Shalmaneser I 01

(1) Shalmaneser (I), appointee of the god Enlil, holy vice-regent of the god Aššur, appointee of the gods, ruler, favorite of the goddess Ištar, the one who keeps rituals and offerings pure, the one who makes abundant the presentation offerings for all of the gods, founder of holy cult centers, builder of Eḫursagkurkurra — the shrine of the gods (and) mountain of the lands — astonishing great dragon, shepherd of all of the settlements, the one whose conduct is abundantly pleasing to (the god) Aššur, valiant hero, capable in battles, crusher of enemies, the one who makes the noise of battle resound with his enemies, whose aggressive battle flashes like a flame and whose weapons attack like a merciless death-trap, steadfast ruler who acts with the support of the god Aššur and the great gods — his lords — and has no rival, capturer of enemy districts above and below, the lord at whose feet the god Aššur and the great gods have made all of the kings and rulers bow down.

(22b) When (the god) Aššur, the lord, faithfully chose me to worship him, gave me the scepter, weapon, and staff to properly (rule) the black-headed people, and granted to me the true crown of lordship, at that time, at the beginning of my vice-regency, the land Urarṭu (Uruaṭri) rebelled against me. I raised my hands to the god Aššur and the great gods, my lords. I mustered my troops (and) marched up to the mass of their mighty mountains. I conquered the lands Ḫimme, Uatqun, BARgun, Salua, Ḫalila, Lūḫu, NIlipaḫri, and Zingun — eight lands (in total) and their fighting forces.

(37b) I demolished (and) burned fifty-one of their cities (and) carried off their captives (and) property. In three days (time), I made the totality of the land Urarṭu (Uruaṭri) bow down at the feet of (the god) Aššur, my lord. I took a selection of their young men (and) I chose them to enter my service. I imposed upon them (the conquered regions) a heavy tribute on th(os)e mountains forever.

(46b) (As for) the city Arinnu, a holy city founded in bedrock, which had previously rebelled (and) disregarded (the god) Aššur, with the support of (the god) Aššur and the great gods, my lords, I captured (and) demolished that city. Moreover, I sowed salty plants over it. For posterity, I gathered (some of) its earth and heaped (it) up at a city gate of my city, Aššur. At that time, I made the land Muṣri, all of it, bow down at the feet of (the god) Aššur, my lord.

(56) When I marched to the land Ḫanigalbat at the command of the great gods (and) with the exalted strength of Aššur, my lord, I opened up most difficult paths (and) passes. Šattuara, the king of the land Ḫanigalbat, with the aid of the armies of the Hittites and Aḫlamû, captured the passes and watering-places (in) my (path). When my army was thirsty and fatigued (lit. “because of the thirst and fatigue of my army”), their army made a fierce attack in strength, but I struck (back) and brought about their defeat. I slaughtered their extensive army, (which was) without number.

(70) As for him (Šattuara), I chased him at arrow point until sunset. I butchered their hordes, (but) blinded (and) carried off 14,400 of them (who had remained) alive. I conquered nine of his fortified cult centers, (as well as) his capital. Moreover, I turned 180 of his cities into mounds of ruins (lit. “a mound and ruins”). Like sheep, I slaughtered the armies of the Hittites and Aḫlamû, his allies.

(81) At that time, I captured their cities from the city Taidu to the city Irridu, the entirety of Mount Kāšiāru, as far as the city Eluḫat, the fortress of (the city) Sūdu, the fortress of (the city) Ḫarrān, as far as (the city) Carchemish, which is on the bank(s) of the Euphrates (River). I became the ruler over their lands. Moreover, I burned with fire the remainder of their cities.

(88) Afterwards, the Qutû, whose number like stars in the sky no one knows (and who) are skilled in murder, rebelliously turned against me (and) committed hostilities. I raised my hands to (the god) Aššur and the great gods, my lords, and they gave me a straight answer, a firm ‘yes.’ I left my troop’s camp, taking one third of my best chariotry. I threw (them) into battle against them.
I poured out the lives of their extensive troops like water from the border of the land Uruaṭri to the land Katmuḫi, a remote region (and) a crossing of great distance. I filled the wide countryside with the corpses of their warriors. I brought their (lit. “his”) captives, herds, wild animals in captivity, and property to my city, Aššur.

(107) The true shepherd whose name the gods Anu and Enlil have called (into being) forever, am I, eternal seed, one who knows the gods; son of Adad-nārārī (I), appointee of the god Enlil, vice-regent of (the god) Aššur; (and) son of Arik-dīn-ili, (who was) also appointee of the god Enlil (and) vice-regent of (the god) Aššur.

(112) At that time, (as for) Eḫursagkurkurra, the temple of (the god) Aššur, my lord, which Ušpia, the vice-regent of (the god) Aššur, my ancestor, had previously built and, (which when) it became dilapidated, Erišum (I), my ancestor, the vice-regent of (the god) Aššur, built (it and which when) 159 years had passed after the reign of Erišum (I) and that temple had (again) become dilapidated, Šamšī-Adad (I), (who was) also the vice-regent of (the god) Aššur, built (it and which when) 580 years (passed), that temple, which Šamšī-Adad (I), the vice-regent of (the god) Aššur, had built and which had become extremely old, fire broke out it. Th(at) temple, its sanctuary, (its) chapels, (its) shrines, (its) daises, (its) cult platforms, (its) stools, (and) all of the property of the temple of (the god) Aššur, my lord, burned in th(at) fire.

(129) At that time, I cleared away that temple, in its entirety, removed the earth (beneath it, and) reached its foundation pit. I laid its foundations with hard stone, just like bedrock. (As for) th(at) holy temple, the high shrine, the lofty dais, the awesome sanctuary, which was built much more cunningly than before, (which) is worthy of praise, (which) is dedicated as befits his great divinity, (which) is greatly appropriate for his lord lordly majesty, I put a great deal of effort into building (it) for (the god) Aššur, my lord.

(141) At its foundations, I laid stone(s), silver, gold, iron, copper, tin, (and) layers of aromatic plants (lit. “aromatic plants upon aromatic plants”). I mixed its plaster with oil, scented oil, cedar resin, honey, and ghee. I built (it) from its foundations to its crenellations. I deposited my commemorative inscriptions (therein). (When it was finished,) I held festivities for it.

(148b) When (the god) Aššur, (my) lord, enters that temple and joyfully takes his place on (his) lofty dais, may he see the brilliant work of that temple and rejoice. May he receive my prayers (and) hear my supplications. For eternity, may he greatly decree with his mighty voice a destiny of well-being for my vice-regency and for the vice-regency of my progeny (and) abundance during my reign.

(156) I anointed the commemorative inscriptions of former kings with oil, made offerings, (and) returned (them) to their places.

(158b) In the future, may a future ruler, when that temple becomes old and dilapidated, hear of my heroic deeds (and) recount my praiseworthy power. Just as I returned the commemorative inscriptions of former kings to their places, may he anoint my commemorative inscriptions with oil, make offerings, (and) return (them) to their places. The god Aššur and the goddess Mullissu will (then) listen to his prayers.

(163b) (As for) the one who removes my commemorative inscriptions (and) discards my inscribed name, may (the god) Aššur, the exalted god, the one who dwells in Eḫursagkurkurra, the Igīgū gods of heaven, (and) the Anunnakū of the netherworld, all of them, glare at him angrily and inflict upon him in their wrath an evil curse. May they make his name (and) his seed disappear from the land. May a king who is his enemy take away his throne and under his very eyes rule his land.

(168) (Dates exs. 1, 3, 6, 8:) Ša-sarrāte, eponymy of Mušallim-Aššur. (Date of ex. 5:) Ša-sarrāte, twenty-sixthth day, eponymy of Aššur-nādin-šumāti.