Asurbanipal

“I am Ashurbanipal, king of the world, king of Assyria.”

Come and discover the life of one of the most powerful leaders the world has ever known. Ruling from 669 to 631 BC, Ashurbanipal didn’t just expand the Assyrian Empire to its greatest heights—he was also a man with a great thirst for knowledge. In his palace, he built a massive library of clay tablets, driven by the ambition to collect every piece of information in existence. His reign sparked a golden age of art and trade that connected cultures across the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

This exhibition, featuring remarkable objects from the British Museum, explores the many layers of this complex ruler. Beyond his historical feats, it highlights why preserving our cultural heritage is so vital, helping us all understand the incredible story of humanity and saving it for those who come after us.