What is it about?
The 614 Assyrian eponyms between the 1st year of the reign of Šamšî-Adad I and the 1st year of the reign of Tiglath-pileser I (1115-1076) allow us to date the reign of Šamšî-Adad I (1728-1695) approximately. As the Assyrian years were lunar before the reign of Tiglath-pileser I (1115-1076), this makes it possible to slightly correct the reign of Šamšî-Adad I (1712-1680), yet as this Amorite king died in the 17th year of King Hammurabi, so this synchronism fixes the dating of this Babylonian king (1697-1654). This dating does not correspond to the “Middle” Chronology but, on the other hand, exactly satisfies the astronomical dating of the Ammisaduqa tablet on Venus, according to the "Ultra-Low" Chronology (the only one whose observations are dated after, and not before (!), the calculated values). In addition, one tablet of astronomical omens (Enuma Anu Enlil 20) mentions a lunar eclipse dated 14 Simanu at the end of the reign of Šulgi (14/III/48, total eclipse dated June 27, 1954 BCE), and another (Enuma Anu Enlil 21) mentions a lunar eclipse dated 14 Addaru at the end of the third dynasty Ur, which ended with the reign of Ibbi-Sin (14/XII/24, total eclipse dated March 6, 1911 BCE). These two total lunar eclipses are separated by 42 years of reign (= 9 years of Amar-Sin + 9 years of Šu-Sîn + 24 years of Ibbi-Sin) and 9 months (=XII - III). During the period 2200-1850 BCE, there was only one couple of lunar eclipses spaced 42 years and 9 months apart, and visible at Ur, corresponding to the description of the astronomical omens. These two eclipses confirm the absolute dating of the reign of Hammurabi (1697-1654) and also allow to anchor the reign of Sargon of Akkad (2243-2187).
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Why is it important?
The Mesopotamian royal lists give a complete chronology of kings dating back to King Sargon of Akkad (2243-2187). The numerous synchronisms between the Assyrian and Babylonian reigns, as well as the presence during these reigns of several lunar eclipses precisely dated by astronomy, make it possible to reconstitute an absolute chronology that serves as the backbone to anchor all the chronologies of the ancient kingdoms of the Middle East.
Perspectives
Professor Dominique Charpin invited me to the 65th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale at the Collège de France on July 11, 2019 to present a poster with the title and summary of my thesis (https://rai2019.digitorient.com/en/posters/). Professor Jonathan Rosenbaum (Gratz College) invited me to the 2019 ASOR Annual Meeting (in the session: Archaeology and Bible Studies I) on November 21, 2019 to give a lecture on the second part of my thesis (http://www.asor.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019-ASOR-Program-and-Abstract-Book.pdf). A revised version of this thesis has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for editing.
PhD candidate Gerard GG Gertoux
Maison de l'Orient et de la Mediterranee Jean Pouilloux
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This page is a summary of: Scientific approach to an absolute chronology through synchronisms dated by astronomy, January 2019, Glasstree,
DOI: 10.20850/9781534204577.
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