The Proposed Chronology

Based on the key chronological events discussed above in detail, the period from 710 to the beginning of 706 is to be divided into eight phases of different lengths. If in some way connected with one or more of these specific events, letters and senders can be placed within this chronological frame:

710a) Sargon campaigns east of the Tigris. Merodach-Baladan is present in northern Babylonia, while at the same time Assyrian officials work hard to win over his subjects.

710b) Merodach-Baladan retreats first to Elam then to Dur-Yakin. Northern Babylonia including Bit-Amukani (but excluding Uruk) is soon in Assyrian hands. Sargon stays in Kiš, sometimes in Babylon. Il-yada' is perhaps succeeded by Šamaš-belu-uṣur as governor of Der.

710c-709a) Merodach-Baladan makes Dur-Yakin ready for defence. Sargon's first New Year's Festival in Babylon. In preparation for the campaign against Bit-Yakin, tribute is now for the first time delivered to Babylon. The Puqudaeans are Assyrian subjects.

709b) Since Iyyar (Apr.-May, cf. Ann. 329) Sargon campaigns in the south and lays siege to Dur-Yakin. Uruk and other cities in southern Babylonia are soon under Assyrian control.

708a) Sargon again receives tribute in Babylon. Daltâ, king of Ellipi, is still alive. Nabû-belu-ka''in is governor in Kar-Šarrukin.

708b-707a) The period after Daltâ's death (shortly before Nov.-Dec. 708, cf. 92:4) and before the Assyrian campaign against Ellipi. Nibê is now in control of "the house of Dalta." Nabû-belu-ka''in is replaced by Mannu-ki-Ninua as governor of Kar-Šarrukin.

707b) The campaign of the Assyrian "magnates'' against Ellipi is under way. At the same time the king of Elam subdues the rebellious fortress of Birati.

707c-706a) In Tishri (Sep.-Oct.) 707 (69 r.15) the war of succession in Ellipi is over. Now at the latest Sargon is back in Assyria, i.e. m Calah or Nineveh. Ašpa-bara is established as king of Ellipi, but in Nisan (Mar.-Apr.) 706 (101:5) he is fighting against Lutû.

706b) Sargon sends his magnates against Karalla (no letters available).

TABLE V. Summary of the Proposed dates

The problem of intercalary months has not been dealt with here. If no.118 refers to the 709-IX-14, this would be exactly the 27th of November.^[[147]]

TABLE VI. Dates Proposed in the Introduction

Symbols and abbreviations used in this table:

• amD ante mortem Daltae
• B-D Ellipi was called Bit-Daltâ probably between Daltâ's death and the end of the war of succession in 707, i.e. between Nov.-Dec. 708 and Sept.-Oct. 707.
• D-ŠBuilding activities in Dur-Šarrukin.
• LMention of Lutû (or Ludû), Daltâ's son.
• MMonths included, see above, Table V
• m-Dmar Daltâ, 'son of Daltâ' (king of Ellipi), most probably politically active after his fathers death and before the accession of Ašpa-bara, cf. B-D
• MzMazamua
• pmDpost morted Daltae (i.e. Nov.-Dec. 708 or later).
• year+the given year and afterwards until the end of Sargon's reign.
• year-the given year and before up to the beginning of Sargon's reign. For 710a, 710b, 710c-709a, 709b, 708a, 708b-707a, 707b and 707c-706a, see above, pp. XL-XLI.

142 Both Aššur-belu-taqqin (195:7-8) and Nabû-nadin-ahi (ibid. r.5) are mentioned also in no. 181 (Aššur-belu-taqqin).

143 For Minu' see nos. 166-167 (both il-yada').

144 No. 68 is similar to no. 86 in contents.

145 Both no. 221 and 227 seem to have the same topic as no. 88 from Nabû-belu-ka"in (III).

146 Same topic as in no. 226.

147 SAA 8 501 and S. de Meis and H. Hunger, Astronomical Dating of Assyrian and Babylonian Reports (Rome 1998), p. 86. See also D. Brown, Mespotamian Planetary Astronomy-Astrology (Groningen 2000), p. 25 sub 8501 (year only).

Andreas Fuchs

Andreas Fuchs, 'The Proposed Chronology', The Correspondence of Sargon II, Part III: Letters from Babylonia and the Eastern Provinces, SAA 15. Original publication: Helsinki, Helsinki University Press, 2001; online contents: SAAo/SAA15 Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2021 [http://oracc.org/saao/saa15/AnAttempttoProvideaChronologicalFramework/ProposedChronology/]