Limmu

A Eponymenliste was a written list of the names of important government official, after which a year was each named in ancient times.

Assyrian Eponymenliste

In the Assyrian Empire was after the year of King or after the eponymous officials ( limu, Old Assyrian limus ) dated. The order of these officials and the major events of this year were held in Eponymenlisten.

A typical entry is about:

The oldest such traditional date is 1876/75 BC BC are continuous lists for the period 892-648 before. The office was obviously reserved senior officials, mostly provincial governors, since the mittelassyrischen time could be Limu also the king himself. Shalmaneser III. was about 827/26 BC Limu, Samsi -Adad V. 823/22, Ashur nirari V. 753/752.

As Limu are occupied, for example:

• Ashur -Bela -ka ʾ ʾ in, top military leaders ( 856/855 BC)
• Ashur bunaja - usur, royal cupbearer ( 855/854 BC)
• Abi -ina - ekalli - lilbur, herald of the Royal Palace ( 854/853 BC)
• Ashur taklak, royal steward ( 805/804 BC)
• Mutakkil -Marduk, chief eunuch ( 798/797 BC)

In Neo-Assyrian period, a fixed order seems to have emerged, in which the king was limu in his first year of reign, followed by the high court officials and provincial governors in order of importance.

From the Eponymenjahr of Bur - Saggile, governor of Guzana, a solar eclipse is handed down, which is dated on the basis of astronomical calculations on 8 June 763 BC, and is used for temporal anchoring the list.

The Eponymat usually began in the month sippu. Some places used (eg major Katlimmu ) own eponyms In troubled times, such as at the fall of the empire.

Week eponyms were called hamuštum. From the trading colony Kanes the names of Wocheneponyme have survived, among them are locals.

Roman time

In Roman times also Eponymenlisten were created, called fasti consulares.