[32] See Weissbach, "Babylonische Miscellen," pp. 9 ff.
[33] See above, [p. 200], n. 1.
[34] He was an Assyrian general named Pulu, the leader of the revolt, and he took the famous name of Tiglath-pileser to mark his assumption of royal rank; but he retained his own name in Babylon (see p. 268).
[35] Though we only possess a few contract-tablets of this period, the fact that the Ptolemaic Canon begins with the reign of Nabonassar (see above, [p. 265], n. 1) is evidence that it marked a revival of literary activity, accompanied by a study of the chronology and possibly by a revision of the calendar.
[36] So "Bab. Chron.," I., 16; in the Kings' List he is described as the son of Nabû-nadin-zêr.
[37] See above, [p. 267], n. 1.
[38] Merodach-baladan claimed descent from Krba-Marduk, the king of the Eighth Dynasty who secured the throne of Babylon by his services against the Arameans (see above, [p. 204]). He made himself popular in Babylon by restoring to its former owners property confiscated by the Assyrians. In the Frontispiece to this volume he is portrayed making a grant of land to his governor of Babylon.
[40] According to the Ptolemaic Canon, the two years following Sargon's death formed a period of interregnum, though the Kings' List assigns the throne to Sennacherib. However this may be, we know that in 703 Marduk-zakir-shum proclaimed himself king; but he had only reigned for one month when he was murdered by Merodach-baladan.
[41] In spite of Sennacherib's devastation of Chaldea, Merodach-baladan had assisted Mushezib-Marduk in his revolt; but he had then fled with his followers in ships to the coast of Elam, where he died. Sennacherib built ships on the Tigris and dragged them overland to the Euphrates, where his troops embarked.