A Monument To Imperial Control – Literary Observations On The Thompson Prism Of Esarhaddon (Nineveh A)

Chapter Summary

One of the most important sources for the reign of Esarhaddon is the fully preserved hexagonal prism known for many years as the Thompson Prism, and eventually classified by Borger as Nineveh A. This chapter focuses on the literary features of the Thompson Prism in an attempt to understand the composition as more than a collection of reports of individual events. Many important aspects of the text, both historical and literary have been discussed extensively in four important contributions by the late Professor Hayim Tadmor. The ekal māšarti, whose construction occasioned the composition of Esarhaddon's historical account, first in the Heidel Prism and shortly thereafter and in fuller form in the Thompson Prism, served three purposes, one practical and two symbolic. Practically it served its primary military purpose as a venue for inspecting, training and displaying the army.

Keywords: ekal māšarti; Esarhaddon; Nineveh A; Thompson prism