Ashurbanipal
Ashur - bani - apli ( biblical Assurbanipal, neuassyrisch Aschschur - bani - apli, Assur- bani - apli ) was dated 27 October 669 BC to 631/627 BC, king of the Assyrian empire (Greek: Sardanapalus ). Its name means " Ashur is creator of Erbsohnes ". From an Assyrian Chronicle of the year 640 BC shows that Ashur - bani - apli 83 Assyrian king " after Erišum, son of Ilu - šuma " was.
19 years after the death of Ashur - bani - apli 631/627 BC the Assyrian empire was destroyed by the Medes and Babylonians by succession struggles and conquest.
Life
As the second son Ashur ahhe - iddinas, not originally intended as a successor, Ashur - bani - apli was appointed by his father Ashur ahhe - iddina to the designated king after Ashur - bani - aplis grandmother Naqia could enforce its direct relationship line. Already Ashur ahhe - iddina was selected as crown prince of Assyria with the help Naqias contrary to the usual ranking of Sîn - ahhe - eriba.
Through his teacher Balasi enjoyed Ashur - bani - apli as well Sîn - ahhe - eriba and Ashur ahhe - iddina a careful literary education. He left in Nineveh a significant library, which included didactic, literary, religious and astronomical texts. His residences he had adorn with magnificent reliefs, which constitute war, hunting and everyday scenes from the palace life.
Iškuza in the mentions Ashur - bani - apli
Ashur - bani - apli reported to 665 BC by a locust- like invasion of barbarian destroyers, which devastated the country and used for their leader Tugdamme ( according to the Greek tradition Adriani ) the Assyrian insult Gutians. As early as 667 BC King Gyges begged for Assyrian help against the roving Iškuzaia. Ashur - bani - apli not followed the call for help and noted shortly after the capture of Gyges. In the course of Gyges must recapture be successful, as between 666 BC and 650 BC, a victory over the Iškuzaia is reported.
Whether Ashur - bani - apli could completely fend off the attack of the Iškuzaia, remains controversial. The oracle priest Akullanu dubbed around 657 BC in a cuneiform tablet which Iškuzaia as Kiššutu. This designation was otherwise used in connection with the Assyrian kings, which would speak for a brief reign.
After the death of Gyges in the year 644 BC, his son and successor Ardys II again asked for Assyrian help. Whether this time the request have been adhered to, could not yet be clarified. The written tradition for Tugdamme ends at 642 BC to his death in Cilicia. His son and successor Sandakkurru (also reading Sandakšatru possible) is called in a hymn to Šamaš around 640 BC, invites a final victory over the Iškuzaia in Ashur - bani - apli; further evidence that the threat in the years after Tugdamme still ongoing.
Outcome
His brother Šamaš - šuma - ukin was, as stated by Ashur ahhe - iddina, king of Babylon. He rebelled with the support of the Arameans, Elamites, and Arabs. 647 BC subdued Ashur - bani - apli after four years of fighting Babylonia. Šamaš - šuma - ukin burned in the ruins of his palace. This crime against the religious heart of Mesopotamia probably Ashur - bani - apli but ultimately have cost the government. With Urartu used Ashur - bani - apli friendly relations; also with the Scythians he held later friendship. After a revolt he brought Manna under Assyrian control. After the conquest of Elam, about 636 BC, the news breaks from his reign.
The scale of his large library of modern Assyriology has not yet been invaluable since the discovery of this Tontafelbücherei in Kuyunjik, a part of ancient Nineveh, Assyriology supplied the foundations for its further expansion.
In all the cities of Babylonia as Assyria Ashur - bani - apli has unfolded a rich construction. Most important are the expansion of an old and the construction of a new palace at Nineveh. To the Greeks, where he was known under the name of Sardanapalus, he was regarded as the archetype of a Schwelgers, which corresponds to the historical facts little.