The palace of Esarhaddon, great king, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, governor of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, (i 5) son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, descendant of Sargon (II), king of Assyria, the king who with the help of the gods Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Nabû, Marduk, Ištar of Nineveh, (and) Ištar of Arbela, (i 10) the great gods, his lords, marched from the rising sun to the setting sun and had no equal (therein);

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the one who conquered the city Sidon, which is in the midst of the sea, (i 15) (and) the one who leveled all of its dwellings — I tore out its wall(s) and its dwelling(s), and threw (them) into the sea; and I (even) made the site where it stood disappear. I caught Abdi-Milkūti, its king, (i 20) who had fled in the face of my weapons into the midst of the sea, like a fish from the midst of the sea and cut off his head. I carried off his amassed possessions, gold, silver, precious stones, (i 25) elephant hide(s), ivory, ebony, boxwood, garments with trimming and linen(s), everything of value from his palace in huge quantities, (and) took away his far-flung people who were beyond counting, oxen, sheep and goats, (and) donkeys (i 30) to Assyria. I gathered the kings of Ḫatti (Syria-Palestine) and the seacoast, all of them, and had (them) build a city in another place, and I named it Kār-Esarhaddon. (i 35) I settled in it people plundered by my bow from the eastern mountains and sea (and) I placed my official as governor over them.

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Moreover, Sanda-uarri, king of the cities Kundi (and) Sissû, a dangerous enemy, who did not fear my lordship (and) abandoned the gods, trusted in the impregnable mountains. Furthermore, Abdi-Milkūti, king of Sidon, agreed to help him (i 45) and they swore an oath by the great gods with one another and trusted in their own strength. I trusted in the god Aššur, my lord, caught him like a bird from the midst of the mountains, and cut off his head. (i 50) To show the people the might of the god Aššur, my lord, I hung the heads of Sanda-uarri and Abdi-Milkūti around the necks of their nobles and (i 55) I paraded in the squares of Nineveh with singers and lyre(s).

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The one who plundered the land Arzâ, which is in the district of the Brook of Egypt — I threw Asuḫīli, its king, into fetters along with his counselors and (i 60) brought (them) to Assyria. I seated them, bound, near the citadel gate of (the city of) Nineveh along with bear(s), dog(s), and pig(s).

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Moreover, I struck with the sword Teušpa, a Cimmerian, a barbarian whose home is remote, together with his entire army, in the territory of the land Ḫubušna.

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The one who treads on the necks of the people of Cilicia, mountain dwellers who live in mountains in the neighborhood of Tabal, who trusted in their mountains and who from earliest days had not been submissive to the yoke — I surrounded, conquered, plundered, demolished, destroyed, (and) burned with fire (ii 10) twenty-one of their cities together with small cities in their environs. (As for) the rest of them, who were not guilty of (any) sin or crime, I imposed the heavy yoke of my lordship upon them.

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The one who crushed the Barnaki, a dangerous enemy, who live in the land Tīl-Ašurri, which is called Pitānu in the language of the people of the city Miḫrānu;

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the one who scattered the Mannean people, undisciplined Gutians, who put to the sword the army of Išpakāia, a Scythian, an ally who could not save himself;

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the one who drove out Nabû-zēr-kitti-līšir, son of Marduk-apla-iddina (II) (Merodach-baladan), who had put his trust in the king of the land Elam, but could not save his life — Naʾid-Marduk, his brother, fled from the land Elam to serve me, (ii 30) came to Nineveh, my capital city, and kissed my feet. I made the entire Sealand, the domain of his brother, subject to him.

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The one who sacked the land Bīt-Dakkūri, which is in Chaldea, an enemy of Babylon; the one who captured Šamaš-ibni, its king, a rogue (and) outlaw, who did not respect the oath of the lord of lords (and) who took away fields of the citizens of Babylon and Borsippa by force — (ii 40) because I know the fear of the gods Bēl and Nabû, I returned those fields and entrusted (them) to the citizens of Babylon and Borsippa. I placed Nabû-šallim, the son of Balāssu, on his throne and he (now) pulls my yoke.

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(As for) the city Adumutu, the fortress of the Arabs, which Sennacherib, king of Assyria, (my) father, who engendered me, conquered and whose goods, possessions, (and) gods, together with Apkallatu, the queen of the Arabs, he plundered and brought to Assyria — Hazael, the king of the Arabs, came to Nineveh, my capital city, with his heavy audience gift and kissed my feet. (ii 55) He implored me to give (back) his gods, and I had pity on him. I refurbished those gods and I had the might of the god Aššur, my lord, and (an inscription) written in my name inscribed on them and I gave (them) back to him. (ii 60) I placed the lady Tabūa, who was raised in my palace, as ruler over them and returned her to her land with her gods.

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I added sixty-five camels to the previous tribute (which was paid to) my father and imposed (it) on him. Later, Hazael died and I placed Iaʾlû (Iataʾ), his son, (iii 5) on his throne. I added ten minas of gold, one thousand choice stones, fifty camels, (and) one thousand bags of aromatics to the tribute of his father and imposed (it) on him.

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(As for) the land Bāzu, a district in a remote place, a forgotten place of dry land, saline ground, a place of thirst, one hundred and forty leagues of desert, thistles, and gazelle-tooth stones, twenty leagues of land where snakes and scorpions fill the plain like ants — (iii 15) I left mount Ḫazû, the mountain of saggilmud-stone, twenty leagues behind me and crossed over (to that district) to which no king before me had gone since earliest days. By the command of the god Aššur, my lord, (iii 20) I marched triumphantly in its midst. I defeated eight kings from that district (and) carried off their gods, their goods, their possessions, (and) their people to Assyria. Laialê, king of the city Iadiʾ, (iii 25) who had fled before my weapons, heard of the plundering of his gods and came to Nineveh, my capital city, before me, and kissed my feet. (iii 30) I had pity on him and said to him ‘Aḫulap!’ I inscribed the might of the god Aššur, my lord, on his gods that I had carried off and I gave (them) back to him. I put that province of Bāzu under him (and) imposed on him my lordly tribute (and) payment.

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(As for) Bēl-iqīša, son of Bunnannū, a Gambulian whose residence is located twelve leagues distance in water and swamps like (that of) a fish, (iii 40) by the command of the god Aššur, my lord, fear fell upon him and of his own free will he took tribute and payment, uncastrated bulls, (and) teams of white mules from the land Elam (and) brought (them) to Nineveh, before me, (iii 45) and he kissed my feet. I had pity on him and encouraged him. I strengthened the city Ša-pī-Bēl, the city (which is) his strong fortress, and (iii 50) I put him together with his archers therein as a garrison and (thus) locked it (the fortress) up like a door against the land Elam.

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(As for) the land Patušarri, a district in the area of the salt desert, which is in the midst of the land of the distant Medes, (iii 55) borders Mount Bikni, the lapis lazuli mountain, (and) upon the soil of whose land none of the kings, my ancestors, had walked — I carried off to Assyria Šidir-parna (and) E-parna, mighty chieftains, who were not submissive to (my) yoke, together with their people, their riding horses, oxen, sheep and goats, donkeys, (and) Bactrian camels, their heavy plunder.

(As for) Uppis, chieftain of the city Partakka, Zanasana, chieftain of the city Partukka, (and) Ramateia, chieftain of the city Urakazabarna, Medes whose country is remote (iv 5) (and) who had not crossed the boundary of Assyria nor trodden on its soil in the time of the kings, my ancestors — the awesome fear of the god Aššur, my lord, overwhelmed them and they brought to Nineveh, my capital city, large thoroughbreds (and blocks of) lapis lazuli, hewn from its mountain, (iv 10) and they kissed my feet. Because of the chieftains who had threatened them, they implored my lordship and begged me for help. I sent my officials, the governors (iv 15) of the boundary areas of their land, with them and they trampled the people living in those cities and made (them) bow down at their feet. I imposed the tribute (and) payment of my lordship upon them yearly.

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After the gods Aššur, Šamaš, Bēl and Nabû, Ištar of Nineveh, (and) Ištar of Arbela made me stand victoriously over my enemies and I attained everything I wanted, with the booty of the vast enemies which my hands had captured through the help of the great gods, my lords, I had the shrines of cult centers built in Assyria and Akkad; I decorated (them) with silver (and) gold and made (them) shine like daylight.

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At that time, the armory of Nineveh which the kings who came before (me), my ancestors, (iv 35) had built to maintain the camp (and) to keep thoroughbreds, mules, chariots, military equipment, implements of war, and the plunder of enemies, everything that the god Aššur, king of the gods, (iv 40) gave me as my royal share — that place had become too small for me to have horses show their mettle (and) to train with chariots. I made the people of the lands plundered by my bow (iv 45) take up hoe (and) basket, and they made bricks. I razed that small palace in its entirety, took a large area from the fields for an addition, and added (it) to it (the palace). I raised the terrace with limestone, strong stone from the mountains.

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I summoned twenty-two kings of Ḫatti (Syria-Palestine), the seacoast, and the midst of the sea, and I sent orders to all of them for large beams, tall columns, (and) planks of cedar (and) cypress from Mount Sirāra (and) Mount Lebanon, (and) they had lamassu-statues, zebus, paving stones, slabs (v 5) of marble, pendû-stone, breccia, colored marble, engišû-stone, brownish limestone, (and) girimḫilibû-stone, (v 10) (everything that was) needed for my palace, dragged with much trouble (and) effort from the midst of the mountains, the place of their origin, to Nineveh.

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In a favorable month, on a propitious day, I built great palatial halls upon that terrace for my lordly residence. I built a great (royal) house ninety-five large cubits long (and) thirty-one large cubits wide, (v 20) something none of the kings who came before (me), my ancestors, had done. I roofed it with magnificent cedar beams. I fastened bands of silver and bronze on doors of cypress, whose fragrance is sweet, and installed (them) in its gates.

I had stone šēdus and lamassus, whose appearance repels evil, placed to the right and the left of their gate(s) as (v 30) protectors of the walk (and) guardians of the path of the king who made them. I had the palace (v 35) skillfully built of interlocking limestone and cedar for my lordly pleasure. I set up inside it twin copper lamassu-statues, with each pair looking (both) forward and backward.

I placed crossbeams on tall cedar columns (thus forming) a cornice in their gates. I had the frieze(s) (and) coping(s) of the whole of that palace made of black (and) blue (glazed bricks) and I put (them) around (it) like a wreath. (v 45) I surrounded all of the gates with an arch (and) a vault like a rainbow. I embedded nails of pure silver and shining bronze in them. Through the craft of the sculptor, I depicted on it (the frieze of the palace) the might of the god Aššur, my lord, (the deeds) that I had accomplished in enemy lands.

I set up alongside it (the palace) a botanical garden, a replica of Mount Amanus, with all kinds of aromatic plants and fruit trees. I greatly enlarged its courtyard and made its approach much wider. (vi 1) I led a canal into it (the park) as a watering place for horses and I made (it) murmur (with running water) like an irrigation ditch.

I built (and) completed that palace from its foundations to its parapets (and) filled (it) with splendor. I named it Ešgalšiddudua, ‘The palace that administers everything.’

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I invited the god Aššur, the goddess Ištar of Nineveh, (and) the gods of Assyria, all of them, into it. I made sumptuous pure offerings before them and presented (them) with my gifts. Those gods, in their steadfast hearts, blessed my kingship. I seated all of the officials (and) people of my country in it at ceremonial meals and banquets, (and) at festive tables, and I made their mood jubilant. I watered their insides with wine (and) kurunnu-wine. I had (my servants) drench their (the guests’) heads with fine oil (and) perfumed oil.

By the command of the god Aššur, the king of the gods, and the gods of Assyria, all of them, let me dwell in it forever in good health, happiness, bright spirit(s), (and) with the satisfaction of growing old, and let me be sated with its splendor. At new year, in the first month, yearly, without ceasing, let me inspect in it all of the thoroughbreds, mules, donkeys, camels, military equipment, implements of war, (and) (vi 35) all of the captured enemy soldiers. Let the good šēdu (and) the good lamassu, who guard my royal path (and) who make me happy, last forever and ever in that palace. May they never leave it.

Ayyāru (II), twenty-second day, eponymy of Banbâ, the deputy minister (sukkallu šanû) (676 BC).

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