Cyrus Cylinder (2)
(British Museum, London)
- The transcription offered here has been adapted from the edition by Hanspeter Schaudig, Die Inschriften Nabonids von Babylon und Kyros' des Großen (2001 Münster). Because this web edition was made to counter propaganda, Mr. Schaudig's footnotes could be ignored; some aspects have been simplified; and Personenkeile have been rendered with m instead of i (cf. the web versions of the Babylonian Chronicles). Check the original if you need to quote it.
- The translation is a modified version of Mordechai Cogan's, which was published in W.H. Hallo and K.L. Younger, The Context of Scripture. Vol. II: Monumental Inscriptions from the Biblical World (2003, Leiden and Boston), now adapted to Schaudig's edition with the help of Bert van der Spek and Mr. M. Stolper
- A scan of a drawing made by Th. Pinches can be found here.
- The titles of the sections do not belong to the original text but are only there to help the reader.
- An introduction to reading a page like this can be found here.
- I offer a box of chocolate to the one who can tell me who is responsible for the fraudulent text.
Introduction
Modern propaganda
Description
Editions
Text and translation
Literature
Text of Fragment A |
Translation |
The tyranny of Nabonidus |
|
| 1 [ì-nu x x x] /x\-ni-šu | [When...] ... |
| 2 [x x x ki-i]b-ra-a-tì | [... of the four quar]ters |
| 3 [x x x] /x x\ GAL ma-tu-ú iš -šak-na a-na e-nu-tu ma-ti-šú | [x x x] /x x\ An incompetent person [i.e., Nabonidus] was installed to exercise lordship over his country. |
| 4 /ù?\ [x x x]-ši-li ú-ša-áš-ki-na se-ru-šu-un | /and?\ [...] he imposed upon them. |
| 5 ta-am-ši-li É-SAG-ÍL i-te-[pu-uš-ma x x x t]ì? a-na ÚRIki ù si-it-ta-a-tì ma-ha-za | An imitation of Esagila he ma[de, and...]... for Ur and the rest of the cultic centers, |
| 6 pa-ra-as la si-ma-a-ti-šu-nu ta-[ak-li-im la-me-si x x x la] pa-lih u4-mi-šá-am-ma id-de-né-eb-bu-ub ù /ana ma-ag\-ri-tì | a ritual which was improper to them, an [unholy] di[splay offering x x x without] fear he daily recited. Irreverently, |
| 7 sat-tuk-ku ú-šab-ti-li ú-l[a-ap-pi-it pél-lu-de-e x x x iš]-tak-ka-an qé-reb ma-ha-zi pa-la-ha dAMAR.UTU LUGAL DINGIRmeš i[g-m]ur kar-šu-uš-šu | he put an end to the regular offerings (and) he in[terfered in
the cultic centers; x x x he] established in the sacred centers.
By his own plan, he did away with the worship of Marduk, the king of the gods, |
| 8 le-mu-ut-ti URU-šu [i-t]e-né-ep-pu-/uš\ u4-mi-ša-am-/ma x x\ [x x x ÙG]meš-šú i-na ab-ša-a-ni la ta-ap-šu-úh-tì ú-hal-li-iq kul-lat-si-in | he continually did evil against Marduk's city. Daily, [...] without interruption, he imposed the corvée upon its inhabitants unrelentingly, ruining them all. |
Marduk's anger |
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| 9 a-na ta-zi-im-ti-ši-na dEN.LÍL DINGIRmeš ez-zi-iš i-gu-ug-m[a x x x] ki-su-úr-šu-un DINGIRmeš a-ši-ib ŠÀ-bi-šu-nu i-zi-bu at-/ma\-an-šu-un | Upon hearing their cries, the lord of the gods became furiously angry and [x x x] their borders; the gods who lived among them forsook their dwellings, |
| 10 i-na ug-ga-ti-ša ú-še-ri-bi a-na qé-reb ŠU.AN.NAki dAMAR.UTU t[i-iz-qa-rudEN.LÍL DINGIRm]eš us-sa-ah-ra a-na nap-har da-ád-mi šá in-na-du-ú šu-bat-su-un | angry that he [sc. Nabonidus] had brought them to Babylon. Marduk, the ex[alted, the lord of the gods], turned towards all the habitations that were abandoned and |
Marduk finds a new king for Babylon |
|
| 11 ù ÙGmeš KUR šu-me-ri ù URIki ša i-mu-ú ša-lam-ta-áš ú-sa-/ah\-hi-ir ka-/bat\-[ta-áš] ir-ta-ši ta-a-a-ra kul-lat ma-ta-a-ta ka-li-ši-na i-hi-it ib-re-e-ma | all the people of Sumer and Akkad, who had become corpses. He was reconciled and had mercy upon them. He examined and checked all the entirety of the lands, all of them, |
| 12 iš-te-'e-e-ma ma-al-ki i-šá-ru bi-bil ŠÀ-bi-ša it-ta-ma-ah qa-tu-uš-šu mKu-ra-áš LUGAL URU an-ša-an it-ta-bi ni-bi-it-su a-na ma-li-ku-tì kul-la-ta nap-har iz-zak-ra šu-/um-šú\ | he searched everywhere and then he took a righteous king, his favorite, by the hand, he called out his name: Cyrus, king of Anšan; he pronounced his name to be king all over the world. |
| 13 kurqu-ti-i gi-mir um-man-man-da ú-ka-an-ni-ša a-na še-pi-šu ÙGmeš sal-mat SAG.DU ša ú-ša-ak-ši-du qa-ta-a-šú | He made the land of Gutium and all the Umman-manda [i.e., the Medes] bow in submission at his feet. And he [i.e., Cyrus] shepherded with justice and righteousness all the black-headed people, |
| 14 i-na ki-it-tì ù mi-šá-ru iš-te-né-'e-e-ši-na-a-tì dAMAR.UTU EN GAL ta-ru-ú ÙGmeš-šú ep-še-e-ti-ša dam-qa-a-ta ù ŠÀ-ba-šu i-ša-ra ha-di-iš ip-pa-li-i[s] | over whom he [i.e., Marduk] had given him victory. Marduk, the great lord, guardian of his people, looked with gladness upon his good deeds and upright heart. |
Cyrus takes Babylon |
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| 15 a-na URU-šu KÁ.DINGIRmeš ki a-la-ak-šu iq-bi ú-ša-as-bi-it-su-ma har-ra-nu TIN.TIRki ki-ma ib-ri ù tap-pe-e it-tal-la-ka i-da-a-šu | He ordered him to go to his city Babylon. He set him on the road to Babylon and like a companion and a friend, he went at his side. |
| 16 um-ma-ni-šu rap-ša-a-tì ša ki-ma me-e ÍD la ú-ta-ad-du-ú ni-ba-šu-un gišTUKULmeš-šu-nu sa-an-du-ma i-ša-ad-di-ha i-da-a-šu | His vast army, whose number, like water of the river, cannot be known, marched at his side fully armed. |
| 17 ba-lu qab-li ù ta-ha-zi ú-še-ri-ba-áš qé-reb ŠU.AN.NAki URU-šu KÁ.DINGIRmeš ki i-ti-ir i-na šap-ša-qí, mdNÀ.NÍ.TUKU LUGAL la pa-li-hi-šu ú-ma-al-la-a qa-tu-uš-šú | He made him enter his city Babylon without fighting or battle; he saved Babylon from hardship. He delivered Nabonidus, the king who did not revere him, into his hands. |
| 18 ÙGmeš TIN.TIRkika-li-šu-nu nap-har KUR šu-me-ri u URIki ru-bé-e ù šak-ka-nak-ka ša-pal-šu ik-mi-sa ú-na-áš-ši-qu še-pu-uš-šu ih-du-ú a-na LUGAL-ú-ti-šú im-mi-ru pa-nu-uš-šú-un | All the people of Babylon, all the land of Sumer and Akkad, princes and governors, bowed to him and kissed his feet. They rejoiced at his kingship and their faces shone. |
| 19 be-lu ša i-na tu-kul-ti-ša ú-bal-li-tu mi-tu-ta-an i-na pu-uš-qu ù ú-de-e ig-mi-lu kul-la-ta-an ta-bi-iš ik-ta-ar-ra-bu-šu iš-tam-ma-ru zi-ki-ir-šu | Lord by whose aid the dead were revived and who had all been redeemed from hardship and difficulty, they greeted him with gladness and praised his name. |
Cyrus' titles |
|
| 20 a-na-ku mKu-ra-áš LUGAL kiš-šat LUGAL GAL LUGAL dan-nu LUGAL TIN.TIRki LUGAL KUR šu-me-ri ú ak-ka-di-i LUGAL kib-ra-a-ti er-bé-et-tì | I am Cyrus, king of the world, great king, mighty king, king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters, |
| 21 DUMU mKa-am-bu-zi-ia LUGAL GAL LUGAL URU an-ša-an DUMU DUMU mKu-ra-áš LUGAL GAL LUGA[L U]RU an-ša-an ŠÀ.BAL.BAL mši-iš-pi-iš LUGAL GAL LUGAL URU an-šá-an | the son of Cambyses, great king, king of Anšan, grandson of Cyrus, great king, king of Anšan, descendant of Teispes, great king, king of Anšan, |
| 22 NUMUN da-ru-ú ša LUGAL-ú-tu ša dEN u dNÀ ir-a-mu pa-la-a-šu a-na tu-ub ŠÀ-bi-šú-nu ih-ši-ha L[UGA]L-ut-su e-nu-ma a-n[a q]é-reb TIN.TIRkie-ru-bu sa-li-mi-iš | of an eternal line of kingship, whose rule Bêl and Nabu love, whose kingship they desire fot their hearts' pleasure. When I entered Babylon in a peaceful manner, |
The prince of peace |
|
| 23 i-na ul-si ù ri-ša-a-tì i-na É.GAL ma-al-ki ar-ma-a šu-bat be-lu-tìdAMAR.UTU EN GAL ŠÀ-bi ri-it-pa-šu ša ra-/im\ TIN.TIRki ši-m[a]/a-tiš\ /iš-ku?-na\-an-ni-ma u4-mi-šam a-še-'a-a pa-la-/ah\-šú | I took up my lordly abode in the royal palace amidst rejoicing and happiness. Marduk, the great lord, /established as his fate (šimtu)\ for me a magnanimous heart of one who loves Babylon, and I daily attended to his worship. |
| 24 um-ma-ni-ia rap-ša-tì i-na qé-reb TIN.TIRki i-ša-ad-di-ha šú-ul-ma-niš nap-har KU[R šu-me-ri] /ù\ URIki mu-gal-[l]i-tì ul ú-šar-ši | My vast army marched into Babylon in peace; I did not permit anyone to frighten the people of [Sumer] /and\ Akkad. |
| 25 /URUki\ KÁ.DINGIR.RAki ù kul-lat ma-ha-zi-šu i-na ša-li-im-tì áš-te-'e-e DUMUmeš TIN.TIR[ki x x x š]a ki-ma la ŠÀ-[bi DING]IR-ma ab-šá-a-ni la si-ma-ti-šú-nu šu-ziz-/zu!\ | I sought the welfare of the city of Babylon and all its sacred centers. As for the citizens of Babylon, [x x x upon wh]om he [i.e., Nabonidus] imposed a corvée which was not the gods' wish and not befitting them, |
| 26 an-hu-ut-su-un ú-pa-áš-ši-ha ú-ša-ap-ti-ir sa-ar-ma-šu-nu a-na ep-še-e-ti-[ia dam-qa-a-ti] dAMAR.UTU EN GA[L]-ú ih-de-e-ma | I relieved their wariness and freed them from their service. Marduk, the great lord, rejoiced over [my good] deeds. |
| 27 a-na ia-a-ti mKu-ra-áš LUGAL pa-li-ih-šu ù mKa-am-bu-zi-ia DUMU si-it ŠÀ-bi-[ia ù a-n]a nap-h[ar] um-ma-ni-ia | He sent gracious blessing upon me, Cyrus, the king who worships him, and upon Cambyses, the son who is [my] offspring, [and up]on all my army, |
Religious measures |
|
| 28 da-am-qí-íš ik-ru-ub-ma i-na šá-lim-tì ma-har-ša ta-bi-iš ni-it-t[a-al-la-ak i-na qí-bi-ti-šú] sir-ti nap-har LUGAL a-ši-ib BÁRAmeš | and in peace, before him, we mov[ed] around in friendship. [By his] exalted [word], all the kings who sit upon thrones |
| 29 ša ka-li-iš kib-ra-a-ta iš-tu tam-tì e-li-tì a-di tam-tì šap-li-tì a-ši-ib n[a-gi-i né-su-tì] LUGALmeš KUR a-mur-ri-i a-ši-ib kuš-ta-ri ka-li-šú-un | throughout the world, from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, who live in the dis[tricts far-off], the kings of the West, who dwell in tents, all of them, |
| 30 bi-lat-su-nu ka-bi-it-tì ú-bi-lu-nim-ma qé-er-ba ŠU.AN.NAki ú-na-áš-ši-qu še-pu-ú-a iš-tu [ŠU.AN.NAk]i a-di URU aš-šurki ù MÙŠ-ERENki | brought their heavy tribute before me and in Babylon they kissed my feet. From [Babylon] to Aššur and (from) Susa, |
| 31 a-kà-dèki KUR èš-nu-nak URU za-am-ba-an URU me-túr-nu BÀD.DINGIRki a-di pa-at kurqu-ti-i ma-ha-z[a e-be]r-ti ídIDIGNA ša iš-tu pa!-na-ma na-du-ú šu-bat-su-un | Agade, Ešnunna, Zamban, Me-Turnu, Der, as far as the region of Gutium, the sacred centers on the other side of the Tigris, whose sanctuaries had been abandoned for a long time, |
| 32 DINGIRmeš a-ši-ib ŠÀ-bi-šú-nu a-na áš-ri-šu-nu ú-tir-ma ú-šar-ma-a šu-bat da-rí-a-ta kul-lat ÙGmeš-šú-nu ú-pa-ah-hi-ra-am-ma ú-te-er da-ád-mi-šú-un | I returned the images of the gods, who had resided there [i.e., in Babylon], to their places and I let them dwell in eternal abodes. I gathered all their inhabitants and returned to them their dwellings. |
| 33 ù DINGIRmeš KUR šu-me-ri ù URIki ša mdNÀ.NÍ.TUKU a-na ug-ga-tì EN DINGIRmeš ú-še-ri-bi a-na qé-reb ŠU.AN.NAki i-na qí-bi-ti dAMAR.UTU EN GAL i-na ša-li-im-tì | In addition, at the command of Marduk, the great lord, I settled in their habitations, in pleasing abodes, the gods of Sumer and Akkad, whom Nabonidus, to the anger of the lord of the gods, had brought into Babylon. |
Cyrus' prayer |
|
| 34 i-na maš-ta-ki-šu-nu ú-še-ši-ib šú-ba-at tu-ub ŠÀ-bi {ut} kul-la-ta DINGIRmeš ša ú-še-ri-bi a-na qé-er-bi ma-ha-zi-šu-un | May all the gods whom I settled in their sacred centers ask daily |
| 35 u4-mi-ša-am ma-har dEN ù dNÀ ša a-ra-ku U4meš-ia li-ta-mu-ú lit-taz-ka-ru a-ma-a-ta du-un-qí-ia ù a-na dAMAR.UTU EN-ia li-iq-bu-ú ša mKu-ra-áš {-áš} LUGAL pa-li-hi-ka u mKa-am-bu-zi-ia DUMU-šú | of Bêl and Nâbu that my days be long and may they intercede for my welfare. May they say to Marduk, my lord: "As for Cyrus, the king who reveres you, and Cambyses, his son, |
Text of Fragment B |
|
| 36 /x\ [x x x- i]b šu-nu lu-ú /x x x x x x x x\ ÙGmeš TIN.TIRki /ik-tar-ra-bu\ LUGAL-ú-tu KUR.KUR ka-li-ši-na šu-ub-ti né-eh-tì ú-še-ši-ib | [end of prayer]."
The people of Babylon blessed my kingship, and I settled all the lands in peaceful abodes. |
Building activities |
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| 37 [x x x KUR.]GImušen 2 UZ.TURmušen ù 10 TU.GUR4mušen.meš e-li KUR.GImušen UZ.TURmušen.meš ù TU.GUR4mušen.meš | I [daily increased the number offerings to N] geese, two ducks, and ten turledoves above the former offerings of geese, ducks, and turtledoves. |
| 38 [x x x u4-m]i-šam ú-ta-ah-hi-id BÀD im-gur-dEN.LÍL BÀD GAL-a ša TIN.TIRk[i ma-as-s]ar-/ta\-šú du-un-nu-nù áš-te-'e-e-ma | [...] Dur-Imgur-Enlil, the great wall of Babylon, its de[fen]se, I sought to strengthen |
| 39 [x x x] ka-a-ri a-gur-ru šá GÚ ha-ri-si ša LUGAL mah-ri i-p[u-šu-ma la ú-ša]k-/li-lu\ ši-pi-ir-šu | [...] The quay wall of brick, which a former king had bu[ilt, but had not com]pleted its construction, |
| 40 [x x x la ú-ša-as-hi-ru URU] /a\-na ki-da-a-ni ša LUGAL ma-ah-ra la i-pu-šu um-man-ni-šu di-ku-u[t ma-ti-šu i-na (or: a-na) q]é-/reb\ ŠU.AN.NAki | [...who had not surrounded the city] on the outside, which no former king had made, (who) a levy of work[men (or: soldiers) had led] in[to] Babylon, |
| 41 [x x x i-na ESIR.HÁD.RÁ]/A\ ù SIG4.AL.ÙR.RA eš-ši-iš e-pu-uš-ma [ú-šak-lil ši-pir-ši]-in | [... with bitumen] and bricks, I built anew [and completed th]eir [job]. |
| 42 [x x x gišIGmeš gišEREN MAH]meš ta-ah-lu-up-tì ZABAR as-ku-up-pu ù nu-ku-š[e-e pi-ti-iq e-ri-i e-ma KÁmeš-š]i-na | [... magnificent gates of cedar] with a bronze overlay, thresholds and door-sockets [cast in copper, I fixed in all] their [doorways]. |
| 43 [ú-ra-at-ti x x x š]i-ti-ir šu-mu šá mAN.ŠÁR-DÙ-IBILA LUGAL a-lik mah-ri-[ia šá qer-ba-šu ap-pa-a]l-sa! | [x x x] An inscription with the name of Aššurbanipal, a king who had preceded [me, I s]aw [in its midst]. |
| 44 [x x x]/x x x\[x x x]-x-tì | [...] |
| 45 [x x x]/x x x\[x x a-na d]a-rí-a-tì | [...] for eternity. |
Literature
- J. Harmatta, "Les modèles littéraires de l' édit babylonien de Cyrus", in: Acta Iranica 1 (1974) 29-44
- Amélie Kuhrt, "The Cyrus Cylinder and Achaemenid Imperial Policy" in: Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 25 (1983) 83-97
- R.J. van der Spek, "Did Cyrus the Great introduce a new policy towards subdued nations?" in: Persica 10 (1982) 278-283
Lendering for Livius.Org, 2006
Revision: 5 July 2007
ancient Persia