TABLE OF CONTENTS Abbreviations . 9 Preface by the Editor . 13 Foreword . 15 1. GENERAL REMARKS ON MESOPOTAMIAN CHRONOLOGY . 17 1.1. Preface . 17 1.2. From Relative to Absolute Chronology . 18 1.3. Main sources for Mesopotamian chronology . 22 1.4. Chronological Systems . 23 1.4.1. General . 23 1.4.2. Review . 24 1.4.3. Recent Developments and Preview . 29 1.5. Basic Synchronisms . 30 1.5.1. Comments on absolute dates cited in various modern tables . 31 1.5.2. Specific studies and comments on chronology . 33 1.6. Synchronisms (General) . 33 1.6.1. Synchronisms for the first half of 2nd millennium BC . 34 1.6.2. Synchronisms for the second half of 2nd millennium BC . 35 1.7. Periodization . 39 1.7.1. Old Assyrian Period . 39 1.7.2. Early Old Babylonian Period: Dynasty of Larsa, Isin I Dynasty, Babylon I Dynasty . 40 1.7.3. Late Old Babylonian Period/Fall of Babylon: Kassite Dynasty, Sealand Dynasty . 41 1.7.4. Middle Babylonian Period: Kassite Dynasty, Isin II Dynasty . 42 1.7.5. Middle Assyrian Period: including part of the Kassite and post Kassite Period . 43 INTRODUCTION TO RELEVANT ISSUES OF MESOPOTAMIAN CHRONOLOGY 2. ASSYRIAN KING LIST . 45 2.1. Gaps and Omissions . 53 2.1.1. KAV 14 (VAT 9812) . 53 2.1.2. Šalmaneser II (no. 93) . 55 2.2. Divergences . 55 2.2.1. Regnal years . 55 2.2.1.1. Išme-Dag¤n I (no. 40) . .56 2.2.1.2. Puzur-Aššur III (no. 61) . 57 2.2.1.3. Tukult²-Ninurta I (no. 78) . 58 2.2.1.4. Aššur-n¤din-apli (no. 79) . 59 2.2.1.5. Ninurta-apil-Ekur (no. 82) and Aššur-d¤n I (no. 83) . 60 2.3. Different genealogies . 62 2.4. Variations in royal names . 62 2.5. DUB-pi-šu . 62 2.6. Missing reign lengths: Aššur-rabi I (no. 65) and Aššur-n¤din-a©©® I (no.66) . 64 3. ASTRONOMICAL DATA . 69 3.1. En¥ma Anu Enlil tablets (EAE) . 69 3.1.1. Venus Tablet (VT) . 70 3.2. Month-lengths . 72 3.3. Lunar eclipses . 73 3.4. Solar eclipses . 75 6 Table of Contents 3.5. Historical Omens and the Historicity of Eclipse Data . 78 3.6. Venus Cycle . 79 4. BABYLONIAN KING LIST . 83 4.0. “Old Babylonian KL” . 84 4.1. BKL A . 84 4.2. BKL B . 85 4.3. BKL C . 85 4.4. Ur-Isin KL . 85 4.5. Larsa KL . 85 4.6. Dynastic Chronicle . 85 5. BABYLONIA IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 2nd MILLENNIUM BC BABYLON I DYNASTY, THE EARLY KASSITE DYNASTY AND THE SEALAND DYNASTY . 93 6. CALENDAR . 103 6.1..