the first-century historian josephus provides the best surviving tyrian king list. there is a gap in the sequence between about 773 and the reign of ithobaal. it is possible therefore that ithobaal's reign extended back several decades before he is recorded in an assyrian tribute list for 738. edward lipiński suggests his reign began as early as "c".760. hayim tadmor suggests that the assyrian inscription recording ithobaal's tribute should have the date amended to 740.