Gastronomy of Old: The Majestic Banquet of Ashurnasirpal II
Gastronomy of Old: The Majestic Banquet of Ashurnasirpal II
In the olden days, marked by lavishness and majesty, there was a festivity destined to be immortalized in history. The calendar marked 879 BCE, and within the majestic confines of his freshly finished city of Kalhu, Ashurnasirpal II, a sovereign of renowned might, planned an opening ceremony that seized the imaginations of everyone present. It was a soirée of such magnificence that it would come to be known as the greatest party ever thrown in antiquity.
A feast of such proportions was not merely an indulgence of the senses; it was a spectacle carefully crafted to communicate the authority and benevolence of the central administration to the entire community.
Background
Ashurnasirpal II, the son of Tukulti-Ninurta II, whose conquests had expanded the Assyrian empire and bestowed his son with untold riches, was no stranger to pomp. His lineage is traced back to Adad-Nirari II, the visionary monarch who had reestablished Assyrian dominance throughout Mesopotamia. And now, it was Ashurnasirpal II’s turn to ascend to the throne and showcase the might and splendor of his empire to the world.
The usual Assyrian king, being the embodiment of leadership and benefaction, would seize every opportunity to plan grand feasts and special events. Within the confines of his regal palace, food became an instrument of diplomacy, as offerings to the gods, tributes from vassal kings, and sustenance provided to officers and courtiers. The king’s table became a stage upon which the immeasurable favor of the gods was displayed alongside the authority, strength, and wise management of the Assyrian monarch.
Yet, the Mesopotamian banquets were not solely spectacles of power and symbolism, for they were also a celebration of the culinary arts, reflecting the exquisite taste and culinary expertise of the Assyrians. Their skilled chefs, hailing from the faraway lands of the Near East, possessed an unmatched ability to blend flavors in ways that may seem unconventional to our modern palates. Garlic and sugar commingled pleasantly, disregarding the confines of salty and sweet, as they crafted dishes that delighted the senses.
The Assyrians relished the strong flavors of grilled, toasted, and even charred delicacies. They were not averse to the tang of fermentation or the piquancy of spices. Seasoning was an art form, with every dish carefully crafted to tantalize the taste buds. Their culinary repertoire spanned a vast spectrum of ingredients, each sourced from the bountiful offerings of nature and transformed into gastronomic delights through the alchemy of their specific recipes.
The written inscription (which we shall reiterate momentarily) on a sandstone block placed near the doorway to the throne room of the palace of Ashurnasirpal in Kalhu paints stunning images from that era, revealing an astonishing culinary legacy, one characterized by a commitment to excellence and the pursuit of gastronomic perfection, providing their guests an experience that transcended mere consumption. Abundant libations, mouthwatering flavors, delightful company, and enrapturing entertainment smoothly converged to create an atmosphere of pure enchantment.
Kalhu, once a thriving trade center in ancient times, had fallen into disrepair before the reign of Ashurnasirpal II. Undeterred by its dilapidated state, the visionary king set out to create a new city, a capital befitting his greatness to demonstrate his unrivaled legacy. With painstaking attention to detail, he oversaw the construction of not only administrative buildings but also a palace embellished with elaborately carved reliefs showcasing victorious warriors and conquered kings. At the grand entrance to his reception hall, humongous winged bulls with human heads stood guard, their faces bearing an idealized likeness of Ashurnasirpal himself.
The new city of Kalhu sprawled across 360 hectares, consisting of a magnificent wall that spanned a staggering 4.6 miles. In his inscriptions, Ashurnasirpal II declared, “The former city of Kalhu… had fallen into decay… That city I built anew.” Orchards bloomed, offering fruits and wine as offerings to the god Assur. Wells were dug, ensuring a bountiful water supply, and the city’s walls were erected with scrupulous care, reaching from the very foundation to their soaring summit.
Within the regal boundaries of the palace, Mesopotamian royal residences often served as both grand stages for public spectacles and intimate spaces for private gatherings. Here, the king would convene with his closest confidants, host family reunions, and conduct important meetings. It was within these halls that the banquet table took center stage, a symbol of lavish hospitality and camaraderie.
For Ashurnasirpal II, the restoration of Kalhu marked the revitalization of his empire’s heart. While his annals and inscriptions extensively documented his military conquests and architectural achievements, the inauguration festivities of his capital city held a unique place in history. Thus, one of the core purposes of this grand celebration was to triumphantly proclaim the city’s rebirth and the king’s unprecedented glory.
Not content with the mere reconstruction of the city, Ashurnasirpal II sought to dazzle the imaginations of his subjects and foreign visitors alike. He commissioned the creation of a zoo, a groundbreaking undertaking for its time, showcasing exotic animals from far-flung lands. Botanical gardens decorated with magnificent foreign trees and flowers, collected during the king’s triumphant military campaigns, further enhanced the splendor of Kalhu.
With the completion of the palace and its ostentatious reliefs prettifying the walls, the stage was set for the culmination of Ashurnasirpal II’s vision. In a gesture of unequaled generosity, the king extended an invitation to all, summoning them to witness the magnificence that had been brought to life within the walls of his palace and the city of Kalhu. It was a celebration beyond compare, a momentous occasion that would forever be remembered by man.
As the festivities unfolded, the guests marveled at the spectacular beauty that surrounded them, for the air buzzed with excitement and admiration. Hence, the Assyrian king’s triumph was not solely confined to the physical reconstruction of the city but also surrounded the revival of a proud heritage and the reaffirmation of Assyrian dominance.
However, it is intriguing to note that despite its modern designation, the Banquet Stele does not actually depict a banquet in the traditional sense. Rather, it presents a detailed inventory of food and drink, reminiscent of the administrative records and accounts of the era. The list, consisting of various ingredients in both solid and liquid forms, offers no pragmatic insight into how these elements were combined, prepared, or cooked to create the final dishes. Furthermore, the stele provides no clues about the physical setting in which the feast took place.
The Inscription
With every word inscribed upon the Banquet Stele, we are transported to a realm of unsurpassed magnificence, immersed in the lavishness that enveloped this celebrated Neo-Assyrian royal feast.
“When Ashurnasirpal, king of Assyria, inaugurated the palace in Kalhu, a palace of joy, and erected it with great ingenuity, he invited into it (the idolatrized) Ashur.
He prepared a banquet of 1,000 fattened heads of cattle, 1,000 calves, 10,000 stable sheep, 15,000 lambs.
For my (idolatrized) lady Ishtar alone, 200 head of cattle and 1,000 sihhu-sheep …
1,000 spring lambs, 500 stags, 500 gazelles, 1,000 ducks, 500 geese, 5000 kurku-geese, 1,000 mesuku-birds, 1,000 qaribu-birds, 10,000 doves, 10,000 sukanunu-doves, 10,000 others, assorted, small birds, 10,000 assorted fish, 10,000 jerboa …
10,000 assorted eggs, 10,000 loaves of bread, 10,000 jars of beer, 10,000 skins with wine …
10,000-pointed bottom vessels with su’u-seeds in sesame oil, 10,000 small pots with sarhu-condiment …
1,000 wooden crates with vegetables, 300 containers with oil, 300 containers with salted seeds, 300 containers with mixed raqqute-plants, 100 with kudimmu-spice, 100 containers with …
100 containers with parched barley, 100 containers with green abahsinnu-stalks, 100 containers with fine mixed beer, 100 pomegranates, 100 bunches of grapes, 100 mixed zamru-fruits, 100 pistachio cones, 100 with the fruits of the susi-tree …
100 with garlic, 100 with onions, 100 with kuniphu seeds, 100 with the […] of turnips, 100 with hinhinnu-spice, 100 with budu-spice …
100 with honey, 100 with rendered butter, 100 with roasted […] barley, 100 with roasted su’u-seeds, 100 with karkartu-plants, 100 with fruits of the ti’atu-tree, 100 with kasu-plants …
100 with milk, 100 with cheese, 100 jars with ‘mixture,’ 100 with pickled arsuppu-grain …
ten homers of shelled luddu-nuts, ten homers of shelled pistachio nuts, ten homers of fruits of the susu-tree, ten homers of fruits of the kabba-ququ-tree, ten homers of dates, ten homers of the fruits of the titip tree, ten homers of cumin, ten homers of sahhunu, ten homers of urianu, ten homers of andahsu-bulbs, then homers of sisanibbe-plants, ten homers of the fruits of the simburu-tree, ten homers of thyme, ten homers of perfumed oil, ten homers of sweet smelling matters, ten homers of […] ten homers of the fruits of the nasubu-tree, homers of […], ten homers of the fruits of the nasubu-tree, ten homers of zimzimmu-onions, ten homers of olives.
When I inaugurated the palace at Kalhu, I treated for ten days with food and drink 47,074 persons, men, and women, who were bid to come from across my entire country; also 5,000 important persons, delegates from the country Suhu, from Hindana, Hattina, Hatti, Tyre, Sidon, Gurguma, Malida, Hubushka, Gilzana, Kuma and Mushashir; also 16,000 inhabitants of Kalhu from all ways of life, 1,500 officials of all my palaces; altogether 69,574 invited guests from all the mentioned countries, including the people of Kalhu.
I furthermore provided them with the means to clean and anoint themselves. I did them due honors and sent them back, healthy and happy, to their countries.”
- Ashurnasirpal II (Inscribed on the sandstone block placed near the doorway to the throne room of his palace in Kalhu)
With the vast assembly of attendees, it’s conceivable that Kalhu morphed into a grand backdrop for the celebrations. The monarch, his kin, and distinguished dignitaries presumably took residence within the new palace’s bounds, whereas Assyria’s populace, drawn from the empire’s far reaches, settled into various buildings, courtyards, and accessible open areas throughout the city. This distribution at the feast subtly reflected the closeness of each person to the sovereign, with their physical removal from the royal dwelling symbolizing the nature of their bond with the monarch.
Conclusion
Ashurnasirpal II’s reign spanned 25 years, during which he continued to indulge his passion for ambitious construction projects. He tirelessly renovated, expanded, and developed numerous cities throughout his empire. Additionally, he demonstrated his commitment to the welfare of his people by fortifying the borders, establishing food reserves and water sources to prepare for times of crisis, and strengthening the economy through fourteen victorious military campaigns. However, historical evidence does not indicate that he ever hosted another event on the scale of the monumental celebration in Kalhu in 879 BCE.
As the Kalhu festival remains solely documented through the inscriptions we recently bore witness to, the actual experiences and enjoyment of the guests remain a mystery. What is known, however, is that once upon a time, King Ashurnasirpal II of Assyria planned the grandest of all parties, and he ensured its ever-lasting legacy through the inscribed account that would be passed down to future generations.
All images were sourced from Google Images.
