Fragment of a Stele

Description The inscription on the large, four-sided stele from which this fragment comes chronicles the genealogy of the Assyrian kings and the account of King Shalmaneser III's defeat of King Haza'ilu of Damascus. While Shalmaneser's name does not survive, the accompanying royal titles confirm the identification. Haza'ilu is Hazael, king of Syria, often mentioned in Old Testament book of 2 Kings as the adversary of Israel.

Conservation

Date	Description	Narrative
6/23/1978	Treatment	cleaned

Exhibitions

• World of Wonder. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1971-1972.

Provenance [From Assur]; Edgar J. Banks, Bagdad; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1930, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Inscriptions [Translation from composite text of Cuneiform Digital Library RIMA 3.0.102.009] On obverse: [Shalmaneser], great [king], mighty king, king of the world, / [king without rival], dragon, weapon destroying / [all regions, who commands] princes of all countries / [...] of the Ekur, ensi of [...] / [...] [who] all his enemies / [like pots] he smashed (them). / [Mighty (and) merciless male], who does [not] spare (the foe) in battle / [...] his mighty weapons / [...] in battle / [...] of his enemies / [...] wide; mighty king. / [king of all the four regions (of the world)], who rules / [all countries, king] sought after by the gods, / [...] prudent [viceroy of] [(he god) Ashur / [...] / [...] / [...]; [Translation] On right side: [At] that time / [Haza'ilu] of Damascus / [...] / I captured his warriors / [...] wide [...] / I defeated [him] and captured [his] camp / To [save] / his life, he went up, and [as far as] / the city of Damascus / his royal city, I followed (him) / [I cut down] his orchards / and his hinterland / I burned [...] / city [...] / [...] [https://cdli.ucla.edu/P272834]

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters, 1930