Questions and Answers
What was the significance of Babylonia in the Assyrian empire?
What was the economy of the Assyrian empire like?
What did Assurbanipal collect at his capital, Nineveh?
Why were towns in Babylonia famous?
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Why were scribes in the south able to copy tablets by the dozen?
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What was the status of the Sumerian language after 1800 BCE?
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What did Assurbanipal do with the tablets he collected?
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What was the purpose of the clay labels on baskets of tablets?
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During which period did the Assyrian Empire reach its height?
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What was the primary economy of the Assyrian Empire described as?
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What was significant about Babylonia according to the content?
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What was Assurbanipal’s role in the preservation of texts?
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Which of the following was not mentioned as part of Assurbanipal's library?
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In what form was the Sumerian language still being taught after it ceased to be spoken?
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What process helped ensure the intelligibility of cuneiform tablets in 650 BCE?
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Which subject was the library of Assurbanipal noted for storing a significant number of tablets?
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Study Notes
The Assyrian Empire
- The Assyrian Empire, at its height between 720 and 610 BCE, stretched as far west as Egypt.
- The state economy was predatory, extracting labor and tribute from a vast subject population.
Assurbanipal and His Library
- Assurbanipal, the last great Assyrian king (668-627 BCE), collected a library at his capital, Nineveh.
- He gathered tablets on various subjects, including history, epics, omen literature, astrology, hymns, and poems.
- He sent scribes south to find old tablets, which were copied and cataloged.
Preservation of Sumerian Knowledge
- Although Sumerian ceased to be spoken around 1800 BCE, it continued to be taught in schools through vocabulary texts, sign lists, and bilingual tablets.
- This allowed Assurbanipal's men to understand and copy cuneiform tablets written as far back as 2000 BCE.
Characteristics of the Library
- The library had around 1,000 texts, amounting to about 30,000 tablets, grouped according to subject.
- Each basket of tablets had a clay label describing the content, such as "n number of tablets about exorcism, written by X".
- Important texts, like the Epic of Gilgamesh, were copied with the copier's name and date.
The Assyrian Empire
- The Assyrian Empire, at its height between 720 and 610 BCE, stretched as far west as Egypt.
- The empire had a predatory economy, extracting labor and tribute in the form of food, animals, metal, and craft items from its subject population.
The Assyrian Kings
- The great Assyrian kings, who were immigrants, acknowledged Babylonia as the center of high culture.
- Assurbanipal (668-627 BCE) collected a library at his capital, Nineveh, containing tablets on history, epics, omen literature, astrology, hymns, and poems.
- Assurbanipal sent his scribes to search for old tablets in the south.
The Sumerian Language
- Although Sumerian ceased to be spoken after 1800 BCE, it continued to be taught in schools through various texts and lists.
- Sumerian tablets written as far back as 2000 BCE were still intelligible in 650 BCE.
- Copies of important texts, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, were made, with the copier stating their name and writing the date.
Assurbanipal's Library
- Assurbanipal's library contained around 1,000 texts, amounting to about 30,000 tablets, grouped according to subject.
- The library had a cataloguing system, with clay labels describing the contents of each basket of tablets.
- Assurbanipal boasted of writing down the wisdom of the gods on tablets and placing them in the library of the temple of Nabu at Nineveh for the future.
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Description
This quiz covers the Assyrian Empire and its culture, including its economy, kings, and cultural achievements such as the library of Assurbanipal. Learn about the Assyrian Empire's history and significance.
