ABC 6 (Neriglissar Chronicle)

The Chronicle Concerning Year Three of Neriglissar (ABC 6) is one of the historiographical texts from ancient Babylonia. It deals with king Neriglissar (= Nergal-šarra-usur) and his war in the far west in 557/556 BCE.

An Anatolian fort

This chronicle, like Chronicles 2, 4, 9, and 15, is inscribed on a tablet, BM 25124 (98-2-16, 178), which has the shape of a Neo-Babylonian business tablet. It measures 58 mm wide and 46 mm long. There are only minor lacunae in the tablet. Unlike other chronicles, this text is very rich in detail.

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).

Section
13
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
15-17
14
1
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2

[13] He captured him, seized Ura, and sacked it.

[27] went home.

[26] fled, so he did not capture him. In the month of Addaru,note the king of Akkad

[25] of Lydia he started fires. Appuašu

[24] of Sallune to the border

[23] and captured their people. In that same year from the pass

[22] he captured by means of boats. He destroyed their city

[21] and six thousand combat troops who were stationed in it

[20] Pitusu, a land in the midst of the ocean,

[19] He burnt its wall, its palace, and its people.

[18] he captured Kirši, the mighty city, his royal metropolis.

[15-17] When he had marched for a distance of six double hours through rough mountains and difficult passes, from Ura to Kirši - his forefather's royal city -

[14] [Erasure]

[1] The third year (557/556): on the Nth day of the month [...], Appuašu, the king of Pirindu,

[12] as far as Ura, the royal city.

[11] for a distance of fifteen double-hours and marched through difficult mountains, where men must walk in single file,

[10] he captured. He pursued[12] Appuašu

[9] and conquered the large army. The army and numerous horses

[8] When Neriglissar reached them he inflicted a defeat upon them

[7] in a mountain valley ambush.

[6] the army and cavalry which he had organized

[5] Before his arrival Appuašu placed[7]

[4] mustered his army and marched to Hume [Cilicia] to oppose him.

[3] Syria. Neriglissar

[2] mustered a large army and set out[3] to plunder and sack