Cilindro de arcilla con la Crónica de Ciro II de Persia escrita en cuneiforme.

La prestigiosa institución británica ha decido retrasar la entrega a Teherán del Cilindro de Ciro II, considerada por muchos la primera declaración de derechos humanos de la historia (aunque es un panfleto propagandístico del rey persa, que justifica su conquista porque el rey de Babilonia,Nabónido, había olvidado el culto de Marduk y le dió el reino al persa, que era bueno con el dios de Babilonia.

Babilonia durante la conquista persa

http://www.diomedes.com/hmbabidibG.jpg

Ciro II, de ascendencia meda, nieto del rey medo Astiages, encabezó una revuelta contra su abuelo, se alió con Babilonia y tras vencer a su enemigo, obtuvo el control de lo que actualmente es Irán, así como de las provincias de Asiria, Mesopotamia, Siria, Armenia, y Capadocia. También invadió la parte occidental de la India, sometiendo a las tribus nómadas. El dominio persa en Asia Menor, se mantuvo hasta las campañas expansionistas griegas, llevadas a cabo por el macedonio, Alejandro Magno, en el siglo IV a.C. que derrotó a Dario II y destruyó Persépolis.

Tras la conquista de Babilonia (539 a.C.) por Ciro II “El Grande”, Nabonido fue nombrado gobernador de la ciudad de Carmania, al sur de Irán. El destino de su hijo, el rey Baltasar de la Biblia, se desconoce en realidad. Los dioses que Nabonido introdujo en Babilonia fueron devueltos a sus lugares de origen y Ciro II restauró el culto a Marduk, cCon lo que se convirtió, después de la herejía de Nabonid, en el “soberano del mundo” aceptado por todos. Los babilonios le reverenciaron, una vez superados los desastres padecidos atribuidos al hereje Nabónido.

Zigurat de Ur, reconstrucción

Si además, Ciro II devolvió la libertad a los judíos, deportados a Babilonia tenemos que:

-Nabónido,rey de Babilonia se indispuso con los sacerdotes del dios Marduk.

-Los sacerdotes de Marduk ayudaron a Ciro II a conquistar Babilonia a cambio de sus privilegios (obviamente).

-Los judíos ayudaron Ciro II y él les dió la libertad.

Ciro II justifica ante el pueblo que es bueno,justo, sucesor de los antiguao reyes de Sumer y Akad y que les va a tratar bien, además que el dios Marduk le ha dado el dominio de Babiloniay su Imperio (Neobabilónico) y le tienen que obedecer.

OPINIÓN: Propaganda política con excusa religiosa para justificar una conquista.Y que los babilonios le acepten,por eso el documentos está escrito en el idioma ACADIO-BABILONIO y escritura cuneiforme sumeria , porque está redactado para el pueblo conquistado.

Que no paró allí.

El Imperio de Ciro II el Grande de Persia.

Tumba de Ciro II en Pasargada

El Gobierno de Teherán ha decidido romper las relaciones con el prestigioso Museo Británico por la decisión de la institución de retrasar la cesión del famoso Cilindro de Ciro II. La entrega de la pieza estaba prevista para el 7 de febrero pero el museo ha decidido posponerla hasta julio, lo que Irán califica de “inaceptable”. Esta es la segunda vez que el Museo Británico pospone la entrega de la codiciada pieza, escrita durante el reinado del rey aqueménida Ciro II el Grande (559-530 antes de Cristo) y considerada la primera declaración de derechos humanos de la historia.

Según un acuerdo bilateral, el cilindro debería haber regresado a Irán en septiembre de 2009, pero los responsables británicos aplazaron el envío debido a la situación de inestabilidad creada por las cruentas protestas de la oposición, que ha denunciado fraude en las elecciones presidenciales del pasado junio.

El Cilindro de Ciro II en un selo iraní

Hamid Baqaei,director de la organización iraní para la Preservación del Patrimonio Cultural y la promoción del Turismo ha acusado a los responsables del Museo Británico de haber “politizado un asunto puramente cultural”. “Dado que la Organización para la Preservación del Patrimonio Cultural y la promoción del Turismo es una entidad únicamente cultural, ha decidido cortar sus relaciones con el Museo Británico, que se ha convertido en una organización política”, ha argumentado. “Pondremos fin a todo tipo de cooperación, como exposiciones, misiones arqueológicas y proyectos de investigación…. estamos seguros de que el museo y, en particular, el centro de estudios de Oriente Medio, sufrirá una considerable pérdida con el fin de esta colaboración”, ha agregado Baqaei. El responsable iraní ha anunciado, asimismo, que su organización enviará una carta de protesta a la UNESCO y misivas a otros museos para instarles a reconsiderar su colaboración con el Museo Británico.

El Cilindro de Ciro, un código de temática legal escrito con caracteres cuneiformes, fue hallado en 1879 en Esagila, lugar donde se ubicaba el templo de Murdak en Babilonia

Pues va a ser que no.

Punto 1. No es Murdak, sino Marduk,dios supremo de Babilonia

Punto 2. En el Esagila no se ubicaba el templo de Murdak, sino que ERA el templo de Marduk:Este:

Maqueta del Esagila,el templo de Marduk en Babilonia.Museo de Berlin

Situación actual de las ruinas del Esagila, en Babilonia,Iraq.Se aprecia el lugar donde estaba la zigurat o Etemenanki.

Plano de Babilonia.En rojo el Esagila o templo de Marduk, dios supremo de Babilonia

El dios Marduk sobre su dragón,muhussu

Esagila (-del sumerio: templo de techo elevado) fue un templo de la ciudad de Babilonia,

dedicado a los dioses tutelares, Marduk y su consorte Sarpanitu.

Estaba situado al sur del zigurat Etemenanki,( El templo de la creación del cielo y de la tierra )

conocido en la tradición judeo-cristiana como Torre de Babel.

En el templo se rendía culto a la imagen de Marduk , rodeada por las imágenes de culto

de todas las ciudades que se habían rendido a la hegemonía del Imperio Babilónico desde

el siglo XVIII a. C.; había también un pequeño lago, llamado Abzu por los sacerdotes babilonios,

que representaba a Enki, padre de Marduk y dios de las aguas.

Descripción

El complejo llamado Esagila, completado por Nabucodonosor II era el centro de la ciudad de Babilonia.

Comprendía un gran patio de unos 40 x 70 m, que contenía otro más pequeño de unos 25 x 40 m,

y finalmente, una capilla central, consistente en una antesala y una sala principal, donde estaban

las estatuas de Marduk y su esposa Sarpanitu.En el estaba el Etemenanki o zigurat, confundido

a veces con la Torre de Babel del Antiguo Testamento

La Torre de Babel, el Etemenanki del Esagila o templo del dios Marduk en Babilonia

Bruhegel,Kunshistorisches Museum,Viena

Decadencia

Según Heródoto, Jerjes I tenía una estatua, que había pertenecido al Esagila, cuando invadió Babilonia

en 482 a. C., saqueando la ciudad y desacralizando el templo.

Alejandro Magno ordenó su restauración, por lo que el templo se mantuvo a lo largo del siglo II a. C.,

como uno de los últimos baluartes de la cultura babilonia, al igual que la escritura cuneiforme.

Bajo el Imperio Parto, Babilonia fue gradualmente abandonada y el templo cayó en ruinas durante el siglo I a. C.

El Esagila y el Etemenankio o Torre de Babel

Redescubrimiento del Esagila

Fue redescubierto en noviembre de 1900 por Robert Koldewey, bajo una enorme masa

de escombros que lo cubría, aunque no empezó a ser examinado en serio hasta 1910.

El agua había disgregado muchos de los ladrillos de adobe y otros viejos materiales de

la construcción. La mayoría de los hallazgos corresponden al período Neobabilónico y posteriores.

La Dra.Vázquez Hoys ante la reconstrucción de la Puerta de Isthar en la Babilonia de Saddam Hussein.

CIRO II Y LOS JUDÍOS

Ciro fue considerado por los judíos como un salvador enviado por Jehová para liberarles del largo

cautiverio padecido, devolverles a Jerusalén y autorizar la reconstrucción del templo.

Ciro publicó un edicto en el que se decía: “Yahvéh…me ha encomendado construirle

un templo en Jerusalén de Judá. Quien de entre vosotros sea de su pueblo,

que suba y que su Dios esté con él”. Así se cumplía la promesa de Jahvéh, según el profeta Jeremías:

“Cuando acaben los setenta años concedidos a Babilonia, yo os visitaré y cumpliré

en vostros mi promesa de devolveros a vuestra tierra” Jer. 29:10 .

Ciro II fue un gobernante ejemplar y un gran diplomático que acompañó su reinado de una

profusa propaganda que los siglos nos han trasmitidoa, como el cilindro que nos ocupa, con su Crónica.

Muhussu,dragón de Marduk,Babilonia

Estado actual de la Puerta de Ishtar original, en Babilonia, sin el recubrimiento de ladrillos que está

entre otros muchos museos, en el de Berlín.

Ciro II concedió a sus súbditosjudíos la libertad religiosa y volver a su tierra e impuso

razonables tributos en las zonas conquistadas. Fue un rey austero; de hecho, la ciudad de Pasargada,

que construyó con ayuda de artesanos lidios, fue modesta si se la compara con los lujosos edificios

babilónicos y asirios de épocas anteriores.

Ciro II murió en el año 530 a., posiblemente mientras combatía con las tribus del nordeste de Mesopotamia. En la historia de Herodoto se atribuye su muerte al enfrentamiento con los masagetas, pueblo situado en las cercanías del Mar Caspio, en la zona del río Axares . Fue enterrado en una discreta tumba, que todavía se conserva en Pasagarda, un túmulo en forma de pequeño zigurat. Su imperio pasó a su hijo Cambises, que conquistó Egipto.

EL CILINDRO DE CIRO II

El Cilindro de Ciro II es una pieza cilíndrica de arcilla que contiene una declaración en cuneiforme acadio babilonio del rey persa Ciro II el Grande (559-529 a. C.). En ella, el nuevo rey legitima su conquista y toma medidas políticas para ganarse el favor de sus nuevos súbditos.

The cylinder was discovered following an earlier, fruitless excavation by the British archaeologist Austen Henry Layard. In 1850 Layard dug into three mounds on the site of the ruined city of Babylon but found little of importance and concluded that it was not worth his time continuing there. His assistant Hormuzd Rassam, a controversial figure remembered as much for his brutal tactics as his discoveries, returned to the mounds in 1879 on behalf of the British Museum. He uncovered a number of important buildings, most notably the Esagila - a major temple to Marduk, though it was not identified as such until Robert Koldewey‘s excavation of 1900. The excavations found a large quantity of business documents and, buried in the temple’s foundations, the Cyrus Cylinder.^[10] Rassam’s excavations went on until 1882.^[11] The cylinder was announced to the public by Sir Henry Rawlinson at a meeting of the Royal Asiatic Society on 17 November 1879.^[12] Rawlinson’s paper on “Notes on a newly-discovered Clay Cylinder of Cyrus the Great” was published in the society’s journal the following year.^[13]

Consiste en dos fragmentos, llamados “A” y “B”. El primero permaneció en el Museo Británico desde su descubrimiento, mientras que el segundo fue alojado en la Universidad de Yale hasta su traslado al Museo Británico, donde se encuentra actualmente.

Puerta de Ishtar,reconstrcción en el Museo de Berlín

Descripción y contenido

El fragmento “A” (BM 90920) mide alrededor 23 x 8 cm y comprende 35 líneas (1-35), mientras que el fragmento “B” mide unos 8,6 x 5,6 cm y comprende 9 líneas (36-45).^[2] Su contenido se pude resumir así:

1. Líneas 1-19: Se describen los actos “criminales” de Nabonido, el último rey de Babilonia, así como la búsqueda de un nuevo rey por parte del dios Marduk, y la consiguiente elección de Ciro II.
2. 20-22: Genealogía (hasta su bisabuelo Teispes) y títulos de Ciro II
3. 22-34: El propio Ciro II cuenta como garantizó la paz, restableció los cultos y permitió regresar a sus tierras a los pueblos deportados en Babilonia.
4. 34-35: Oración de Ciro II al dios Marduk, pidiendo por él mismo y por su hijo Cambises.
5. 36-45: Ciro II describe la reconstrucción de las murallas de Babilonia y el hallazgo de una inscripción de Asurbanipal.

Zigurat de Ur, reconstrucción

El Cilindro de Ciro y los derechos humanos

Personalidades como Mohammad Reza Pahlevi (el último Sah de Irán) o la Premio Nobel de la Paz iraní Shirin Ebadi han destacado el valor humanístico del Cilindro de Ciro II ; se le ha llegado incluso a llamar “Primera Declaración de los Derechos Humanos”.^[4] En su discurso de aceptación del premio Nobel (2003), Shirin Ebadi afirmó que el cilindro “debería ser estudiado en la historia de los derechos humanos“.

De todos modos, numerosos historiadores han destacado que declaraciones de este tipo no eran extrañas en las tradiciones mesopotámicas, y que, si bien acaso inusualmente generoso, el Cilindro de Ciro II de ninguna manera puede ser relacionado con los derechos humanos.

En los últimos años ha circulado por internet una traducción fraudulenta al inglés del cilindro. Ésta puede ser reconocida por la mención de Ahura Mazda, ausente en el original, y por frases hiperbólicas como “No impondré mi monarquía sobre ninguna nación. Cada uno es libre de aceptarla, y si alguno de ellos la rechaza, nunca utilizaré la guerra para imponerme.”.^[6]

Wikipedia en inglés-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_cylinder-

However, it has been argued that interpreting this in the context of human rights is an anachronism alien to the historical context. Elton L. Daniel criticizes recent scholarship for its emphasis on Cyrus’ tolerance, and his championing of “human rights”, describing such scholarship as “rather anachronistic” and tendentious.^[61] T.C. Mitchell’s view is that such an interpretation of the cylinder as ‘the first charter of human rights’ “reflects a misunderstanding.”^[8] Curtis, Tallis, and Salvini note that despite the Cylinder’s reference to a just and peaceful rule, and reporation of deported people, the modern concept of human rights would have been quite alien to Cyrus’s contemporaries and is not mentioned by the cylinder.^[62]

MacGregor points out that “Comparison by scholars in the British Museum with other similar texts showed that rulers in ancient Iraq had been making comparable declarations upon succeeding to the [Babylonian] throne for two millennia before Cyrus” and notes “it is one of the museum’s tasks to resist the narrowing of the object’s meaning and its appropriation to one political agenda”. Cyrus has often been depicted as a particularly humane ruler, based on his characterization by ancient sources such as Persian texts, the Old Testament of the Bible and Herodotus,^[63][64] but as M.A. Dandamaev points out, “almost all the texts … which praise Cyrus have the character of propagandistic writings and demand a very critical approach … by accepting everything said in the texts which were composed by Babylonian priests, we ourselves become the victims of Cyrus’ propaganda.”

Arguing further in favour of the “human rights charter” viewpoint, Reza Shabani asserts that the cylinder “discusses human rights in a way unique for the era, dealing with ways to protect the honor, prestige, and religious beliefs of all the nations dependent to Iran in those days.”^[65][

Additional fragments

On 5 Janu

ary 2010 two fragments of cuneiform tablets were discovered in the collections of the British Museum bearing inscriptions similar to those of the Cyrus cylinder. These include verbatim copies of the proclamation made by Cyrus the Great. The Museum stated that the fragments would be studied and presented at a workshop in London and that “it is intended that the two new pieces should be exhibited for the first time in Tehran, together with the Cylinder itself”.^[66][67]

Dispute over loan of the cylinder

Prior to the discovery of the two fragments, the Museum had promised to loan the Cyrus cylinder alone to the National Museum of Iran, with Neil MacGregor, the Director of the British Museum, agreeing in Tehran in January 2009 to a three-month loan to occur by the end of the year. This was postponed, however, and the Museum said in October that it was monitoring the political situation in Iran following the presidential election in June. While the Museum stated that agreement had been reached with Iranian colleagues that the loan would be postponed to allow investigation of the two newly-discovered fragments, a dispute has arisen over the additional delay, with an Iranian vice president, Hamid Baqaei, accusing the Museum of “acting politically”.^[66][67]

See also

Pages in category “Akkadian inscriptions”

The following 6 pages are in this category, out of 6 total. This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).

B

• Babylonian Chronicles

C

• Code of Hammurabi
• Cyrus cylinder

N

• Cylinder of Nabonidus
• Nebo-Sarsekim Tablet

T

• Tikunani Prism

Ediciones y traducciones del texto acadio

La última edición del texto acadio es:

• Hanspeter Schaudig, Die Inschriften Nabonids von Babylon und Kyros’ des Großen,
• samt den in ihrem Umfeld entstandenen Tendenzschriften. Textausgabe und Grammatik. (2001 Münster, Ugarit-Verlag) (en línea)

Traducciones:

• Rogers, Robert William: Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), New York, Eaton & Mains. (Online: solo el fragmento A).
• Pritchard, James B. (ed.): Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (ANET) (1950, 1955, 1969). Traducción de A. L. Oppenheim. (fragmentos A y B).
• Brosius, Maria (ed.): The Persian Empire from Cyrus II to Artaxerxes I (2000, London Association of Classical Teachers (LACT) 16, London.

Notas

El cilindro de Ciro II en el Museo Británico The fake translation can be recognized because the name of the supreme god, Marduk, is replaced by Ahuramazda, and because it contains lines like I announce that I will respect the traditions, customs and religions of the nations of my empire and never let any of my governors and subordinates look down on or insult them as long as I shall live. From now on, while Ahuramazda lets me rule, I will impose my monarchy on no nation. Each is free to accept it, and if any one of them rejects it, I shall never resolve on war to reign. I do not know the author of the falsification, but because the fake text is usually published after the text known as fragment-A, I suspect that it was made before fragment-B was discovered. I do not know what is more disturbing: that someone has made a falsification to prove the Shah’s propaganda, or that no university has put online the correct text to contradict this unpleasant fraud. The transcript of the text offered on the next page has been adapted from the edition by Hanspeter Schaudig (below); the translation is based on Mordechai Cogan’s, 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), but has been adapted to Schaudig’s edition with the help of Bert van der Spek.

http://www.livius.org/ct-cz/cyrus_I/cyrus_cylinder.html The Cyrus Cylinder, discovered in 1879 and now in the British Museum, is one of the most famous cuneiform texts, because it was once believed that it confirmed what the Bible says (Isaiah 44.23-45.8; Ezra 1.1-6, 6.1-5; 2 Chronicles 36.22-23): that in 539 BCE, the Persian conqueror Cyrus the Great had allowed the Jews to return from their Babylonian Exile.Although this information can in fact not be found in the text (only countries east of the Tigris are mentioned), the Cyrus Cylinder remains an interesting document, because it shows that the common elements of Babylonian royal propaganda were also used by the Persian conqueror: for example the restoration of the temples, good care for the gods, and a lengthy titulary (cf. the Nabonidus Cylinder from Sippar for a parallel). So, Cyrus presented himself to the conquered nation as a normal ruler. There is no evidence that Cyrus inaugurated a new policy of tolerance. The document is also interesting because it confirms information from the Nabonidus Chronicle: that, after the battle of Opis, the capture of Babylon itself was peaceful. Sources that indicate that Nabonidus, the last king of Babylonia, was impopular and believed to be mad, such as the Verse Account, are also corroborated by the Cyrus Cylinder. Description of the text Fragment A: The clay cylinder (BM 90920) is about 23 cm wide and 8 cm in diameter. It is inscribed on all sides and contains lines 1-35.Fragment B: There is a small fragment (8,6 cm wide, 5,6 cm high), containing lines 36-45, that can be joined to the main part. It used to be in the collection of the Yale University (NBC 2504) but is, together with main fragment, now in the British Museum. Editions H.C. Rawlinson, Th.G. Pinches, A Selection from the Miscellaneous Inscriptions of Assyria and Babylonia (1884, 1909 London), #35 P.-R. Berger, “Der Kyros-Zylinder mit dem Susatzfragment BIN II Nr.32 und die akkidischen Personennamen im Danielbuch” in: Zeitschrift für Assyriologie 65 (1975) 192-234 Hanspeter Schaudig, Die Inschriften Nabonids von Babylon und Kyros’ des Großen (2001 Münster) The cylinder played an important role in the imperial propaganda of Shah Mohammad Reza Palavi, who in 1971 used it as symbol of the celebration of what he called the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian monarchy. A copy was given to the United Nations (text). The Shah tried to prove that the secular Iran with religious freedom that he wanted to promote had existed before, and in this context, the Cyrus Cylinder has been called the “world’s human rights charter”. This interpretation ignores the stereotypical nature of the document.However, the idea that the Cyrus Cylinder plays a role in the history of human rights, has turned out to be quite persistent, and because the text itself does not enable the interpretation, a fake translation has been made that can still be found on many places on the internet and was, for instance, quoted by Shirin Ebadi when she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. Cyrus Cylinder (2) Cyrus’ cylinder (British Museum) The Cyrus Cylinder was discovered in 1879 and rapidly became one of the most famous cuneiform texts, as it seemed to confirm that the Persian conqueror Cyrus II the Great had allowed the Jews to return from their Babylonian Exile. Although this is a bit exaggerated (more…) , it remains an interesting text. 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. YA SABEIS: SE OFRECE DE RECOMPENSA UNA TABLETA DE CHOCOLATE¡¡¡¡ Traslation The tyranny of Nabonidus 1[When...] … 2[... of the four quar]ters 3[x x x] /x x\ An incompetent person [i.e., Nabonidus] was installed to exercise lordship over his country. 4/and?\ [...] he imposed upon them. 5A counterfeit of Esagila he ma[de, and...]… forUr and the rest of the cultic centers, 6.a ritual which was improper to them, an [unholy]di[splay offering x x x without] fear he daily recited. Irreverently, 7.he put an end to the regular offerings (and) hein[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.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 9.Upon hearing their cries, the lord of thegods became furiously angry and [x x x] their borders; the gods who lived among them forsook their dwellings, 10.angry that he [sc. Nabonidus] had brought them toBabylon. Marduk, the ex[alted, the lord of the gods], turned towards all the habitations that were abandoned and 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 Marduk finds a new king for Babylon all the people of Sumer and Akkad, who hadbecome corpses. He was reconciled and had mercy upon them. He examined and checked all the entirety of the lands, all of them, he searched everywhere and then he took a righteousking, 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. 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, 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 He ordered him to go to his city Babylon. He set himon the road to Babylon and like a companion and a friend, he went at his side. His vast army, whose number, like water of the river,cannot be known, marched at his side fully armed. He made him enter his city Babylon without fightingor battle; he saved Babylon from hardship. He delivered Nabonidus, the king who did not revere him, into his hands. All the people of Babylon, all the land of Sumer andAkkad, princes and governors, bowed to him and kissed his feet. They rejoiced at his kingship and their faces shone. Lord by whose aid the dead were revived and who hadall been redeemed from hardship and difficulty, they greeted him with gladness and praised his name. Cyrus’ titles I am Cyrus, king of the world, great king, mighty king,king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters, 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, of an eternal line of kingship, whose rule Bêland Nabu love, whose kingship they desire fot their hearts’ pleasure. When I entered Babylon in a peaceful manner, The prince of peace I took up my lordly abode in the royal palaceamidst 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. My vast army marched into Babylon in peace; I didnot permit anyone to frighten the people of [Sumer] /and\ Akkad. I sought the welfare of the city of Babylonand 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, I relieved their weariness and freed them fromtheir service. Marduk, the great lord, rejoiced over [my good] deeds. He sent gracious blessing upon me, Cyrus, the kingwho worships him, and upon Cambyses, the son who is [my] offspring, [and up]on all my army, Religious measures and in peace, before him, we mov[ed] around infriendship. [By his] exalted [word], all the kings who sit upon thrones throughout the world, from the Upper Sea to theLower Sea, who live in the dis[tricts far-off], the kings of the West, who dwell in tents, all of them, brought their heavy tribute before me and in Babylonthey kissed my feet. From [Babylon] to Aššur and (from) Susa, Agade, Ešnunna, Zamban, Me-Turnu, Der, asfar as the region of Gutium, the sacred centers on the other side of the Tigris, whose sanctuaries had been abandoned for a long time, I returned the images of the gods, who hadresided 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. In addition, at the command of Marduk, the greatlord, 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 May all the gods whom I settled intheir sacred centers ask daily of Bêl and Nâbu that my days be longand 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, [end of prayer].” The people of Babylon blessed my kingship,and I settled all the lands in peaceful abodes. Building activities I [daily increased the number offeringsto N] geese, two ducks, and ten turledoves above the former offerings of geese, ducks, and turtledoves. [...] Dur-Imgur-Enlil, the great wall of Babylon,its de[fen]se, I sought to strengthen [...] The quay wall of brick, which aformer king had bu[ilt, but had not com]pleted its construction, [...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, [... with bitumen] and bricks, I builtanew [and completed th]eir [job]. [... magnificent gates of cedar] with abronze overlay, thresholds and door-sockets [cast in copper, I fixed in all] their [doorways]. [x x x] An inscription with the name of Aššurbanipal, a king who had preceded[me, I s]aw [in its midst]. [...] [...] for eternity. Text of Fragment A 1 [ì-nu x x x] /x\-ni-šu 2 [x x x ki-i]b-ra-a-tì 3 [x x x] /x x\ GAL ma-tu-ú iš -šak-na a-na e-nu-tu ma-ti-šú 4 /ù?\ [x x x]-ši-li ú-ša-áš-ki-na se-ru-šu-un 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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\ 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 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] 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 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 17 ba-lu qab-li ù ta-ha-zi ú-še-ri-ba-áš qé-reb ŠU.AN.NAki URU-šuKÁ.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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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!\ 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 27 a-na ia-a-ti mKu-ra-áš LUGAL pa-li-ih-šu ù mKa-am-bu-zi-iaDUMU si-it ŠÀ-bi-[ia ù a-n]a nap-h[ar] um-ma-ni-ia 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 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 30 bi-lat-su-nu ka-bi-it-tì ú-bi-lu-nim-ma qé-er-ba ŠU.AN.NAkiú-na-áš-ši-qu še-pu-ú-a iš-tu [ŠU.AN.NAk]i a-di URU aš-šurki ù MÙŠ-ERENki 31 a-kà-dèki KUR èš-nu-nak URU za-am-ba-an URU me-túr-nuBÀD.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 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 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 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 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 d AMAR.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 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 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 38 [x x x u4-m]i-šam ú-ta-ah-hi-id BÀD im-gur-dEN.LÍL BÀDGAL-a ša TIN.TIRk[i ma-as-s]ar-/ta\-šú du-un-nu-nù áš-te-’e-e-ma 39 [x x x] ka-a-ri a-gur-ru šá GÚ ha-ri-si ša LUGALmah-ri i-p[u-šu-ma la ú-ša]k-/li-lu\ ši-pi-ir-šu 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 41 [x x x i-na ESIR.HÁD.RÁ]/A\ ù SIG4.AL.ÙR.RAeš-ši-iš e-pu-uš-ma [ú-šak-lil ši-pir-ši]-in 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 43 [ú-ra-at-ti x x x š]i-ti-ir šu-mu šá mAN.ŠÁR-DÙ-IBILALUGAL a-lik mah-ri-[ia šá qer-ba-šu ap-pa-a]l-sa! 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