Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts and Letters Part 36

Ashurbanipal kept up the friendship, and, when a famine broke out in Elam, allowed some (M822) (M823) Elamites to take refuge in his land, and afterwards restored them to their country. He also sent grain into Elam itself. But, perhaps as consequence of having spied out the land, the Elamites contrived to make Urtaku attack a.s.syria. He was incited to this act by Bel-i?isha, prince of the Gambulai, who inhabited the marshes about the mouth of the Uknu, or Blue River, perhaps the modern Karoon, bordering on Elam. Bel-i?isha rebelled against a.s.syria, and with his troops joined Elam. Nabu-shum-eresh, the _TIK-EN-NA_, apparently sheik of the district of Dupliash, another a.s.syrian subject, seems to have done the same.

Marduk-shum-ibni, the general of Urtaku, who led the invasion, was evidently not an Elamite, but perhaps a Chaldean, or renegade Babylonian.

At any rate, the Elamites invaded Akkad and covered the land like gra.s.shoppers. They laid siege to Babylon. On the approach of the a.s.syrian army, the invaders fled. Urtaku died. Bel-i?isha was killed by a wild boar. Nabu-shum-eresh was smitten with dropsy and died. "In one year the G.o.ds cut them off." The throne of Elam fell to Teumman, a brother of Urtaku, who maintained a hostile att.i.tude. Dunanu, son and successor of Bel-i?isha, joined Teumman. Ashurbanipal accordingly invaded Elam, defeated and slew Teumman, ravaged the land of Gambulu and captured Dunanu, who was taken to Nineveh and made to march in the triumphal procession, with the head of Teumman slung about his neck, and was finally tortured to death.

(M824) All the time that Shamash-shum-ukin was king in Babylon, Ashurbanipal seems to have retained the rule over Southern Babylonia. At any rate, the governors of the cities there wrote to him as their king and lord. The above-mentioned revolt in Gambulu was a direct concern of the governor of Erech, who seems to have suffered severely. As late as the twentieth year of Ashurbanipal, Nabu-ushabshi was governor there. We have many letters from him to the king. One(909) refers to the above events:

To the king of countries, my lord, thy servant Nabu-ushabshi.

Erech and E-anna (the temple of Ishtar at Erech), be gracious to the king of countries, my lord. Daily I pray to Ishtar of Erech and Nana for the well-being of the life of the king, my lord. The king, my lord, sent, saying, "Take troops and send against Gambulu. The G.o.ds of the king, my lord, a.s.suredly know how, from the time that Bel-i?isha revolted from the hands of the king, my lord, and went to Elam, he plundered my father's house and went about to kill my brother."

Then comes a break, in which the fragments indicate that Nabu-ushabshi prayed daily for revenge. Then we read:

Now as the king, my lord, has sent, I will go and fulfil all his bidding. If on any ground, over there, the inhabitants of Gambulu will not obey, if it be pleasing to the king, my lord, let a messenger come and let us a.s.semble all Akkad and we will go with him, we will win back the land and give it to the king, my lord. I have sent. Let the king, my lord, do what he will. Preserve this letter.

The last request is very unusual, but we are glad it was obeyed. Another of his letters refers to the intrigues of Pir'-Bel, son of Bel-e?ir. This Bel-e?ir may be the son of Nabu-shum-eresh, who, with his brother, Nabu-na'id, was carried captive to Nineveh, along with Dunanu, and there made to desecrate the bones of their father. But it seems possible that we have here to do with another Bel-e?ir, as these events seem earlier in the history. After the same introduction as before, the letter(910) reads:

Pir'-Bel, the son of Bel-e?ir, sometime after he and his father went, some ten years ago, to Elam, came again from Elam to Akkad, he and his father. When they came, whatever was evil against a.s.syria, they kept on doing in Erech. Afterwards when they went back to Elam, Bel-e?ir, his father, died in Elam; and he in Marchesvan brought letters to me, and to Aplia, the governor, we sent the letters on by Daru-Sharru, the body-guard.

After some broken lines:

"Now a certain servant of ... came with him to Erech."

we read:

If he say to the king, my lord: "I have come from the land of Elam," let not the king, my lord, believe him. From the time when in the month of Marchesvan, he brought the letters and we sent them to the king, my lord, until now, he has not returned to Elam.

If the king, my lord, desire to verify these words, Idua, a servant of Kudur, who brought him to Erech, the contents are known to him [_there are some very obscure phrases in the next two lines_], and those letters, what lies are written, let him tell the king, my lord, and as to those letters, which, in the month of Marchesvan we sent to the king, my lord, by the hands of Daru-sharru, if the king, my lord, does not understand, let the king, my lord, ask Daru-sharru, the body-guard. To the king, my lord, I have sent, let the king, my lord, be aware.

(M825) One event, very characteristic of the times, is the subject of three letters. The sanctuary of Ishtar, at Erech, was celebrated far and wide, and on one occasion the King of Elam sent gifts to it. These Nabu-ushabshi seems to have been unable to possess himself of, or to send to the king. Thus, we read:(911)

To the king of countries, my lord, thy servant, Nabu-ushabshi [_after the same introduction as before_]; the sheep of the temple and of the city Pu?udu are detained in the city Ru'ua, two shepherds of them, one belonging to the temple, and the second from Pu?udu, three white horses with harness and trappings of silver, and fittings of bronze. On the trappings were written ...

which the King of Elam had sent to Ishtar of Erech. The horses, which they brought, I will now preserve. Before the king, my lord, I was afraid and in the temple I will not place them, until the shepherds bring the three horses. To the king, my lord, I have sent, and the bronze inscribed fittings, when I see them, I will send on to the king, my lord. What the king my lord will, let him do.

The king replied:(912)

To Nabu-ushabshi, concerning the horses about which thou didst send, as yet thou hast not sent them to me. I have sent Ashur-gimil-tirru, the _abarakku_, and troops with him. Whatever is good to do, that do; whether the River ?arru be dammed, or whether those people come, and as to the contents of the letter which thou didst send. Bel-e?ir, Arbaia, the colonels, two hundred horses in their hands, I have sent to thee; let them stand on your side, let them do the work.

Evidently in consequence of this, we have another letter,(913) where both writer and recipient are unknown. It is much injured, and while there are a few sentences intelligible, it is not easy to say to what they refer.

But on the reverse after the first six or seven lines, the words of the last letter are repeated verbatim. It is perhaps another letter from the king to Nabu-ushabshi. The governors of La?iru and Arba?a are said to be with the receiver of the letter.

IX. Miscellaneous a.s.syrian Letters

(M826) A very interesting group may be made up of letters concerned with omens and predictions. The a.s.syrian kings were firm believers in omens.

They did not venture upon any great undertaking without consulting the augurs. We have numerous letters telling the king what days were propitious for certain projects which he had formed. For the most part, the whole point is obscure to us. We know neither the purpose he had, the omens relied on, nor the real grounds of the decision. Very often translation is impossible. In some cases the publication of the innumerable omen texts may give some light on the subject, but usually it is quite impossible to see how these were made to apply to the actual case. It is very like the case of Nebuchadrezzar's dream. We are without any data to work from.

(M827) Here is an example of some interest, and more easily understood than many:(914)

To the king, my lord, thy servant Nabua. May Nabu and Marduk be gracious to the king, my lord. On the seventh of Kislev a fox entered into the city, and fell into a well, in the grove of Ashur. They got him out, and killed him.

Whether this was a good or evil omen, or even an omen at all, we do not know. Nabua is a very common name. There are fourteen or fifteen astrological reports which bear his name. In these he appears as an inhabitant of the city a.s.shur. The name occurs some forty times in the contracts, but it is clear that there were several of the name. Perhaps the scribe who appears from B.C. 668 down to post-canon times may be our writer, but, as he lived at Nineveh, that is doubtful.

(M828) Another case which is fairly intelligible is a letter of Balasi and Nabu-a?e-erba,(915) on a question of auspicious days for a journey. It reads:

To the king, our lord, thy servants, Balasi and Nabu-a?e-erba.

Peace be to the king, our lord. May Nabu and Marduk be gracious to the king, our lord. As to Ashur-mukin-palea, about whom the king, our lord, has sent to us, may Ashur, Bel, Sin, Shamash, and Adad be gracious to him. May the king, our lord, see his well-being.

Things are auspicious for a journey. The second is auspicious. The fourth extremely auspicious.

We have fairly frequent references to Ashur-mukin-palea in a way that shows that he was delicate. From a letter of Ardi-Nabu's we learn that the order of seniority in the family of Esarhaddon was Ashurbanipal, Shamash-shum-ukin, Sherua-e?irat (a princess), Ashur-mukin-palea, Sharru-shame-er?iti-bala?su-(i?bi). He is often named in the letters, usually as king's son. But despite his delicate health he survived to be made high-priest of Sin at ?arran, by his royal brother, and even as late as B.C. 648 his name occurs in the contracts.(916)

(M829) Balasi is a frequent writer of astrological reports, some five and twenty being preserved, besides some fifteen letters. In the latter he is a.s.sociated with Nabu-a?e-erba no less than seven times, once with Ishtar-shum-eresh also. In these cases we probably have the same person.

But the name occurs often in the contracts, and there belongs to at least three different men. Nabu-a?e-erba was the writer of some five and thirty astrological reports, besides some seven or eight letters, usually with Balasi. The name belongs to several persons named in the contracts.

(M830) Ardi-ea was also a frequent writer to the king. Besides three or four astrological reports, he wrote nine letters to the king. He is generally a.s.sociated with Adadi-shum-u?ur, Ishtar-shum-eresh, Akkullanu, or Marduk-shakin-shum. But one letter,(917) written to Sargon II., and mentioning Merodach-Baladan II., clearly belongs to another Ardi-ea. Most of his letters are defective. The most intelligible(918) reads thus:

To the king, my lord, thy servant Ardi-ea. Peace be to the king, my lord. May Nabu, Marduk, Sin, Ningal, and Nusku be gracious to the king, my lord. Sin, Ningal (and other G.o.ds) shall grant health, long days, to the king, my lord. Day and night I pray for the life of the king, my lord.

(M831) The great group of writers with whom he is a.s.sociated is responsible for a large number of letters. Adadi-shum-u?ur wrote some thirty-five letters and five or six astrological reports. He is especially prolix in his introduction. Here is a specimen:(919)

To the king, my lord, thy servant Adadi-shum-u?ur. Peace be to the king, my lord. May Nabu and Marduk be excessively gracious to the king, my lord. The king of G.o.ds shall decree the name of the king, my lord, to the kingdom of a.s.syria. Shamash and Adad, in their changeless regard to the king, my lord, have confirmed him in the kingdom of all lands. A gracious reign, settled days, years of righteousness, plenteous rains, copious floods, high prices. The G.o.ds are reverenced, the fear of G.o.d increased, the temples are flourishing. The great G.o.ds of heaven and earth are exalted in the reign of the king, my lord. Old men dance, young men sing, the women and girls are given in marriage, the bridegrooms marry wives, marriages are consummated, sons and daughters are begotten, children are born. To those that have sinned and look for death, the king, my lord, has given new life. Those that for many years (M832) were captive, thou hast freed. They that many days were sick have recovered. The hungry are satisfied. The lean grow fat.

The plantations are covered with fruits. Only I and Ardi-Gula among them have our soul depressed, our heart disturbed. Lately has the king, my lord, shown love for Nineveh, to his people, to his chiefs, saying, "Bring your sons, let them stand before me."

Ardi-Gula, my son is he, let him stand with them, before the king, my lord. We with all the people will rejoice indeed, and dance for joy. My eyes are set upon the king, my lord. They that stand in the palace, all of them, love me not. There is not a friend of mine among them, to whom I might give a present, and they would receive it, and take up my cause. Let the king, my lord, take pity on his servant. Among all those people, I hope none of my slanderers may see the purpose of their hearts against me.

Judging from the frequent mention of Ardi-Gula in other letters and that he wrote to the king about his sons, Ashurbanipal and Shamash-shum-ukin, we may be sure the old courtier got his request, and that he was writing to Esarhaddon. The letters of Adadi-shum-u?ur concern domestic affairs, the sickness of one, an auspicious day, the health of another, rarely does he mention any news of public interest. The persons about whom he writes are the members of the royal family, Esarhaddon's children and the above-named circle of officials. The king sent him to see certain sick folk,(920) he writes about an eclipse, or a ring, or something of the sort. He usually gives a very long introduction; often the real message occupies only a few lines.

(M833) Marduk-shakin-shum is another of the same group, with twenty-five letters. They are of the same domestic nature as the last.

Ishtar-shum-eresh is the writer of a score of letters and about thirty astrological reports. He was evidently a younger member of the group, son of Nabu-zer-lishir, and chief scribe to Ashurbanipal. In the reign of Esarhaddon he ranked as a _mamasu_. Akkullanu, who was an _erib biti_, of a.s.shur, writes sixteen letters and some dozen astrological reports.