The Ancients Ashurbanipal: The Last Great King of Assyria
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Aug 21, 2025 Dr. Selena Wisnom, an Assyriologist from the University of Leicester and author focused on Ashurbanipal, reveals the fascinating duality of the last great king of Assyria. They discuss his military might and brutal civil conflicts, alongside his passion for scholarship, epitomized by the vast Library of Nineveh. The conversation dives into Ashurbanipal's intricate family dynamics, cultural exchanges with Babylonians, and how his contributions to intellectual pursuits shaped the ancient world, influencing future knowledge hubs like Alexandria.
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Scholar-Warrior King
- Ashurbanipal combined ruthless military rule with deep scholarly ambition at Nineveh.
- His library preserved thousands of cuneiform texts that reveal the dual nature of his reign.
Fire Made The Library Last
- The Library of Nineveh survived because burning clay tablets baked and preserved them.
- Around 33,000 documents from Ashurbanipal's library now sit largely unread in the British Museum.
Brotherly War Turned Siege
- Ashurbanipal's relationship with his brother decayed over 17 years into a bitter civil war.
- The conflict culminated in a two-year siege of Babylon with severe starvation recorded in administrative texts.
