In general, the royal correspondence of Assyria is not dated.[[15]] The correspondence of Assurbanipal is no exception. However, among the letters edited in this volume, 15 royal letters and a letter from Ummanaldasu III (no. 122) are fully or partly dated.[[16]] The dating of the rest of the missives is based on prosopographical information and on their contents. Most of the letters can be at least roughly dated since they largely pertain to the period of the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin and its aftermath, which includes the military campaigns against Elam and the extradition of Nabû-bel-šumati.
For reference, here are the most important chronological landmarks related to the revolt and its aftermath found in chronicles, royal inscriptions, economic texts, and letters.
| 669-VIII-10 | Esarhaddon died of disease.[[17]] |
| 669-XI | Assurbanipal ascended the throne of Assyria.[[18]] |
| 668-II-14/24/25 | Šamaš-šumu-ukin ascended the throne of Babylon.[[19]] |
| 652-II-23 | The first dated letter that records the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin (no. 3) |
| 650-IV-11 | Babylon was besieged.[[20]] |
| 648-V | The revolt was crushed.[[21]] |
| (647-III | The first campaign against Ummanaldasu III.[[22]]) |
| (646-VIII/IX | The second campaign against Ummanaldasu III.[[23]]) |
In the following tables, the dated and datable letters are shown.
| Recipient(s) | Letter | Date | Grounds or Reference for Dating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babylonians | No. 1 | 668 | Allusion to the beginning of his reign, see Parpola 2004a, p. 227, n. 2. |
| Babylonians | No. 2 | Before 652-II-23 | Similarities to No. 3 and reference to "the first fighting," see Parpola 2004a, pp. 227-28. |
| Babylonians | No. 3 | 652-II-23 | Dated. |
| Babylonians | No. 4 | 648 | An ultimatum to the Babylonians. Probably just before the end of the siege of Babylon. |
| Babylonians | No. 5 | 648 | Probably related to the siege of Babylon. |
| Babylonians | No. 6 | 647? | Possibly after the siege of Babylon. |
| Babylonians | No. 7 | 647-646 | After the siege of Babylon. |
| Babylonians? (or Urukians) | Nos. 8-9 | 652 | Allusion to the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin. |
| Šadunu | No. 13 | 647? | Possibly after the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin. |
| Zakir and Kabtiya | No. 16 | 652-VII-5 | Dated. |
| Illil-bani, governor of Nippur and Nippurians | No. 18 | 652-648 | Allusion to the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin. Cf. No. 29. |
| Nippurians | Nos. 19-21 | 650-648 | Probably related to the siege of Babylon. |
| Nabû-ušabši, governor of Uruk | Nos. 22-25 | 650 | Reference to the critical situation of Ur and the governor of Mazamua who was sent to Uruk and then to Ur. |
| Nabû-ušabši, governor of Uruk | No. 26 | 652-648 | A reference to the Bit-Amukanians who appear rebellious. |
| Nabû-ušabši, governor of Uruk | No. 27 | 650-II-25 | Dated. |
| Nabû-ušabši, governor of Uruk | No. 28 | 650-III or later | Dated in month III. Reference to a new treaty that was concluded after Uruk was relieved. |
| Nabû-ušabši, governor of Uruk and Urukians | No. 29 | 652-648 | Parallel between no. 18 and this letter. |
| Kudurru, governor of Uruk and Urukians | No. 32 | XII-12 | Dated. |
| Kudurru, governor of Uruk and Urukians | No. 33 | 646*-II-24 | Dated. |
| Sîn-tabni-uṣur, governor of Ur | No. 37 | 650 | Sîn-tabni-uṣur's endurance of enemy and famine for two years. |
| Sîn-tabni-uṣur, governor of Ur | No. 38 | 649 | Sîn-tabni-uṣur's third year in his office. |
| Kissikians? | No. 39 | 649 | Reference to Sîn-šarra-uṣur. |
| Citizens of Ur? | No. 40 | 652-648 | Allusion to the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin. |
| Sîn-tabni-uṣur, governor of Ur | No. 41 | 649 | Reference to Sîn-šarra-uṣur submitting to Assurbanipal. |
| Kissikians | No. 42 | 649 | Reference to Sîn-šarra-uṣur submitting to Assurbanipal. |
| Sealanders | No. 43 | 650-II-5 | Dated. |
| Bel-ibni, general of the Sealand | Nos. 44-48 | 650-648 | Bel-ibni being appointed as the general of the Sealand in 650 bce, see no. 43. |
| PNN and Sealanders | No. 49 | 652-648 | Allusion to the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin. |
| Gambulians | No. 50 | Before 664 | Reference to Bel-iqiša, the leader of the Gambulians, who revolted against Assyria and died in 664. |
| Gambulians | No. 51 | 653 | Possibly related to the campaign against the Gambulu in 653. |
| Rašians | No. 53 | 647 | Reference to Tammaritu (II), who participated in the first campaign against Ummanaldasu III. |
| Ambappi and Rašians | No. 55 | 647 | References to Ummanaldasu and Tammaritu pointing to the first campaign against Ummanaldasu III. |
| Ambappi? | No. 56 | 647? | Allusion to the first campaign against Ummanaldasu III because of the references to Elam, Bit-Imbî, Ummanaldasu (III), the wife of Teumman, and his sons. |
| NN of Raši? | No. 57 | 646*-XII-27 | Dated. |
| Menanu, elder of Elam | No. 58 | c. 652 | References to Ummanigaš II as a traitor, Tammaritu, and Šamaš-šumu-ukin as a rebel. Menanu's severance of communication with the king for 19 months. |
| Tammaritu (I), king of Elam | No. 59 | 652 | The letter could be "the first message" from Assurbanipal to Tammaritu (II). |
| Indabibi, king of Elam | No. 60 | 649-[III?-3?] | Dated. |
| Ummanšibar | No. 61 | 648*-IV-25 | Dated. |
| Tammaritu (II), the previous king of Elam | No. 63 | [647]-VI-16 | Dated. The name of the eponym is not preserved but the contents allude to the first campaign against Ummanaldasu III. |
| Tammaritu (II), the previous king of Elam | No. 64 | 647 | A reference to a massacre in Bit-Bunakka by the Assyrian troops that took place during the first campaign against Ummanaldasu III. |
| Elders of Elam | No. 65 | 647*-XI | Dated. |
| Ummanaldasu (III), king of Elam | No. 66 | 647 | The king requests the delivery of Nabû-bel-šumati or Nabû-qati-ṣabat. Cf. ABL 792 + 1286. |
| Elders of Elam? | No. 67 | 652-647 | An allusion to the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin or the first campaign against Ummanaldasu III. |
| NN | No. 68 | 648? | A reference to Indabibi. |
| Elders of Elam? | No. 72 | 648-647 | An allusion to the end of the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin or the first campaign against Ummanaldasu III. |
| Hundaru, king of Dilmun | No. 75 | 647-VI-13 | Dated. |
| City lords of Bašimu | No. 76 | 646 | Possibly related to the conquest and destruction of Bašimu during the second campaign against Ummanaldasu III. |
| Bel-ēṭir | No. 77 | 648? | Possibly related to the end of the revolt of Šamaš-šumu-ukin. |
| Nabû-šar-ahhešu? | No. 80 | 652-VII-3 | Dated. |
| NN | No. 82 | 646* | Dated. Only the name of the eponym is preserved. |
| NN | No. 83 | 648-V or later | Possibly after the siege of Babylon. |
| NN | No. 85 | 647-646 | Possibly related to the first and second campaigns against Ummanaldasu III. |
| Sender(s) | Letter | Date | Grounds or Reference for Dating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Šamaš-šumu-ukin, king of Babylon | No. 103 | Before 652 | Good relationship between Assurbanipal and Šamaš-šumu-ukin. |
| Šamaš-šumu-ukin, king of Babylon | No. 104 | 664 or earlier | Reference to the prince Ummanigaš and Bel-iqiša of Gambulu. |
| Illil-bani, governor of Nippur? | Nos. 106-107 | 652-649 | A reference to the hostility of Šamaš-šumu-ukin. No. 107 is the duplicate of No. 106. |
| Nabû-bel-šumati of the Sealand | No. 109 | 653 | See Mattila 1987, pp. 29-30. |
| Bel-iqiša | No. 111 | Before 664 | Bel-iqiša died in 664, see Frame 1992, p. 119, n. 93. |
| Gambulians | No. 112 | 653 | The king's response to this letter is no. 51. |
| Elders of Elam | No. 116 | 653 | An allusion to the situation after Teumman's defeat. |
| Elders of Elam | No. 117 | 646 | References to the corpse of Nabû-bel-šumati. |
| Ummanaldasu (III) | No. 122 | 646*-IV-26 | Dated. |
| NN | No. 128 | After 651 | References to Šamaš-šumu-ukin and Nabû-bel-šumati. |
| NN | No. 139 | 647 | References to the chief eunuch, Tammaritu (II), and troops. |
| Sender(s) | Letter | Date | Grounds or Reference for Dating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ea-zera-qiša, the leader of Chaldean Bit-Amukani, to Humbuštu, his mother | No. 155 | 650-II-25 | See no. 27 and reference to the defeat of Šamaš-šumu-ukin. Cf. Frame 1992, 173, n. 204. |
| NN to NN ("lord") | No. 160 | c. 650? | References to the chief of trade Nabû-šumu-iqiša having withdrawn from Elam, horses, and supplies. |
15 Fales pointed out that 95% of Neo-Assyrian letters are not dated. See Fales 2013, 92.
16 Nos. 3, 15, 27, 28, 32, 33, 43, 57, 60, 61, 63, 65, 75, 80, 82, 122.
17 Grayson 1975, 86, no. 1 iv 30-32 and 127, no. 14:28-30.
18 Grayson 1975, 127, no. 14:34.
19 Grayson 1975, 86, no. 1 iv 34-36 and 127, no. 14:35-36.
20 Grayson 1975, 130, no. 15:19.
21 The last economic documents dated by the regnal year of Šamaš-šumu-ukin: BM 134973 on 648-V-28 from Borsippa and BM 40577 on 648-V-30 from Babylon, see Brinkman and Kennedy 1983, 36.
22 Two campaigns against Ummanaldasu III are not dated, but concerning their chronology, see Frame 1992, 293-295 and Waters 2000, 117-118. The first campaign is recorded in the following inscriptions: Borger and Fuchs 1996, 159-163 and 236-237, Edition C IX 1'-89'; Borger and Fuchs 1996, 166 and 237, Edition G1E II' 29'-37' and G1D I' 1'-6'; Borger and Fuchs 1996, 46-48 and 237-238, Edition A IV123-V 40 // Edition F III 46-81; Borger and Fuchs 1996, 157, K 2656+ 17-20; Borger and Fuchs 1996, 71 and 249-250, Edition A X 17-20; Borger and Fuchs 1996, 281 and 294, IIT 118.
23 The second campaign is described in the following inscriptions: Borger and Fuchs 1996, 49-59 and 239-243, Edition A V 63-VII 8 // Edition F IV 17-VI 21; Borger and Fuchs 1996, 54, 167-168, 239 and 242, Edition T IV 36-V 32.
Sanae Ito
Sanae Ito, 'The Chronology of the Letters: Dated and Datable Letters', The Correspondence of Assurbanipal, Part I: Letters from Assyria, Babylonia, and Vassal States, SAA 21. Original publication:Winona Laka, IN, Eisenbrauns, 2018; online contents: SAAo/SAA21 Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2020 [http://oracc.org/saao/saa21/TheChronologyoftheLetters/]