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Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), the wise (and) capable favorite of the great gods, virile warrior, [fo]remost of all rulers, the bridle that controls the insubmissive, (and) the one who strikes enemies with lightning:
The god Aššur, the great mountain, granted to me unrivalled sovereignty and made my w[eapon]s greater than (those of) all who sit on (royal) daises. He made all of the rulers of the (four) quarters (of the world) from the Upper Sea of the Setting Sun to the [Lo]wer Sea of the Rising Sun bow down at my feet.
On my first campaign, I brought about the defeat of Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), king of Karduniaš (Babylonia), together with the troops of (the land) Elam, his allies, in the plain of Kish. He, in order to save his (own) life, fled alone, and (then) I seized the chariots, wagons, horses (and) mules that he had abandoned.
I entered his palace, which is in Babylon, and (then) I opened his treasury and carried off gold, silver, gold (and) silver utensils, precious stones, the possessions (and) property of his palace.
I captured and plundered his strong cities (and) the fortresses of Chaldea, together with the small(er) settlements in their environs. On my return march, I defeated and plundered the Aramaens (living) on the banks of the Tigris River (and) the Euphrates River.
In the course of my campaign I received a substantial payment from the official in charge of the city Ḫararatu. I put to the sword the population of the city Ḫirimmu, a dangerous enemy, and I did not spare a single one. I reorganized that city (and) imposed one ox, ten sheep, ten homers of wine, (and) twenty homers of dates as his first-fruits offerings to the gods of Assyria.
On my second campaign, I marched to the land of the Kassites and the land of the Yasubigallians. In the mountains, difficult terrain, I rode on horseback. In very rugged terrain I roamed about on foot like a wild bull.
I conquered and plundered the cities Bīt-Kilamzaḫ, Ḫardišpu, (and) Bīt-Kubatti, their fortified walled cities. Moreover, I destroyed (and) devastated their small(er) settlements, which were without number. I burned with fire pavilions (and) their tents.
I made that city Bīt-Kilamzaḫ a fortress again, and (then) I settled therein the people of the lands that I had conquered. I placed them under the authority of the governor of the city Arrapḫa.
I turned around (lit. “I turned the front of my yoke”) and took the road to the land Ellipi. Before my arrival, Ispabāra, their king, abandoned his fortified cities and fled far away. I conquered and plundered the cities Marʾubištu (and) Akkuddu, cities of his royal house, together with small(er) settlements in their environs, (and then) I destroyed (them), devastated (them), (and) burned (them) with fire. I conquered the cities Ṣi(ṣ)ṣirtu (and) Kummaḫlum, fortified cities, together with the small(er) settlements in their environs. I detached from his land the district of the land Bīt-Barrû in its entirety, and I added (this area) to the territory of Assyria.
I took the city Elenzaš as a fortress for that district, (and then) I changed its (former) name and called it Kār-Sennacherib. I settled therein the people of the lands that I had conquered. I placed (it) under the authority of the governor of the city Ḫarḫar.
On my return march, I received a substantial payment from the distant Medes, of whose land none of the kings, my ancestors, had heard mention. (Thus) I made them bow down to my yoke.
On my third campaign, I marched to the land Ḫatti. Fear of my brilliance overwhelmed Lulî, the king of the city Sidon, and he fled from the city Tyre to Iadnana (Cyprus), which is in the midst of the sea, and disappeared. I placed Tu-Baʾlu on the royal throne and imposed upon him payment (in recognition) of my overlordship.
In the plain of the city Ušû, the kings of the land Amurru brought their substantial tribute before me.
Moreover, (as for) Ṣidqâ, the king of the city Ashkelon who had not submitted to my yoke, I forcibly removed the gods of his father’s house, himself, together with [his] family, and took him to Assyria.
I set Šarru-lū-dāri, son of Rūkibtu, their [former king, over the peopl]e of the city Ashkelon and imposed up[on] him the payment (in recognition) of my overlordship.
In the course of my campaign, I plundered the cities of his (Ṣidqâ’s) that had not submitted to me. (As for) the governors and the people of the city Ekron who had thrown Padî, their king who was bound by treaty to Assyria, into iron fetters and who had handed him over to Hezekiah of the land Judah, they became frightened on account of the villaino[us acts] they had committed. They formed a confederation with the kings of Egypt (and) the archers, chariots, (and) horses of the king of the land Meluḫḫa, forces without number.
In the plain of the city Eltekeh, I fought with them and defeated them. I captured alive the Egyptian [cha]rioteers and princes (lit. “the sons of the king”), together with the charioteers of the king of the land Meluḫḫa.
[I approached] the city Ekron [and] I killed with the sword the governors who had committed crime(s); I counted the citizens who had committed the crimes as booty; (and) [I commanded that] the rest of them, (those) who were not guilty of wrongdoing, [be allowed to go free].
I brought out Padî, their king, from the city Jerusalem and placed (him) on the throne over them, and (then) I imposed upon him payment (in recognition) of my overlordship.
(As for) Hezekiah of [the land] Judah, <who> had not submitted to my yoke, I surrounded, conquered, (and) plundered forty-six of his fortified walled cities and settlements in their environs, which were without number. I counted (them) as booty.
As for him (Hezekiah), I confined him inside the city Jerusalem, his royal city, [like a bird in a cage]. I set up blockades against him. I detached from his land the cities of his that I had plundered and I gave (them) to the king[s of] the cities [Ashdo]d, Ashkelon, Ekron, (and) Gaza, and (thereby) made his land smaller. To the former tribute, their annual giving, I added the payment (of) gifts and imposed (it) upon them.
As for him, Hezekiah, fear of my lordly brilliance overwhelmed him and, he had the auxiliary forces and his elite troops whom he had brought inside the city Jerusalem, his royal city, along with 30 talents of gold, 800 talents of silver, every kind of treasure of his palace, as well as his daughters, his palace women, male singers, (and) female singers brought into Nineveh and he sent a mounted messenger of his to me to deliver (this) payment.
On my fourth campaign, I marched to the land Bīt-Yakīn. In the course of my campaign, I defeated Šūzubu (Mušēzib-Marduk), a Chaldean who lives in the marshes, at the city Bittūtu. As for him, he became frightened of my weapons, and (then) he fled alone and his (hiding) place could not be found.
I turned around (lit. “I turned the front of my yoke”) and took the road to the land Bīt-Yakīn. He — Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), whom I had defeated during my first campaign — became frightened by the clangor of my mighty weapons. He fled to the city Nagītu, which is in the midst of the sea. I carried off his brothers, the seed of his father’s house, whom he had abandoned at the shore of the sea, (together with) the rest of the people of his land, out of the land Bīt-Yakīn, which is in the swamps and marshes. Once again I destroyed (and) burned with fire his cities. On my return march, I placed Aššur-nādin-šumi, my son, on his lordly throne and entrusted him (with the land of Sumer and Akkad).
On my fifth campaign: The men of the city Tumurrum, whose dwellings are situated like the nests of eagles, on the peak of Mount Nipur, a rugged mountain, and who had not bowed down to my yoke — I had my camp pitched at the foot of Mount Nipur.
Like a fierce wild bull, with my merciless combat troops, I took the lead of them (the soldiers in my camp). I proceeded through the gorges (and) the rugged mountain slopes in (my) chair. Where it was too difficult for (my) chair, I leapt forward on my (own) two feet like a mountain goat. Where my knees gave out (and) became tired, I sat down upon the mountain rock and drank cold water from a water skin to (quench) my thirst.
I pursued them on the peaks of the mountains and defeated them. I conquered, plundered, destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire their cities.
I turned around (lit. “I turned the front of my yoke”) and took the road against Maniye, the insubmissive king of the city Ukku. None of the kings of the past, (who came) before me, had marched through the difficult paths on account of the rugged mountains. I had my camp pitched at the foot of Mount Anara and Mount Uppa, mighty mountains, and I myself, in an armchair, with my combat troops, ascended with a struggle the steep mountain peaks.
He, Maniye, heard about the advance of my expeditionary force, and (then) he abandoned the city Ukku, his royal city, and fled afar. I entered his palace and carried off every kind of possession (and) property, (which were) without number, his substantial treasure. I destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire his cities, and made (them) like ruin hill(s) (created by) the Deluge.
On my sixth campaign: Against the cities Nagītu (and) Nagītu-diʾbina, cities of the king of the land Elam whose dwellings are situated on the other shore of the Bitter Sea, (and) [the people of] Bīt-Yakīn, who became afraid of the [mig]hty weapon(s) of the god Aššur and abandoned their settlements, cr[oss]ed the Bitter Sea, and [...] ... on the far shore.
The god Aššur, my lord, encouraged me and I ordered the mar[ch] against them, to the land Nagītu. I settled in Nineveh the people of the land [Ḫa]tti plundered by my [bow(s)] and they skillfully built magnificent ships, a product characteristic of their land. I gave orders to sailors of the cities Tyre (and) Sidon, (and) the land Io[n]ia, whom I had captured. They (my troops) let (the sailors) sail down the Tigris River with them downstream to the city Opis.
Then, from the city Opis, they lifted them (the boats) up onto dry land and dragged th[em] on rollers t[o Sippar and] guided them into the Araḫtu canal, (where) they let them sail downstream to the canal of Bīt-Dakkuri, which is in Chaldea. (65) ... I loaded onto boats my fierce ...s, who do not k[now] fear, my crack bodyguard, and my valiant combat troops, who do not ..., and I gave [the]m provisions. I loaded grain and straw for the steeds with them. My warriors sailed down the Euphrates River on the boats, (70) while I accompanied them on dry land, and (then) I made my way to the city Bāb-salimeti. When I lifted [my] head, [...] ... from the bank of the Euphrates to the shore of [the sea], a distance covered in two double hours of marching. [...] ... [... I was not conc]erned. I pitched camp in that place. The high tide of the sea rose mightily, and (then) (75) entered my tent and completely surrounded my entire camp. For five days and nights, on account of the strong [wate]r, all of my soldiers had to sit curled up as though they were in cages.
The boats of my warriors reached the marshy area at the mouth of the river, where the Euphrates River debouches its water in[to] the roiling [s]ea. I took my stand on the shore of the Bitter Sea opposite them and had pure sacrifices performed for the god Ea, king of the apsû. [I cast (them)] into the sea with a gold boat, a gold fish, (and) a gold crab, and (then) I immediately had my boats cross over to the land of the city Nagītu.
At the shore of the roiling sea — which was unsuitable and very difficult for (ships) to dock, horses to climb, and men to set foot on — the inhabitants of Chaldea [li]ving in the cities Nagītu (and) Nagītu-diʾbina, the people of the lands Ḫilmu, Pillatu, and Ḫupapanu saw the boats of my warriors and they gathered together archers, wagons, horses, (and) mules, a force [without] number. Before their (my warriors’) arrival, while drawing up in battleline at the Ulāya River, a river with good shores, (and) holding my troops (landing place on) the high ground, they (the Chaldeans and Elamites) sharpened their weapons.
My warriors reached the quay of the harbor (and) like locusts they swarmed out of the boats onto the shore against them and defeated them. They conquered the cities Nagītu, Nagītu-diʾbina, Ḫilmu, Pillatu, and Ḫupapanu, cities of the king of the land Elam. They carried off their garrisons, the population of Chaldea, the gods of all of the land Bīt-Yakīn, [together with] their property, and the people of (the) Elamite (king), wagons, [horses], mules, (and) donkeys.
They loaded (them) onto [their] boat[s] and brought (them) to this side (of the sea), to the city Bāb-salimeti, b[efore me]. They destroyed, devastated, (and) burned with fire those cities. They poured out deathly silence over the wide land of Elam.
From the booty of those lands, I conscripted 30,500 archers (and) 20,200 shield bearers and added (them) to my royal [contingent]. I divided up the rest of the substantial enemy booty like sheep and go[ats] among my ent[ire] camp and my governors, (and) the people of my cult centers.
At that time, the palace in the citadel of Nineveh, whose extent wa[s] 360 cubits on (its) [longer side] (and) 95 cubits on (its) shorter side, and whose site was too small; (and) which earlier king[s], my ancestors, had had constructed for their lordly dwelling, but whose construction they had carri[ed out] in[expertly]:
They q[uarried] bull colossi of white limestone in the city Tastiate to be their (the palatial halls’) gatekeepers. Throughout all of their lands they depl[eted] forests of large tree[s] to have boats built. In the month Ayyāru (II), the time of [sprin]g floods, they brought (the colossi) across to this side (of the river) with difficulty in magnificent boat[s]. They sank la[rg]e boats at the quay dock (and then) made their crews struggle (and) [stra]in. With might and main, they struggled to transport (the colossi) and in[stall (them) in] their [gates].
The Tebilti River, a tempestuous flood (of water) which had flowed [from] distant [day]s [by the side of the palace] (and) had shaken [its ba]se when its flood was in full spate:
I tore down [that small palace] in its entirety. [I diverted] the course of the Tebilti River from [the center of the city and] directed its outflow [into the meadow behind the city].
[In a one-half ikû (stretch) of the water’s (natural) course, I bon]ded [together with bitumen four large limestone (blocks)] and [spread] marsh reeds [and rushes over them. As an addition, I took a plot of land that was 554 cubits long (and) 289 c]ubits wi[de from the Ḫusur River and from the plain of the city (and) added (it) to the dimensions of the former terrace]. In its (the terrace’s) entirety, I raised its superstructure 190 courses of brick high.
I enlarged the structure of the palace to 9[14] large cubits along (its) longer side and 440 large cubits along (its) shorter side and (thus) I made its site bigger.
I built a palace of gold, silver, bronze, ...-stone, breccia, alabaster, elephant ivory, ebony, boxwood, musukkannu-wood, cedar, cypress, juniper, elammaku-wood, (and) Indian wood, for my lordly residence, and (then) I had a house with double doors, a replica of a Hittite palace, constructed opposite (its) gates.
I roofed them (the palatial halls) with beams of cedar (and) cypress, whose scent [is sweet], product(s) of Mount Amanus and Mount Sirāra, the holy mountains. I fastened [ba]nds of silver (and) copper on doors of cedar, cypress, (and) juniper and I installed (them) in their gates.
In the corridors that are within the papāḫu-chambers, I made openings for latticed windows. At their gates, I stationed apotropaic figures of alabaster (and) elephant ivory, whose folded [ha]nds hol[d] poppies, who are laden with pride (and) allure, (and) who are filled with exuberance, and (thus) I made (them) an object of wonder.
[The covering of the r]o[o]f that (hangs) over the corridors — I made their somber atmosphere cheerful, making (them) as bright as day. I decora[ted] them with silver and copper knobbed nails. I adorned the arches, friezes, and all of its copings [w]ith baked [bricks] (glazed in the color of) obsidian (and) lapis lazuli.
So that the construction of my palace might be carried out correctly and that my handiwork be com[pleted], a[t] that time, the god Aššur and the goddess Ištar, who love my priestly service (and) who selected me (lit. “who called my name”), revealed to me a source of trunks of cedar, which since distant days [grew t]all [and] very thick as they stood in seclusion in the Sirāra mountain range.
In the uplands of Mount Ammanāna (northern Anti-Lebanon), they (Aššur and Ištar) disclosed to me the location of alabaster, which in [the tim]e of the kings, my ancestors, was too expensive (even) for the pommel of a sword.
Moreover, bre[cc]ia, as much as is needed (for making) burzigallu-bowls, (a stone) that had never been seen before, revealed itself at Kapridargilâ (“Dargilâ Village”), which is on the border of the city Tīl-Barsip.
Near Nineveh, in the territory of the city Balāṭāya, by divine will, white limestone was discovered in abundance, and (then) I created bull colossi and (other) statues with limbs of alabaster that are sculpted from a single stone, (whose) proportions are perfect, (and) who stand [hi]gh on their own pedestals; sph[in]xes of alabaster whose features are exquisite (and) whose bodies shine like a brilliant day; (and) magnificent slabs of breccia. I cut (them) free on both sides from their mountains, and (then), for the construction of my palace, I had (them) dragged into Nineveh.
I had large bull colossi and sphinxes of white limestone created in the territory of the city Balāṭāya and their forms perfected through the craft of the deity Ninkura.
Since time immemorial, the kings, my ancestors, created copper statues, replicas of [th]eir (own) forms, to be erected in temples, and through their manufacture they had exhausted all of the craftsmen. Through ig[nora]nce (and) failure to give thought on the matter, they depleted [the oil], wax, (and) wool in their lands for the work [they] desired.
(But) as for me, Sennacherib, the foremost of all rulers, [exp]ert in every type of work, regarding large columns of copper (and) [stri]ding lion colossi, which none of the kings of the past (who came) before me had cast: With the ingenious mind that the prince, the god Ninšiku, had granted to me (and) taking counsel with myself, I intensively pondered how to pe[rform] this [wo]rk. Then, with my (own) ideas and knowledge, I created a cast work of copper and expertly carried out its artful execution.
By divine will, I created clay mold(s) of tree trunks and date pa[lm(s)], the tree of abundance, (of) twelve raging lions, as well as (of) twelve magnificent bull colossi with perfect features (and) twenty-two sphinxes that are coated in allure and charm (and) that have [pri]de (and) exuberance heaped upon them, and I poured copper into it. Just like the cast work of (an object weighing only) a half shekel, I perfected their form(s).
I made bull colossi with copper features, two of which were overlaid with zaḫalû-silver, (and) bull colossi of alabaster, together with bull colossi and sphinxes of white limestone, hold the door bolts of my palatial halls.
I fastened bands of copper on magnificent copper columns, as well as on large cedar columns, which are the product of Mount Amanus, and (then) I installed (them) upon lion colossi and positioned cross-beams (upon them) as a cornice for their gates.
Sphinxes of alabaster, as well as sphinxes of cast urudû-copper that were overlaid with zaḫalû-silver, and sphinxes of cast ...-metal, whose features were brilliant: I erected over them columns of ebony, cypress, cedar, daprānu-juniper, juniper, and Indian [wood], with pašallu-gold and silver inlays, and (then) I positioned the architraves of the inner rooms of my lordly residence (on those columns).
I surrounded their (the palace rooms’) lower courses with slabs of br[ec]cia (and) alabaster, and large limestone slabs (and) made (them) an object of wonder.
In order to be able to draw water by bucket every day, I had bronze wire chains and bronze cables made and, instead of poles, I had tree trunks and date palm(s) placed over wells.
[I m]ade those palatial halls beautiful. To be an object of wonder for all of the people, I raised the superstructure of the entire palace. I called it the “Palace Without a Rival.”
I planted alongside it (the palace) a botanical garden, [a replica of] Mount Amanus, which has all kinds of aromatic plants (and) fruit trees, trees that are the mainstay of the mountains and Chaldea, collected inside it.
To make (those) planted areas [luxuria]nt, I cut with iron picks a canal straight through a mountain, from the border of the city Kisiru to the plain of Nineveh. I caused an inexhaustible supply of water to flow there for a distance of [one and a half lea]gues from the Ḫusur River (and) made (it) gush through feeder canals into those planted areas.
I created a marsh [to moder]ate the flow of water for (those) gardens and planted a canebrake in it. I let loose in it herons, wild boars (lit. “pigs of the reeds”), (and) [r]oe deer. By divine will, vines, all kinds of fruit trees, olive trees, (and) aromatic trees flourished greatly in (those) gardens. Cypress trees, musukkannu-[trees], (and) all kinds of trees grew tall and sent out shoots. The marshes thrived greatly. Birds of the heavens, heron(s), made nest(s) and wild boars (and) roe deer gave birth in abundance.
I cut down musukkannu-trees (and) cypress trees grown in the orchards (and) marsh reeds from the swamps and I used (them) [in the work] required (to build) my lordly palatial halls.
After I had finished the work on my palace, I invited inside it the god Aššur, the great lord, (and) the gods and goddesses [living in Assyria], and (then) I made splendid offerings and presented my gift(s). [I made fine oil] from olives and aromatics. At the inauguration of the palace, I had the heads of the subjects of my land drenched (and) I watered their insides with sweet wine.
By the command of [(the god) Aššur, father of the gods, and the goddess Ištar], the queen, may the good šēdu (and) [the good lamassu] last forever and ever in that palace. May they never leave it.