A cruel conquerer's grand Assyrian feast, and a contest

One of the most magnificent feasts in history celebrated the completion of the Assyrian palace in Kalhu (also called Nimrud, a city that once lay north of Baghdad) in 879 B.C.E. (before the Christian era).

King Ashurnasirpal II (image free to use under GNU license)King Ashurnasirpal II wasted no time upon becoming king of Assyria (part of modern-day  Iraq) in roughly 883 B.C.E. Thirsting for war and riches, he immediately invaded north, east, and west, conquering the people there. The Syrians soon rebelled against his savage rule. His response: Burn the small children to death, and mutilate the grown men. Some had their hands and feet cut off; others lost their ears, noses, and lips.

Content that no one would revolt again, Ashurnasirpal II took his plunder home to Assyria and celebrated by forcing thousands of slaves to build him a luxurious new capital city at Kalhu. When the palace—built from imported luxury woods, limestone, and alabaster—was completed in 879 B.C.E., he held a feast for nearly 70,000 people from several countries that lasted 10 days.

According to Ashurnasirpal's own words,  the supplies he ordered for the banquet included:
1,000 fattened head of cattle1,000 calves10,000 stable sheep15,000 lambs200 head of cattle (for offerings to the goddess Ishtar) 1,000 sihhu-sheep (for offerings to Ishtar)1,000 spring lambs500 gazelles1,000 ducks500 geese500 kurku-geese (possibly cranes)1,000 mesuku-birds (a bird of prey)1,000 qaribu-birds (possibly crows)10,000 doves10,000 sukanunu-doves (possibly turtle doves)10,000 other assorted small birds10,000 assorted fish10,000 jerboa10,000 eggs10,000 jars of beer100 containers of fine mixed beer 10,000 imported skins of wine1,000 wood crates of vegetables300 containers of oil100 pistachio cones Unfortunately, Ashurnasirpal II failed to succumb to his high-fat, high-cholesterol, low-nutrient diet, either at his feast or later. He lived to crush his neighbors and create wall reliefs depicting these conquests for another 20 years.

Ashurnasirpal II is remembered today for two reasons: his great feast and his great brutality.

✥✥✥✥✥

This blog post is part of the Summer Banquet Blog Hop, in which 31 authors of historical fiction blog about historical food in the first week of June. The following authors are taking part; click on a name  to see that person's post.

Many of the Summer Blog Hoppers are also offering prizes, including me. To enter to win one of two Kindle or Nook versions of my historical novel Like Mayflies in a Stream, set in ancient Mesopotamia, comment below or like my Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shauna-Roberts-author/194876117254102?ref=hl. Winners of prizes at all blogs will be announced on 10 June 2013.

Hop Participants
Random Bits of Fascination (Maria Grace)Pillings Writing Corner (David Pilling)Anna BelfrageDebra Brown Lauren GilbertGillian BagwellJulie K. RoseDonna Russo MorinRegina JeffersShauna RobertsTinney S. HeathGrace ElliotDiane Scott LewisGinger MyrickHelen HollickHeather DominMargaret SkeaYves FeyJL OakleyShannon WinslowEvangeline HollandCora LeeLaura PurcellP. O. DixonE.M. PowellSharon LathanSally Smith O'RourkeAllison BruningViolet BedfordSue MillardKim Rendfeld