The are likewise absent from the "Synchronous History." details of the above are contained in columns two and three, and probably occupied a great part of those columns when the text was perfect. The end of this section refers to the battle at Sugaga, which, however, according to the "Synchronous History," was fought with Y✩, Êa-nirari,1 not Rammānu-nirari (as our text gives). Rammānu-nirari was the grandson of Êa-nirari, hence, probably, the Babylonian scribe's mistake. The fourth and last column treats of a later periodthe reign of Tukulti-Ninip, of Assyria, who conquered Babylonia, and ruled the country for seven years, when, a revolt against his rule taking place, he was driven out of Babylonia, and Rammānu-nadin-âḥi (or Addu-nadin-âḥi) sat on the throne. Apparently the Babylonians considered it as a kind of judgment against him that the great ones of his country, headed by Aššur-naşir-apli, his own son, also revolted against him, deposed him, and slew him in Kar-Tukulti-Ninip, the city named after him. This, as Aššur-naşir-apli came to the throne in 885 B.C., must have taken place in that year. Who Tukulti-Aššur-Bêl ("my help is Aššur, the lord "), who is mentioned twice in line 12, was, is unknown; but as he is not called king, and has, in fact, no title whatever, it may be conjectured that he was a common man, or, at most, a nobleman, who tried by some means to get influence among the people, and attained thereby a certain reputation, not only in Assyria, but also in Babylonia. If the translation of the beginning of line 12 be correct, Tukulti-Ninip would seem to have ruled Assyria for twelve years. This portion is one that does not redound to the credit of Assyria, and is probably for that reason not touched upon in the "Synchronous History." 1 Elsewhere called, seemingly, Bêl-nirari. Two interesting paragraphs referring to an invasion of Babylonia by the Elamite king Kidin-Hutrudiš follow, but are unfortunately rather mutilated. These, too, have no parallels in the Assyrian record above referred to, so that we have no means of filling out the wanting parts. We must be thankful to get them as they are. |