Greg Jenner

But Assyriology is named after the fact that there's this incredible library, which dates to when roughly? The 7th century BC, so the 600s. Amazing. And so Nineveh, the royal library was discovered in what we now call Mosul in Iraq. 30,000 cuneiform tablets, which is amazing. They were brought to the British Museum, the home of Iraqi history. Yes.

But this wasn't the first time the massive collection of ancient cuneiform tablets had been put in a museum, right? Because this is what the library is. This was already a collection of knowledge by someone saying, this stuff's old.

But this wasn't the first time the massive collection of ancient cuneiform tablets had been put in a museum, right? Because this is what the library is. This was already a collection of knowledge by someone saying, this stuff's old.

Really?

Really?

Wow. So this is from about 650 BCE. So it's very late in the grand sweep of Mesopotamian history, but it is earlier than, like, it's earlier than Socrates.

Wow. So this is from about 650 BCE. So it's very late in the grand sweep of Mesopotamian history, but it is earlier than, like, it's earlier than Socrates.

So, you know, when we say ancient, it's ancient, but it's really late in...

So, you know, when we say ancient, it's ancient, but it's really late in...

So it's kind of, I'm doing, I'm slightly struggling to work out how to frame that. But yeah, we've got Ashurbanipal. I like to call him Ashurbanishampal. I don't know why. I always imagine him in my head.

So it's kind of, I'm doing, I'm slightly struggling to work out how to frame that. But yeah, we've got Ashurbanipal. I like to call him Ashurbanishampal. I don't know why. I always imagine him in my head.

I'm going to have to say it again just to make sure people understand, but this is a Neo-Assyrian king saying, this stuff belongs in a museum. It's 2,500 years old. So it's an ancient person going, this is archaeology.

I'm going to have to say it again just to make sure people understand, but this is a Neo-Assyrian king saying, this stuff belongs in a museum. It's 2,500 years old. So it's an ancient person going, this is archaeology.

Or this is knowledge. That's mad for us, right?

Or this is knowledge. That's mad for us, right?

So the Library of Nineveh was this incredible compilation of all the knowledge, 2,500 years worth, put into one place, and then in the year 612 BCE, it was destroyed. Oh, no. Along came some baddies who sacked the city, and that was fantastic news for you, Moody.

So the Library of Nineveh was this incredible compilation of all the knowledge, 2,500 years worth, put into one place, and then in the year 612 BCE, it was destroyed. Oh, no. Along came some baddies who sacked the city, and that was fantastic news for you, Moody.

Do you know why? Hmm.

Do you know why? Hmm.

Because they set the building on fire and it baked the clay.