Update August 6, 1999.

Working progressively in combinating eponym lists and other sources. Some considerations on the time of Sargon II and Marduk-Baladan.

Shalmaneser V was succeeded in Assyria by Sargon II on Tebetu 12^[3]. (=December -721).
Shalmaneser V = Ululayu was succeeded in Babylonia by Marduk-Baladan, in Nisan -721^[3]. If this succession happened on Nisan 1, the time after that date could be considered as his 1rst year. If the accession to the throne happened on Nisan 2 or later in that month, that time has to be considered as his accession year. The eponym list is stating under eponym nunber 62 that Sargon II took the hand of Bel. It is seducive to see this statement as a confirmation of the first possibility (see below in the table, comparing the eponym event with a 13th year event), but that may be accidental.
Jonsson^[2] is telling of a document in the time of eponym 59 (K3044), having been dated with Sargon II 16 in Assyria and Sargon II 4 in Babylonia. This document is providing two points.
- Using antedating, the year of eponym 59 has to be identified with Sargon 17 (see below). Possibly the antedating principle applied since the accession of Tiglath-Pileser III is not applied with the turn of reign of Shalmanesar V / Sargon II. Because of the insecurity on this point I am applying both possibilities.
- Obviously there were, at least, two ways of counting of Sargon's years in Banylonia: one way in which the years of Marduk-Baladan were counted through (like in the Babylonian chronicle) and one way in which his years were counted from the beginning of his factual reign in Babylonia. The first way of counting is indicated by me with the Marduk-Baladan-Sargon double. It may be considered either as a form of backdating of Sargon's years in Babylonia, or as an indication that Marduk-Baladan was considered as the king de jure. The second way is applied besides it for the years involved.
- So Marduk-Baladan is given 12 years, whereas Sargon is given (by the Canon) 5 Babylonian years. This is bringing me to the following possibilities.

name of king	beginning of reign	time of reign	end of reign
Marduk-Baladan	February 1, -720	12.5 years	August 1, -708
Marduk-Baladan	February 1, -720	11.5 years	August 1, -709
Marduk-Baladan	April, 1 -720	12.5 years	October 1, -708
Marduk-Baladan	April, 1 -720	11.5 years	October 1, -709
Sargon II	August 1, -709	4.5	February 1, -704
Sargon II	August 1, -709	5.5	February 1, -703
Sargon II	October 1, -708	4.5	April 1, -703
Sargon II	October 1, -708	5.5	April 1, -702

So Sargon II died between February 1, -704 and April 1, -702. Then I am getting the following.

eponym number	begin of the year	end of the year	event	name of the year in Assyria possibility 1	name of the year in Assyria possibility 2	name of the year in Babylonia possibility 1	name of the year in Babylonia possibility 2	name of the year in Babylonia possibility 3
75	spring -721	spring -720	[The foundation of the temple of Nergal was torn up for repairs] (eponymlists) Sargon ascended the Assyrian throne on Tebetu 12^[3](December -721) ,	Shalmaneser V last year 6, Sargon II 1	Shalmaneser V last year 6, Sargon II accession year		Ululayu last year 5	Ululayu last year 5
74	spring -720	spring -719	[Nabu entered the new temple]	Sargon II 2	Sargon II 1		Marduk-Baladan 1	Marduk-Baladan accession year
73	spring -719	spring -718	against Tabala	Sargon II 3	Sargon II 2		Marduk-Baladan 2 Humban-nikash of Elam vs. Sargon of Assyria battle at Der^[3] 3	Marduk-Baladan 1
72	spring -718	spring -717	The foundation of (the temple of Nergal) was torn up (for repairs)	Sargon II 4	Sargon II 3		Marduk-Baladan 3	Marduk-Baladan 2 Humban-nikash of Elam vs. Sargon of Assyria battle at Der^[3]
71	spring -717	spring -716	against Mannai	Sargon II 5	Sargon II 4		Marduk-Baladan 4	Marduk-Baladan 3
70	spring -716	spring -715	............ provinces were established	Sargon II 6	Sargon II 5		Marduk-Baladan 5 death of Humban-nikash of Elam^[3], succession by Shutruk-Nahhunte^[1]	Marduk-Baladan 4
69	spring -715	spring -714	.............. Musasir of Haldia	Sargon II 7	Sargon II 6		Marduk-Baladan 6	Marduk-Baladan 5 death of Humban-nikash of Elam^[3] succession by Shutruk-Nahhunte^[1]
68	spring -714	spring -713	great ....... in Ellipa	Sargon II 8	Sargon II 7		Marduk-Baladan 7	Marduk-Baladan 6
67	spring -713	spring -712	Nergal entered the new temple	Sargon II 9	Sargon II 8		Marduk-Baladan 8	Marduk-Baladan 7
66	spring -712	spring -711	against Musasir	Sargon II 10	Sargon II 9		Marduk-Baladan 9	Marduk-Baladan 8
65	spring -711	spring -710	in the land	Sargon II 11	Sargon II 10		Marduk-Baladan 10 Bit-........ ravage^[1]	Marduk-Baladan 9
64	spring -710	spring -709	against Markasa	Sargon II 12	Sargon II 11		Marduk-Baladan 11	Marduk-Baladan 10 Bit-........ ravage^[1]
63	spring -709	spring -708	against Bel-zernaid, the king of Kish	Sargon II 13	Sargon II		Marduk-Baladan 12 defeated by Sargon^[1]	Marduk-Baladan 11
62	spring -708	spring -707	Sargon took the hand of Bel	Sargon II 14	Sargon II 13	Sargon II 1	Marduk-Baladan / Sargon 13 - Sargon took the hand of Bel - Dur-Yakin capture^[1]	Marduk-Baladan 12 defeated by Sargon^[1]
61	spring -707	spring -706	Kumuha was captured. A governor was appointed.	Sargon II 15	Sargon II 14	Sargon II 2	Marduk-Baladan / Sargon II 14 - in the land^[1]	Marduk-Baladan / Sargon II 13 - Sargon took the hand of Bel - Dur-Yakin capture^[1]
60	spring -706	spring -705	The king returned from Babylon	Sargon II 16	Sargon II 15	Sargon II 3	Marduk-Baladan / Sargon II 15 Tashritu 22 (October) Sealand gods return - plague in Assyria^[4]	Marduk-Baladan / Sargon II' 14 - in the land^[1]
59	spring -705	spring -704	............ from the city of Dur-Iakin brought out.	Sargon II 17	Sargon II 16	Sargon II 4	Marduk-Baladan / Sargon II 16	Marduk-Baladan / 'Sargon II' 15 Tashritu 22 (October) Sealand gods return - plague in Assyria7
58	spring -704	spring -703	The city of Dur-iakin was destroyed	Sargon II 18 possibly last year	Sargon II 17 possibly last year - Tabalu campaign^[4]	Sargon II 5	Marduk-Baladan /Sargon II 17 possibly last year	Marduk-Baladan /Sargon II 16 possibly last year
57	spring -703	spring -702	The gods entered into their temples	Sargon II 19 possibly last year	Sargon II 18 possibly last year	Sargon II 6	Marduk-Baladan /Sargon II 18 possibly last year	Marduk-Baladan /Sargon II 17 possibly last year - Tabalu campaign^[4]

^[1] Grayson, Robert Kirk, Assyrian and Babuylonian Chronicles, p. 75, J.J. Augustin, Locust Valley, New York, 1975
^[2] Jonsson, Carl Olof, The Foundations of the Assyro-Babylonian chronology, Chronology and Catastrophism Review (later on S.I.S. Review), p. 21-22, 1987,
^[3] Grayson, Robert Kirk, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, p. 73, J.J. Augustin, Locust Valley, New York, 1975
^[4] Grayson, Robert Kirk, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, p. 76, J.J. Augustin, Locust Valley, New York, 1975

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