Baba-a?a-iddina, typically inscribed mdBA.Ú-PAB-A[i 1] "Bau has given me a brother,[1] ca. 812 BC, was the 9th king of the Dynasty of E, a mixed dynasty of kings of Babylon, but probably for less than a year. He briefly succeeded Marduk-balassu-iqbi, who had been deposed by the Assyrians, a fate he was to share.
Biography
His name was traditionally the name of a second son. He may have been a paqid matati official attested in the earlier reign, possibly from the Babylonian nobility who was the son of an otherwise unknown individual named Lidanu.[1] This is a prebend grant[i 2] from the second year of Marduk-balassu-iqbi which records him as a witness: mdBA.Ú-E-SUM-na DUMU mli-da-nu LÚ.PA É.KUR.ME.[2]
His reign was brought to its end by the sixth campaign of the Assyrian king, ami-Adad V, as described in his Annals:[i 3] In Ni.. I besieged [him]. By means of boring and siege machines [I c]aptured that [city]. Baba-a?a-iddina together with the standard (durigallu) I took away.[3] A more detailed account of the events following this victory is provided in the Synchronistic History:
He encircled the city and he himself took it. He took Baba-a?a-iddina with his wealth and palace treasures to Assyria. He t[ook] the gods and the booty of Der, Lahiru, Gannanati, Dur-Papsukkal, Bit-riduti, Mê-Turan, numerous cities of Kardunia with their surroundings. He took away Anu the great ?um?umia, arrat-Deri, Belet-Akkadi, imalyia, Palil, Annunitu, Mar-Biti of Maliku. He went up to Cutha, Babylon (and) Borsippa (and) performed the sacred services. He went down to Chaldea. In Chaldea he received the tribute of its kings. His officers collected gifts from Kardunia. He did [ Together they established] a permanent boundary line.[4]
Synchronistic Chronicle, Column 4, lines 1 to 14.[i 4]
ami-Adad made no attempt to annex Babylonia which remained independent, though kingless for a period, but returned to Assyria where he spent his last year, according to the eponym record, in the land.[5] Finkel and Reade proposed a restoration of the final, broken part of the Synchronistic History to give: Adad-nirari III king of Assyria and B[aba-a?a-iddina king of Kardunia towards each other], bowed and drank wine. The welf[are of their lands they established] They suggested that a pro-Babylonian ammur-amat, while acting as Assyrian regent for the boy-king Adad-nirari, may have moved to have Baba-a?a-iddina reinstated to stabilize their southern neighbor
Child(ren):