Aššūr-bēl-nīšēšu, inscribed ^md''aš-šur-''EN-UN.MEŠ-''-šú'',''Nassouhi King List'', Istanbul A. 116 (Assur 8836), iii 11–12.''Khorsabad King List'', IM 60017 (excavation nos.: DS 828, DS 32-54), iii 5–6.''SDAS King List'', tablet IM 60484, ii 38. and meaning “(the god)

Aššur Aššur (; Sumerian: AN.ŠAR2KI, Assyrian cuneiform: ''Aš-šurKI'', "City of God Aššur"; syr, ܐܫܘܪ ''Āšūr''; Old Persian ''Aθur'', fa, آشور: ''Āšūr''; he, אַשּׁוּר, ', ar, اشور), also known as Ashur and Qal ...

(is) lord of his people,” was the ruler of

Assyria Assyria (Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , romanized: ''māt Aššur''; syc, ܐܬܘܪ, ʾāthor) was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization which existed as a city-state at times controlling regional territories in the indigenous lands of the A ...

1417–1409 BC or 1407–1398 BC (

short chronology The chronology of the ancient Near East is a framework of dates for various events, rulers and dynasties. Historical inscriptions and texts customarily record events in terms of a succession of officials or rulers: "in the year X of king Y". Com ...

), the variants due to uncertainties in the later chronology. He succeeded his father, Aššur-nērārī II, to the throne and is best known for his treaty with

Kassite The Kassites () were people of the ancient Near East, who controlled Babylonia after the fall of the Old Babylonian Empire c. 1531 BC and until c. 1155 BC (short chronology). They gained control of Babylonia after the Hittite sack of Babylon ...

king Karaindaš.

Biography

As was the practice during this period of the Assyrian monarchy, he modestly titled himself “vice-regent”, or ''išši'ak Aššur'', of the god Ashur. §236—240. The ''Synchronistic Chronicle''''Synchronistic Chronicle'' (ABC 21), tablet K4401a, i 1–4. records his apparently amicable territorial treaty with Karaindaš, king of

Babylon ''Bābili(m)'' * sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 * arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel'' * syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel'' * grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn'' * he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel'' * peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru'' * elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...

, and recounts that they “took an oath together concerning this very boundary.” His numerous clay cone inscriptions (line art for an example pictured) celebrate his re-facing of Puzur-Aššur III’s wall of the “New City” district of

Assur Aššur (; Sumerian: AN.ŠAR2KI, Assyrian cuneiform: ''Aš-šurKI'', "City of God Aššur"; syr, ܐܫܘܪ ''Āšūr''; Old Persian ''Aθur'', fa, آشور: ''Āšūr''; he, אַשּׁוּר, ', ar, اشور), also known as Ashur and Qal'a ...

. Contemporary legal documents detail sales of land, houses, and slaves and payment in lead. The Assyrian credit system was fairly sophisticated, with loans issued for commodities such as barley and lead, interest coming due when repayment way delayed. The security posted for loans could include property, the person of the debtor or indeed his children. There is a discrepancy in the data about his son and eventual successor. The

Assyrian King List The king of Assyria (Akkadian: ''Išši'ak Aššur'', later ''šar māt Aššur'') was the ruler of the ancient Mesopotamian kingdom of Assyria, which was founded in the late 21st century BC and fell in the late 7th century BC. For much of its ear ...

gives his immediate successor, Aššur-rā’im-nišēšu, as his son, but Aššur-rā’im-nišēšu's own contemporary inscriptionCone VAT^? 2764, first published KAH 1 no. 63 (1911). names his father as Aššur-nērārī II, suggesting that he may have been a brother of Aššūr-bēl-nīšēšu. The confusion is further compounded with the ''Khorsabad Kinglist'' and the ''SDAS Kinglist'' identifying Eriba-Adad I, who ascended the throne eighteen years later, as his son while the ''Nassouhi'' copy identifies him as the son of Aššur-rā’im-nišēšu.

Inscriptions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashur-bel-nisheshu 15th-century BC Assyrian kings 14th-century BC Assyrian kings Year of birth unknown