Other inscriptions, III R. 10, 3, the place list; 83-1-18, 215,
Winckler, AOF. II. 3 f.; painted fragments, Layard, _Nineveh and
Babylon_, 140 f.]




CHAPTER V

SARGON AND THE MODERN HISTORICAL CRITICISM


The sources for the reign of Sargon (722-705) [Footnote: Collected in
Winckler, _Kellschrifttexte Sargons_, 1889.] have already been
discussed in detail elsewhere. All that is here needed is a summary of
results. [Footnote: Olmstead, _Western Asia in the Days of Sargon of
Assyria_, 1908, 1 ff.] They fall into three well marked groups. The
first includes the early inscriptions of the reign, which are
miscellaneous in character. [Footnote: _Sargon_, 17 ff.] The
circumstances under which Sargon came to the throne are indicated by a
tablet from the second year which is of all the more value in that it
is not a formal annals or display inscription. [Footnote: K. 1349;
Winckler, _Sammlung_, II, 1; AOF. I. 401 ff.] The Nimrud
inscription comes from Kalhu, the earliest capital of
Sargon. Unfortunately, it is very brief and is not arranged in
chronological order. Aside from the rather full account of Pisiris of
Carchemish, sufficient to date the inscription soon after its capture,
we have only the briefest of references, and its value would be
nothing, could we only secure the original, perhaps the earliest
edition of the Annals, on which it is based. [Footnote: L. 33f;