The Inscription of Sargon
"Sargon, the governor of Bel, the exalted priest of Ashur, the darling of Anu and Dagan, the great king, the powerful king, the king of the world, the King of…
From: 722 B.C.E. To: 705 B.C.E.
Location: Dur-Sharrukin, Iraq
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
“The Cylinder Inscription of Sargon (722-705 b.c.),” from Assyrian and Babylonian Literature, compiled by Robert Francis Harper.
Sargon, the governor of Bel, the exalted priest of Ashur, the darling of Anu and Dagan, the great king, the powerful king, the king of the world, the King of Assyria, the king of the four quarters (of the world), the favourite of the great gods, the legitimate ruler, to whom Ashur and Marduk granted a kingdom without equal and the fame of whose name they sent forth to the ends of the earth; who exercised watchful care over Sippar, Nippur, and Babylon, who protected their weak points and restored their ruins; who preserved the supremacy of (the city) Asshur, which had ceased; [who imposed servitude on Dur-ilu and pacified its people by force.] [who removed servitude from Dur-ilu and gave peace to its people.]
The strongest of all princes, who extended his protection over Harran and, in accordance with the will of Anu and Dagan, wrote its charter. The manly, the powerful, clothed with (awe-inspiring) splendour, who sent forth his weapons for the overthrow of (his) enemies.
The king, who from the day of his accession had no rival prince and in contest and battle did not find a superior, who dashed to pieces all the lands like pots and enslaved (?) the four quarters (of the world); who explored mighty mountains without number—though their passes were steep—and found a way through them, who marched over inaccessible (and) difficult paths—terrible regions—and crossed the sources of streams; who held sway from Rashi on the border of Elam, the people of Puqudu, the people of Damunu, the cities Dur-Kurigalzu and Rapiqu, over all the wilderness to the brook of Egypt, over the broad west-land, the land of the Hittites to its whole extent, whose strong hand conquered from the land of Hashmar to the land of Cimashpatti, the far-off land of the Medes in the east, the land of Namru, the land of Ellip, Bit-Hamban, Parsua, Manna, Urartu, Kashku, Tabal to Muski; who placed his military officers as governors over them and imposed on them taxes and tribute, as if they were Assyrians.
The courageous hero, who measured his strength in the open street of Dur-ilu with Humbanigash, King of Elam, and brought about his overthrow, who took away by force the Kurtesa, who had raided (?) his territory (?); who led into captivity the people of Tumuna, who had bound (?) their prince and had brought him before the Chaldean king; who devastated the broad Bit-Humri (land of Israel), who brought about the overthrow of Egypt at Raphia and brought Hanno, King of Gaza, bound to the city of Asshur; who conquered the tribes Tamud, Ibadidi, Marsiman, and Haiapa, who punished (?) the rest of them and settled them in colonies in Bit-Humri.
The strong one in battle, who caught the Ionians in the midst of the sea like fish in large numbers (?); who pacified by force Que and Tyre. The powerful king, the royal protector, who broke the palisades of Shinuhtu, laid its site in ruins and burned Kiakku, their king, like stubble; who transplanted the people of Bit-Burutash ,whose prince had forgotten the favours of Sargon and put his trust in the kings of Urartu and Musku, strong powers; who drove out Meta, King of Musku, and restored the fortresses of Que, which had been taken, and enlarged their territory.
A man of courage, fearless of opposition, who uprooted Hamath, who dyed the skin of Ilubidu, the usurper (?), like red wool; who seized Carchemish in the hostile Hittite country; whose strong hand captured Pisiri, their subject, who had planned a revolt; who made desolate the land of Urartu, despoiled the Mucaciru; before whom Ursa, King of Urartu, in his great fear took his life with his own weapon; who changed the sites of Papa, Laluknu, Sukkia, Bala, Abitikna, who had intrigued openly against the land of Kakmu; who swept over Andia and Zikirtu, who killed all their young men like wild animals and sprinkled over all enemies deadly poison.
The powerful one, perfect in might and strength, who subjugated the stubborn Medes; who destroyed the people of Harhar and enlarged the territory of Assyria; who reunited the disorganized Manna, who brought about order in Ellip, which had been in disorder, who established (his) dominion over all the lands round about and made his name famous; who trampled under foot the land of Kirhu, plundered (?) the mountain-country of the strong enemy; who drove out Itti, the Allabrian robber, from his city; who destroyed Karalia, who decorated the skin (?) of Ashur-leu, their city prefect, like a garment (?) and imposed the yoke of Assyria upon Ada of Shurdu,
The prudent king, full of noble plans, who directed his attention to the colonizing of ruined sites, to the opening up of the land and the planting of cippat-cane; who turned his energy to make the high mountains, on which from time immemorial nothing green had sprouted, to bear produce; who planned to make the broad, waste land, which under former kings had not been irrigated, to bring forth grain and to resound with rejoicing, to reconstruct reservoirs (?), which had fallen in (?), and dams, and to furnish water in abundance to all parts of the country like a mighty flood.
The king open to suggestion, with a clear insight * * * who grew up in wise counsel and matured in diplomacy. To fill the granaries of the broad country of Assyria with food in rich abundance and with provisions in plenty (?), as becomes royalty, to protect the firstlings of admu (?) against hunger and want and to guard against the lack of grain and such things as the heart desires, so that—in spite of the destruction of wine—no needy one be found; in order that oil, the boon of men, which heals ulcers, may not be too dear in my land, to make sesame-corn of the same price with corn, to order my banquets as becomes the table of god and king, bill-boards with set prices of everything to set upon my boundaries * * *
I planned day and night to rebuild that city, I gave orders to build therein a shrine for Shamash, the great judge of the great gods, who helped me to victory. Magganubba, which stands like a monument at the foot of Mount Mugru above the wells and the street of Nineveh, whose site among the three hundred and fifty ancient kings, who before me exercised authority over Assyria and ruled over the subjects of Bel no one had touched, no one had known how to colonize it and no one had remembered to dig its canal (moat), with my broad understanding, which by the command of the king of the deep and lord of wisdom was filled with diplomacy and full of clever schemes, and with the broad plans of my mind—I, whom the queen of the heavenly crown, the mother of the gods, had inspired to greater plans than the kings, my fathers, I planned and schemed day and night to people that city, to build high sanctuaries, the homes of the great gods, and palaces for the residence of my lordship, and I gave orders to rebuild it.
For the sake of my good name, by which the great gods had called me to protect right and justice, to rule over the defenceless and not to harm the weak, I paid money to the owners in silver, and copper for the fields of that city according to the price-list, and to avoid injustice I gave to those, who did not wish money for their fields, field for field, wherever they desired. For the progress of its building before * * *(?)! offered a sacrifice (?) with fervid prayer to the brothers Damqu and Sharru-ilu, the judges of mankind, and I lifted up my hand (in prayer) in the chamber of the World-architect to Sha-nit(?)-ka, that I might in future days enter it with a joyful heart and good spirits. The sincere speech of my mouth like the finest oil was very pleasing to the exalted prophets (?) my lords, and they gave me orders to rebuild that city and to dig its canal (moat). I trusted their word, which no one can render void, I mustered my numerous young men and made them to carry allu and dupshikku. [Allu = basket(?), dupshikku = cap of service; they were forced to do hard service.]
In the beginning of the month of the son of Dara-gala (Ea), who gives decisions, who warns from snares, of the light of heaven and earth, hero of the gods, Sin, which received its name "Month of the Brick-God" by a decree of Ami, Bel, and Ea, lord of wisdom, because in it bricks are made, and cities and houses built; on the festival day of the son of Bel, the all-wise Nabu, writer of all tablets, ruler of all the gods, I ordered the making of its bricks; to the brick-god, the lord of brick foundations, and the chief architect of Bel, I offered a sacrifice and poured out libations and lifted up my hands (in prayer). In Ab, the month of the servant of the fire-god, who destroys fresh vegetation, who lays the platform foundations of city and house, I founded it and laid its brick.
Well-founded shrines, which were founded as if for all time, I built therein to Ea, Sin, Ningal, Ramman, Shamash, and Ninib. I built a palace of ivory, of ushu-wood, of box(?)-wood, of palm(?)-wood, of cedar-, cypress-, juniper-, and pistacia-wood for my royal residence; I constructed a colonnade after the style of a Hittite palace in front of its gates, and I covered it with beams of cedar and cypress. Four sar, three ner, one sos, three kane, two cubits, [4x3,600+3x600+60+3x6+2=16,280 cubits.] the (numerical) value of my name, I made the measure of its wall, and laid its platform foundation on stones from the high mountains.
In front and behind, on both sides, in the direction of the eight winds I opened eight city-gates: "Shamash, who granted to me victory," "Ramman, who controls its prosperity," I named the gates of Shamash and Ramman on the east side; "Bel, who laid the foundation of my city," "Belit, who gives riches in abundance," I named the gates of Bel and Belit on the north side; "Anu, who gave success to the work of my hands," "Ishtar, who causes its people to flourish," I made the names of the gates of Anu and Ishtar on the west side; "Ea, who controls its springs," "Belit-ilani, who grants to it numerous offspring," I ordered to be the names of the gates of Ea and Belit-ilani on the south side. (I called) its inner wall "Ashur, who granted long reign to the king, its builder, and protected his armies"; and its outer wall "Ninib, who laid the foundation of the new building for all time to come."
The subjects of the four quarters (of the world, speaking) strange languages and varied dialects, inhabitants of mountain and plain, over whom the warrior of the gods, lord of all, rules, whom I had carried into captivity in the name of Ashur, my lord, with my powerful staff, I made of one speech and settled them therein.
I sent to them Assyrians, men of knowledge and insight, learned men and scribes, to teach them the fear of God and king. The gods, who dwell in heaven and on earth and in that city, looked with favour upon my command and granted to me for all time (the privilege of the) building of the city and (of) making it permanent.
Whoever alters the work of my hands, tears down my images, covers the bas-reliefs which I make, destroys my insignia: may Ashur, Shamash, Ramman, and the gods dwelling therein remove his name and seed from the land and set him bound at the feet of his enemy!
Harper, Robert Francis. Assyrian and Babylonian Literature. Appleton, 1904.
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