The fifteen letters here published, unlike the two previous selections, do not form a coherent group, although in a few cases two or three letters can be considered together on the basis of the occurrence in each of the same proper name or technical term. Their principal common feature is that, even though at least two concern affairs in Babylonia, none of them can usefully be treated in relationship to any of the main geographical areas—Babylonia, Syria and the districts on the northern and eastern frontiers—to which a large part of the collection relates.

The present writer has once again the privilege of thanking his teacher, Professor Emeritus Sidney Smith, for assistance and advice in his initial attempts at editing these letters, and Professor C. J. Gadd for examining, and making some valuable suggestions upon, the more difficult of the letters, particularly XXV, XXVII, XXXI and XXXII.