ABC 16 (Akitu Chronicle)

The Akitu Chronicle (ABC 16) is one of the historiographical texts from ancient Babylonia. It deals with the war between the Babylonian king Šamaš-šuma-ukin and his brother Aššurbanipal, king of Assyria. Its name is derived from the fact that the author shows a special interest in the celebration of the Akitu festival.

For a very brief introduction to the literary genre of chronicles, go here. The translation on this webpage was adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975) and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004).

The text of the Akitu Chronicle is preserved on a table, BM 86379 (original registration number unknown), which measures 45 mm wide and 62 mm long. It is well preserved, there being a small piece missing from the upper right-hand corner and a few surface flaws.

Section

Translation
[1] For eight years under Sennacherib,
[2] for twelve years under Esarhaddon,
[3] twenty years altogether, Bêl stayed in Baltil^note[Aššur.]
[4] and the Akitu festival did not take place.
[5] The accession year of Šamaš-šuma-ukin:^note[668/667 BCE.] In the month Ajaru
[6] Bêl and the gods of Akkad went out from Baltil (Aššur) and
[7] on the twenty-fourth^note day of the month Ajaru, they entered Babylon.
[8] Nabû and the gods of Borsippa went to Babylon.
[9] The sixteenth year of Šamaš-šuma-ukin:^note[652/651 BCE.] From the month Ajaru until the month Tebêtu
[10] the major-domo conscripted troops in Akkad.
[11] On the nineteenth day of the month Tebêtu hostilities began between Assyria and Akkad.
[12] The king withdrew before the enemy into Babylon.
[13] On the twenty-seventh day of Addaru the armies of Assyria and Akkad
[14] did battle in Hiritu. The army of Akkad
[15] retreated from the battlefield and a major defeat was inflicted upon it.
[16] However, there were still hostilities and warfare continued.
[17] The seventeenth year:^note[651/650 BCE.] There were insurrections in Assyria and Akkad.
[18] Nabû did not come from Borsippa for the precession of Bêl
[19] and Bêl did not come out.
[20] The eighteenth year:^note[650/649 BCE.] Nabû did not come from Borsippa for the precession of Bêl
[21] and Bêl did not come out.
[22] The nineteenth year:^note[649/648 BCE.] Nabû did not come and Bêl did not come out.
[23] The twentieth year (648/647): Nabû did not come and Bêl did not come out.
[24] After Kandalanu,^note in the accession year of Nabopolassar:^note
[25] there were insurrections in Assyria and Akkad.
[26] There were hostilities and warfare continued.
[27] Nabû did not come and Bêl did not come out. Nabû did not come and Bel did not come out.

Translation