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ABC 24 (Eclectic chronicle)

The Eclectic Chronicle (ABC 24) is one of the historiographical texts from ancient Babylonia. It deals with events between 1080 and 822 that were important from a Babylonian point of view, but the exact purpose of this text is unclear. Some lines are duplicates of the Walker Chronicle.

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 this chronicle is inscribed on a tablet, BM 27859 (98-7-11, 124), the top of which is missing. There is also a large piece missing from the lower left-hand corner. The preserved portion, about two thirds of the text, measures 45 mm wide and 60 mm long.

[Rev.12'] Eriba-Marduk slew by the sword, and he brought about their defeat.

[Rev.3'] At the time of Nabû-šuma-ukin, Tukulti-Ninurta was the king of Assyria.note

 

[Rev.4'] At the time of Nabû-apla-iddina, son of Nabû-šuma-ukin, Aššur-nasir-apli was the king of Assyria.note

 

[Rev.5'] At the time of Marduk-zakir-šumi, son of Nabû-apla-iddina, and

[Rev.6'] Marduk-bêl-usate, Šalmaneser was the king of Assyria.note

 

[Rev.7'] At the time of Marduk-balassu-iqbi and Marduk-zakir-šumi

 

[Rev.8'] For N years there was no king in the land.note

 

[Rev.9'] Eriba-Marduk, descendant of Marduk-šakin-šumi,

[Rev.10'] took the hand of Bêl and the son of Bêl (Nabû) in his second year.

[Rev.11'] The Aramaeans who had taken by murder and insurrection the fields of the inhabitants of Babylon and Borsippa,

[Rev.2'] Adad-nirari was the king of Assyria at the time of Šamaš-mudammiq.note

 

[Rev.13'] He took the fields and orchards away from the and gave them to the [Arameans?] and Borsippeans.

[Rev.14'] In that same year, he set of the throne of Bêl in Esagila and Ezida ...

[Rev.15'] ... Eriba-Marduk ... to Babylon.

 

[Rev.16'] ... Eriba-Marduk went out from ...

 

[Rev.17'] ... Nabû-Nasir.note

 

[Rev.18'] ...

 

[Rev.19'] ... Tiglath-pileser III, king of Assyria, ascended the throne.note

 

[Rev.20'] Šalmaneser, king of Assyria, ascended the throne.note

 

[Rev.21] [...]

Translation of reverse

[Rev.1'] The Nth year of Mar-biti-ahhe-iddinanote