Neo-Babylonian Dispute Documents in the British Museum

M.Sandowicz' study comprises critical editions of 51 hitherto unpublished Babylonian texts presently housed in the British Museum in London. They were written between the mid-seventh century and the first quarter of the fifth century BCE, a period that includes the final decades of the Assyrian domination over Babylonia, the rule of the Chaldean dynasty, and the reigns of the first three Persian kings who sat on the Babylonian throne. Although these texts stem from various archives, the decision to remove them from their archival contexts and publish them together is justified, as when grouped and treated as a coherent whole, they effectively contribute to an understanding of Neo-Babylonian dispute settlement mechanisms. In addition to filling chronological and geographical gaps in the source material, the texts lend insight into the court system, within the framework of which disputes were resolved. They provide new evidence of judges appearing alone, sitting in panels, and alongside other functionaries. Several new texts allow for the identification of hierarchy clusters within the court system. The material published below also facilitates the identification of the jurisdictions of certain Babylonian judicial bodies. - All texts are presented with transliterations, translations, comments and copies. The study is supplemented by extensive indices of names, Akkadian words and topics.