Abstract
In the Neo-Assyrian royal inscriptions we find accounts of the past that are inserted in the form of a relative clause, that function to embellish the king's image. In this paper I discuss how the king is represented by dealing with the accounts of the past in the narrations of the campaigns.
In the Neo-Assyrian royal inscriptions, accounts of the past often refer to the deeds of the king's predecessors. The king emphasizes his heroic priority by stating that no previous king had accomplished a certain achievement that he had （the so-called Übertreffungsmethaphorik）. For example, the king has marched in regions that none of his forefathers had set foot in and has subjugated enemies who had threatened Assyrian territory or foreign rulers who had been unsubmissive since early times. These motifs depict the king as a capable military leader （a conqueror and protector of the land）, the traditional royal portrait that goes back to the Middle Assyrian period. Moreover, a reference to the voluntary surrender of a previously unsubmissive ruler from a distant place highlights the might of a king who overwhelms without the need to do anything. The comparison to the previous kings does not always emphasize his heroic priority. By referring to the faults of his predecessors, the account represents the king as a true king and legitimates his kingship.
However, from Sargon on, accounts about the past without the Übertreffungsmethaphorik appear. The most prominent theme is the king's favor to his vassals, especially his appointing them as rulers and guaranteeing them their positions. This theme highlights a new aspect of the king, that of benefactor. The expansion of Assyria from the time of Tiglath-pileser III caused tensions with the neighboring great powers. In this situation, the king treated the vassal states at the periphery more favorably than before in order to keep their loyalty. This led to the introduction of representing the ruler as a warm-hearted king.
