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.

Chapter

Obv

Edge

Rev

Section

10'

11'

12'

13'

14'

15'

16'

17'

18'

19'

20'

Translation of reverse

[Rev.1'] The Nth year of Mar-biti-ahhe-iddina^note[Became king of Babylonia in 942.]

[Rev.2'] Adad-nirari was the king of Assyria at the time of Šamaš-mudammiq.^note[Adad-nirari II ruled from 911 to 891.]

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

[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[King of Babylonia, 747-734.]

[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] [...]