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History
Esarhaddon
was a king of Assyria who reigned 681 BC-669
BC),
the
youngest son of Sennacherib and
the Aramaic queen Naqi'a (Zakitu), Sennacherib's
second wife. |
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Plaque of King Esarhaddon and the Queen Mother Nakija
This relief (pictured on the left) belonged
to a monument that was probably erected in Babylon.
It depicts King Esarhaddon, followed by his mother
Queen Nakija, the wife of Sennacherib. The text
commemorates the return of the statue of the god
Ea to the temple of his son Marduk, the great god
of Babylon. Sennacherib had burnt and razed Babylon.
In the first year of his rule, his son Esarhaddon
rebuilt the holy city, under the influence of the
queen mother, who was keen to have her native city
restored. |
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Esarhaddon
Stone Lion's Head
This lion's head (pictured on the left) of white limestone comes from the Temple
of Shamash. Known as the Ebabbar ('Shining Temple'), it was one of the most important
traditional and prestigious religious centres in Mesopotamia. Rulers sent offerings
to Shamash and there are records of numerous kings restoring and rebuilding the
temple.
This head, which was originally inlaid, bears a worn inscription naming
the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (680-669 BC) and his father Sennacherib. It
is not clear, therefore, whether this is a Babylonian or an Assyrian piece.
Esarhaddon was responsible for restoring the capital city of Babylon following
its destruction by Sennacherib in 689 BC.
Lions were regularly represented in Mesopotamian art on wall reliefs and
as elements of furniture. The lion represented the power of nature and is
often associated with the king, as it was his duty to defeat the forces of
nature that the lion represented. |
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Esarhaddon
Chronicle
This chronicle is part of a group of documents known as the Babylonian Chronicles
which recorded major events in the history of Babylon. Almost all of the ancient
tablets are in the possession of the British Museum. The Esarhaddon Chronicle
not only contains the name of this Assyrian king Esarhaddon, but it also includes
the names and titles for Sennacherib, Tirhakah and Necho. These four kings are
all found in the bible.
“The first year of the reign of Esarhaddon.”
“For eight years under Sennacherib, for twelve years under Esarhaddon” -
Esarhaddon Chronicle |
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Esarhaddon
Prism
The ruins of Kuyundshik yielded more inscriptions from Esarhaddon which are
now stored in the British Museum:
"I gathered together the kings of Syria
and the kings from across the sea, Baal the
King of Tyre, Mennaseh the King of Judah"
– Esarhaddon
Prism
“The majesty of my sovereignty overwhelmed
Hezekiah”
– Esarhaddon
Prism
Mannaseh and Hezekiah were
both kings of Israel according to the biblical
record. |
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Scriptures
2 Kings 19:37 And
it came to pass, as he was worshipping in
the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech
and Sharezer his sons smote him with the
sword: and they escaped into the land of
Armenia. And Esarhaddon his
son reigned in his stead.
Ezra 4:2 Then they
came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the
fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with
you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we
do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon
King of Assur, which brought us up hither.
Isaiah 37:38 And it
came to pass, as he was worshipping in the
house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech
and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword;
and they escaped into the land of Armenia:
and Esarhaddon his
son reigned in his stead. |
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