Library of Ashurbanipal

Definition

The Library of Ashurbanipal was a significant ancient collection of texts, housed in the Assyrian capital of Nineveh during the reign of King Ashurbanipal in the 7th century BCE. This library is notable for containing a vast array of cuneiform tablets, including literary, historical, and scientific works that provide invaluable insights into Mesopotamian civilization and culture.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Library of Ashurbanipal is considered one of the first systematic attempts to collect and preserve knowledge in human history.
2. It housed over 30,000 clay tablets, making it one of the largest libraries of the ancient world.
3. The library included a wide variety of texts such as myths, poetry, astrology, medicine, and administrative documents.
4. Many tablets in the library were copies of older works, indicating the value placed on preserving earlier knowledge and literature.
5. The discovery of the library in the mid-19th century provided crucial evidence about Assyrian culture and contributed significantly to our understanding of Mesopotamian history.

Review Questions

• How did the Library of Ashurbanipal contribute to our understanding of Mesopotamian civilization?
  • The Library of Ashurbanipal greatly enhanced our understanding of Mesopotamian civilization by preserving a vast collection of texts that cover various aspects such as literature, science, law, and religion. The texts found there, including myths and administrative records, reveal insights into social structures, beliefs, and daily life during that period. As one of the oldest libraries known to exist, it serves as a vital resource for scholars studying ancient cultures.
• Discuss the significance of cuneiform writing in relation to the texts found in the Library of Ashurbanipal.
  • Cuneiform writing is significant because it was the primary method of recording information in ancient Mesopotamia, including the extensive texts housed in the Library of Ashurbanipal. This writing system allowed for complex ideas to be documented on clay tablets, ensuring that knowledge could be shared across generations. The use of cuneiform also underscores how advanced Mesopotamian society was in terms of communication and record-keeping.
• Evaluate the impact that the preservation and translation efforts of the Library of Ashurbanipal have had on modern historical scholarship.
  • The preservation and translation efforts related to the Library of Ashurbanipal have had a profound impact on modern historical scholarship by providing access to a wealth of ancient knowledge that would otherwise be lost. These efforts have enabled scholars to reconstruct aspects of Assyrian life and culture and to analyze literary works such as the Epic of Gilgamesh. As a result, this library not only enriches our understanding of ancient civilizations but also enhances our comprehension of human history as a whole by illustrating continuity and change over millennia.

Related terms

Cuneiform: An ancient writing system used in Mesopotamia, characterized by wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets, which was the primary script used for the texts found in the Library of Ashurbanipal.

Assyria: An ancient Mesopotamian kingdom known for its powerful military and cultural achievements, which included the establishment of the Library of Ashurbanipal as a center for knowledge and scholarship.

Epic of Gilgamesh:

One of the oldest known literary works, this epic poem was part of the collection in the Library of Ashurbanipal and reflects themes of heroism and humanity in ancient Mesopotamian literature.