Sargon II 001

(1) [Sargon (II), appointee of the god Enlil, nešakku-priest (and) desired object of the god Aššur, chosen of the gods Anu and Dagān, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), favorite of the great gods];

(2b) [just shepherd, (one) to whom the gods Aššur (and) Marduk granted a reign without eq]ual [and whose reputation (these gods) exalt/exalted to the heights];

(3) [who (re)-established the šubarrû-privileges of (the cities) Sippar, Nippur, (and) Babylon, protects the weak among them (lit.: “their weak ones”), (and) made restitution for the wrongful damage suffered by them; who (re)-established the privileged status of (the city) Baltil (Aššur) that had lapsed, who abolished corvée duty for the city Dēr (and) gave relief to their people; (most) capable of all rulers, who extended his prote]ction [over the city Ḫarrān and recorded its exemption (from obligations) as if (its people were) people of the gods Anu and Dagān];

(5b) [the strong man who is clad in awesome splendor (and) whose weapons are raised] to strike down (his) enemies; [the king who since the (first) day of his reign has had no ruler who could equal him and has me]t [no one] who could overpo[wer (him) in war or battle; (who) smashed all] (enemy) lands [as if (they were) pots and put halters on (all) rebels in the four (quarters of the world); (who) opened up] in[numerable distant mountainous areas who]se [pa]ss(es) are difficult [and visited their remotest region(s)]; (who) traversed [inaccessible, difficult paths in terrifying location(s)] and crossed eve[ry swamp];

(8b) [(who) ruled from the land Rāši on the border of the land Elam, the Puqudu (and) Damūnu (tribes), the cities Dūr-Kurigalzu (and) Rapi]qu, all of Chaldea, as far as the other side [of the sea ...; (who)se great hand] con[quered from] the land Ḫašmar to the city Ṣibar — which borders on the [distant] Medes [in the east — the lands Namri, Ellipi, Bīt-Ḫamban, Parsua(š), Mannea, Urarṭu, Kask]u, (and) Tabal, as far as the land Musku; [(who) set eunuchs of his as governors over them and] imposed upon them [(the same) tribute (and) payment(s) as if (they were) Ass]yrians —

(12b) At the be[ginning of my reign, having ascended the royal throne and been crowned with the crown of lordship, ... (as for) the peo]ple [of the city Samar]ia [who had come to an agreement with a king hostile to me not to do obeisance (to me) or to bring tribute (to me) and (who) had offered battle, with the might of the god Aššur, my lord, who ma]kes me triumph, [I fought them and brought about their defeat ... I] carried off as booty [27,280/27,290 people who lived there. [I conscripted] 50 chariot(s) from [among them] into my royal (military) contingent [and (re)settled the remainder of them in Assyria ... I res]tored [the city Samaria] and made (it) greater than before. [I brought there] people from the lands that [I had] conquer[ed. I set a eunuch of mine as provincial governor over them and imposed upon them (the same) tribute] (and) payment(s) as if (they were) Assyrians.

(17b) [I opened up a sealed-off] ha[rbor district of Egypt], mingled together [the people of Assyria and Egypt], and allowed (them) to engage in trade.

(18b) I[n my first regnal year, (...) Ḫumbanigaš (Ḫumban-nikaš I), the Elamite, ...] committed [a crime] and became hostile to me, (wanting) to (do) battle ... [... I] brought about his [def]eat [on the outskirts of Dēr].

(20b) The Tuʾmūna (tribe) [threw off] the yoke of the god Aššur, [arrested their sheikh, and brought (him) before the king of Chalde]a who [exercised] the kingship over Babylon against the will of the gods, [...] I deported [...]+7 people together with their property and [...] I (re)settled (them) [(...) in the land Ḫ]atti (Syria).

(23b) In my second regnal year, Ilu-b[iʾdī of the land Hamath ...] assembled [the troops of the] wide [land Amurru] in the city Qarqar and [transgressed against] the oath [(sworn) by the great gods ...] he inc[ited the cities Arpad, Ṣimirra], Damascus, (and) Samaria [to rebel against me and ...]

(53) [he/I est]ablished [...], he gave him Rēʾe, his field marshal, to he[l]p him, and he rose up against me to do war [and] battle. At the command of the god Aššur, my lord, I inflicted a defeat on them. [R]ēʾe then fled off by himself, like a shepherd whose flock had been stolen, and got away. I captured [Ḫ]anūnu (Ḫanno) and brought him in bondage to my city Aššur; I then destroyed, demolished, (and) burned down with fire [the city Rap]ḫia. I carried off as booty 9,033 people together with their numerous possessions.

(58) [In] my third regnal year, (the people of) the cities Šuandaḫul (and) Durdukka, fortified cities, plotted resistance against Iranzi, the [Man]nean, the king, their lord, one who pulls my yoke, and put their trust [i]n Mitatti of the land Zikirtu. Mitatti of the land Zikirtu gave them his combat troops, together with their cavalry and (thus) aid was provided to them. I mustered the numerous troops of the god Aššur and marched (forth) to conquer those [cit]ies. [I shatter]ed their very strong walls with a mighty battering ram, leveling (them) to the ground. I carried off as booty [the peo]ple, together with their property. [I de]stroyed, [demolished, (and) burned down th]os[e cities] with fire.

(66) [The peo]ple of the cities S[ukkia, Bāla, (and) Abitikna conceived (lit.: “deliberated”) an e]vil [plan] that was to eradica[te] (lit.: “to tear out the ro[ot of]”) (their own) land and g]ave their word [to Ursâ (Rusâ), the Ura]rṭian, (to do obeisance to him). Because of the crime that they had committed, I deported them from their (own) places and (re)settled them [i]n [the land] Ḫatti (Syria) and (lit.: “of”) [the land Amurru].

(68b) In my fourth regnal year, Kiakki of the city Šinuḫtu disregarded the treaty (sworn) by the great gods and became [di]latory about delivering (his) tribute. I raised my hand(s) (in supplication) to the gods, my lords, overwhelmed his royal city Šinuḫtu like a fog, and counted him as booty, together with [his] fight[ing men], 7,350 people, his wife, his sons, his daughters, and the people of his palace, together with abundant property of his. I gave his royal city Šinuḫtu to Kurtî of the land Atuna. Then, I made larger than before (the number/amount of) horses, mules, gold, (and) silver (that he had to pay as tribute) and I imposed (this) upon him.

(72) In my fifth regnal year, Pisīri(s) the city Carchemish sinned against the treaty (sworn) by the great gods and repeatedly sent (messages) hostile to Assyria to Mitâ (Midas), [k]ing of the land Musku. I raised my hand(s) (in supplication) to the god Aššur, my lord, and brought him, together with his family, out in bondage. I then carried off as booty gold (and) silver, (along) with the property of his palace and the guilty people of the city Carchemish who (had sided) with him, (along) with their possessions. (75) I brought (them) to Assyria. I conscripted 50 chariots, 200 cavalry, (and) 3,000 foot soldiers from among them and added (them) to my royal (military) contingent. I settled people of Assyria in the city Carchemish and imposed the yoke of the god Aššur, my lord, upon them.

(76b) The people of the cities Pāpa (and) Lalluknu, dogs who had been brought up in my palace, conspired with the land Kakmê for the purpose of [sep]arating (from Assyria). I deported them from their (own) places and [(re)settled them i]n the city [D]a[m]ascus o[f the lan]d A[murru].

(78b) [In my sixth regnal year, Ur]sâ (Rusâ), [the Ura]rṭian, [sent his mounted messenger with a mendacious message to Bag-dāti of the land Uišdiš (and) KAR... of the land Z]ikirtu, governor]s [of the land Mann]e[a]. He made them hostile t[o (me)], Sargon, (and) to Azâ, the son of their (former) lord and [made them] s[ide] with [him (Rusâ)]. They brought about the rout of the Manneans [on Mount] Uau[š], a rug[ge]d mountain, and threw down the cor[pse of] Azâ, their lord, (there). I raised my hand(s) (in supplication) to the god Ašš[ur, my lord, in order to ave]nge the Manneans (and) to make (that area part of) the territory of Assyria. Then, on Mount Uauš, the mountain wh[ere] they had thrown down [the corpse of] Azâ, I flayed the skin from Bag-dāti and (then) showed (it) to the Manneans.

(83b) (As for) Ullusunu, his brother, who had sat on the royal throne, the wrath of the god [Aššur] (was directed) against him. He (Ullusunu) then put his trust in Rusâ, the Urarṭian. He caused Aššur-lēʾi of the land Karalla (and) Ittî (85) of the land Allabria to rebel against me and per[suaded (lit.: “spoke to”) the]m to do obeisance to the land Urarṭu.

(85b) Furiously, I enveloped those lands like [a swa]rm of locusts and overwhelmed the city Izirtu, the royal city of the land <Man>nea, as with a bird trap. I inflicted a major defeat on them. I burned down the city Izirtu with fire and conquered the city Zibia (and) the city Armaet. (As a result), Ullusunu, the Mannean, together with his whole land gathered together and [gras]ped hold of m[y] feet. I then h[ad] pity [on the]m (and) pardoned (lit.: “overturned”) [U]llusunu’s crimes. [I had him sit (again)] on [his] royal throne [and rece]ived [tribute] from him. I deported Ittî of the land [Allabria (90) together with] his family, [flayed the skin from] Aššur-lēʾi [of the land Karalla, and ...] ... [...] the city GanuGIŠ[...] ... [...] I c[onquered (in total) six cities of] the district [Niksamm]a. I s[eized Šēp-šarri], the ci[ty ruler] of the city Šurgadia, (and) [add]ed those [citie]s to the province of P[arsua]š. I personally cap[tur]ed Bēl-šarru-uṣur of the city Kiše[sim] and brought him, together with the property of his palace, to Assyria. I set a eunuch of mine as provincial governor over his city. I installed the gods who go before me inside it (the city Kišesim) and (re)named it (the city Kišesim) Kār-Ner<gal>. I erected a royal image of myself there. I conquered the lands Bīt-Sagbat, Bīt-Ḫirmami, (and) Bīt-Umargi, (and) the cities Ḫarḫubarban, Kilambāti, (and) Armangu; and I added (them) to its province.

(96b) The people of the city Ḫarḫar drove out Kibaba, their city ruler, and sent to Daltâ of the land Ellipi to do obeisance (to him). I conquered that city and plundered it. I brought there people from the lands that I had conquered (and) set a eunuch of mi[ne] as provincial governor over them. I conquered the upper river(land) of the land Aranzêšu, the lower river(land) of Bīt-Ramatua, the land Uriqatu, the land Sikris, the land Šaparda, (and) the land Uriakku, (a total of) six districts, and added (them) to them (the people of the city Ḫarḫar). I estab[lished] the weapon of the god Aššur, my lord, to be their divinity. I (re)named it (the city Ḫarḫar) Kār-Šarrukīn. I received tribute from twenty-eight city lords of the powerful Medes and erected a royal image of myself in the city Kār-Šarrukīn.