their reigns. From these we learn briefly that there was a conqueror, Lugal-zaggisi, who overthrew the great Sumerian city of Lagash, and who was at length overthrown, in his turn, by Sarru-kin. One or the other of these vigorous fighters established dominion over all the river valley, became, in fact, sole ruler of the world known to him. Sarrukin, who at first inscribes himself only as King of Agade, and as being subordinate to a king of Kish, comes finally to call himself sovereign of all lands and servant only to the gods. Thus we see his rise from ruler of one city to ruler of all Akkad and Sumer, and even of lands beyond. This Sarrukin may be the Sargon of later legend, or may be a still earlier king of similar name. The records of later Babylon refer the origin of their mighty city to a King Sargon of Agade and tell a poetic legend of him. This, as well as the later Akkadian chronicles, which begin with Sargon, is given here, so that readers may see how the writing of history was first practised. The legend of Sargon's birth has aroused special interest because, as the reader will see, it bears some resemblance to the Bible story of Moses. We also include in this section a recently discovered list of kings such as Berosus must have had before him when he wrote of the tens of thousands of years that the Babylonian civilization had existed. 1 This apparently means that the temple garden was ruined. The list is a sort of chronicle of the temple happenings of every sort. EARLY LAWS AND PRECEPTS OF AKKADIAN [First paragraph lost.] FARMERS COLUMN I In the sixth month of the year, he (the agriculturist) marks his establishment. He agrees about the covenant. He completes the wording of the covenant. 5 He collects his tax-gift and surrounds the field with hedges. He brings together the gazelles (his flock) and gathers the birds. He is to work from dawn to dusk. When the time of the working of the field comes, he plows, rakes, and divides it. For every sixty measures of grain the farmer takes eight measures, wheat produce, straw in stokes, grain thrashed and winnowed. 10 Field of half. In this case a field of culture is merely for culture. He (the agriculturist) goes as associate to his associate. He plows the field, he keeps his seeds, he takes the birds together, and gathers manure. He waters the field and multiplies the seeds. When the time of working the field comes he plows and rakes it, and the overseer reports to the lord of the field. 15 Field of partnership. He (the agriculturist) takes a field of partnership with the lord of the field. 1 Only the Akkadian text of this paragraph remains; it is interesting to note that the month is designated by a number, as in some of the omen and astronomical tablets. Everything is made equal and on the same footing; man as man, house as house, seed as seed. When the time of working (reaping) comes, the master sends from his place as help a long cart, an ox for thrashing the corn; and the corn of the field ... [One paragraph lost.] COLUMN II [Three paragraphs lost.] He draws water 2 for the field 5 He takes possession of the field. He fences with sticks the ground to be plowed. He has the field plowed and rakes it. He waters it once or twice. He fixes hooks for the pails for drawing water. 10 When the time of working comes, in a field of fifths the farmer takes one part. As for the other divisions, he takes the percentage accord- In a field of a third he takes a third. 15 In a field of a tenth he takes a tenth. As for the tithe, he gives one part as tithe to the palace. [One paragraph lost.] Various kinds of divisions (or land tenures): division of half, division of a third, division of a fourth, division of a fifth, division of a tenth, division with a tithe. 2 The paragraph is mutilated; it may refer to the establishment of some irrigating instrument. VOL. I.-6. Furniture and fixtures: furniture of the palace, fences, sticks for fences, poles, threshold, plowing instruments, plowing instruments of the field, poles of the plantation. Enclosure (or garden): enclosure of the palace, enclosure of the associate. 5 He (the agriculturist) marks the limit of his garden. He indicates the limit of the garden by means of boundary stones.3 He plants date-trees in it. He waters the young plants. 10 He completes the paling of the garden. The lord of the garden may give to the farmer his dismissal. He pulls up the paling of the garden. He extends one enclosure to the other. 15 On the thirtieth of the eighth month, in fine weather. At the time of drying dates. At the time of pulling off the paling. In order to quit himself he delivers to the lord of the plantation two-thirds of the dates. He takes a fixed amount and he sends in money the amount of the produce of the date-trees. [A paragraph lost.] 3 Or palings. 4 In Akkadian the month Apin. |