Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions


Only the king was permitted to kill lions—and doing so signified his power and ability to keep nature at bay.

Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions, gypsum hall relief from the North Palace, Ninevah, c. 645-635 B.C.E., excavated by H. Rassam beginning in 1853 (British Museum)


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Cite this page as: Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris, "Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions," in Smarthistory, December 11, 2015, accessed October 2, 2023, https://smarthistory.org/ashurbanipal-hunting-lions/.