* The information we possess concerning Esarhaddon is gathered from:  1. The Insertion of Cylinders A, B, C, the second of the three better known as the Broken Cylinder.  These texts contain a summary of the king’s wars, in which the subject-matter is arranged geographically, not chronologically:  they cease with the eponymy of Akhazilu, i.e. the year 673. 2.  Some mutilated fragments, of the Annals. 3. The Blade Stone of Aberdeen, on which the account of the rebuilding of Babylon is given. 4. The Stele of Zindjirli. 5.  The consultations of the god Shamash by Esarhaddon in different circumstances of his reign. 6.  A considerable number of small inscriptions and some tablets.  The classification of the events of this reign presents serious difficulties, which have been partly overcome by passages in the Babylonian Chronicle of Pinches.

Esarhaddon was personally inclined for peace, and as soon as he was established on the throne he gave orders that the building works, which had been suspended during the late troubles, should be resumed and actively pushed forward; but the unfortunate disturbances of the times did not permit of his pursuing his favourite occupation without interruption, and, like those of his warlike predecessors, his life was passed almost entirely on the field of battle.  Babylon, grateful for what he had done for her, tendered him an unbroken fidelity throughout the stormy episodes of his reign, and showed her devotion to him by an unwavering obedience.  The Kalda received no support from that quarter, and were obliged to bear the whole burden of the war which they had provoked.  Their chief, Nabu-ziru-kinish-lishir, who had been placed over them by Sennacherib, now harassed the cities of Karduniash, and Ningal-shumiddin, the prefect of Uru, demanded immediate help from Assyria.  Esarhaddon at once despatched such a considerable force that the Kaldu chief did not venture to meet it in the open field, and after a few unimportant skirmishes he gave up the struggle, and took refuge in Elam.  Khumban-khaldash, had died there in 680, a few months before the murder of Sennacherib, and his son, a second Khumban-khaldash, had succeeded him; this prince appears either to have shared the peaceful tastes of his brother-king of Assyria, or more probably did not feel himself sufficiently secure of his throne to risk the chance of coming into collision with his neighbour.  He caused Nabu-ziru-kinish-lishir to be slain, and Naid-marduk, the other son of Merodach-baladan, who had shared his brother’s flight, was so terrified at his murder that he at once sought refuge in Nineveh; he was reinstated in his paternal domain on condition of paying a tribute, and, faithful to his oath of allegiance, he thenceforward came yearly in person to bring his dues and pay homage to his sovereign (679).  The Kalda rising had, in short, been little more than a skirmish, and the chastisement of the Sidonians