New Assyrian King Discovery Complicates Biblical History

A new study suggests that the "List of Assyrian Kings," a primary source for reconstructing Assyrian history, is incomplete and unreliable, potentially omitting three rulers. This discovery is particularly significant from a Jewish perspective, as two of the newly identified rulers share names with biblical figures: Tiglath-Pileser and Shalmaneser. However, these are distinct, earlier rulers who preceded the kings known from the Bible. If these findings are accepted, the numbering of several prominent Assyrian kings may need revision.

The research, published in the Journal of Cuneiform Studies, was conducted by Alexander Johannes Edmonds of the University of Münster and Professor Eckart Frahm of Yale University. They re-examined existing clay tablets, inscriptions, and a stone monument, uncovering evidence of three rulers whose reigns were largely erased from official Assyrian records. One notable case involves a king who called himself Tiglath-Pileser and seized the throne in 763 BCE. Researchers believe he was the son of a previous king and nephew of the reigning king Ashur-dan III. He reportedly rebelled against his nephew, took the capital city of Ashur, and declared himself ruler, possibly aided by a dramatic solar eclipse that occurred that year and was seen as a significant omen.

This 763 BCE solar eclipse is also familiar to biblical scholars, with some suggesting a connection to a passage in the Book of Amos. The reign of this new Tiglath-Pileser was brief, as Ashur-dan III likely deposed him, leading to the removal of his name from official records. Approximately 18 years later, another king, known to us as Tiglath-Pileser III, ascended the throne. This later king is well-known from the Bible, where he is described as conquering parts of Israel and exiling its inhabitants. The new research proposes that the earlier Tiglath-Pileser might explain why the later king was also known as Pul or Pulo, possibly as a way to distinguish him from his predecessor.

A second newly identified ruler is Shalmaneser, who, according to the researchers, took the Assyrian throne around 747 BCE and reigned for just over a year before losing power to the Tiglath-Pileser known today as III. The biblical Shalmaneser, mentioned in the Book of Kings, besieged Samaria, leading to the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel and the exile of its people. If the newly discovered ruler is officially added to the king list, he could become Shalmaneser VI, potentially making the biblical Shalmaneser V into Shalmaneser VI, and the biblical Tiglath-Pileser III into Tiglath-Pileser IV.

The third ruler uncovered is Ashur-uballit, who likely ruled briefly around 913-912 BCE before being overthrown by Adad-nirari II. Evidence of his reign was found on an ancient inscription that did not fit the accepted king list. The researchers found indications that these rulers were not forgotten by accident; attempts were made to erase their memory. For instance, Shalmaneser's name was replaced by Tiglath-Pileser III's on a stone monument, but the original name survived beneath the new inscription. In the case of the rebel Tiglath-Pileser, an administrative document written in his name was later found. "What we knew about Assyrian history was based on this one document, the List of Assyrian Kings, and all historians relied on it relatively uncritically," stated Frahm. "What we have shown is that this list has been manipulated."

According to the researchers, these findings present a different picture of the Assyrian Empire, revealing internal power struggles, rebellions, and coups behind its image of strong, orderly rule. While the discovery does not alter the biblical text itself or overturn the chronology of the period, it may change the names historians use to differentiate between Assyrian kings and assign new numbers to rulers who significantly impacted the history of the Kingdom of Israel.