Letters from Assyrian Scholars to the Kings Esarhaddon and Assurbanipal

Foreward

Table of Contents

Introduction

Excursus: The Substitute King Ritual

Abbreviations

Commentary to Letters 1–345

Additional Texts

New Joins

Appendix A. Assyrian Chronology 681–648 BC

1. Intercalary Years 685–650

2. Table for Converting Assyrian Dates into Julian Ones

3. Table for Converting Julian Dates into Assyrian Ones

4. List of Eponyms 681–648

Appendix B. Lunar Constellations

Appendix C. Heliacal Phenomena of Mercuty, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter

1. Mercury: Heliacal Risings and Settings for Babylon 681–663 BC

2. Venus: Heliacal Risings and Settings for Babylon 681–663 BC

3a. Mars: Heliacal Risings and Settings for Babylon 681–650 BC

3b. Mars: Oppositions and Stationary Points for Babylon 681–650 BC

4a. Jupiter: Heliacal Risings and Settings (Babylon) 681–663 BC

4b. Jupiter: Oppositions and Stationary Points (Babylon) 681–663 BC

Appendix D. Synopsis of Planetary Positions and Phases, 680–663 BC

Appendix E. Solar Eclipses at Nineveh 681–647 BC

Appendix F. Lunar Eclipses (Nineveh and Babylon), 681–647 BC

1. List of Eclipses

2. Graphic Presentation of the Lunar Eclipses Visible in Mesopotamia in Years 680–664 BC

3. Visibility of Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn during Lunar Eclipses 680–663 BC at Nineveh

4. Interpretation of Lunar Eclipses

Appendix G. Sunset and Sunrise in Nineveh and Assur

Appendix H. Risings and Settings of Selected Fixed Stars

1. Heliacal Risings and Settings

2. Acronychal Risings and Settings

Appendix I. The Chronology of the Letters

1. Chronological List of Datable Letters

2. List of Undatable (or Undated) Letters

3. Chronological Distrubution of Datable Letters

4. Chronological Structure of the LAS Corpus

5. Datable Letters Arranged by Author and Date

Appendix J. Datable Astrological Reports

1. List of Datable Reports (Arranged by Publication Number)

2. Datable Reports in Chronological Order

3. Datable Reports Arranged by Author and Date

Appendix K. Synopsis of the Historical Information Provided by the LAS Corpus

Appendix L. Addressees

Appendix M. Senders

1. List of Letter with Extant Idication of Authorship

2. List of Letters Lacking Indication but Assignable to Definite Writers

3. List of Fragments not Assignable to Definite Writers

4. Totals of Letters and Reports Assigned to Definite Authors

5. Introductory Formulae

6. Distinctive Features

Appendix N. Biographical and Prosopographical Source Materials

1. Chronographic Texts (1–1b)

2, Colophons (2–15)

3. Contracts (16–25)

4. Administrative Records (26–31)

5. Oracle Queries and Reports (32–46)

6. Letters (47–81)

Appendix O. Careers of Scholars

1. List of Attested Dates and Titles

2. Chronological Distribution of Individual Careers

Appendix P. A Survey of the Subject Matter Covered by the Correspondence

1. Matters in which the SCHOLARS Contacted the King

2. Matters in which the KING Contacted the Scholars

3. Number of Reply Letters vs. “Spontaneously sent” Letters

4. King’s Words Quoted in the Letters

5.1 References to Future Letters

5.2 References to Previous Letters (Identified)

5.3 Unidentified References to Previous Letters

Appendix Q. Related Texts

1. Old Babylonian Letters from Mari

2. Old Babylonian and Cassite Reports on Extespices

3. Middle Babylonian Letters

4. Letters to Sargonid Kings from Babylonian Scholars

5. “Astrological” Reports to Sargonid Kings

6. Letters from the Neo-Babylonian and Persian Periods

Addenda and Corrigenda

Addenda and Corrigenda (1979–1981)

Indices

1. Texts and Passages Quoted or Discussed

2. Texts Edited under “Additional Texts”

3. Grammar

4. Lexicon

5. Names

6. Subject Indexes (in Selection)

Bibliography