BABYLON IN THE DAYS OF NEBUCHADREZZAR. 



199 



the duty fell, " May my lord go to turn the gate " (hdbu turn 

 hell lillik). One of the witnesses was " the king's captain," 

 and this suggests that " king's captain " means, really, " captain 

 of the guard." No payment is mentioned, so that Nabu-nib- 

 ana-ili and Musibsi-Marduk either undertook this service as an 

 honour, or else because it was their duty as military officers. 

 It is to be noted, however, that they have no title. 



At an outlying district called Takretain, we again meet with 

 the name of Neriglissar, and it is a declaration and a promise 

 concerning 100 sheep, said to have been delivered to Abi-nadib 

 (Abinadab) on behalf of Kiligug, one of Neriglissar 's chief slaves 

 (galla). If the delivery was proved, Abi-nadib was free — if 

 otherwise, he had to deliver 100 sheep to Neriglissar with their 

 wool and young. (2nd of Elul, 34th year of Nebuchadrezzar, 

 king of Babylon.) 



We may just refer, by the way, to the contract for a hat ordered 

 by Nabu-ahe-iddina from Silim-Bel, the galla-slsiYe of Bel- 

 uballit, for three shekels of silver. It was to be delivered in 

 Nisan, and the maker swore by Sin, his god, that this promise 

 should be fulfilled. (One witness and the scribe. Babylon, 

 8th day of Chisleu, 36th year of Nebuchadrezzar.) 



Another reference to garlic occurs in the text dated in the 

 39th year of Nebuchadrezzar (month lost). This amounted 

 to 6J shekels, due to Gimillu, the chief of the king's storehouse, 

 by Siriktu, descendant of Dannea. From this it would seem 

 as though Nebuchadrezzar sold, through his officials, the produce 

 which he had in store. On the 10th of Sivan in his 40th year, 

 9 shekels of silver were due to Gimillu from Bel-ahe-eriba and 

 Marduk-naser, probably for the same class of produce. These 

 are dated at Bit-Tabi-Bel and Subat-Meme respectively, probably 

 suburbs of the great city, as already suggested. 



A longish inscription is that referring to the agreement of 

 Kinaya concerning 62 gur of dates, received instead of half a mana 

 of silver by Sin-mar-sarri-usur (" Sin, protect the son of the 

 king "), the galla-seivant of Marduk-nadin-ahi, one of Nebuchad- 

 rezzar's sons. No lawsuit was to be instituted against Wardia 

 and Nabu-hitu-mesu with regard to this sum. (Dated at Babylon, 

 2nd month of Elul, day 8th, 41st year of Nebuchadrezzar, king 

 of Babylon.) 



Another son^of Nebuchadrezzar was Marduk-sum-usur, who 

 paid, through Samas-kain-ahi, tithe to the temple of the sun at 

 Sippar on the 14th of lyyar in his father's 42nd year. 



