Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

Note to the text editions ix

Abbreviations x

Bibliography xi

1 Introduction 1

1.1 The royal inscriptions as historical sources 1

1.2 The contents of the inscriptions 2

1.3 Style and composition of the inscriptions: intertextuality in the texts of Nabopolassar and Neriglissar 20

1.4 Archaeology and inscriptions: material supports and find-spots of the inscriptions 29

2 The inscriptions of Nabopolassar 33

2.1 Brick inscriptions 33

2.1.1 B1, B3 and B5: The embankment inscriptions, Babylon 33

2.1.2 B2 and B4: The Arahtu inscriptions, Babylon 38

2.1.3 B6: The Etemenanki inscription, Babylon 42

2.1.4 B7: The Euphrates inscription, Sippar 43

2.2 Cylinders 44

2.2.1 C11: The Imgur-Enlil inscription, Babylon (short version) 44

2.2.1.1 C11/A: 44

2.2.1.2 C11/B (and B'): 50

2.2.2 C12: The é.PA.GIN.ti.la inscription, Babylon 54

2.2.3 C21: The Euphrates inscription, Sippar 63

2.2.4 C22: The E-edinna inscription, Sippar 70

2.2.5 C23: The Nemetti-Enlil inscription, Babylon 73

2.2.6 C31: The Etemenanki inscription, Babylon 77

2.2.7 C32: The Imgur-Enlil inscription, Babylon (long version) 93

2.2.8 C011: The fragmentary Larsa inscription 104

3 The inscriptions of Amel-Marduk 106

3.1 The brick inscription B1 106

3.2 The inscriptions on vases: V1, V2, V3 and V4 107

3.2.1 V1: The Babylon vase 107

3.2.2 V2: The Susa vase 1 107

3.2.3 V3: The Susa vase 2 108

3.2.4 V4: The Susa vase 3 109

3.3 The paving stone PS1 110

4 The inscriptions of Neriglissar 112

4.1 The brick inscriptions 112

4.1.1 Brick inscription B1 112

4.1.2 Brick inscription B2 113

4.2 The cylinders 114

4.2.1 C21: The Esagil inscription, Babylon 114

4.2.2 C22: The LTbil-hegalla inscription, Babylon 120

4.2.3 C23: The Royal Palace inscription, Babylon 124

4.2.4 C011: Inscription fragment regarding a campaign to Cilicia(?) 135

4.2.5 C021: Inscription fragment: restoration of a Šamaš(?) temple(?) or ziqqurat(?) 138

4.2.6 C022: Ziqqurrat inscription, Sippar 140

4.3 The vase fragment V1 143

Glossary 145

Indices 222

Concordance 228

List of Photographs 232