Statue of Ashurnasirpal II
Statue of Ashurnasirpal II from Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), modern-day northern Iraq, Neo-Assyrian Empire, 883-859 BCE.
This statue of King Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BCE) was placed in the Temple of Ishtar Sharrat-niphi. It was designed to remind the goddess Ishtar of the king's piety. It is made of magnesite and stands on a pedestal of a reddish stone. These unusual stones were probably brought back from a foreign campaign. Kings often boasted of the exotic things they acquired from abroad, not only raw materials and finished goods but also plants and animals.
The king's hair and beard are shown worn long in the fashion of the Assyrian court at this time. It has been suggested that the Assyrians used false hair and beards, as the Egyptians sometimes did, but there is no evidence for this.
Ashurnasirpal holds a sickle in his right hand, of a kind which gods are sometimes depicted using to fight monsters. The mace in his left hand shows his authority as vice-regent of the supreme god Ashur. The carved cuneiform inscription across his chest proclaims the king's titles and genealogy, and mentions his expedition westward to the Mediterranean Sea.
The statue was found in the nineteenth century by Henry Layard, the excavator of the temple.
Questions & Answers
What are the dates for the Neo-Assyrian Empire?
- The Neo-Assyrian Empire ruled from 912-612 BCE.
Who is the greatest king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire?
- Ashurbanipal (r. 668-627 BCE) is considered the greatest king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire and also the last effective ruler before its fall.
Why is it called the Neo-Assyrian Empire?
- The term Neo-Assyrian Empire is a modern designation referring to the latter part of the Assyrian Empire when a new paradigm of leadership and organization emerged.
How did the Neo-Assyrian Empire fall?
- The Neo-Assyrian Empire had grown too large to maintain and, after the reign of Ashurbanipal, began to weaken. The enemies of the Assyrians - including the Babylonians, Medes, and Persians - saw their chance to liberate themselves and attacked, sacking the cities and toppling the empire.
