in T]i,
but a difference of two years may be partly accounted
for by different methods of dating. Now it is a
1 86 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
curious fact that in this period, at the commence-
ment of the reign of Menahem, the Assyrian canon
registers two successive expeditions to Palestine, in
B.C. 773 to Damascus, and in 772 to the neighbouring
city of Hadrach. These expeditions so closely cor-
respond in time with the Biblical date of Pul's
expedition, that I am strongly of opinion that one of
these campaigns was the occasion on which Menahem
invoked the aid of the Assyrian monarch. From an
Assyrian point of view I should think the campaign
in B.C. 773, when the Assyrians went to Damascus,
most likely to be the expedition in question, for
Damascus, the terminus of this campaign, is nearer
to the territory of Israel than any other city reached
by the Assyrians down to the time of Tiglath Pileser.
The expedition in B.C. 773 occurs, however, according
to the canon, in the reign of Shalmaneser III., whose
name cannot by any process be tortured into a
resemblance to Pul. This objection I think can be
explained by a curious notice in two inscriptions of
Vul-nirari, the predecessor of Shalmaneser. From
this notice I judge that Shalmaneser was the son of
Vul-nirari, and did not reign independently, but was
associated with his father during his lifetime ; and I
believe that Vul-nirari continued to reign at least as
late as b.c. 773.
The passage in question, which is found in C/.,
Vol. I., p. 35, reads :
" Palace of Vul-nirari, the great king, the powerful
king, king of nations, king of Assyria. The king, whom
in his son, Assur, king of the spirits, has renowned,
and a dominion unequalled has given to his hand."
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 1 87
This allusion to Vul-nirari being renowned through
his son points to his being associated in the govern-
ment.
Again, in his principal inscription, Extract XII.,
Vul-nirari celebrates a special expedition to Damas-
cus, and immediately before it, states that he took
tribute from Tyre, Zidon, the land of Omri or Israel,
Edom, and Philistia. Now the expedition to Damas-
cus, in B.C. "j^^ is the only one in the eponym canon
to that place which comes anywhere near the time of
Vulnirari ; and his statement that he took tribute from
the land of Omri corresponds precisely with the
Biblical statement, that Menahem, king of Israel,
paid tribute to Pul. It has been conjectured for
many years that the name of Vul-nirari contains the
elements of the Biblical Pul. Pur or Pul is one of
the well-known values of the first element in the
name, and it was quite in accordance with Assyrian
custom to shorten similar names in common use ;
thus : the king Agu-kak-rimi is generally called Agu,
and Ragmu-seri-ina-namari, a long name in the
Izdubar legends, is often shortened to Ragmu ; so
the name Vul-nirari, which was probably Pul-nirari,
was quite possibly shortened to Pul.
On the strength of the inscription in which he
states that he subdued and took tribute from the
land of Omri, or Israel, Sir Henry Rawlinson, some
years back, identified Vul-nirari with the Biblical
Pul ; but he afterwards abandoned this view when
he discovered the eponym canon.
During the earlier part of the reign of Vul-nirari,
he came several times to Syria ; in B.C. 806 to Arpad,
loo THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
on the west of the Euphrates ; next year to the
Upper Orontes ; in the following year to Bahili, in
Phoenicia ; and in B.C. 803 to the coast of the Me-
diterranean ; in B.C. 797 he marched to Manzuat, or
Sarrigat, a place the position of which is unknown ;
and in b.c. 786 he reached Kisku, in the land of
Hamath : no details of any of these campaigns are
known; but, judging from the localities mentioned, he
does not appear to have touched Damascus or
Palestine proper until b.c. 'j']'}^.
These earlier expeditions of Vul-nirari took place
during the reign of Jeroboam II., king of Israel, who
ascended the throne b.c. 824.
For some years previous to this there was no direct
communication between Assyria and Palestine, and
in the interval a great revolt happened in Assyria,
which ended in the capture of Nineveh, Assur, and
other cities. Passing the period of this revolt, we
come to an interesting series of expeditions in the
reign of Shalmaneser II. Extracts I. to XL These
give us the following information :
B.C.
854 Expedition to Hamath ; war with Ben-hadad
of Damascus and his allies, including Ahab of Zir-
hala.
850 Defeat of Ben-hadad and his allies.
849 Defeat of Ben-hadad and his allies.
846 Defeat of Ben-hadad and his allies.
842 Expedition to Lebanon ; defeat of Hazael of
Damascus ; siege of Damascus ; tribute from Jehu,
son of Omri.
839 Capture of four towns of Hazael of Damascus.
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 189
Now the ordinary view among Assyriologists is,
that the Ahab and Jehu here mentioned are the two
kings of Israel so named ; if this be so, then Ahab
must have died b.c. 854, and Jehu have come to the
throne b.c. 842 ; in each case more than forty years
after the BibHcal date. There is, however, another
possible view of the question, which will solve this
difficulty. The two names in question may not
belong to these Hebrew kings at all. The first one
is called Ahab of Zirhala ; and Professor Oppert, who
discovered the name, reads Ahab the Israelite ; but
some ingenious remarks have been made on the
name Zirhala by the Rev. D. H. Haigh, who has
pointed out that Zir is not the usual reading of the
first character, and that the name should be Suhala ;
and he suggests that the geographical name Sam-
hala, or Savhala, a kingdom near Damascus, is in-
tended in this place, and not the kingdom of Israel.
The hypothesis of the Rev. D. H. Haigh may be
correct ; certainly he is right as to the usual phonetic
value of the first character of this geographical name ;
but on the other hand, we find it certainly used
sometimes for the syllable zir. Even if the view of
the Rev. D. H. Haigh has to be given up, and if the
reading, Ahab the Israelite, has to be accepted, it
would be possible that this was not the Ahab of
Scripture. The time when this battle took place,
B c 854, was, according to the chronology here sug-
crested, during the reign of Jehoahaz, king of Israel,
B c 857 to 840 ; and at this time part of the territory
of Israel had been conquered, and was held by the
kingdom of Damascus: it is quite possible that m
igO THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
the part of the country under the dominion of Da-
mascus a ruler named Ahab may have reigned, and
that he may have assisted Ben-hadad with his forces
against the Assyrians. It does not seem Hkely that
the BibHcal Ahab, who was the foe of the king of
Damascus, sent any troops to his aid, at least, such
a circumstance is never hinted at in the Bible, and is
contrary to the description of his conduct and reign.
Under these circumstances I have given up the iden-
tification of the Ahab who assisted Ben-hadad at the
battle of Qarqar, B.C. 854, with the Ahab, king of
Israel, who died, I believe, forty-five years earlier, in
B.C. 899.
There is another supposed Hebrew king in the
annals of Shalmaneser, b.c. 842, Extracts VIII. and
X., called "Jehu son of Omri," who is generally
identified with "Jehu son of Nimshi," the king of
Israel. The country ruled by Jehu, son of Omri, is
not stated in the inscriptions ; and it appears unlikely
that Jehu, king of Israel, who exterminated the family
of Omri, should call himself son of that king. With-
out advancing any theory for the identification of the
monarch mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions, I
would urge that the identity of the Jehu of the Bible
with the Jehu of the inscriptions is not proved, and
that these notices are not enough to force us to alter
all our Bible dates.
There remain for consideration the names of the
kings of Damascus in the annals of Shalmaneser.
From these inscriptions we learn that there was a Ben-
hadar or Ben-hadad who was on the throne B.C. 856,
and ended his reign between b.c. 846 and 842, and that
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. IQI
his successor, Hazael, ascended the throne between
B.C. 846 and 842. The notices of the kings of Damas-
cus in 2 Kings, appear to me inconsistent in some
places, and I suspect a sUght error between 2 Kings
13. 3, and 2 Kings 13. 22. The following is the view I
am inclined to take as to the kings of Damascus.
Rezin I. . . .
Tab-rimon .
Ben-hadad I.
(King name unknown)
Ben-hadad II.
Hazael I.
Benhadad III. .
Hazael II. .
Benhadad IV. .
Manha
Hadara (?) .
Rezin II.
ABOUT B.C.
990 to 970
970 to 950
950 to 930
930 to 910
910 to 886
886 to 857
857 to 844
844 to 830
830 to 800
800 to 770
770 to 750
750 to 732
CONTEMPORARY WITH
Solomon ; i Kings xi. 23-25 ;
called Hezion ; i Kings
XV. 18.
Jeroboam; i Kings xv. 18.
Baasha; i Kings xv. 18-20.
Omri ; i Kings xx. 34.
Ahab ; i Kings xx.
Jehu ; 2 Kings viii. 9.
Jehoahazj 2 Kingsxiii.3. In-
scriptions of Shalmaneser.
Jehoahaz and Joash ; 2 Kings
xii. 17 ; xiii. 22.
Joash and Jeroboam ; 2 Kings
xiii. 24.
Jeroboam. Inscription of
Vul-nirari III.
Menahem. Inscription of
Tiglath Pileser, Extract
XVI., II.
Pekah ; 2 Kings xv, 37. In-
scriptions of Tiglath Pi-
leser.
The two kings most doubtful in this Hst are
192 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Hazael II. and Ben-hadad IV.; it is possible that
these may be only duplicates of Hazael I. and Ben-
hadad III., and if so, then all my argument would
fall to the ground, because the date of the accession
of the king, named Hazael in the inscription of Shal-
maneser, is certainly between B.C. 846-842 ; and if he
was Hazael, the contemporary of Jehu, the date of
Jehu and of all the kings above, must be reduced
over forty years.
In the Bible account of this period, during the
reign of Jehoahaz king of Israel, we are told that
the Lord sent Israel a saviour, who delivered them
out of the hand of the Syrians, and it has been
suspected, that this saviour was no other than an
Assyrian monarch, who by defeating the king of
Damascus, gave a respite to the Israelites. I am of
opinion that Shalmaneser is the saviour alluded to ;
and that his campaigns against Ben-hadad broke the
power of that monarch for a time, and so gave a
breathing time to the Israelites.
Earlier than the time of Shalmaneser there is no
synchronism between the histories of the two king-
doms of Israel and Assyria ; and, as I have urged
the probability of errors in the Assyrian accounts,
where they differ on Jewish matters from the Bible,
it would be useful, before quitting the subject,, to
point out all the known instances of errors or ignor-
ance in the Assyrian inscriptions on historical points.
Commencing with the inscriptions of Shalmaneser,
we have in the black obelisk the most glaring
chronological error in the range of the inscriptions.
In line 45, the eponymy of Dayanassur is given for
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. I93
the fourth year of Shalmaneser and the war against
Ahuni of Tul-barsab ; whereas the earher and cor-
rect text on the Kurkh monoHth has the eponymy of
Assur-banai-uzur two years earher.
In the Kurkh monohth, the name of Shalmaneser
himself is written Ilu-manu-uzur ; part of the word
being omitted by an accidental error ; and in the
body of the inscription, in the account of the war
with Ben-hadad, Extract I., there are considerable
differences from the other copies, as to the kings
confederate with Ben-hadad; only eleven are enu-
merated in Extract I., yet they are called " these
twelve kings." In Extract II. they are called, " Ben-
hadad of Syria, Irhulini of Hamath, and the twelve
kings," making in all, fourteen ; we have the same
in Extract IV. ; then in Extract V. we have, " Ben-
hadad of Syria and the twelve kings, making thir-
teen ; again, in Extract VII., we have simply twelve
kings; in Extract I., line 90, Shalmaneser calls
Qarqar or Aroer " my royal city," instead of his
royal city ; and in line 97 the slain are counted at
14,000; while in Extract II. they are given as 25,000;
and in Extract III. at 20,500; all in accounts of the
same battle !
There are some minor errors in figures in the
annals of Tiglath Pileser ; and apparently errors in
the names entered in the tribute list. Extract XX.,
B.C. 732, which I have alluded to in page 179: and
in a subsequent line of the inscription, from which
this Extract is copied, we are informed that Metenna
was king of Tyre, whereas the Tyrian fragments,
given by Josephus, show Luli or Elulias king of
14
194 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Tyre between b.c. ']'^'] and 701. In this case I
cannot tell which is right, but give the circumstance
to show that the Assyrian records sometimes differed
from the records of other countries with which they
came into contact.
In the reign of Sargon, there is what appears to be
a false date in the eponymy of Mannu-ki-assur-liha,
page 86, where we have twelfth year, instead of
thirteenth.
In the history of Sennacherib, the captured cities
in the first campaign are given in the Bellino cylin-
der as eighty-nine fortresses and 820 smaller cities ;
while the Taylor inscription gives seventy-five fort-
resses and 420 smaller cities. Some of the inscrip-
tions call Sennacherib, Assuracherib ; and we have
Garacherib and Belacherib also, as erroneous varia-
tions of the name.
In page gi I have given, under b.c. 681, a date on
a contract written "in the eponymy after Nabu-sar-
uzur, as if the writer did not know who was then
eponym in Assyria ; and in page 92, under b.c. 680,
there is an erroneous title to the eponym in one
case.
I have already stated, page 179, that the tribute
list in the first expedition of Assurbanipal is doubt-
ful ; there are other cases of difficulty in the reign of
this monarch. In the tablet k 2675, History of
Assurbanipal^ pp. ']'>^ to 76, there is an account of the
tribute of Mugallu, king of Tubal ; but the Assyrian
scribe has left the name of the country blank, pro-
bably not knowing it. In page 142 of the same
work, I have given an epigraph from the Elamite
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 195
war with Teumman, in which the scribe did not
know the name of the Elamite prince, and left the
space for the name blank ; and in page 148 of the
History of Assurbanipal, I have given another in-
stance, where two proper names of persons tortured
at Nineveh are omitted, blank spaces being left for
the names. There is another curious case of mis-
statement in the reign of this monarch. Esar-
haddon informs us that Sennacherib had carried
captive the gods of the king of Arabia ; and that he,
Esarhaddon, on the petition of Hazael, had restored
them. The incidents are given also by Assur-
banipal, who rightly states that they were captured
by Sennacherib and restored by Esarhaddon ; yet in
one of his inscriptions. Cylinder B., History of Assur-
banipal, page 283, he contradicts these statements,
making out that Esarhaddon had carried the idols
away, and he (Assurbanipal) had restored them to
Vaiteh, the son of Hazael. It is difficult to suppose
a want of knowledge here ; it appears to be a bold
attempt to claim the deed of a former monarch as
his own, as he desired to make out that the Arabian
monarch had sworn submission to himself when he
delivered the idols, an incident which never occurred
in his reign at all. From such an instance as this,
we can see how a name like Menahem might be
continued in the list of Assyrian tributaries, and his
country be counted as subject to Assyria, long after
Menahem and Pul were dead; the new king of
Assyria ignoring the march of events, and not ad-
mitting that the tributary was dead, and the subject
country in revolt.
196 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
There are other cases of error in the Assyrian in-
scriptions, but most of these do not bear on the
subjects discussed here.
In the chronology I have adopted, the reign of Jehu
falls from B.C. 885 to 857 ; and from his time there is
scarcely a single question until we arrive at the date
of the death of Solomon. The united reigns of the
kings of Israel, between the death of Solomon and
the accession of Jehu, according to the Books of
Kings, amounted to ninety-eight years, while those
of the kings of Judah, for the same period, amounted
to ninety-five years ; which of- these numbers is
nearest to the truth I cannot tell, but I adopt ninety-
six years as a medium between the two, and arrive
by this at the date B.C. 981 for the death of Solomon.
In this part of the history there is really nothing to
check the Biblical numbers, and the date chosen for
the death of Solomon must depend upon the view
taken of the chronological passages in the Books of
Kings. I am not inclined myself to attach great
importance to the synchronisms between the dates of
the kings of Judah and Israel there given; it appears
as if they were in error in several places, and some
of the statements are not consistent with each other;
but in general, the error is only of one or two years,
and is easily rectified.
If our knowledge of Egyptian chronology was
more complete, we might here derive assistance from
it, as to two of the Hebrew dates, one of these is
the invasion of Judah by Zerah the Ethiopian, and
the other is the invasion of Palestine by Sesonq, or
Shishak, the first king of the 22nd Egyptian dynasty.
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. I97
The invasion of Zerah the Ethiopian, took place
in the fifteenth year of Asa, according to my view,
B.C. 945. It is admitted on all hands that he must
have come up through Egypt, and therefore, for a
time overcome the reigning monarch there, and from
the fact that this invasion was 31 years after that of
Shishak, it is evident that it took place during the
reign of Takelut I., who was the third king of the
22nd dynasty. Now there is a curious relation on
an inscription at Thebes, that in the 15th year of
this king, on the 25th day of the month Mesori,
there was an eclipse of the moon, and at the
same time a calamity happened in the country
from the rise of a body of enemies. I think
this refers to the invasion of Zerah, and use the
eclipse as a means of fixing the date. Among
Egyptian scholars there has been very great dif-
ference of opinion as to the time of the eclipse, as it
was sought for lower down in the history, and no
corresponding eclipse visible at Thebes could be
found. I believe the eclipse of April 4, B.C. 945, is
the correct one, and that it will fix for us the date
of several events. According to this the Egyptian
kings of the period will be :
Sesonq I., 21 years - - - B.C. 995.
Osorkon I., 15 years - - - B.C. 974.
Takelut I. - - - - ^-^-^SQ-
Invasion of Zerah - - eclipse B.C. 945-
This will agree exactly with the chronological
views advocated in the present volume, for Shishak
was reigning both during the time of Solomon and
that of Rehoboam, and the date of Zerah falls m
igS THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
the 15th of Asa king of Judah, but the connection
between the inscription and the invasion of Zerah,
is at present only a conjecture.
There is a curious passage in Ezekiel 4. 5, from
which it is supposed that 390 years were counted
from the death of Solomon down to the fifth year of
Jehoiachin's captivity. The latter date will fall in
B.C. 594 or 593, and if Solomon died B.C. 98"!, there
will be 388 years between the two events, which is
very close to Ezekiel's statement.
Based upon these considerations, I have prepared
the following table, which gives my conclusions as
to the dates of the principal events, from the death
of Solomon to the time of Nebuchadnezzar :
Chronology from B.C. 983 to 562.
B.C.
981 Death of Solomon ; division of the Hebrew
monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
I Kings 12.
976 Invasion of Judea by Sesonq (Shishak), king
of Egypt. I Kings 14.
945 Zerah, the Cushite, invades Judah. 2 Chron. 14.
934 Baasha, king of Israel, builds Ramah as a
fortress against Judah ; Asa, king of Judah, sends
and asks the aid of Ben-hadad, of Damascus, who
then ravages the north of Israel, i Kings 15.
933 Accession of Omri, king of Israel, i Kings 16.
921 Accession of Ahab, king of Israel, i Kings 16.
913 Accession of Vul-nirari II., king of Assyria.
903 Ben-hadad II., king of Damascus, besieges
Samaria, i Kings 20.
902 Defeat of Ben-hadad by Ahab. i Kings 20.
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. IQQ
899 Alliance between Ahab of Israel and Jehosha-
phat of Judah ; they together attack Ben-hadad at
Ramoth Gilead ; Ahab slain in the battle. Revolt of
Mesha, king of Moab, from Israel, i Kings 22 ;
2 Kings I.
891 Accession of Tugulti-ninip II., king of Assyria.
886 Accession of Hazael, king of Damascus, and
Ahaziah, king of Judah. 2 Kings 8.
885 Accession of Assur-nazir-pal, king of Assyria,
Jehu, king of Israel, and Athaliah, queen of Judah.
2 Kings 9 to II.
879 Murder of Athaliah ; accession of Jehoash in
Judah. 2 Kings 11.
860 Accession of Shalmaneser, king of Assyria.
854 Expedition of Shalmaneser to Hamath; defeat
of Ben-hadad, king of Damascus, and his confederate
kings, among them a king named Ahab.
850-849 Expeditions to Syria by Shalmaneser;
defeats of Ben-hadad and his allies.
846 Expedition to Syria by Shalmaneser; defeat
of Ben-hadad and his allies.
842 Expedition of Shalmaneser to Lebanon ; de-
feat of Hazael, king of Damascus; siege of Damas-
cus ; march to the Mediterranean; tribute from Jehu,
son of Omri. ^ r>i -r ^•
840 Hazael, king of Damascus, invades Philistia
captures Gath, and takes tribute from Jehoash of
Tudah. 2 Kings 12. 17, 18. . ^ , •
8^q War between Shalmaneser, kmg of Assyria,
and Hazael of Damascus; four of Hazael's cities
captured; death of Jehoash of Judah. 2 Kings 12. 21.
825 Accession of Samsi-vul III., king of Assyria.
200 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
824 Accession of Jeroboam, king of Israel. 2 Kings
14. 23.
773-772 Death of Jeroboam ; accession of Zacha-
riah, Shallum, and Menahem ; campaigns of the
Assyrians to Damascus and Hadrach ; tribute of
Menahem to Pul king of Assyria. 2 Kings 15.
765 Expedition of the Assyrians to Hadrach.
763 Great total eclipse across Western Asia.
761 Death of Menahem ; accession of Pekahiah.
2 Kings 15. 23.
759 Pekah murders Pekahiah, and usurps the
throne of Israel. 2 Kings 15. 25 to 27.
758 Accession of Jotham, kingof Judah. 2 Kings
15- 32.
755 Assyrian expedition to Hadrach.
754 Assyrian expedition to Arpad.
747 Era of Nabonassar at Babylon.
745 Accession of Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria.
743 Assyrians in Arpad ; commencement of Syrian
war ; tribute from Rezin and other princes, defeat of
king of Armenia.
742 War at Arpad ; attack by Rezon and Pekah
on Judah ; accession of Ahazof Judah. 2 Kings 16, i.
741 War at Arpad.
740 Capture of Arpad by the Assyrians.
738 Expedition of Tiglath Pileser to Hamath;
second attack on Judah.
734 Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Damascus head
another attack on Judah ; Tiglath Pileser attacks
Palestine.
733 Siege of Damascus.
732 Capture of Damascus.
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE.
201
729 Death of Pekah; accession of Hoshea king
of Israel. 2 Kings 17. j.
727 Death of Tiglath Pileser ; accession of Shal-
maneser.
726 Death of Ahaz; accession of Hezekiah. 2 Kings
18. I. ^
725 Expedition of Shalmaneser against Hoshea of
Israel. 2 Kings 17. 3.
722 Death of Shalmaneser ; accession of Sargon ;
commencement of siege of Samaria.
721 Siege of Samaria.
720 Capture of Aroer and Samaria; defeat of
Sevechus of Egypt.
715 Campaign of Sargon against the Arabs;
tribute from Pharaoh.
712 Illness of Hezekiah ; embassy from Merodach
Baladan of Babylon.
711 Expedition against Ashdod. Isaiah 20. i.
705 Death of Sargon king of Assyria ; accession of
Sennacherib.
702-701 Expedition of Sennacherib against Heze-
kiah. 2 Kings 18. 13.
697 Death of Hezekiah king of Judah ; accession
of Manasseh. 2 Kings 20. 21.
694-690 Expedition of Sennacherib against Arabia.
681 Murder of Sennacherib ? Assur-ebil-ili-kain
made king at Nineveh ; civil war, Esarhaddon
defeats his brothers and takes the crown.
680 War with Zidon ; submission of all the rulers
of Palestine, including Manasseh of Judah.
673 Esarhaddon attacks Tirhakah king of Ethiopia,
who had caused Palestine to revolt, defeats the
202 THE ASSYRIAN EPONYM CANON.
Egyptians at Askelon and drives Tirhakah out of
Egypt.
672 Continuation of war ; siege of Tyre ; invasion
of Ethiopia.
671 Twenty kings set up in Egypt ; Manasseh
, released by Esarhaddon.
669 Tirhakah re-conquers Egypt.
668 Esarhaddon dies ; Assurbanipal expels Tir-
hakah.
667 Revolt of Egypt ; captivity of Necho ; death
of Tirhakah ; accession of Undamane, king of
Ethiopia.
666 Second expedition of Assurbanipal to Egypt ;
Undamane expelled.
665 Siege of Tyre.
648 The king of Arabia invades Palestine, ravages
the west of the Jordan and Hamath,
642 Accession of Amon king of Judah. 2 Kings
21. 19.
640 Accession of Josiah king of Judah. 2 Kings
22. I.
626 Accession of Nabopolassar king of Babylon.
609 Expedition of Necho to Carchemesh ; defeat
and death of Josiah ; accession of Jehoiakim.
2 Kings 23.
605 Nebuchadnezzar made king of Babylon ;
defeats Necho at Carchemesh, and conquers
Palestine.
603 Revolt of Jehoiakim from Nebuchadnezzar.
598 Death of Jehoiakim ; accession and captivity
of Jehoiachin ; accession of Zedekiah king of Judah.
2 Kings 24. ■
CHRONOLOGY OF ASSYRIA AND PALESTINE. 2O3
587 Siege and capture of Jerusalem ; destruction
of the temple. 2 Kings 25.
586-573 Siege of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar.
572 Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt.
562 Death of Nebuchadnezzar ; accession of Evil-
merodach king of Babylon. 2 Kings 25. 27.
205
APPENDIX.
|HILE the work was in progress, I have made
a few additional observations, which came too
late for insertion in the body of the book ; I have
in consequence given this short Appendix, and
insert with these notes some corrections of the texts.
In p. 36, under the year b.c. 748, in Canons II.
and III., read Vul-bel-ukin instead of Vul-bel-uzur ;
and in Canon IV., read Assur-bel-ukin instead of
Assur-bel-uzur.
I have found a large fragment, k 2800, belonging
to one of the tablets mentioned in p. ']^^ and can
now see that this text consisted of four columns of
writing, the first part describing the eighth campaign
of Sennacherib ; the latter part stating that he found
an inscription of Vul-nirari, a copy of which he gives.
This inscription, copied in the time of Sennacherib,
has the date in the eponymy of Mannu-ki-assur. I
am unable to confirm my suggestion as to the loi
years between this date and Sennacherib's discovery
of the inscriptions, because I cannot fix the date of
the eighth campaign, which may have happened
as early as b.c. 696, or as late as B.C. 691, and the
tablet shows no connection with the fragment men-
tioning the loi years.
206 APPENDIX.
There is an additional eponym to insert with those
on p. 79, it is on a tablet of Tiglath Pileser I.,
K 2815, " Ninip-nadin-pal, the great tukulu."
In p. 139, the 17th line of Extract XXXVII. ,
read Abi-bahal instead of Albi-bahal.
I have assumed that in general the accession of a
king was two years before his eponymy, but it
should be noted that no accession is ever marked in
the Assyrian eponym canon before that of Tiglath
Pileser II., B.C. 745, while after this date, the year,
month, and day of each accession are given. It
would appear that greater precision was then intro-
duced into the Assyrian records ; and it is curious
that the date of this change, B.C. 745, nearly syn-
chronises with the date of the commencement of
Ptolemy's canon at Babylon, B.C. 747, so that it is
probable that some change in this respect took
place at both capitals, at nearly the same time.
ARCHAIC CLASSICS.
ASSYRIAN GRAMMAR;
BY
REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
An Elementary Grammar and Reading Book of the Assyrian
Language, in the Cuneiform Character : containing the most com-
plete Syllabary yet extant, and which will serve also as a Vocabulary
of both Accadian and Assyrian.
Quarto, Cloth, 7^-. dd.
EGYPTIAN GRAMMAR;
BY
P. LE PAGE RENOUF, F.R.S.L.
An Elementary Manual of the Egyptian Language : with an
interiineary Reading Book : in the Hieroglyphic Character. In
two Parts. P»rt I : Grammar. Part II : Reading Book.
EXERCISE SHEETS.
These Sheets have been prepared to enable the Student to test
his progress, by translating a short passage from some well-known
Text. In Sheet No. i of each series, Assyrian and Egyptian, will be
given an interlineated Text, with space left between the lines for the
translation. And the succeeding Sheets will contain another portion
of Text, for translation, and also the correct rendering of the passage
given in the preceding Sheet
On Writing Paper, 2d. each.
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS,
15. PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.
RECORDS OF THE PAST. Vols. L— V.
Being English Translations of the Assyrian and Egyptian Monuments.
Published under the sanction of the Society of Biblical Archceology.
Each Vol., Crown octavo, Cloth, 3^-. (yd.
Contents of Vol. I. — Inscription of Rimmon Nirari, by the Rev. A. H. Sayce,
M.A. ; Inscription of Khammurabi, by H. Fox Talbot, F.R.S. ; Monolith Inscription
of Samas-Rimmon, by the Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A. ; Bellino's Cylinder of Sennacherib,
by H. Fox Talbot, F.R.S., etc. ; Taylor's Cylinder of Sennacherib, by H. Fox Talbot,
F.R.S. ; Annals of Assurbanipal, by George Smith; Behistun Inscription of Darius,
by Sir H. Rawlinson, K.C.B., D.C.L. ; Babylonian Exorcisms, by the Rev. A. H.
Sayce, M.A. ; Table of Assyrian Weights and Measures, by the Rev. A. H. Sayce,
M.A. ; Legend of Ishtar, by H. Fox Talbot, F.R.S. ; Early Astronomical Tablets, by the
Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A.; Assyrian Calendar, by the Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A. ; Lists
of further Texts, Assyrian and Egyptian selected by Geo. Smith, and P. Le
Page Renouf, F.R.S. L.
Contents of Vol. II. — Inscription of Una, Vlth Dynasty, by S. Birch, LL.D. ;
The Instructions of King Amenemhat I. to his son User-tesen I., Xllth Dynasty, by
G. Maspero, Docteur-es-Lettres, Professeur au College de France, et a I'licole des
Hautes Etudes ; Annals of Thothmes III. : XVIIIth Dynasty; The Statistical Tablet,
by S. Birch, LL.D. ; Annals of Thothmes III. : Tablet of Thothmes III., by S. Birch,
LL.D.; Annals of Thothmes III.: Account of the Battle of Megiddo, by S. Birch,
LL.D.; Annals of Thothmes III. Inscription of Amen-em-heb, by S. Birch, LL.D.;
The Third Sallier Papyrus. : The War of Rameses II. with the Khita, by Prof. E. L.
Lushington ; The Inscription of Pianchi Mer-Amon, King of Egypt, XXIInd
Dynasty, by F. C. Cook, M.A., Canon of Exeter, Preacher at Lincoln's Inn; Extract
from the Tablet of Newer-Hotep, by Paul Pierret ; Travels of an Egyptian, in Syria,
Phenicia, Palestine, etc., in the XlVth century B.C., from a Papyrus in the British
Museum, by MM. Chabas and Goodwin; translated from the French by S. M.
Drach ; The Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys, by P.J. De Horrack; Hymn to
Amen-Ra, by C. W. Goodwin, M.A. ; The Tale of the Two Brothers, by P. Le Page
Renouf, F.R.S.L. ; The Tale of the Doomed Prince, from a Papyrus in the British
Museum, by C. W. Goodwin, M.A.; Egyptian Calendar; Table of Egyptian
Dynasties; Egyptian Measures and Weights. Lists of further Texts.,
Contents of Vol. III. — Early History of Babylonia, by Geo. Smith; Tablet of
Ancient Accadian Laws, by Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A. ; Synchronous History of
Assyria and Babylonia, by Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A. ; Annals of Assur-nasir-pal,
by Rev. J. M. Rodwell, M.A,; Kurkh Inscription of Shalmaneser, by Rev. A. H.
Sayce, M.A. ; Inscription of Esarhaddon, by H. F". Talbot, F.R.S.; Second Inscrip-
tion of Esarhaddon, by H. F. Talbot, F.R.S.; An Accadian Liturgy, by Rev. A. H.
Sayce, M.A. ; Sacred Assyrian Poetry, by H. F. Talbot, F.R.S.; Babylonian
Charms, by Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A. ; Lists of further Texts.
Contents of Vol. IV. — -Historical Texts : — Annals of Thothmes III : Inscrip-
tion of Anebni ; Inscription of Aahmes ; Obelisk of the Lateran, by S. Birch, LL.D. ;
Obelisk of Rameses II., by Franyois Chabas; Treaty of Peace between Rameses II. and
the Hittites, by C. W. Goodwin, M.A.; Tablet of 400 years; Invasion of Egypt by
the Greeks in the Reign of Menephtah ; Dirge of Menephtah ; Possessed Princess,
by S. Birch, LL.D.; Tablet of Ahmes, by Paul Pierret; Neapolitan Stele, by C. W.
Goodwin, M.A. ; Rosetta Stone, by S. Birch, LL.D. Ethiopian Annals : — Stele of the
Dream, by G. Maspero ; Inscription of Queen Madsenen, by Paul Pierret; Stele of
the Excommunication, by G. Maspero. Mythological and Romantic Texts : — Hymn
to Osiris, by Francois Chabas ; Hymn to the Nile, by Rev. F. C. Cook ; Festal
Dirge of the Egyptians, by C. W. Goodwin, M.A. : Book of Respirations, by P. J.
De Horrack; Tale of Setnau, by P. Le Page Renouf; Lists of further Texts.
Contents of Vol. V.— Legend of the Infancy of Sargina I., by H. F. Talbot,
F.R.S. ; Inscription of Tiglath Pileser I., by Sir H. Rawlinson, K.C.B., D.C.L., etc. ;
Black Obelisk Inscription of Shalmaneser II., by the Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A.; Tiglath
Pileser II., by the Rev. J. M. Rodwell, M.A. ; Early History of Babylonia, Part II., by
George Smith ; Inscription of Nebuchadnezzar, by the Rev. J. M. Rodwell, M.A. ;
Inscription of Neriglissar, by the Rev. J. M. Rodwell, M.A.; Inscription of Nabonidus,
by H. F. Talbot, F.R.S.; Inscription of Darius, at Nakshi Rustam, by H. F. Talbot,
F.R.S. ; Accadian Hymn to Istar, by the Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A. ; War of the Seven
Evil Spirits against Heaven, by H. F. Talbot, F.R.S. ; Tables of Omens, by the Rev.
A. H. Sayce, M.A. ; Lists of Further Texts.
Vol. VL, Egyptian Texts, December, 1875.
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS, 15, Paternoster Row, London.
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