ASHURBANIPAL

flourished 7th century BC also spelled Assurbanipal, or Asurbanipal last of the great kings of Assyria (reigned 668 to 627 BC), who assembled in Nineveh the first systematically organized library in the ancient Middle East. Additional reading M. Streck, Assurbanipal und die letzten assyrischen Knige bis zum Untergange Ninivehs (1916), a reliable study and discussion of the historical, religious, and epistolary evidence for the King and his family; T. Bauer, Das Inschriftenwerk Assurbanipals (1933), further discussion with additional texts; A.C. Piepkorn (ed.), Historical Prism Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal (1933), a literary analysis of a historical text with English translation; S.S. Ahmed, Southern Mesopotamia in the Time of Ashurbanipal (1968), a study of Ashurbanipal's relations with his brother in Babylon; R.D. Barnett, The Sculptures of Ashurbanipal (1971), an illustrated presentation of the bas-reliefs from the palace at Nineveh depicting the royal campaigns, hunting, and other activities.