15. A tale of two inscriptions

Another way of linking the Eponym List to astronomical dating derives from a war between the brother-kings Assurbanipal of Assyria and Shamash-shuma-ukin of Babylon. One of their battles is reported in two documents: the Akitu Chronicle notes the battle happened in Shamash-shuma-ukin 16, and the Astronomical Diary -651 establishes that it took place in 652/51 BC.

The inscriptions imply Shamash-shuma-ukin acceded to the throne of Babylon in 667 BC [651+16], one year after the beginning of Assurbanipal's reign in Assyria. The corroboration firms up the conventional date for Assurbanipal's accession and hence the dating of the Eponym List.