Assurbanipal
fl. 650 BCE
Assyrian

King of Assyria. The kings of Assyria were noted for their ruthlessness and cruelty, and several were assassinated. Assurbanipal, however, also promoted the arts and brought together texts for the first great ancient near-eastern library that we know of.

Contemporaries
fl. 650 BCEZephaniah
fl. c. 650–c. 550 BCESolon
fl. 650 BCESardanapalus
650–570 BCEPittacus of Mytilene
630–562 BCENebuchadnezzar II
fl. 650 BCEManasseh
fl. 650 BCELycurgus
fl. 650 BCEJeremiah
622–570 BCEEzekiel
fl. c. 750–c. 650 BCEElisha
fl. 650 BCEDraco
fl. 620 BCEAlcman