CONTRACT-TABLETS R E L A T I N G TO

BELSHAZZAR

THE three (contracts which follow are among the

numerous cuneiform documents of the same class the
publication of which we onre to the indefatigable
labours of I)r Strassmaier. They are published in
his Babylonische T e x t e : litsc/zviften van Nabonidzts,
i., iii., Nos. I[84, 5 8 I , and 688, and are interesting
on account of their references to Belshazzar, the
eldest son of Nabonidos, whose name is written in
Babylonian Bilu-sarra-utsur, " 0 Bel, defend the
king." I t is especially curious to learn from one of
them that the heir-apparent to the throne had to
conform to tlie same legal obligations as the rneanest
of his subjects. Security was exacted by him for
the payment of a debt, a portion of the security
being a ahowe inhabited by a Persian. As Persian
slaves are mentioned in other deeds of the period it
is possible that the Persian in question was a slave.
A t all events the notice of him proves that there were
Yersians living in Babylon before the conquest of the
country by Cyrus. The third document, it will be
observed, is clated six years before the overthrow of
Nabonidos arid the entrance of Cyrus into Babylon.
 CONTRACT-'TABLETS R E L A T I N G T O
BELSHAZZAR

No. I
A HOUSE belonging to Nebo-akhi-iddin, the son of SUE,the
son of Egibi, which adjoins the house of BeI-nadin, the son of
Rimut, the son of the soldier (?) has been handed over (by
Nebo-akhi-iddin) for 3 years to Nebo-yukin-akhi the secre-
tary of Belshazzar, the son of the king, for 14 manehs of
silver, sub-letting of the house being forbidden, as well as
interest on the money. (Nebo-yuliin-alihi) undertakes to
plant trees and repair the house.3 At the expiration of the
3 years Nebo-akhi-icldin shall repay the money, namely
I 6 manehs, to Nebo-yukin-akhi, and Nebo-yukin-akhi shall
quit the house in the presence of Nebo-althi-iddin. The
witnesses (are) Kabtiya, the son of Tabnea, the son of
Egibi; Tabik-zira, the son of Nergal-yusallim, the son of
Sin-karabi-isiine ; Nebo-zira-ibni, the son of Ardia ; and the
priest Bel-akhi-basa, the son of Nebo-baladhsu-iqbi. (Dated)
Babylon, the 21st day of Nisan, the 5th year of Nabonidos
king of Babylon.4
No. I1
The sum of 2 0 manehs of silver for wool, the property
of Belshazzar, the son of the king, which has been handed
1 M K B ; in the account of the Deluge (I. 169) Be1 is called y u ~ u dkt,&$:
'' the warrior of the ,&$kt."
z e ' . In the reign of Darius we hear of a certain Ablti, who
~ 3 s ~ojrj1prjllcc nlld Sccrctary to the j?rinces of the new palace. "
3 'That is to say, to Iteel? the garden and house in order.
B.C. 551.
 I 26 RECORDS OF THE PAST

over to Iddin-Melodach, the son of Bas$, the son of Nur-

Sin, through the agency of Nebo-tsabit the ste~varclof
the house1 of Belshazzar, the son of the Iring, and the
secretaries of the son of the king. I n the nionth Adar, of
the I ~ t year
h (of Nabonidos), he gives the money, nanlely
2 0 manehs. The house of . . . the Persian and all hls
property in town and country shall be the security of Bel-
shazzar, the son of the king, until he shall pay in full the
money afolesaid. The money which he shalI (meanwhile)
inalie upon [the piopertyl (?),3 he shall pay as interest.
TVltnessed by Be1 idcl~n,the son of Kln~ut,the son (of the
solir'ier (?); Elilpi, tlze son of . . . the son of the father of
the house ; hiadin, the son of Merodach-[sum-utsur], the
son of the superintendent of the works; Nergal-yusallim,
the son of Merodach-[edir], the son of Gasura; Merodach-
natsir, the son of Samas- . . . , the son of Dabibi; and
the priest Bel-althi-iddin, the son of Nebo-baladhsu-iqbi.
(Dated) BABYLON, the 20th day of the month . . , the
11th year of Nabonidos king [of BABYLON].^

No. 111
One nlanell 16 shekels of silver capital and interest,
the property of Nebo-tsabit-idb, the steward of the house of
Belshazzar, the son of the king, which (he owes) to Bel-
iddina, the son of Bel-sum-isltun, the son of Sin-tabni, and
the seed grown in sight of the chief gates (of BABYLON)
which has been taken as security (for it). The money,
namely I nlaneh 16 shekels, Nebo-tsabit-idb, by the agency
of Itti-Merodach-baladhu, the son of Nebo-akhi-iddin, the
son of Egibi, has presented to Bel-iddina. The witnesses
(are) Nebo-iddina, the son of liiinutu, the son of Kikf ;
Bel-iddina, the son of Eel-sum-iskun, the son of Sin-tabni;
Nebo-zira-esir, the son of Ina-essu-edir, the son of the
Rn6-hiti, Pnr'szc.
a Literally " thme money as much as upon [the property] he shall J l Z
11in 171.'' I'cr11;lps wc 5h0~11~1road isahsll, " hc s11:~lI :~cc/uirc,"ilislcatl of
ih&lsd. I3.~.~5'$5.
Read raszitu. Written here as a proper name.
CONTZCA C T - TABLETS RELA TZfVG TO BELSHAZZAR 127

U~izz~k; Nadinu, the soil of NIerodach-iddin-alibi ; Nergal-

yusallim, the priest, the son of Rlerodnch-edir, the son of
Gasura. (Dated) at BABYLON, the 27th day of the second
Adar,2 the I zth year of Nabonidos king of BABYLON.^
An officer who seems to h a w had solllething to do with the beginni~lg
of the year.
The illtercalary month Ve-Adar. ".C. 544.
 THE KINGS OF ARARAT (BIAINASOR VAN):-

E.C.

The earlier dynasty ends with Arame. . cir. 857-840

I. Sarduris I, the son of Lutipris, founds
the city of -Dhuspas (Van) and the
later dynasty . . 840
2 . Ispuinis, " the settler," his son . ?
Ispuinis and his son Menuas together . ?
3. Menuas alone . ?
4. Argistis I, his son . . 780
. 5. Sarduris 11, his son . ?
6. Ru'sas I, called Ur'sa by the Assyrians . 730
7. Argistis I 1 , 715
8. Erimenas, his son . ?
9. R i s a s 11, his son . . 660
10. Sarduris I11 . . 645
Ararat conquered by Media . . 610(?)
 T H E KINGS OF PERSIA :-

B. C.
I. A k h ~ m e n &(Hakhgmanish)
s . -
2 . Teispes (Chaispaish), his son. H e con-
quers Susiania and rules in Anzan . cir. 600
3. AriaramnCs (Ariyhrgmna), son of Teispes,
in Persia . --
3. Kyros I (Kuras), son of Teispes, in Anzan -
4. ArsamCs (;Arsh2ma), son of Ariarainnes, in
f Persia . -
\ 4. Karnbys6.s 1 (Karnijyiya), son'of Kiros, i i
--
Anzan .
5. Kyros 11, or AgradatCs, son of KambysCs,
in Anzm. H e conquers Media, and
founds the Persian empire . 550
6. Ka1nbysC:j 11, his son 529
7. Gomatas (Gaumata) the Magian, the
pseudo-Bardes or Smerdis, usurps the
throne for seven months . . 521
8. Dareios (Dgrayavaush), son of HystaspCs
(VishtL;pa) and grandson of ArsamCs 52I
g. Xerxes I (Khshayhhg), his son . 485
I o. ArtaxerxCs I (Artakshatra) Longimanus,

his son 465

11. Xerxes 11, his son, for 2 months . 425
 IiZA'GS OF PERSIA 131

B.C.
I z. Sogdianos, his half-brother, for 7 lnonths . 4 25
13. Dareios I1 Nothos (Okhos), his brother . 424
14. Artaxerxes I1 MnQmGn,his son . 405
Revolt of Kyros the younger . . 401
15. Okhos (Uvasu), son of Artaxerxes . . 362
16. Ars6s his son 339
I 7. Dareios I11 Kodomannos . 336
Conquered by Alexander . 330
1 A cuneiform tablet, however, gives the length of the reigns of Dareios
11, and Artaxerxes 11, as re:,pectively 29 and 36 years,

END O F VOL. 111

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How WE

An Answer to Questions suggested by

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J. PATERSON SMYTH, LL.B., B.D.,

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THE OLD D O C U M E N T S
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