ARBELA ANTIQUA Actes du colloque international d’Erbil (7-10 avril 2014) tenu sous la présidence de Zidan Bradosty : Arbèles antique – Histoire d’Erbil pré-islamique Proceedings of the International Conference held in Erbil (7-10 April 2014) under Zidan Bradosty’s headship: Ancient Arbela – Pre-Islamic History of Erbil

INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DU PROCHE-ORIENT

Liban - Jordanie - Syrie - Irak - Territoires palestiniens BIBLIOTHÈQUE ARCHÉOLOGIQUE ET HISTORIQUE - T. 218

ARBELA ANTIQUA Actes du colloque international d’Erbil (7-10 avril 2014) tenu sous la présidence de Zidan Bradosty : Arbèles antique – Histoire d’Erbil pré-islamique Proceedings of the International Conference held in Erbil (7-10 April 2014) under Zidan Bradosty’s headship: Ancient Arbela – Pre-Islamic History of Erbil

Édités par Edited by

Frédéric Alpi, Zidan Bradosty, Jessica Giraud, John MacGinnis et Raija Mattila

Ouvrage publié avec le concours du ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères, et du Centre national de la Recherche scientifique (UMIFRE 6, USR 3135)

Beyrouth 2020 La Bibliothèque archéologique et historique (BAH) est publiée par l’Institut français du Proche-Orient (UMIFRE 6, CNRS-MEAÉ, USR 3135).

Directeur de la collection BAH Dominique Pieri

Presses de l’

Directeur des publications de l’Ifpo Michel Mouton

Éditrice Sophie Duthion

Diffusion Lina Nacouzi

Stylage, infographie Antoine Eid Rachelle Antonios Lina Khanmé-Sberna

Mots‑clefs : Adiabène, Assyriens, Erbil (Arbela), Mésopotamie, Proche-Orient, Prospection, Sassanides, Sumériens. Keywords: Adiabene, Assyrians, Erbil (Arbela), Mesopotamia, Near-East, Sassanians, Sumerians, Survey.

كليلة وشة: ئةديابني, ئاشورييةكان, َهةولي )ئةربيَل(, ميَزؤثؤتاميا, رؤذهةالَيت ِناوةراست, ِرووثيَوي, ساسانيةكان, سؤمةرييةكان

الكلمات المفتاحية: أديابين، اآلشوريون، أربيل )أربيال(، بالد ما بين النهرين، الساسانيون، السومريون، الشرق األدنى، مسح.

Presses de l’Ifpo © 2020 B.P. 11-1424, Beyrouth, Liban Tél./Fax : + 961 (0) 1 420 294 www.ifporient.org Courriel : [email protected] BAH 218 ISSN 0768-2506 ISBN 978-2-35159-768-2 Dépôt légal : 4e trimestre 2020 Sommaire / Summary

Avant-propos...... 7 Foreword...... 9 Remerciements...... 11 Acknowledgements...... 13 Contributeurs / Contributors...... 15 Abréviations / Abbreviations...... 17

1. Teshik-Tash and Shanidar: Middle Paleolithic caves in Uzbekistan and Erbil (Iraqi Kurdistan) compared . Abou Al-Hassan Bakry...... 21

2. History of settlement in the area of Erbil in the light of archaeological excavations . N. J. Ibrahim...... 31

3. Les premiers paysans du Proche-Orient : aperçu de l’évolution culturelle dans le Nord . de la Mésopotamie du VIIe au Ve millénaire .M. Molist, Z. Bradosty, W. Cruells, A. Gómez Bach...... 37

4. Drawing a new city on a map: The archaeology of pre-Islamic Arbela .K. Nováček...... 51

5. Vers une histoire du peuplement de la plaine d’Erbil .J. Ur, J. Giraud...... 59

6. Un reflet d’Arbela : Kilizu, centre régional de l’Empire assyrien . M. G. Masetti-Rouault, O. Rouault...... 77

7. The pottery of Nuzi in the Erbil plain . A. B. Othman...... 87

8. L’Adiabène préislamique à la lumière des prospections archéologiques à Ḥazza et Makhmur . N. A. Amin...... 97 6 ARBELA ANTIQUA

9. Urbilum during the Ur III period (2112-2004 BC) . A. Kh. Kamil...... 109

10. Le nom de la ville d’Erbil dans les textes de la troisième dynastie d’Ur .N. Al-Mutawali, F. A. Salman...... 115

11. Arbèles/Urbilum et la troisième dynastie d’Ur : histoire militaire .M. Sigrist...... 123

12. Ištar of Arbela .M. Nissinen...... 129

13. Ištar triumphant: matrix of an imperial cult .J. MacGinnis...... 157

14. Arbail(-)lāmur! (1) On the people of Arbela .S. Ponchia...... 165

15. Arbail(-)lāmur! (2) On the people from and to Arbela. The Assyrian community in Babylonia

. during the Neo-Babylonian Period: the case of Mannu-akī-Arba ʾil .R. Da Riva...... 181

16. Who was in Arbail? Philistines and an Egyptian (?) in the territory of Erbil: a case study . D. A. Marf...... 185

17. A Statement of Aššurbanipal’s Babylonian Policy in SAA 21 1 .S. Ito...... 189

18. The Campaign of Gaugamela and the Alexander Romance .K. Nawotka...... 199

19. La famille royale d’Adiabène, d’Erbil à Jérusalem .J.-S. Caillou...... 207

20. Late Antique Adiabene under Sasanian Rule .G. Terribili...... 213

21. L’histoire et l’archéologie d’Erbil pré-islamique aux témoignages des voyageurs . et des orientalistes britanniques / The Pre-Islamic History and Archaeology of Erbil . in the records of the British travelers and Orientalists . S. H. Ahmad...... 229

Index geographicus...... 251.

Index nominum antiquorum...... 259.

Résumés...... 265

Abstracts...... 271

Résumés en arabe / Abstracts in Arabic...... 282

Résumés en kurde / Abstracts in Kurdish...... 288 Ištar of Arbela

Martti Nissinen University of Helsinki

The city of Arbela was an outstanding religious and Being “as lofty as heaven,” with “foundations firm as economical center in the Neo-Assyrian era. Together the heavens,” Arbela is located at the juncture of heaven with Aššur, Nineveh, and Calah, it featured as one of and earth, a position not every city could boast about the principal cities in the Assyrian heartland.1 It was even in Assyria.3 The reason for the special position of one of the “doorjambs” of Assyria to which a hymn was Arbela among Assyrian cities becomes clear from the composed in which the city was hailed as nothing less than same hymn, and this is the “shrine of Arbela, lofty hostel, a “heaven without equal,” a “city of merry-making,” and a broad temple, sanctuary of delights – – temple of reason “city of exultation,” comparing with Aššur and Babylon, and counsel.” Even elsewhere, the city of Arbela is called the unrivalled capitals of Assyria and Babylonia:2 “the dwelling of the goddess Ištar,”4 and the hymn makes the whole city appear as a sanctuary. Nothing else but the Arbela, O Arbela! actual temple in which the goddess Ištar dwelled could Heaven without equal, Arbela! City of merry-making, have inspired the glorification of the whole city. While Arbela! 5 City of festivals, Arbela! City of the temple of Ištar was not the only deity worshipped in Arbela, the jubilation, Arbela! foremost temple of the city was Egašankalamma (é.gašan. Shrine of Arbela, lofty hostel, broad temple, sanctuary kalam.ma/bēt šarrat māti), “House of the Lady/Queen of of delights! the Land,” that is, Ištar of Arbela.6 What remains of this Gate of Arbela, the pinnacle of holy to[wns]! once-celebrated temple is now buried inside the citadel of City of likeness, Arbela! Abode of jubilation, Arbela! modern Erbil. Arbela, temple of reason and cousel! Arbela, of course, was not the only, and not even Bond of the lands, Arbela! the foremost Assyrian city where Ištar was worshipped. Establisher of profound rites, Arbela! In fact, all four “doorjambs” of Assyria boasted temples Arbela is as lofty as heaven, its foundations are as firm of Ištar, and those in Aššur7 and Nineveh are better as the heavens. The pinnacles of Arbela are lofty, it vies with […]. documented than her temples in Arbela and Calah. Its likeness is Babylon, it compares with Assur. In particular, the temple of Ištar in Nineveh called O lofty sanctuary, shrine of the fates, gate of heaven! Emašmaš8 features itself earlier and stronger. As Wiebke

1. For the relative status and significance of these cities in the of “all the gods of Arbela” in SAA 2 6:34 (see Parpola & Neo-Assyrian era, see Radner 2011: 321-329. Watanabe 1988: 30) and the blessing “May the gods who 2. SAA 3 8:1-18; see Livingstone 1989: 20. dwell in Arbela bless the king, my lord” in SAA 13 140 r. 3 3. Cf. Nissinen 2001. (see Cole & Machinist 1998: 111). 4. Thus Sennacherib: “I dug a (subterranean) watercourse 6. SAA 20 49:178: é.gašan.kalam.ma é šar-rat kur.kur é– and directed (all of) their course(s) inside the city Arbela, dgašan–arba-ìl “Egašankalamma, ‘House of the Lady of the dwelling of the goddess Ištar, the exalted lady” the lands’: the house of Lady of Arbela”; see Parpola 2017: (RINAP 3: 229); see Grayson & Novotny 2014: 327. 137. For the Egašankalamma temple, see George 1989: 5. Cf. the list of deities of Arbela in SAA 20 40 r. i 18-40, 351; Menzel 1981: Vol. 1, 6-10. beginning with “Aššur–Ištar of Arbela”; see Meinhold 7. See Bär 2003; Schmitt 2012. 2009: 392, 403 (lines e+339-61). Cf. also the invocation 8. See Reade 2005. 130 ARBELA ANTIQUA

Meinhold has recently demonstrated, Ištar of Nineveh was there were many Ištars associated with certain temples, powerfully represented even in the city of Aššur in the and it is sometimes impossible to know whether a specific Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods,9 unlike Ištar of Arbela manifestation of the goddess is mentioned in the sources.13 who is listed among the deities worshipped in Aššur in the In the case of Arbela, we can be confident that if there is an so-called Götteraddressbuch, but who never had a temple obvious affiliation between the goddess and the city and/or of her own there:10 the Egašankalamma temple, the goddess can be identified Bel-šarru, two Nabûs, the City Hall (Bet-ali), Gubaba, as Ištar of Arbela—whether or not the goddess of Arbela Abakuwa, Ištar of Arbela, Išum, Kittu, Dinitu, was known by the name Ištar from her first beginnings.14 Kuddinitu, the Fate-of-the-Lady-of-the-City: Total Otherwise, the identification is possible only when the twelve gods of the house of Bel-šarru. goddess has an epithet connecting her with Arbela, the The two Ištars, the Lady of Nineveh and the Lady of most common being “Ištar of Arbela” (Issār ša Arbail), Arbela, are very often seen as appearing together—always “Lady of Arbela” (bēlet Arbail), and “Ištar who dwells in in this order, as two distinct manifestations of the goddess Arbela” (Issār āšibat Arbail). who sometimes, nevertheless, seem to virtually merge My catch of the day comprises 273 Assyrian texts together.11 This regular coupling with Ištar of Nineveh mentioning Ištar of Arbela and/or Egašankalamma, 15 (often known by the name Mullissu), while at the same complemented by one single Neo-Babylonian document. time mainting a divine identity of her own, gives Ištar of Very often the occurences appear like tiny herrings in a Arbela a specific character. school of small fish, but some quite big fish can be found An investigation into the roles of Ištar of Arbela in as well. Over two-thirds of the texts (188) date to the time the Assyrian royal ideology and religion is not possible of Esarhaddon and Aššurbanipal and only fifteen (that is, without an updated overview of the textual sources our 5,5%) to the time before Sennacherib. There may be many knowledge of the goddess can be obtained from: her reasons for such an uneven distribution, and I am unable image cannot be reconstructed before constructing the to offer a good explanation for the scarcity of sources from image of the sources. The fulliest overview so far is Erbil the time of the early Neo-Assyrian kings, Tiglath-Pileser in the Cuneiform Sources by John MacGinnis—a book III and Sargon II. Be that as it may, the strong concentration originally published in Erbil.12 What I will present in this on Esarhaddon and Aššurbanipal points to the conclusion essay is essentially the raw catch of my fishing trip to the that the 7th century BCE was the period when the worship Neo-Assyrian textual waters. Preparing the meal, that is, a and appreciation of this particular manifestation of Ištar more analytical treatment of the sources, will have to wait was at its height. for future occasions. Inscriptions and Vassal Treaties Identification and Chronological Only two non-royal inscriptions mention of Ištar of Distribution of the Sources Arbela. One of them is attached to the most famous image of the goddess on a stele found in Til Barsip and dating to Inanna/Ištar is probably the most often-mentioned the time of Sargon II (721–704):16 goddess in cuneiform literature, and the word ištaru To Ištar who dwells in Arbela, his Lady, Aššur-dur- (d15, diš.tar, dinnin, etc.; plural ištarāti with -meš) can be paniya, governor of Kar-Shalmaneser, has dedicated used as a generic word for a female deity. Even in Assyria, (this stele) for his life.

9. Meinhold 2009: 168-183. 13. A comprehensive analysis of different Ištars—or the 10. SAA 20 49: 68-73; see Parpola 2017: 133-34. Cf. SAA different manifestations of Ištar, or different goddesses 20 52 r. iv 27-34, listing the gods of Aššur “whose places called Ištar—in different times and places is still a Sennacherib, king of Assyria, put in the mouths of the desideratum. For important studies on the goddess(es), people through extispicy and their cups of veneration”: see Allen 2015: 141-199; Asher-Greve & Goodnick Aššur, Mullissu, Šerua, Sin, Nikkal, Šamaš, Aya, Anu, Westenholz 2013; Zsolnay 2010; eadem 2009; Meinhold Anti, Kippat-mati, Enlil, Adad, Šala, Ištar of Heaven, Ištar 2009; Porter 2005; Bahr ani 2001; Beckman 1998: 1-10; of Nineveh, Ištar of Arbela, the Assyrian Ištar, Zababa, Harris 1991: 261-278; Groneberg 1986 : 25-46. Babu, Ea, Belet-ili, Damkina, Ninurta, Kakka, Nergal, 14. For the possible Hurrian roots of the goddess, cf. Menzel Marduk” (ibid., 155). 1981: Vol. 1, 6. 11. See Allen 2015: 141-99; Porter 2005: 41-44. 15. I. e., BM 62805 from the reign of Cyrus; see MacGinnis 12. MacGinnis 2014. I thank John MacGinnis for providing 2004. me with a copy of his book during the Ancient Arbela 16. For the stele (AO 11503) and its dating, see Radner 2006. conference in Erbil in April 2014. Ištar of Arbela 131

The image shows the goddess standing on a lion and I myse[lf] prayed [to] the deities Aššur, Sîn, [Šamaš, carrying two quivers and a sword—weapons similar to Bel, Nabû], Ne[rgal], Ištar of Nineveh, (and) Ištar of those mentioned in Aššurbanipal’s dream in which she [Arbela], the gods who support me, for victory [over] (my) strong enemy and they immediately heeded my appears to the king, promising to take care of his warfare prayers (and) came to my aid. against the king of Elam.17 The fact that the stele was erected at Til Barsip/Kar- This is what I mean with a school of small fish: texts 22 Shalmaneser indicates that the veneration of Ištar of Arbela like this can be multiplied, and they show that Ištar of was not restricted to Arbela, and the same conclusion can Arbela, virtually always together with Ištar of Nineveh, be drawn from another non-royal document, the much belongs to the principal deities of the Assyrian pantheon, earlier dedication of a bronze statue to Ištar of Arbela by at least from Sennacherib to Aššurbanipal. Šamši-Bel in the time of Aššur-Dan I (1178–1133; or, It is conspicuous that Ištar of Nineveh and Ištar of perhaps, Aššur-Dan II, 935–912) found at Lake Urmia:18 Arbela, always in this order, more often than not appear as the last items of the list of gods. Spencer Allen interprets To the goddess Ištar, the great lady who who dwells in Egašankalamma, L[ady of] Arbail, [his] lady: – – The this to indicate the lesser status of Ištar of Arbela vis-à-vis 23 name of the statue is: “O goddess Ištar, to you my ear Ištar of Nineveh, and both Ištars in relation to other gods, (is directed)!” but there are other explanations to her/their position in the lists. The ultimate position may mark an inclusio, which One third of the occurrences of Ištar of Arbela are is a structurally prominent location, highlighting the to be found in royal inscriptions, beginning with single position of the goddess(es) rather than pushing her to the mentionings of the goddess in the inscriptions of the background.24 The lists may follow a patriarchal gender Middle Assyrian kings Shalmaneser I (1273–1244), Aššur- hierarchy in making male deities usually to precede Dan I/II and Tiglath-Pileser I (1114–1076), and continuing female deities, often represented by Ištar(s) alone.25 Some with Shalmaneser III (858–824), Sennacherib (704–681), letter-writers, typically from Arbela, invoke Aššur and and, overwhelmingly, with Esarhaddon (681–669) and Ištar alone omitting other divine names, which speaks Aššurbanipal (669–627). Interestingly, the inscriptions for the prominent position of the goddess.26 Furthermore, of Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727) and Sargon II leave us placing the Ištars at the end of the list is far from being an entirely in the dark. absolute rule.27 A lion’s share of the mentionings of Ištar of Arbela The order of deities in the lists certainly follows occur in lists of deities who have named and elevated the hierarchical patterns painstakingly figured out by Allen; to king to his kingship, as in the case of Esarhaddon:19 what extent this hierarchy determines the respective socio- I am my older brothers’ youngest brother (and) by the religious significance of the deities is another question to be command of the gods Aššur, Sîn, Šamaš, Bel, Nabû, answered with the help of texts representing other genres. Ištar of Nineveh, and Ištar of Arbela my father elevated me firmly in the assembly of my brothers, saying: According to Allen, “[w]hen multiple localized Ištar “This is the son who will succeed me.” goddesses appear near the end of an E[mbedded] G[od] L[ist], they appear there because they were less important Likewise, Ištar of Arbela is frequently mentioned than the gods preceding them in that EGL.” However, among the gods to whom the king turns in his distress and in view of the extremely significant roles Ištar plays in who help the king to gain victory over his enemies, thus different textual, mythical, and cultic contexts, I find it 20 Tiglath-Pileser I: difficult to interpret Ištar’s/Ištars’ ultimate position in the Aššur, the great lord, and the goddess Ištar who dwells lists as a sufficient indication of her lesser, let alone the in Arbela will (then) listen to his prayers; least-important, position among gods at least in the Neo- or, for instance, Sennacherib:21 Assyrian times. When it comes to Aššur and the Ištars of

17. Prism B v 52-55: “Ištar who dwells in Arbela entered, 22. See the appendix below. having quivers hanging from her right and left and holding 23. Allen 2015: 100-110. a bow in her hand. She had drawn a sharp-pointed sword, 24. Cf. Zsolnay 2009: 175-178. ready for battle”; see Borger 1996: 100, 225. For the 25. Unless the goddesses are not paired with their divine iconographical motifs, see Cornelius 2009, esp. 20-26. spouses as in SAA 2 2 vi 6-10. 18. RIMA 1 A.0.83.2001:1-3; see Grayson 1987: 308. The 26. See below, n. 72. statue may, in fact, be originally erected in Arbela. 27. In several inscriptions of Aššurbanipal, Ninurta, Nergal 19 RINAP 4 1 i 8-12; see Leichty 2011: 11-12. and Nusku are listed after the Ištars. Other deities follow 20. CUSAS 17 68 r.68-69; see Frame 2011, esp. 130. the Ištars also in SAA 2 2 vi 6-26; 3:7‑11, r. 2-5; 5 iv 2-43; 21. RINAP 3 18 v 6-10; see Grayson & Novotny 2014: 154. 6:414-65; SAA 10 197:7‑14; 286:3-7. 132 ARBELA ANTIQUA

Nineveh and Arbela in this period, “[n]o king could afford gold,36 and he also says to have renovated the akītu-house to ignore these gods, their shrines and their festivals.”28 of Milqia:37 Some inscriptions yield important information on I made the house of Ištar, my lady, bright as day with the Egašankalamma temple. The oldest reference can be silver, gold, and copper. I adorned the standards of found in the inscription of Shalmaneser I concerning his the gate of the temple of Ištar with gold and set them building of the temple together with its ziggurrat,29 and up. I renovated the dilapidated sections of Milqia, the the second oldest is the above-mentioned dedication of a palace of the steppe, the abode of Ištar, constructed its akītu‑house and completed the city in its entirety. bronze statue to Ištar of Arbela in the time of Aššur-Dan I/II. Shalmaneser III refers to the “festival of the lady of The royal ideology propagated by the inscriptions is Arbela” that he, after a victorious campaign against Urartu, also represented by the Assyrian vassal treaties, in which celebrated in Egašankalamma and/or in the town of Milqia Ištar of Arbela features as one of the deities acting as the in the vicinity of Arbela, where there was an akītu-house divine witnesses in the presence of whom the treaty is of the goddess.30 This festival, or these festivals, in Arbela concluded, e.g., the Vassal Treaty of Esarhaddon:38 happened before Shalmaneser entered ceremonially into (The treaty of Esarhaddon – – which he) confirmed, the presence of Ištar with all his booty in Baltil, the old made and concluded in the presence of Jupiter, Venus, part of the city of Aššur:31 Saturn, Mercury, Mars and Sirius; in the presence of Aššur, Anu, Ill[il], Ea, Sin, Šamaš, Adad, Marduk, 32 Enthusiastically he/I entered Ega[šankalamm]a, the Nabû, Nusku, Uraš, Nergal, Mullissu, Šerua, Belet- festival of the Lady of Arbela [... he/I arranged] in ili, Ištar of Nineveh, Ištar of Arbela, the gods dwelling 33 [Mi]lqia. The king joyfully [performed] a lion hunt in in heaven and earth, the gods of Assyria, the gods 34 Baltil. He felled […, ente]red into the presence of the of Sumer and [Akka]d, all the gods of the lands. – – goddess Ištar with all his booty. Sw[ear ea]ch individually by Aššur, father of the gods, Esarhaddon describes in many of his inscriptions in lord of the lands! Ditto by Anu, Illil and Ea! (– –) Ditto by Mullissu, Šerua and Belet-ili! Ditto by Ištar of detail how he has fulfilled his duties for the goddess in Nineveh and Ištar of Arbela! (– –) decorating the Egašankalamma temple:35 As the Neo-Assyrian treaties were sworn documents, (Esarhaddon, great king, mighty king, – – the one) who the treaty texts had a section of curses for those (typically plated Egašankalamma, the temple of the goddess Ištar of Arbela, his lady, with silver and made it shine like belonging the weaker party) who break the treaty. The daylight. I had lions, screaming anzû-birds, lahmu- deities in the presence of whom treaty was concluded act monsters (and) kurību-genii fashioned from silver and as executioners of the curses:39 copper and set (them) up in ts entry doors. May Ištar, lady of battle and war, smash your bow in Even Aššurbanipal, like his father, claims more than the thick of ba[ttle], may she bind your arms, and have once to have adorned Egašankalamma with silver and you crouch under your enemy. (– –) May Mullissu,

28. Radner 2011: 323. 34. Thus according to Livingstone, ibid.; Grayson translates: 29. RIMA 1 A.0.77.16 iii 11-12: “I built the Egašankalamma, “The king [sat down] with joy upon the lion’s seat in the temple of Ištar, Lady of Arbela, my Lady, together with Baltil.” The verb as well as the word defining the “lion” its ziggurrat.” See Grayson 1987: 204. (ur.maḫ) are broken away (ina uru.bal.til ⸢x⸣-bat ur.maḫ 30. For the evidence of the akītu chapel in Milqia, see Nissinen [x x x x]). 2001: 183-186. In later times the site, known as Melqi, was 35. RINAP 4 77:8-9; see Leichty 2011: 155. Similarly RINAP the venue of the Christian feast of the martyr Mar Qardagh; 4 93:4. see Walker 2006: 249-254. 36. RINAP 5 6 i 48-49 (= RINAP 5 10 ii 7-8): “I plated 31. SAA 3 17 r. 27-30; see Livingstone1989: 47 = RIMA 3 Emašmaš and Egašankalamma with silver and gold and A.0.102.17:59-62; Grayson 1996: 87. filled them with splendour”; see Novotny & Jeffers 2018: 32. The verbal form ētarab can be either 1st or 3rd person 114, 216. See also RINAP 5 3 i 20-22 (ibid., 58); RINAP 5 singular. Up to here, the speaker of the account has been 23: 40 (ibid., 302). the king himself, but on the following line, he is referred 37. SAACT 10 19 (K 891 = L3):6-7; see Novotny 2014: 80-81, to in the 3rd person, hence it is difficult to know which 99. translation is to be preferred here. 38. SAA 2 6 §§2-3:13-26, 29-30; see Parpola and Watanabe 33. The text is broken here, so neither of the two locations can 1988: 29–30; cf. SAA 2 2 vi 16 (Aššur -nerari V); 3:9 be reconstructed with absolute certainty. My optimistic (Sennacherib). translation follows Grayson’s reading on line r. 27 39. SAA 2 6 §§48, 50, 51; see ibid., 48; cf. SAA 2 3 r. 4 ? (é.ga[šan.kalam-m]a; Livingstone: é.⸢gal ⸣ [x x] x), and (Sennacherib); 5 iv 2 (Esarhaddon); 9 r. 24; 10 r.10 ? ? Livingstone’s reading on line r. 28 (⸢ina uru ⸣.[mi]-⸢il ⸣- (Aššurbanipal). For deities as executioners of curses, see ? qí-⸢a x x⸣). Kitz 2014: 170-196. Ištar of Arbela 133

who dwells in Nineveh, tie a flaming sword at your Ištar, who dwells in Arbela, delivered Ahšeri, who did side. [May] Ištar, who dwells in Arbela, [no]t show you not fear my lordship, up to his servants, according to mercy and compassion. the word that she had said from the very beginning: “I will, as I said, take care of the execution of Ahšeri, the Aššurbanipal’s inscriptions make Ištar of Arbela king of Mannea.” appear more independently than any previous sources. She plays the key role in the long and famous account of Together with other great gods, Ištar of Arbela is Aššurbanipal’s war against the Elamite king Teumman in the deity to whom the king owes his military success, 42 43 653 BCE.40 The whole episode begins in Arbela where the both here and in other inscriptions of Aššurbanipal. king is participating a festival of the goddess and becomes Whenever Ištar of Arbela has an independent function, the message concerning the aggression of Teumman. however, it is related to prohecy or dreams. As we shall Aššurbanipal prays to Ištar of Arbela, asking “the lady of see, intuitive divination, if anything, is the domain of this the ladies, the goddess of warfare, the lady of battle and particular goddess. the counsellor of the gods” (bēlet bēlēti ilat qabli bēlet tāḫāzi mālikat ilāni), indeed, “the most warlike among the Legal Documents gods” (qaritti ilāni) to defeat Teumman. Ištar of Arbela sends him an encouraging prophecy and a dream in which The second-biggest group of the occurrences of Ištar she promises to take care of the warfare: of Arbela belong to legal documents, especially debt-notes Ištar heard my desperate sighs and said to me: “Fear in which the name of Ištar of Arbela usually stands for her not!” She made my heart confident, saying: “Because temple as an economical unit and the site of transaction. of the prayer you said with your hand lifted up, your Such documents, coming from different cities in Assyria, eyes being filled with tears, I have compassion for are known from the time of Adad-nirari III on (811–783) you.” and are well-attested even in the period after Aššurbanipal. Aššurbanipal also received a report from a seer The basic types of references to Ištar of Arbela are the (šabrû) of a dream in which he saw Ištar of Arbela following: promising to bring about for Aššurbanipal the overthrow (a) Debt-notes, such as the following:44 of Teumman. Ištar’s relation to Aššurbanipal is expressed Two talents of copper, first fruits (rēšāti) of Ištar of with outspoken motherly imagery. “You stood before Arbela, belonging to Mannu-ki-Arbail, at the disposal her and she spoke to you like the mother who gave birth of Šamaš-ahhe-šallim. He shall pay in Ab (V). If he to you”; “She sheltered you in her sweet embrace, she does not pay, it will increase by a third. protected your entire body.” What follows is a description This is a common type of debt-note, often called of Aššurbanipal victorious campaign to Elam. “Tempelschuldschein” because in these documents a deity, In the inscription concerning his fifth campaign that is, her/his temple, appears as a third party in addition against the Elamites, Aššurbanipal reports a dream that to the debtor and the creditor. In this case, the creditor was seen by his entire army. As in the previous case: Ištar is Mannu-ki-Arbail while the debtor is Šamaš-ahhe- of Arbela promises to take care of their safety: šallim, but what is the role of Ištar of Arbela, or better, My troops saw Idide, the tempestuous river, and were the Egašankalamma temple? The “first fruits”sag ( .meš/ afraid of crossing (it). Ištar, who dwells in Arbela, let rēšāti) are usually understood as offerings for the temple, them see a dream during the night. This is what she but this raises the question who is the actual creditor: the said to them: “I will go before Aššurbanipal, the king person mentioned in the document or the temple which whom my hands have created!” My troops trusted in this dream and crossed safely the river Idide. ultimately receives the offering. Two solutions have been proposed: (1) the creditor has a relationship with the Aššurbanipal also cites a prophecy of Ištar of Arbela temple, either as a cedent who has transferred the sum 41 in his account of his Mannean war: he has loaned from the temple to a cessionary, or just a

40. For discussion, see Weippert 2014: 31-32, 55-56; Pongratz- 43. E.g., RINAP 5 11 ix 75-89 (see ibid., 259), a report of Leisten 1999: 120‑122; Nissinen 1998: 44-61. Aššurbanipal’s campaign against the Arabs, in which the 41. Nissinen 1998: 43-47. credit of his victory is given to Mullissu, Ištar of Arbela, 42. RINAP 5 11 iii 11-16: “Afterwards his son Ualli ascended Erra, Ninurta, and Nusku. his throne. He acknowledged the authority of Aššur, Sin, 44. SAA 6 214:1-r.1; see Kwasman & Parpola 1991: 172. Date: Šamaš, Adad, Bel, Nabû, Ištar of Nineveh, the Queen of 676-III-11. Kidmuri, Ištar of Arbela, Ninurta, Nergal, Nusku, the great gods, my lords, and submitted to my yoke”; see Novotny & Jeffers 2018: 239. 134 ARBELA ANTIQUA broker representing the temple;45 or (2) the debtor has Whoever will contravene—Aššur, Šamaš and Ištar of borrowed the sum directly from the creditor to be able to Arbela will be his opponents in court. fulfill his obligations to the temple in the form of the “first This resembles the role of the deities acting as fruits.”46 If the first alternative was true, one would assume witnesses of the treaties of the Assyrian kings with their the cedent/broker to be a temple functionary or otherwise vassals, although their function here is not to enforce closely affiliated with it. Since this does not seem to be sweeping curses but is restricted to the juridical procedure. the case in Arbela,47 the connection between the creditor (c) Marriage contracts with a clause protecting the wife, and the temple is difficult to establish, and the second such as the following:52 alternative seems more appropriate. The same would [… the daughter] o[f] P[uṭ]u-Heši53 —Puṭu-Eši [has apply to documents that do not designate the obligation of contrac]ted and bought her [fo]r a half mina of silver the debtor to the temple as rēšāti, but simply as the “silver [a]s his wife. (– –) of Ištar of Arbela”48 and the like. If [Puṭu]-Eši hates [his] wife, the lady Al-Hapi-Mehi (b) Litigation clauses in a legal document, such as the shall pay Puṭu-Eši 10 shekels of silver and she can following:49 leave. For as long as Puṭu-E[ši] lives, the woman wi[th] her sons would be given as votaries of Ištar of [Arbe]la. Whoever in the future, at any time, lodges a complaint and breaks the contract, whether Zeru-ukin or his sons, The purpose of such a clause is to protect the wife and his grandsons or his brothers, his nephews or his prefect, the children: in the case of divorce, the wife is obliged to his cohort commander or his neighbour, the mayor of return part of the price. However, she and her sons cannot his city or any relative of his, and seeks a lawsuit or 50 be pledged or sold by the husband, but they can live on litigation against Kakkullanu, his sons, his grandsons 54 and any relative of his, shall place one talent of silver as votaries (šēlūtu) of Ištar of Arbela under the aegis of and 5 minas of gold in the lap of Ištar residing in Arbela, her temple. The two other marriage documents in which and shall return the money tenfold to its owners. He the wife appears as a votaress of Ištar of Arbela suggest shall contest (in) his lawsuit and not succeed. that the wife has this position already before divorce.55 For 56 This document concerns the transaction concerning some reason, all three cases concern Egyptian people, as a vineyard in Irbû, together with two servants, that if this practice corresponded to some otherwise unknown Kakkullanu bought from Zeru-ukin for three minas of Egyptian custom. silver; as the litigation clause shows, breaking this contract (d) Votive donations. One poorly preserved text reports a would have cost many times the value of the purchase. The royal votive gift of Esarhaddon or Aššurbanipal to Ištar money to be brought to the temple, in addition to the usual residing in Arbela, giving the king the occasion to express tenfold compensation of the price, can be understood as a his dependance on the endurance of her temple in a way 57 penalty fee. that resembles both royal inscriptions and prophecies: Sometimes the litigation clauses include names of [For the preservation of m]y [life], the lengthening of my deities as opponents of the quarreler in court, e.g.:51 days, the longevity of my kingship, and the destruction

45. See Menzel 1981: Vol. 1, 11-21 and the review of Menzel’s 52. SAA 14 443:1-2, r. 5-12; see Mattila 2002: 282. Date lost; book by Postgate 1983; Faist 2007: 164. reign of Aššurbanipal or later. 46. Thus Radner 1999: 83-84. 53. Note that Puṭu-(Me)heši and Puṭu-Eši are different 47. According to Radner, “soweit ersichtlich, sind in Assur alle Egyptian names; see “Puṭi-Eše” and “Puṭu-Meḫēši,” Gläubiger für den Tempel tätig, also Tempelfunktionäre PNA 3/1 (2002): 1001, 1002-1003 [R. Mattila]. im weitesten Sinne” (ibid., 84). When it comes to Arbela, 54. For the šēlūtu, see Svärd 2008: 79-80. however, this is evidently not the case. Of persons mentioned 55. StAT 2 164: r. 8-11: “Auwa (scil. the husband), his brothers, in this position, Mannu-ki-Arbail is a cohort commander, his prefect, or his relatives shall not dispose of Mullissu- Silim-Aššur (SAA 6 235, 237) is a vizier from Nineveh, hammat (scil. the wife). She is a votaress of Ištar of Arbela” Nabû’a (SAAB 9 122B) is an individual from Aššur, Nusku- (date: 675-ix-20); and StAT 2 184: 1-4: “Šulmu…-lumur, naṣir (SAA 6 272) is an individual from Nineveh, and so on. sister of Ata’—he has given her to Riḫpimunu as his wife. 48. E.g., SAA 14 108:1-7: “15 shekels of silver of Ištar of She is a votaress of Ištar of Arbela” (date lost, but the Ar[bela], belonging to Nur- Šamaš, at the disposal of Duri- text belongs to the same archive as the previous one); see Aššur, at the disposal of Arbailayu, at the disposal of Kur- Donbaz & Parpola 2001: 119, 131. ila’i, from the estate of Azhula”; see Mattila 2002: 94. 56. Cf. Faist 2007: 159: “Bemerkenswert ist schließlich die 49. SAA 14 36:17-r. 8; see ibid., 40-41. Date: 630-XI-17. Tatsache, dass Ägypter eine Vorliebe für die Issar von 50. Written mkul-ku-la-a-nu, cohort commander of the crown Arbail zu haben scheinen.” prince; for him and his numerous transactions, see ibid., 57. SAA 12 89 r. 7; see Kataja & Whiting 1995; cf. Nissinen xvi-xviii. 2001: 181. 51. SAAB 5 17 r. 13-14; see Fales & Jakob-Rost 1991, esp. 47-49. Ištar of Arbela 135

of my enemies, [……] and in Egašankalamma until away is the sender of a badly broken message (šipirtu) to distant days I [established]. the king, perhaps a report of a prophecy.62 In addition, Ištar of Arbela is mentioned as one of the Three professional designations are affiliated with gods executing curses in a couple of private donations, the temple of Ištar of Arbela in legal documents: weaver, e.g.:58 scribe, and merchant. Weavers (ušpāru) are attested already in the time of Adad-nirari III 63 and, as we shall see (Whoever raises a claim – –) May Ištar dwelling in Arbels fill him with leprosy and cut off his entrance to below, the weavers of Arbela were also active in Kurbail temple and palace – –. in the time of Esarhaddon and Aššurbanipal. The temple employed also scribes (ṭupšarru). The foreman of ten In these cases, the goddess again fulfills a function scribes (rab eširti) of Arbela, Issar-nadin-apli, is known as similar to the treaties as executioner of curses. the sender of several letters to the king (SAA 10 139–142), In the legal documents, Ištar of Arbela—or rather and one of the scribes of Arbela, Kandalanu, has signed her temple—appears as having a legal and economical a colophon of an Assyrian royal chronicle in the time of agency, serving also as a refuge for (Egyptian) women and Tiglath-Pileser III in Aššur.64 A merchant (tamkāru) of their children. Naturally, the temple also empoyed a large Ištar of Arbela appears as the creditor of half a mina of number of people. As we already saw, some marriage silver in a document dating to the time of Sargon II.65 contracts mention Egyptian women and their children as votaries of Ištar of Arbela in the time of Esarhaddon and Aššurbanipal, but both male and female votaries Letters are known also from earlier times. A litigation clause of a purchase document from the time of Adad-nirari III Almost one-fourth of the occurrences of Ištar of obliges the litigator as follows:59 Arbela can be found in Neo-Assyrian letters which are all (Anyone who in the future – – initiates a lawsuit or addressed to Esarhaddon and Aššurbanipal, save one letter litigation – –) shall dedicate seven male and seven from Aššur in which a private individual, Mukin-Aššur, female maš.meš to Adad who resides in Kurbail; and informs his four business partners on a certain item made seven male and seven female suḫur.lá.meš to Ištar who of leather. He also mentiones to have prayed to Aššur and resides in Arbela. He shall return the price tenfold to its Ištar of Arbela for his partners: 66 owner. He shall plead in his lawsuit (but) not succeed. Tablet of Mukin-Aššur to Duri-Aššur, Aššur-matu- The persons in this texts are not designated with the taqqin, La-qepu, and Nabû-taqqinanni. Good health to word šēlūtu but as lú/mí.maš (transcription unknown) and my brothers! (May) peace (dwell) in your houses, may as lú/mí.suḫur.lá (kezru/kezertu). The contexts of the few your hearts rejoice! I have prayed for you before Aššur occurrences of these words, like the one quoted above, and Ištar of Arbela. As to the dušḫu-leather, concerning which you wrote to me, your heart can be glad. make them appear as persons dedicated to a temple,60 but they do not reveal whether they have anything else in That prayers to Ištar of Arbela are spoken outside common, such as a specific role or function in the temple of the city of Arbela indicates that the goddess was cult or administration. I deserves attention, however, that known and venerated in different parts of the Assyrian Issar-bel-da’’ini, a šēlūtu of the king, appears as one of the empire, even though there is no evidence of any other prophets whose oracles have been collected in the large temple dedicated to her except for Egašankalamma. The tablet SAA 9 1,61 and another šēlūtu whose name is broken nationwide veneration of the goddess was suggested by

58. SAA 12 97 r. 2-6; see Kataja and Whiting 1995: 122-123; “No. 148 is only a small scrap, but it is likely that it was Neo-Assyrian (not dated). Cf. SAA 12 93 r. 4-5: “May Ištar the beginning of a prophecy since the woman reporting residing in [Arbela clothe him] with lepro[sy]; ibid., 117. the ‘message’ (šipirtu) was a votary of Ištar of Arbela, an 59. CTN 2 17 r. 30-34; see Postgate1973: 48-49. important deity in Neo-Assyrian prophecy.” 60. See Menzel 1981: Vol. 1, 32-33; cf. Vol. 2, 30* n. 341: “Sie 63. In CTN 2 91:32 Bel-issiya, weaver of Arbela, is one of the sind sicher unter den Überbegriff šeluāte zu subsumieren”; witnesses a a debt note from the year 797; see Postgate cf. the cautious remarks of Svärd 2008: 80-81. 1973: 118-119. 61. SAA 9 1.7 v 3-11: “The conspiring weasels and shrews 64. SBLWAW 19 5 iv 33-35: “Aššur copy. Hand of Kandalanu, I will cut to pieces before his feet. You (scil. the queen scribe of the temple which is in the heart of Arbela” (qāt mother) are you, the king is my king! From the mouth Kandalānu ṭupšar bīt ili ša qereb Arbail); see Glassner of the woman Issar-bel-da’’ini, votaress of the king”; see 2004: 144-145; Hunger 1968: 109 no. 350; Gelb 1954, Parpola 1997: 9. esp. 229. 62. SAA 13 148: “[…]ia, a votaress [of] Ištar [of] Arbela 65. BT 101:1-2; see Parker 1963, esp. 89-90. [reported th]is me[ssa]ge for the k[ing, my lord…] Ištar 66. Ass.2001.D-377; see Frahm 2002, esp. 48. […]; see Cole & Machinist 1998: 119; cf. ibid., xvii: 136 ARBELA ANTIQUA the two stelae discussed above, and becomes evident them are so badly preserved that we only learn from one of also in personal names and in prophecies, as we shall see them that the work on the statues has been accomplished.70 below. From the letters we also learn about problems caused by In the majority of cases, Ištar of Arbela typically the weavers of the Ištar temple: sometimes they are behind appears as one of the deities mentioned in the more or less their quota because of other duties,71 the other time the refined initial blessings. The lists of gods vary according weavers have gone from Arbela to Kurbail to produce to the preferences of the letter-writers who often start their textiles there;72 however, there appears to have been letters with their own favorite expressions. It deserves problems in their delivery:73 attention that while the letters from the time of Tiglath- [… the we]avers have [not] given the cloth[ing]. Pileser III and Sargon II usually begin with short greetings, Perhaps [the king], m[y lord], will say: “From where such as “Good health to the king, my lord,” in the time of did they issue them in the past?” They used to issue the Esarhaddon the greetings grow elaborate with long lists work-quota from the palace, and the we[av]ers from of gods and abundant blessings, such as the following:67 Arbela used to weave them. To the king, my lord: your servant, Urdu-Nabû. Even other members of the temple personnel appears Good health to the king, my lord. May Aššur, Šamaš, to have caused problems. Nabû-epuš, the priest of Ea, had Marduk, Zarpanitu, Nabû, Tašmetu, Ištar of Nineveh been caught red-handed by the temple guard when trying and Ištar of Arbela – these great gods who love your to steal property from the temple,74 and some temple kingship – allow the king, my lord to live 100 years. 75 May they grant the king, my lord, the satisfaction of old servants had attempted to dismiss their chief. age, extremely old age. May they appoint a guardian of As already mentioned above, a votaress of Ištar of health vigor (to be) with the king, my lord. Arbela may have reported a prophecy to the king, and even better-preserved letters report on prophecies delivered Ištar of Nineveh and Ištar of Arbela appear only in in the temple of Ištar. Nabû-nadin-šumi recommends a these long lists, almost without exception as a couple, and banishment of a person on the basis of what the Ištars of without any exception in this order. The only letter-writer Nineveh and Arbela had said.76 Aššur-ḫamatu’a writes a in the Neo-Assyrian corpus who only invokes Ištar of rather atypical letter which begins with a divine message Arbela and never Ištar of Nineveh is Issar-nadin-apli, the followed by some remarks of the writer and ends with above-mentioned foreman of the collegium of ten scribes the greetings and blessings that normally belong to the of Arbela, whose standard blessing includes only Nabû, beginning of the letter. The letter itself reports an oracle Marduk, and Ištar of Arbela.68 On the other hand, when a of Bel/Marduk who says to have “entered” and reconciled writer addresses the king with the blessing: “May Aššur with Mullissu. The text is probably a transcript of an and Ištar bless the king,” which is the standard blessing oracle concerning the arrival of the statue of Marduk in in letters sent from Arbela by various persons, we can Babylon which Aššurbanipal was able to accomplish in rather safely assume that the writer has the Ištar of his the year 668.77 Another letter, written by Nabû-reši-išši, own temple in mind.69 reports an incident that had happened while the king’s Sometimes the letters allow glimpses to the life of sacrifices had been performed in the temple. The damages the Egašankalamma temple, especially those written by of the text prevent us from knowing the circumstances, temple officials such as Aššur-ḫamatu’a, Aplaya, and but the preserved part of the tablet quotes the words the Nabû-reši-išši. Two or three letters of Aššur-hamatu’a female prophet “prophesied” (ragāmu):78 concern the statues of the king in the temple, but all of

67. SAA 13 56:1-14; see Cole & Machinist 1998: 52; cf. other will come (and) make (fabrics) in Kurbail”; Luukko & letters of Urdu-Nabû, SAA 13 57-69. Buylaere 2002: 79. 68. SAA 10 139:8-11; 140:7-10; 141:7-10; 142:7-10; see 73 SAA 13 186 r. 3-10; see Cole & Machinist 1998: 158. Parpola 1993: 109-111. 74. SAA 13 138; see ibid., 110. 69. SAA 13 139 r. 7-8; 141:4-5; 142:3-4 (Aššur-ḫamatu’a); 75. SAA 13 143:8-r. 11; see ibid., 116. 143:6-7 (Aplaya); 145:5-6 (Nabû-mušeṣi); 146:4-5 (NN). 76. SAA 10 284 r. 4-9: “According to what Ištar of N[ineveh] 70. SAA 13 141:6-8: “Concerning the statues of the king for and Ištar of Arbela have said [to me]: ‘Those who are the temple of Ištar of [Arbela], the work on them has been disloyal to the king our lord, we shall extinguish from done”; see Cole & Machinist 1998: 112; cf. SAA 13 140 Assyria,’ he should indeed be banished from Assyria.” See and, perhaps, 142. Parpola 1993: 221; cf. Nissinen 1998: 102-105. 71. SAA 13 145:7-r. 2: “The temple weavers have not readied 77. SAA 13 139; see Cole & Machinist 1998: 111. On the their assigned quotas for me. They are performing masonry- text and the historical situation behind it, see Nissinen duty”; see Cole & Machinist 1998: 177. & Parpola 2004. For a different dating, see Jong 2007: 72. SAA 16 84 r. 5-11: “I have asked Aplaya (and he said): 279‑282. ‘They will give us red wool. The weavers of Ištar of Arbela 78. SAA 13 144 r.7-s.1; see Cole & Machinist 1998: 116-117. Ištar of Arbela 137

She prophesied: “Why did you give the […]-wood, the (671 BCE) and Aššurbanipal (653 BCE).83 It seems that grove, and the … to the Egyptians? Say in the king’s the akītu-house was not in regular use between these presence that they should be given back to me. I will events. The above quotation indicates that “until the (then) give total abundance [to] his […].” moment of the triumphant procession of Esarhaddon after What remains of the text suggests that some his campaign to Egypt there was no empirical experience property of the temple had been given away. The temple of how to organize the common procession of the king and administrator, in the interest of the temple he is in charge the goddess.”84 As we have seen, Aššurbanipal claims to of, is indirectly criticizing this by quoting a divine word have renovated the dilapidated parts of the akītu-house,85 from the mouth of the prophet, according to which the as if it had been out of use during the two decades between property should be returned to the temple. the two last-mentioned festivals. A couple of letters from Arbela report on rituals. One of them concerns the divine banquet (qarītu) of Ištar in Arbela, the preparations of which were not going very Medical Diagnoses 79 smoothly: Ištar of Arbela plays an otherwise unattested role as The king, my lord, knows that Ištar of Arbela is causing diseases in two diagnostic texts. The first one powerful. She has gone up to the divine ‘party’ (qarītu) belongs to the diagnostic series Šumma miqtu imqussuma in Arbela. I am holding a horse for the chief victuallier, and concerns symptoms of epilepsy: 86 but he refuses to accept it from me, [nor will he allow] me to transfer it. (– –) They should take a horse from If he shudders and keeps getting up, talks much and the palace and give me a sealed order concerning the jerks: for a woman: lilû, for a man: lilītu; he/she can chief victuallier (to the effect) that he should give me get up afterwards. sacrificial bread, lest Ištar kill me. If he continually shudders in/because of his illness Qarītu is a banquet offered to gods, a public event and his pelvis is raised and ardat-lilî touches […]: 87 involving a procession of divine statues for which the bennu‑disease. horses mentioned in the letter were needed.80 Another If he keeps shuddering: hand of Urbilitu.88 major festivity well known even from the inscriptions is While the first diagnosis concerns symptoms that will the akītu festival celebrated in the above-mentioned town eventually go away, the second seems to refer to a real of Milqia. A temple official writes to the king to ask his epileptical seizure. Both are caused by demons called lilû, opinion about his ceremonial encounter with Ištar:81 lilītu, and ardat-lilî, who were a class of demons “believed Tomorrow Šatru-Ištar82 will arrive early from Milqia to be recruited from among young persons who died just and enter before the king, and afterward the king will before or just after marriage.”89 Interestingly, Urbilitu who enter. Or the king will enter (first), and afterward Ištar will enter. As to which is acceptable to the king, my is probably to be identified with Ištar of Arbela, is seen as lord, the king, my lord, should write, and it will be attacking the patient in the same way as the demons. In carried out accordingly. Perhaps Ištar (will come) from another diagnosis she acts all by herself: there and the king from here (simultaneously). How will the king, my lord, fall under the gaze of Ištar? It [If the top] of his head continually feels as if split in is about this matter that I have written to the king, my two, the soft parts of his nose/nouth are reddish, the lord. hair of his pubic region burns him, his hand continually hangs down limply, he does not [lay himself down] on The akītu in Milqia, as we have seen, was celebrated top of (a woman), but turns away, it continually afflicts already by Shalmaneser III, and again by Esarhaddon him in the night, and he continually trembles, hand of Urbilitu.90

79. SAA 13 147:8-r. 8; see ibid., 118. 87. The word bennu means some kind of epilepsy; see Stol 80. For the qarītu banquet, see Parpola 1983: 81-82. 1993: 5-7. 81. SAA 13 149; Cole & Machinist 1998: 119. The text is a 88. Written šu úr-bi-li-ti. (Stol 1993: 72 and Heeßel 2000: 296) note rather than a letter; the writer has been identified as suggest cautiously that this refers to Ištar of Arbela, here Ištar-šumu-ereš by Parpola 1983: 158 n. 303. called Urbilitu, “the goddess of Arbela”; thus also Scurlock 82. For Šatru as the name of Ištar of Arbela during her residence & Andersen 2005: 159. The identification of Urbilitu with in Milqia, see ibid., 158-59. Ištar of Arbela is not, of course, absolutely certain, but I 83. See ibid., 196. cannot think of any other deity who could be meant here. 84. Pongratz-Leisten 1997, esp. 250. 89. Scurlock & Andersen 2005: 434. 85. SAACT 10 19:6-7; cf. above, n. 37. 90. TDP 18:6-7; see Scurlock & Andersen 2005: 159 (text 86. DPS 26:82-85; see Heeßel 2000: 285, 291; Stol 1993: 7.17); Allen 2015: 174-177. 71‑72. 138 ARBELA ANTIQUA

This diagnosis, according to JoAnn Scurlock and Ešarra-hammat, Tašmētu-ēreš, Bēl-lāmur, Lā-tariṣ-ilu, Burton Andersen, concerns Strachan’s syndrome which is Mannu-kī-Nabû, Mullissu-šarrāt, Marduk-šumu-iddina, caused by vitamin B deficiency.91 Qurdi-Aia, Taklāk-ana Issār, Ṭāb-šār-Aššūr, Ubru-Nabû, Medical problems in Mesopotamian medicine were Upāqa-ana-Aššūr. assigned to “hands” of deities and demons. Especially The 105 persons carrying names containing the mental illnesses and physical traumas were explained element Arbail form a small group among Assyrians as being caused by the hand of Ištar. This is probably known to us by name. The majority of these names related to the goddess’s functions as the goddess of war date from the time of Aššurbanipal, but it is noteworthy (physical trauma) and her liminal character (mental that several persons called Arbailāiu and Mannu-kī- illness/epilepsy).92 Ištar appears in the diagnoses usually Arbail from Calah, Aššur, and Nineveh are known from without epithets, hence the “hand of Urbilitu,” most the otherwise “dark” periods of Sargon II and Tiglath- probably localizing the goddess to Arbela, is an exception Pileser III. This importantly indicates that the nationwide but makes sense with regard to her both functions as the significance of Ištar of Arbela and her temple preceded the “goddess of war and love.”93 “golden age” of the seventh century.

Personal names Poetry and Prophecy A number of Assyrian personal names have Arbail as The religious significance of the goddess and the theophoric element:94 Ana-Arbail-dugul (1 person), her temple is further highlighted in cultic poetry, and 95 Arbail-ēreš (1), Arbail-hammat (3 persons), Arbail-ilā’i especially in prophecies to Esarhaddon and Aššurbanipal. (1), Arbailītu-bēltūni (1), Arbail-lāmur (2), Arbail-šarrāt Quantitatively, the prophetic texts cover only 6,5% of the (2), Arbail-šumu-iddina (1), Arbail-urta[…] (1), Lā- texts containing the name of Ištar of Arbela, but it is in these tariṣ-Arbail (1), Mannu-kī-Arbail (37), Qurdi-Arbail (1), texts that this particular goddess features more strongly Tākilat-Arbail (1), Ṭāb-šār-Arbail (5), Ubru-Arbail (1), than any other deity. Prophecies are usually viewed as a Upāqa-ana-Arbail (5). Even the names Arbailāiu (37) group of texts distinct from poetry, which is fully justified and Arbailītu (4) hardly indicate the place of origin of the from the point of view of genre. Nevertheless, I would person in question; none of the carriers of these names like to discuss these groups together, because both arise actually comes from Arbela but, rather, from Calah, Aššur, from the temple setting and add important theological Nineveh, and some other localities. Instead, the name of substance to the state ideology broadcasted by the royal the city refers hypocoristically to the goddess of Arbela inscriptions. Since this is clearly the pond where the big even in these cases, as the name Arbailītu-bēltūni, “The fish can be caught, I will stay a little longer on poetic and one from Arbela is our lady,” clearly demonstrates. Hence, prophetic sources. in fact, the name Arbailāiu should not be translated as It is well known that, even though Assyrian prophets “The one from Arbela” but as “The one devoted to the act as the mouthpieces of other gods and goddesses, too, Lady of Arbela.” Ištar of Arbela plays a more prominent role in Assyrian The names with Arbail as the theophoric element, prophecy than any other deity. She is the divine speaker hence, express a devotion to the goddess, but it is in the majority of Neo-Assyrian prophetic sources where difficult to identify a more specific theology of Ištarin the divine voice is identifiable, sometimes together with 96 them because they follow standard patterns in which the Mullissu and other gods but more often than not as the 97 theophoric element is interchangeable, such as Aššūr-ilā’i, sole speaker. Of the fifteen Assyrian prophets known by personal names, seven are said to come from Arbela,98 two

91. The abnormalities of this syndrome include “vision loss, 94. For each name, see the respective entry in the PNA. See painful neuropathy (paralysis and decreased sensation), also the updates at http://individual.utoronto.ca/HDBaker/ and dermanitis involving the mouth and groin. Since the pnaupdateanames.html. references below contain all of these features escept vision 95. SAA 9 1-10; see Parpola 1997: 1-43. loss, it seems likely that they are describing this syndrome” 96. SAA 9 1.4; 2.4; 9; RINAP 4 1 i 59-62; SAA 10 284 r. 4-8. (Scurlock & Andersen 2005: 159). 97. SAA 9 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.6, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10; 2.2(?), 2.3, 2.5(?); 92. See ibid., 431-34, 523-25. For Ištar’s liminality, see also 3.4, 3.5; 5; 6; RINAP 5 11 iii 4-6; SAA 13 148(?). Harris 1991. 98. Ahat-abiša (f) SAA 9 1.8; Baya (m/f?) SAA 9 1.4; [2.2]; 93. Allen 2015: 176, finds here support for the idea of Ištar of Dunnaša-amur (f) SAA 9 9; Issar-la-tašiaṭ (m?) SAA 9 1.1; Arbela/Arbilitu as her own distinct divine personality. Sinqiša-amur (f) SAA 9 1.2; [2.5]; La-dagil-ili (m) SAA 9 1.10; 2.3; 3; Tašmetu-ereš (m) SAA 9 6. Ištar of Arbela 139 further prophets from other places speak her words99 and with Assyria and puts Assyria in order;109 she even pleads two or three letters quote her prophecies.100 In addition to for the exiled gods of Babylon.110 If necessary, she may the oracles proper, prophecies of Ištar of Arbela are known also reproach the king for the lack of attention to rituals.111 from the two inscriptions of Aššurbanipal quoted above. There is hardly any other deity in Neo-Assyrian sources Ideologically, the words of Ištar of Arbela addressed who has been given such a multitude of roles in relation to the king neither differ from the prophecies put in the to the king. Ištar of Arbela takes care of the king in every mouth of other deities, nor from the inscriptions where aspect of his life, her agency covers political and military Ištars of Arbela and Nineveh are listed among the deities as well as heavenly domains, and her personal relationship who raise the king to his throne and vanquish his enemies. to the king is most intimate, especially in the motherly However, the prophecies add a whole lot of nuances to sense. this picture. In these texts, Ištar of Arbela stands out as the The Egašankalamma temple is mentioned many times goddess who stands by Esarhaddon’s/Aššurbanipal’s side in cultic poetry, such as the following prayer to Ištar of throughout his entire life. She was there with other gods Arbela:112 101 when the king was born, she was his midwife and wet- [Ištar], great [lady] who dwells in the Egašankalamma, nurse when he was a baby,102 protecting him in the Palace [Lady] of Arbail, most noble of goddesses, of Succession as the crown prince,103 assuring his kingship [… of] heaven and earth, giver of life, to the queen mother,104 paving his way to kingship against […] lion, able, Ištar all odds,105 and consolidating his power.106 Self-evidently, […] whose command cannot be altered, 107 the command of her heart [cannot] be changed. she is the goddess who destroys the king’s enemies. No god can understand [her …]. Ištar of Arbela plays an important role as the divine Ištar, great lady who dwells in the Egašankalamma. mediator between heaven and earth: she speaks for the At this offering etc.113 life of king in front of Aššur and in the divine council,108 ————————————————————— she is the one who reconciles Aššur and the “angry gods” Prayer to Ištar of Arbela.

99. Remutti-Allati from Dara-Ahuya SAA 9 1.3; Urkittu-šarrat SAA 9 1.2 i 31-32, ii 3-7; 1.4 ii 34-36; 1.6 iv 5-10; 1.7 v from Calah SAA 9 2.4. 3-7; 2.2 i 22-23; 2.3 ii 18-20; 2.4 ii 31-33; 2.5 iii 21-25; 3.5 100. Nabû-nadin-šumi (SAA 10 284), Nabû-reši-išši (SAA 13 iv 22-30; 4: 3-4; 5 r. 3-4; 7:14-r. 2 (Mullissu speaking); 8; 144), NN, votary of Ištar (SAA 13 148). 11 r. 4-5. 101. SAA 9 1.4 ii 20-24: “When your mother gave birth to you, 108. SAA 9 9: 16-17: “In the assembly of all the gods I have sixty Great Gods stood there with me, protecting you. Sîn spoken for your life. My arms are strong and will not cast stood at your right side, Šamaš at your left”; see Parpola you off before the gods”; see ibid., 41. Note that Mullissu 1997: 6. and Lady of Arbela seem to be talking here with one mouth. 102. SAA 9 1.6 iii 15-18: “I am yo[ur] great midwife, I am 109. SAA 9 2.5 iii 19-20: “Esarhaddon, fear not! I will keep your excellent wet nurse”; see ibid., 7; SAA 9 1.4 ii 32: “I Assyria in order; I will reconcile the angry gods [wi]th protected you when you were a baby”; see ibid., 6; SAA Assyria”; see ibid., 17. Cf. SAA 9 1.4 ii 31; 2.3 ii 3; 2.5 iii 6-28: “I am your father and mother. I brought you up 110. SAA 9 2.3 ii 22-27: “Take to heart these words of mine between my wings; I will see how you prosper”; see ibid., from Arbela: The gods of Esaggil are languishing in an evil, 18; “You whose mother is Mullissu, fear not! You whose chaotic wilderness. Let two burnt offerings be sent before wet nurse is the Lady of Arbela, fear not!”; see ibid., 39. them at once; let your greeting of peace be pronounced to 103. SAA 9 1.2 i 33-35: “[In] the Palace of Succession [I pro-te] them”; see ibid., 16. ct you and [rai]se you”; see ibid., 5. Cf. SAA 9 7: 6-7 (word 111. SAA 9 3.5 iii 18-31: “As if I had done or given to you of Mullissu). anything! Did I not bend and give to you the four doorjambs 104. SAA 9 1.7; 1.8; 5 see ibid., 9, 34. of Assyria? Did I not vanquish your enemy? Did I not 105. SAA 9 1.6 iv 1-4: “I have inspi[red you] with confidence, I gather your foes and adversaries [like but]terflies? What have not caused [you] to come to shame! I will lead [you] have [yo]u, in turn, given to me? The [fo]od for the banquet safely across the River”; see ibid., 7-8. is n[ot there], as if there were no temple at all! My food is 106. SAA 9 1.6 iii 9-14: “In Aššur, Ninev[eh], Calah, and wi[thhe]ld from me, my drink is with[he]ld from me! I am Arbe[la] I will give endle[ss] days and everlasti[ng] years longing for them, I have fixed my eyes upon them”; see to Esarhaddon, my king”; see ibid., 7; SAA 9 2.3 ii 4-5: ibid., 26. “Throughout the day and by dawn I will stand [guard over 112. See the reconstruction of the prayers to the Ištars of you]; I will establish your crown” see ibid., 15. Cf. SAA 9 Nineveh and Arbela concluding an otherwise lost ritual text 1.6 iv 14-17; 1.10 vi 19-30; 2.3 ii 11-14; 9 9 r. 1-3 (Mullissu by Lambert 2005, esp. 38. and Lady of Arbela speaking together). 113. This probably refers to ritual protocols mentioned earlier in 107. SAA 9 1.1 i 11-14: “I am the great lady, I am Ištar of Arbela the text, the beginning of which is lost. who throw your enemies before your feet”; see ibid., 4. Cf. 140 ARBELA ANTIQUA

While this poem does not characterize Ištar of Arbela In a similar vein, the goddesses are tending the king, “the in terms particularly reminiscent of the prophecies, the Marduk of the people,”117 in the human sphere. cultic poems reflecting the devotion of the Assyrian king to the goddess have a close affinity with the language Ištars of Nineveh and Arbela— and ideology of the Neo-Assyrian prophetic oracles. In ne oddess or wo Aššurbanipal’s hymn to the Ištars of Arbela and Nineveh, O G T ? Egašankalamma appears in connection with Emašmaš, The frequent juxtaposition of the Ištars of Nineveh the temple of Ištar in Nineveh. Aššurbanipal calls himself and Arbela raises the question to what extent the two Ištar “product of Emašmaš and Egašankalamma”:114 appear as two distinct deities. Barbara Porter has argued Exalt and glorify the Lady of Nineveh, magnify and that at least in the time of Aššurbanipal, “Ishtar of Nineveh praise the Lady of Arbela, who have no equal among and Ishtar of Arbela were thought of as two different the great gods! Their names are most precious among goddesses; they are listed separately, they collaborate as the goddesses! Their cult shrines have no equal among partners in several projects, and they contribute separately all the shrines! A word from their lips is blazing fire! and in somewhat different ways to the king’s life”;118 hence, Their utterances are valid forever! I am Aššurbanipal, their favourite, most valued seed when we talk about Ištar, “we must distinguish between of Aššur, offspring of Nineveh, product of Emašmaš Ishtar of Nineveh, Ishtar of Arbela, Ishtars qualified in and Egašankalamma, whose kingship they made great other ways, and Ishtar-with-no-qualifying-epithet.”119 even in the House of Succession. In their pure mouths Spencer Allen, too, has recently argued strongly for the is [voic]ed the endurance of my throne. separate identities of the Ištars of Nineveh and Arbela.120 I knew nor mother or father, I grew up in the lap of my goddesses. As a child the great gods guided me, going I am not in a basic disagreement with Porter and with me on the right and the left. Allen, but I cannot help noticing the tendency of the two – – manifestations of the goddess to virtually merge together The Lady of Nineveh, the mother who bore me, especially in prophecy and poetry. In a psalm in the praise endowed me with unparalleled kingship; the Lady of of Uruk, the name Mullissu is quite exceptionally affiliated Arbela, my creator, ordered everlasting life (for me). with both Nineveh and Arbela:121 They decreed as my fate to exercise dominion over all inhabited regions, and made their kings bow down at Uruk; I love ditto, I love Eanna, my nuptial chamber! my feet. – – Ditto; I love the Inner City, along with Aššur! In this text, the devotion of an Assyrian king to Ditto; I love Nineveh, along with Mullissu! the Ladies of Nineveh and Arbela is presented in most Ditto; I love Arbela, along with Mullissu! Ditto; I love Calah, along with Ninurta! intimate terms, and the motherly aspect of the figure Ditto; I love Harran, along with Sin! of Ištar is stronger than anywhere else except for the prophecies. In comparison with earlier kings, Esarhaddon We already saw that Aššurbanipal’s hymn to the two and Aššurbanipal seem to have had a particularly strong goddesses begins with the following words: “Exalt and affiliation and affection towards both Ištars. This may be glorify the Lady of Nineveh, magnify and praise the Lady due to their—or at least Aššurbanipal’s—upbringing as of Arbela, who have no equal among the great gods!” royal infants in the temples of Ištar in Nineveh and Arbela, Throughout the hymn the goddesses appear as a couple, as argued by Simo Parpola.115 Ištars of Nineveh and Arbela and at the end of the hymn, Aššurbanipal says: “The Lady appear as the nurse and the mother of Marduk in the divine of Nineveh, the mother who bore me, endowed me with world in a mystical text:116 unparalleled kingship; the Lady of Arbela, my creator, ordered everlasting life (for me).” According to Porter, Ištar of Durna (=Nineveh) is Tiamat; she is the wet 122 nurse of Bel. She has [four eyes] and four ears. Her this reflects “different divine specialties.” upper parts are Bel, and her lower parts are Mullissu. It is worth noting, however, that the entire hymn is The Lady of Liburna (=Arbela) is the mother of Bel. based on poetic parallelisms, hence I would rather interpret

114. SAA 3 3:1-15, r.17-18; see Livingstone 1989: 10-13. corresponding to Bel: abase the high and [exalt] the low”; 115. See Parpola 1997: xxxix-xl. For the literary presentation see Parpola 1993: 93. of the childhood of ancient Near Eastern rulers, see Bock 118. Porter 2005: 43. 2012. 119. Ibid., 44. 116. SAA 3 39:19-22; see Livingstone 1989: 99; cf. Allen 2015: 120. Allen 2015: 159-188. 156-159. 121. SAA 3 9:1, 13-17; see Livingstone 1989: 23-24. 117. Thus SAA 10 112 r. 29-33: “The great gods said to Bel: 122. Porter 2005: 41; cf. Allen 2015: 159: “Each goddess ‘May it be in your power to exalt and to abase.’ You are performs a slightly different role for the infant, which is Marduk of the people; Bel destined your glori[ous ...s] exactly the point of the hymns.” (to be) like destinies. [Let the king, my lord], act in a way Ištar of Arbela 141 the parallel functions of the goddesses here as reflecting Emašmaš, the temple of Ištar in Nineveh. Perhaps for this the parallel nature of the goddesses themselves rather than reason, Ištar of Arbela is not mentioned here, even though underlining marked differences in their role-casting. The changing the name, or rather, the location of the goddess synonymous parallelism creates a kind of hendiadyoin, a would not change the divine message in any significant unity of the two manifestations of the one goddess. The manner. point, hence, is the similarity rather than the difference of The city-specific names of Ištars of Nineveh and their specialties, which makes it possible to see the two Arbela are suggestive of the specificity of place and the goddesses as executing a shared agency. significance of ritual in the divine discourse. As Jonathan One prophetic oracle to Esarhaddon is introduced Z. Smith writes, ritual is a mode of paying attention, and as ”the word of Ištar of Arbela, the word of Queen place is a fundamental component of ritual because “place Mullissu,”123 and another oracle to Aššurbanipal is directs attention.” 129 The cities mattered as sites where a presented as the oracle of both goddesses of whom the ritual could take place, which, again, gave rise to divine prophecy says:124 identities attached to the places through the ritual, and to [They] are the strongest of all gods. They [lov]e and the theological and cosmological exposition of the place incessantly bestow their love [upon] Aššurbanipal, the and the ritual. This is why the qualifying epithets of Ištar creation of their hands. For the sake of his life they are often names of temples or cities; this is why there [encou]rage his heart. had to be many temples of Ištar and, consequently, many 130 However, in what follows there is only one goddess divine identities under the name of Ištar. speaking in first person singular, as if the two goddesses The place-specificity of the divine identity does not were speaking with one voice. The same happens in necessarily mean that the agency of the deity in question another oracle to Aššurbanipal:125 is strictly restricted to one temple or city. Divine names, “rather than evoking a divinity as a personality, summon You whose mother is Mullissu, fear not! You whose the divinity in a particular form of agency.” 131 If the nurse is the Lady of Arbela, fear not! Like a nurse I will carry you on my hip – – agencies of divine identities converge, it may lead to a collaboration, or shared agency, like that between Ištar in From this one could conclude that the role of Nineveh and Ištar of Arbela in Neo-Assyrian poetry and Mullissu is that of the mother, while the role of the wet- prophecy. nurse belongs to Ištar of Arbela, and this is indeed most The simultaneous distinctiveness and merger of the commonly the role-casting of the goddesses, especially two Ištars raises the question of the nature of the divine 126 when they are mentioned together. However, we have identity, which can be considered a category of placement seen that in the inscription of Aššurbanipal, Ištar of Arbela and agency at the same time. Historically distinct deities 127 speaks to him “like the mother who gave birth” to him, whose identity is attached to certain temples and cults and in the Dialogue between Aššurbanipal and Nabû, the may share their agencies under specific socio-political role of Ištar of Nineveh is that of the wet-nurse rather than circumstances. Divine identities are not unchanging but 128 the mother: translatable. 132 New divine identities and agencies emerge You were a child, Aššurbanipal, when I left you with as the result of socio-religious and political changes the Queen of Nineveh; you were a baby, Aššurbanipal, which bring local gods, temples, rituals, and theologies in when you sat in the lap of the Queen of Nineveh! interaction. Ištar of Arbela is mentioned in this dialogue only All this is still largely unexplored in the case of the implicitly (“Bring safety into Egašankalamma,” line 17), Ištars of Arbela and Nineveh,133 whose divine identities hence there is no parallelism of divine functions and may originally have been more separate, but seem to move no role-casting between the goddesses. The dialogue towards a shared agency in the time of Esarhaddon and between the god and the king is imagined to take place in Aššurbanipal—even to the effect that they can eventually

123. SAA 9 2.4 ii 30; see Parpola 1997: 16. 130. This is totally comparable to the multiplicity of Madonnas 124. SAA 9 9:3-7; see ibid., 40. representing one Mary in Catholicism, thoroughly 125. SAA 9 7 r. 6-8; see ibid., 39. discussed by Allen 2015: 59-70. 126. See Allen 2015: 156-159. 131. Pongratz-Leisten 2011b: 148. 127. See above, p. 133. 132. See Smith 2008; Pongratz-Leisten 2011a. 128. SAA 3 13 r. 6-7; see Livingstone 1989: 34. 133. See, however, the thorough discussion on the identification 129. Smith 1987: 103. of Mullissu with Ištar of Nineveh in Meinhold 2009: 191‑207; Allen 2015: 177-88. 142 ARBELA ANTIQUA be regarded as manifestations of one deity, Ištar, who does Arbela never appears to have a divine spouse 137 may not necessarily need a qualifying epithet.134 However, contribute to this hierachy of cities and the standardized the divine unity does not overrule divine particularity; order of the divine names.138 the development towards one goddess does not need to lead to a loss of the respective divine identities of the two goddesses but still enables their independent Elements of the Portrait of Ištar of functioning.135 Arbela The sources we have at our disposal highlight two domains where Ištar of Arbela features independently— In the light of the sources outlined above, let me now neither as a member of a long list of deities nor in conclude by summarizing some basic features contributing juxtaposition with Ištar of Nineveh/Mullissu. The first to the portrait of Ištar of Arbela. is her temple in the city of Arbela, and the second is (1) She belonged to the top-twelve of the Assyrian prophecy. This points towards the conclusion that while great gods, and she seems to have gained prestige in the Ištar of Nineveh is otherwise better attested in sources from Neo-Assyrian era, especially in the time of Esarhaddon different times, having more independent occurrences and Aššurbanipal. She is regularly mentioned together and a much larger area of influence, Ištar of Arbela is with Ištar of Nineveh, who, while having a distinct the primary goddess of prophecy, sometimes sharing her identity, sometimes shares her agency with Ištar of Arbela, agency with her alter ego—or, if we prefer, her big sister. especially in poetry and prophecy. Most of the time, however, the two manifestations (2) Her temple Egašankalamma was one of the major of Ištar are indeed distinct divine units or “bodies”—not Ištar temples in the Assyrian heartland and had nationwide primarily because of their different characters and specific significance both as an economical center and as a source role-casting but because of the identities attached to the of royal ideology and theology. The divine identity of Ištar temples and rituals in different cities, which may also of Arbela was essentially attached to this temple, while entail different agencies such as that of Ištar of Arbela her agency was not limited to the city of Arbela. as the goddess of prophecy. The fact that so many Neo- (3) In the time of Esarhaddon and Aššurbanipal, Ištar Assyrian prophets are Arbela-based while Nineveh does of Arbela had an exceptionally intimate relationship with not feature as the domicile of prophets suggests that the king as his creator, wet-nurse, and supporter, and as Arbela indeed was the cradle of Neo-Assyrian prophecy, the source of divine love and legitimation. This was either and this formed a significant part of the agency of the the result or the reason for the elevated position of her Lady of Arbela. That many prophets speak in the name of temple and of the city of Arbela in this period. both Ištars may indicate a need to integrate the capital of (5) Especially for Aššurbanipal, Ištar of Arbela was the empire into the prophetic tradition of Arbela. the deity to whom the king gave credit for his military That Ištar of Nineveh is always mentioned before victory, and this was celebrated in rituals that took place Ištar of Arbela may not reflect a divine subordination as in Arbela. much as the relative hierarchy of the cities and temples (6) The most specific feature of the portrait of Ištar of Nineveh and Arbela. One prophecy of Ištar of Arbela of Arbela is her being the primary god of prophecy. In the presents the four “doorjambs” of Assyria in an order that time of Esarhaddon and Aššurbanipal, the high prestige is probably not coincidental: Aššur, Nineveh, Calah, and of the institutions of the Ištar worship at Arbela and the Arbela.136 Even the interesting fact that Ištar of Nineveh/ higher-than-ever appreciation of prophecy went hand in Mullissu is known as the wife of Aššur while Ištar of hand.

134. Parpola 1997: xxvi-xxxi argues powerfully for Ištar as 136. Cf. above, n. 111. one goddess, herself being the motherly aspect of Aššur 137. I do not interpret the coupling of Aššur and Ištar in the in the Assyrian imperial theology; cf. the designation of blessings of the letters SAA 13 138-146, 150-153 as the goddess as Aššur-Ištar in SAA 20 40 r. i 18 (see above, indicating that Ištar (of Arbela) is presented as the wife of n. 5). Aššur, as suggested by Meinhold 2009: 205-206. 135. Cf. Allen 2015: 154: “It might have mattered to the ancient 138. Cf. Allen 2015: 188: “Because Nineveh was the Assyrian Ninevites and Arbelites that their localized goddesses were capital in the seventh century, its patron goddess received Ištars, as opposed to nameless ištars, and these goddesses more attention and was closer to the interests of the empire probably really were Ištars as far as everyone else was than was Ištar-of-Arbela, despite the city of Arbela’s and its concerned. More importantly, however, one was from patron goddess’s role in Neo-Assyrian prophecy.” Nineveh, the other was from Arbela, and they were not identifiable or interchangeable with each other.” Ištar of Arbela 143

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Appendix

A Catalogue of Texts Mentioning Ištar of Arbela and/or the Egašankalamma Temple1

Text Classes

A1 Royal inscriptions (89) B5 Other administrative texts (4) A2 Chronicles (1) A3 Vassal treaties and loyalty oaths (9) C Letters (62) A4 Non-royal inscriptions (2) D Medical diagnoses (2) B1 Debt-notes and loan documents (45) B2 Litigation clauses (17) E1 Prophetic oracles (18) B3 Marriage contracts (4) E2 Cultic and other poetry (7) B4 Votive donations (3) E3 Other cultic texts (10)

Texts

pre-Sennacherib 15 Sennacherib 20 Esarhaddon 99 Aššurbanipal 89 post-Aššurbanipal 18 Neo-Assyrian, unknown date 32 Neo-Babylonian 1 Shalmaneser I (1273–1244) A1 RIMA 1 A.0.77.16 Building of the Egašankalamma and its ziggurrat Enlil-kudurri-uṣur (1187–1183) B5 MARV 3 8 List of cultic clothing of Ištar of Arbela Aššur-Dan I (1178–1133) A4 RIMA 1 A.0.83.1002:1–3 Dedication to Ištar of Arbela B5 AfO 10 p. 38 no. 76 One sheep for the nugatipu of Ištar of Arbela Tiglath-Pileser I (1114–1076) A1 CUSAS 17 68 r. 68–69 Aššur and Ištar of Arbela listening to prayers A1 CUSAS 17 69 r. 6–7 Aššur and Ištar of Arbela listening to prayers

1. The list aims to be exhaustive, but it is quite probable that some texts have not become to my notice. All additions and improvements are welcome. I have not been able to consult the seven texts marked with an asterisk (*); that I am aware of them is due to MacGinnis 2014 [2013]. Ištar of Arbela 147

Shalmaneser III (859–824) A1 RIMA 3 A.0.102.17:59– Entering the Egašankalamma, celebrating a festival of the Lady of 60 = SAA 3 17 r. 27–30 Arbela in Milqia E2 KAR 98 Joy in Milqia Adad-nirari III (811–783) B2 CTN 2 17:30–34 B1 CTN 2 91:32 Aššur-nirari V (755–745) A3 SAA 2 2 vi 16 Swearing by 46 deities including Ištar of Arbela Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727) A2 SBLWAW 19 5 iv 35 Kandalanu, scribe of Arbela, signing a colophon. B2 SAA 6 7 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela Sargon II (721–705) A4 AO 11503 Dedication to Ištar of Arbela by Aššur-dur-paniya, governor of Kar- Shalmaneser B1 BT 101 A merchant of Ištar of Arbela lending silver Sennacherib (705–681) A1 RINAP 3 18 v 7 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 3 22 v 64 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 3 23 v 54 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 3 145 i 1 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 3 148:7 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 3 229 Digging watercourses to Arbela A1 RINAP 3 230:60 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A3 SAA 2 3:7–12 Curse section of the treaty A3 KAL 3 69:7–12 Curse section of the treaty B1 BT 113 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 BT 117 A due for the qarītu of Arbela B1 BT 120 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 BT 128 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAA 6 184 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAAB 9 122A/B rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 StAT 2 4 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B2 SAA 6 176 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B5 *O 3712 Sale of a field adjoining the dais of Ištar of Arbela E3 SAA 20 15 r. i 15–17, Throwing salt before Ištar of Arbela; the king entering [before] Ištar of 47–50 A[rbela] E3 SAA 20 52 r. iv 27–34 Deities venerated in Aššur 148 ARBELA ANTIQUA

Esarhaddon (681–669) A1 RINAP 4 1 i 5–7 Named for the kingship by deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 1 i 9–10 Elevated to kingship by the command of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 1 i 45–49 Deities including Ištar of Arbela vanquishing the enemies A1 RINAP 4 1 i 59–62 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 1 ii 45–47 Seated by deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 1 iv 78–79 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 1 v 33–35 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 1 vi 44–45 Inviting deities including Ištar of Arbela to the royal palace A1 RINAP 4 2 i 7–13 Warfare with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 2 iv 21–31 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 2 vi 10–12 Inviting deities including Ištar of Arbela to the royal palace A1 RINAP 4 3 iv 20–29 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 5 i 2–4 Elevated to kingship by the command of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 6 i 5–8 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 8 ii 3–6 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 33/2 iii 8–13 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 48:25–26 Chosen by the goddesses whom Ištar of Arbela selected A1 RINAP 4 54 r. 16–24 Decorating Egašankalamma A1 RINAP 4 70:2–3 Capturing treasures of Sidon with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 71:2–3 Capturing treasures of Sidon with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 77:8–9 Decorating Egašankalamma A1 RINAP 4 77:12–14 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 78:8–10 Decorating Egašankalamma A1 RINAP 4 78:11–13 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 79:5–6 Aššurbanipal chosen to exercise kingship by deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 79:8–10 Decorating Egašankalamma A1 RINAP 4 79:11–13 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 93:4–5 Decorating Egašankalamma A1 RINAP 4 93:11–13 Conquering enemies with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 93:25–26 Aššurbanipal chosen to exercise kingship by deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 99 r. 4–5 Chosen by the goddesses whom Ištar of Arbela selected (?) A1 RINAP 4 1006 i 10–11 Entrusted to rule the lands by Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 2003 i 1–11 Queen mother Naqia summoning deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 4 2004:6–7 Naqia’s offspring placed upon the throne by deities including Ištar of Arbela A3 SAA 2 5 iv 2 Curse section of the treaty A3 SAA 2 6:16–24 Presence of 17 deities including Ištar of Arbela A3 SAA 2 6 25–40 Swearing by 17 deities including Ištar of Arbela A3 SAA 2 6:459–460 Curse section of the treaty Ištar of Arbela 149

B1 SAA 6 214 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAA 6 235 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAA 6 237 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAA 6 272 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela (?) B1 StAT 2 282 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAAB 9 123 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B2 SAA 6 210 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B2 SAA 6 219 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B3 StAT 2 164 Marriage of a votaress of Ištar of Arbela B3 StAT 2 183 Marriage of a votaress of Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 82:1–7 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 83:1–9 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 130:1–10 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 174:4–6, 17–19 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 197:7–r. 5 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 233:1–10 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 245:1–7 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 248:1–14 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 249:1–8 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 252:1–14 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 253:1–14 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 284 r. 4–8 Quotation of a prophecy of Ištar of Nineveh and Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 56:1–14 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 57:1–15 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 58:1–15 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 60:1–11 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 61:1–13 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 62:1–13 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 64:1–10 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 65:1–14 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 66:1–15 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 67:1–6 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 68:1–13 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 149 Encountering Šatru-Ištar who arrives from Milqia C SAA 16 1:9–13 Deities including Ištar of Arbela have fulfilled their promises C SAA 16 33:1–8 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 16 49:1–7 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 16 59:1–3 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 16 60:1–4 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 16 60:9–11 Rejecting what deities including Ištar of Arbela have said C SAA 16 61:1–3 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 16 84 r. 5–11 Weavers of Ištar of Arbela coming to Kurbail C SAA 16 106:1–12 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 16 126:1–9 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela 150 ARBELA ANTIQUA

C SAA 16 127:1–9 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 16 128:1–8 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 1.1 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 1.2 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 1.3 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 1.4 Oracle from Bel, Ištar of Arbela, and Nabû E1 SAA 9 1.6 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 1.8 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 1.9 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 1.10 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 2.2 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela (?) E1 SAA 9 2.3 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 2.4 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela and Mullissu E1 SAA 9 3.4 Meal of covenant and oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 3.5 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 5 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 6 Oracle from Ištar of Arbela Aššurbanipal (668–631) A1 RINAP 5 11 i 13–18 Summoning the people by the command of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 11 i 41–51 Elevated to kingship by the command of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 11 ii 127–129/ Conquering Mannea by the command of deities including Ištar of Arbela 9 ii 23–25 A1 RINAP 5 11 iii 4–7 Oracle of Ištar of Arbela concerning the killing of Aḫšeri, king of Mannea A1 RINAP 5 11 iii 13–15/ Submission of Ualli, son of Aḫšeri, by the power of deities including 3 iii 80–83/ 9 ii 41–44 Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 11 iii 27–35/ Conquering Elam by the command of deities including Ištar of Arbela 9 ii 53–60 A1 RINAP 5 11 iv 46–52 Deities including Ištar of Arbela killing Šamaš-šumu-ukīn A1 RINAP 5 11 v 95–103 The entire army having a dream sent by Ištar of Arbela at the river Idide A1 RINAP 5 11 vi 125–vii 1/ Transporting booty from Elam by the command of deities including 9 vi 12–15/6 ix 40´´–45´´ Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 11 viii 19–23 Defeating Ammuladin, König von Kedar, with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 11 viii 52–59 Defeating Natnu, king of Nebaioth, with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 11 viii 73–77 Combating Abiyate’ by the command of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 11 ix 60–64 Deities including Ištar of Arbela imposing treaty curses upon Uaite’ A1 RINAP 5 11 ix 79–81 Ištar of Arbela rains fire upon the Arabs A1 RINAP 5 11 ix 86–89 Deities including the warlike Lady of Arbela supporting Aššurbanipal’s kingship A1 RINAP 5 11 ix 97–102 Conquering Uaite’ with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 11 x 33–39 Deities including Ištar of Arbela subjugating the enemies A1 RINAP 5 11 x 60–64 Deities including Ištar of Arbela protecting the king Ištar of Arbela 151

A1 RINAP 5 11 x 116–120 Deities including Ištar of Arbela as opponents of those who destroy Aššurbanipal’s name in the inscription A1 RINAP 5 3 i 20-22 Decorating Egašankalamma and other temples A1 RINAP 5 3 v 16-45/ Praying to Ištar in Arbela because of the attack of Teumman, king of Elam 6 vi 14´-34´ A1 RINAP 5 3 v 54-72/ Ištar of Arbela answering the prayer by means of an oracle and a dream 6 vi 34´-vi 12´´ A1 RINAP 5 3 viii 20–23 Deities including Ištar of Arbela imposing treaty curses upon the Arabs A1 RINAP 5 3 viii 32–40/ Kamašalta, king of Moab, defeating Ammuladin, king of Kedar, in the 6 x 13´-20´ name of Aššurbanipal elevated by deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 3 viii 65–69 Issuing an inscription on heroic deeds done in confidence in deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 6 i 48´–49´/ Decorating Emašmaš and Egašankalamma 10 ii 7-8 A1 RINAP 5 6 iv 73´´–78´´ Conquering Qirbat with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 6 iv 73´´–78´´ Ualli, king of Mannea, bowing down to Aššurbanipal A1 RINAP 5 6 ix 40´´–45´´ Deities including Ištar of Arbela executing the enemies A1 RINAP 5 6 x 3´´´-8´´´/ Issuing an inscription on heroic deeds done in confidence in deities 7 x 65´-72´ including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 4 viii 76–80 Issuing an inscription on heroic deeds done in confidence in deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 9 i 48–50 Conquering Thebes and Heliopolis with the help of deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 13 i 17–22 Praying to deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 13 viii 13 Deities including Ištar of Arbela vanquishing enemies A1 RINAP 5 13 viii 24–27 Deities including Ištar of Arbela vanquishing enemies A1 RINAP 5 23:40 Rebuilding Egašankalamma A1 RINAP 5 23:99–100 Elamite kings captured by Aššur, Mullissu and Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 23:114–117 Cyrus, king of Persia, and Pišlume, king of Hudimeri, fearing Aššur, Mullissu and Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 23:118–121 Elamite kings captured by Aššur, Mullissu and Ištar of Arbela A1 RINAP 5 23:146–149 Deities including Ištar of Arbela flying into a rage because of Tugdammê A1 RINAP 5 23:149–153 Tugdammê fearing deities including Ištar of Arbela A1 BIWA p. 302:20 ii 22–25 Celebrating the festival of Šatru in Milqia A1 BIWA p. 305 34 iii 43–46 Offering to Šatru, entering Arbela A1 SAACT 10 19 Decorating Egašankalamma, renewing Milqia A1 SAA 3 31:14–18 Literary report on the war against Elam A3 SAA 2 2 r. 24 Curse section of the treaty A3 SAA 2 10 r. 8–10 Curse section of the treat B1 Ass.2001.D-378 Grain according to the sūtu-measure of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAA 14 28 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAA 14 108 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 StAT 3 81 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 StAT 3 109 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 ND 2336 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAAB 9 87 Silver of Ištar of Arbela 152 ARBELA ANTIQUA

B1 SAAB 9 129 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 *As 09644o Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 *As 15452a Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 Al-Rāfidān 17 p. 255 no. 23 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B2 SAA 14 36 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B2 SAA 14 112 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B2 SAA 14 265 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B2 SAAB 5 37 Ištar of Arbela among divine opponents in court B2 StAT 1 34 Ištar of Arbela among divine opponents in court B2 *O 3708 A votaress as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B4 SAA 12 89 Votive gift to Ištar of Arbela B5 StAT 3 105 Buying a slave of Aššur and Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 140:1–9 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 141:1–10 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 142:1–10 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 227:1–11 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 228:1–8 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 286:1–8 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 293:1–9 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 294:1–5 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 10 345:1–9 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 138 Priest of Ea robbing the temple C SAA 13 140 Royal statues in the temple C SAA 13 141 Royal statues in the temple C SAA 13 142 Royal statues in the temple E1 SAA 9 7 r. 6–8 Oracle form Mullissu mentioning Ištar of Arbela E1 SAA 9 9 Oracle of Mullissu nd the Lady of Arbela E2 SAA 3 3 Hymn to the Ladies of Arbela and Nineveh E2 SAA 3 13 Aššurbanipal’s dialogue with Nabû E2 SAA 3 21 Aššurbanipal’s wars in Elam E2 SAA 3 22 Paean to Aššurbanipal after the conquest of Elam E3 SAA 3 34:70–75 Deities including Ištar of Arbela executing curses E3 SAA 3 35:68–71 Deities including Ištar of Arbela executing curses E3 SAA 4 316 r. 1–3 Unfavorable omen in an extispicy report: pot of Ištar of Arbela in a dream E3 SAA 20 37 r. 9 Throwing salt before Ištar of Arbela Post-Aššurbanipal (627–612) B1 SAA 14 163 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAA 14 164 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAA 14 169 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAAB 5 64 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAAB 9 69 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAAB 9 121 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 SAAB 9 138 Silver of Ištar of Arbela Ištar of Arbela 153

B1 StAT 2 88 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 StAT 2 216 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 StAT 2 288 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 TH 112 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 TH 113 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B2 SAA 14 466 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B2 StAT 2 178 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B2 SAAB 5 17 Ištar of Arbela among divine opponents in court B2 SAAB 5 61 Ištar of Arbela among divine opponents in court B3 SAA 14 443 Marriage of a votaress of Ištar of Arbela C Ass.2001.D-377 Praying to Aššur and Ištar of Arbela Neo-Assyrian, not dated B1 *As 14325ab Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 *DM 9/41/97 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 JSS 28 p. 155 rēšāti of Ištar of Arbela B1 *MAss 112 Silver of Ištar of Arbela B1 ND 2694 Silver for the akītu-house of Arbela B1 StAT 2 295 Silver of [Aššur and] Ištar of Arbela B1 TCL 9 66 rēšāti of Aššur and Ištar of Arbela B2 ND 2308 Ištar of Arbela among divine opponents in court B2 StAT 2 269 Silver and gold as a penalty to Ištar of Arbela B3 StAT 2 184 Marriage of a votaress of Ištar of Arbela B5 SAA 12 93:4–5 Curse section of a votive donation B5 SAA 12 97 r. 2–6 Curse section of a votive donation C SAA 13 8:1–14 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 9:1–14 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 10:1–14 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 12:1–12 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 13:1–12 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 14:1–7 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 15:1–7 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 140:1–8 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 143 Letter of Aplaya, the temple steward of Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 147:8–r. 8 Ištar of Arbela gone up to a qarītu in Arbela C SAA 13 156:1–9 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela C SAA 13 187 r. 5–9 Blessing by deities including Ištar of Arbela D DPS 26:82–85 “Hand” of Urbilitu causing an illness D TDP 18:6–7 “Hand” of Urbilitu causing an illness E1 SAA 13 148 A prophetic (?) message of a votaress of Ištar of Arbela E2 Iraq 66, p. 38 Prayer to the Ištars of Nineveh and Arbela E2 SAA 3 8 Hymn to the city of Arbela E3 SAA 3 38 The Rites of Egašankalamma E3 SAA 3 39:19–23 Mystical text: Ištars of Nineveh and Arbela as the wet nurse and the mother of Bel 154 ARBELA ANTIQUA

E3 SAA 20 40 r. i 18–40 List of deities of Arbela, beginning with Aššur-Ištar of Arbela E3 SAA 20 49: 68–72 List of deities (Götteradressbuch) venerated in Assur Neo-Babylonian B5 BM 62805 Bronze rings of the Lady of Arbela brought to the storehouse

Editions

AfO 10 Ernst F. Weidner, “Aus den Tagen eines assyrischen Schattenkönigs,” AfO 10 (1935–36): 1–52.

Al-Rāfidān 17 Ahmad, Ali Yaseen, “The Archive of Aššur-mātu-taqqin Found in the New Town of Aššur and Dated Mainly by Post-Canonical Eponyms,” Al-Rāfidān 17 (1996): 207–88. AO 11503 Karen Radner, “Aššur-dūr-pānīya, Statthalter von Til-Barsip unter Sargon II. von Assyrien,” BaM 37 (2006): 185–95. Ass.2001.D Eckart Frahm, “Assur 2001: Die Schriftfunde,” MDOG 134 (2002): 47–86. BIWA Rykle Borger, Beiträge zum Inschriftenwerk Assurbanipals: Die Prismenklassen A, B, C = K, D, E, F, G, H, J und T sowie andere Inschriften (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1996). BM 62805 John MacGinnis, “Temple Ventures across the River,” Transeuphratène 27 (2004): 29–35. BT Barbara Parker, ”Economic Tablets from the Temple of Mamu at Balawat,” Iraq 25 (1963): 86–103. CTN 2 J. N. Postgate, The Governor’s Palace Archive (CTN 2; s.l.: British Schools of Archaeology in Iraq, 1973). CUSAS 17 Grant Frame, “Assyrian Royal Inscriptions,” in Cuneiform Royal Inscriptions and Related Texts in the Schøyen Collection (ed. A. R. George; CUSAS 17; Bethesda, Md.: CDL Press, 2011), 127–52. DPS 26 Nils P. Heeßel, Babylonisch-assyrische Diagnostik (AOAT 43; Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2000), 285, 291. Iraq 66 W. G. Lambert, “Ištar of Nineveh,” in Nineveh: Papers of the XLIXe Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, London, 7–11 July, 2003, Vol. 1 (= Iraq 66 [2004]; ed. Dominique Collon and Andrew George; London: British School of Archaeology in Iraq, 2005), 35–39. JSS 28 J. N. Postgate, Review of Brigitte Menzel, Assyrische Tempel, JSS 28 (1983): 155–59. KAL 3 Eckart Frahm, Historische und literarische Texte (KAL 3/WVDOG 121; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2009). KAR 98 Wiebke Meinhold, Ištar in Aššur: Untersuchung eines Lokalkultes von ca. 2500 bis 614 v.Chr. (AOAT 367; Münster: Ugarit-Verlag, 2009), 292–94. KAR 215 Erich Ebeling, “Kultische Texte aus Assur,” Or 21 (1952):129–135. L3 Jamie Novotny, Selected Royal Inscriptions of Assurbanipal: L3, L4, LET, Prism I, Prism T, and Related Texts (SAACT 10; Helsinki: The Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project, 2014). MARV 3 Helmut Freydank, Mittelassyrische Rechtsurkunden und Verwaltungstexte, Vol. 3 (WVDOG 92) Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1994). ND 2308, 2336 Barbara Parker, “The Nimrud Tablets, 1952: Business Documents,” Iraq 16 (1954): 29–58. ND 2694 Barbara Parker, “Administrative Tablets from the North-West Palace, Nimrud,” Iraq 23 (1961), 15–67. RIMA 1 A. Kirk Grayson, Assyrian Rulers of the Third and Second Millennium BC (to 1115 BC) (RIMA 1; Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1987). RIMA 3 A. Kirk Grayson, Assyrian Rulers of the Early First Millennium BC II (858–745 BC) (RIMA 3; Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1996). RINAP 3 A. Kirk Grayson and Jamie Novotny, The Royal Inscriptions of Sennacherib, King of Assyria (704– 681 BC), Vol. 1 (RINAP 3/1; Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 2012). Ištar of Arbela 155

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