12. Super granny

In 1956 an archaeologist working on the ruins of a mosque turned over a paving stone and discovered a cuneiform treasure. The inscription tells the story of Adad-guppi, mother of King Nabonidus of Babylonia. She lived 104 years and must have had chronologists in mind when writing her biography.

From her birth in the 20th year of Assurbanipal, super-granny gives the length of every king's reign she lived through: Assurbanipal's 42nd year, Assur-etillu-ili's 3rd, Nabopolassar's 21st, Nebuchadnezzar's 43rd, Awel-Marduk's 2nd and Neriglissar's 4th - a total of 95 years.