September 2, 2025 • 10 mins
Dive into the captivating world of ancient Babylon with this insightful monograph, which explores the legendary flood myth and the renowned Epic of Gilgamesh, particularly the Standard Babylonian version dating back to the 7th century BC. Unearthed from the clay tablets of the Royal Library of Ashurbanipal at the historic Nineveh, the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, this work not only narrates these timeless stories through a blend of direct translation and engaging paraphrase but also provides a vivid description of the library and the intriguing tale of its discovery. Accompanied by eighteen stunning illustrations, this book offers a rich glimpse into a fascinating chapter of human history. - Summary by Kazbek
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section one of the Babylonian Story of the Deluge and
the Epic of Gilgamesh with an account of the Royal
Libraries of Nineve. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The Babylonian Story
(00:21):
of the Deluge and the Epic of Gilgamesh with an
Account of the Royal Libraries of Nineve by E. A.
Wallace Budge. The Babylonian Story of the Deluge as told
by Assyrian Tablets from Nineveh. The discovery of the Tablets
at Nineve by Layard, Russam and Smith in eighteen forty
(00:46):
five forty seven and again in eighteen forty nine to
fifty one, mister let Us Sir A. H. Layard carried
out a series of excavations among the ruins of the
ancient city of Nineveh. Quote that great city wherein are
more than sixteen thousand persons that cannot discern between their
(01:08):
right hand and their left, and also much cattle end
quote Book of Jonah, chapter four, verse two. Its ruins
lie on the left or east bank of the Tigris
exactly opposite the town of Elmousel or Mosel, which was
founded by the Sassanians and marks the sites of western Nineve.
(01:32):
At first later thought that these ruins were not those
of Nineve, which he placed at Nimrut about twenty miles downstream,
but of one of the other cities that were builded
by Ashore see Genesis Book ten, verses eleven twelve. Thanks however,
to Christian, Roman and Mohammedan tradition, there is no room
(01:54):
for doubt about it, and the site of Nineveh has
always been known. The fortress which the Arabs built there
in the seventh century was known as Kliot Ninowe i e.
Nineve Castle for many centuries, and all the Arab geographers
agree in saying that the mounds opposite Mosul contained the
(02:16):
ruins of the palaces and walls of Nineve, and few
of them failed to mention that close by them is
Stayl Nabi unis i e. The hill from which the
prophet Jonah preached repentance to the inhabitants of Nineve, that
quote exceeding great city of three days journey end Quo
(02:37):
Jonah chapter three, verse three. Local tradition also declares that
the prophet was birds in the hill, and his supposed
tomb is shown there to this day the walls and
palaces of Nineveh. The situation of the ruins of the
palaces of Nineveh is well shown by the accompanying reproduction
(03:00):
of the plan of the city made by Commander Felix
Jones I n. The remains of the older palaces built
by Sarga on the second Pc. Seven hundred twenty one
two seven o five, sen Naghrib BC. Seven o five
to six hundred eighty one and Esarhadan b c. Six
(03:20):
hundred eighty one to six hundred sixty eight lie under
the hill called Nabi Yunis, and those of the palaces
and other buildings of Ashurbanipal b c. Six hundred eighty
one to six hundred twenty six under the mound, which
is known locally as Tel al jar mushiya i e.
(03:41):
The Hill of Armush and Koyunjik. The latter name is
said to be derived from two Turkish words meaning many sheep,
in allusion to the large flocks of sheep that find
their pasture on and about the mound in the early spring.
These two great mounds lie close to the remains of
(04:01):
the great west wall of Nineve, which in the time
of the last Assyrian Empire was washed by the waters
of the River Tigris. At some unknown period, the course
of the river changed, and it is now more than
a mile distant from the city wall. The river Kusur
or Houzer divides the area of Nineve into two parts, and,
(04:26):
passing close to the southern end of Koyunjik, empties itself
into the Tigris. The ruins of the walls of Nineve
show that the east wall was sixteen thousand feet long,
the north wall seven thousand feet long, the west wall
thirteen thousand, six hundred feet and the south wall three
(04:47):
thousand feet. Its circuit was about thirteen thousand, two hundred
yards or seven and a half miles discovery of the
library of the Temple of Nebo at Nineveh. In the
spring of eighteen fifty two, Layard, assisted by H. Russam,
(05:07):
continued the excavation of the Southwest Palace at Kuyunjik. In
one part of the building he found two small chambers
opening into each other, which he called the Chamber of
Records or the House of the Rolls. He gave them
this name because quote to the height of a foot
(05:28):
or more from the floor. They were entirely filled end
quote with inscribed baked clay tablets and fragments of tablets.
Some tablets were complete, but by far the largest number
of them had been broken up into many fragments, probably
from the falling in of the roof and upper parts
of the walls of the buildings when the city was
(05:50):
pillaged and set on fire by the Meads and by Bylonians.
The tablets that were kept in these chambers numbered many
thousands besides those that were found in them by Layard.
Large numbers have been dug out all along the corridor
which passed the chambers and led to the river, and
(06:11):
a considerable number were kicked on to the river front
by the feet of the terrified fugitives from the palace
when it was set on fire. The tablets found by
Layard were of different sizes. The largest were rectangular, flat
on one side and convex on the other, and measured
(06:31):
about nine inches by six and a half inches, and
the smallest were about an inch square. The importance of
this find was not sufficiently recognized at the time, for
the tablets, which were thought to be decorated pottery were
thrown into baskets and sent down the river loops on
(06:52):
rafts to Basra, whence they were dispatched to England on
a British man of war. During their transport from Nineve
to England, they suffered more damage from want of packing
than they had suffered from the wrath of the meads.
Among the complete tablets that were found in the two chambers,
(07:12):
several had calophons inscribed or scratched upon them, and when
they were deciphered by Rawlinstone, Higgs and Upward a few
years later, it became evident that they had formed part
of the library of the Temple of Nebo at Nineveh.
Nibo and his library at Nineve. Nothing is known of
(07:34):
the early history of the library of the Temple of
Nebo at Nineveh. There is little doubt that it was
in existence in the reign of Sargon the second, and
it was probably founded at the instance of the priests
of Nebo who were settled at Nimroud the Color of
Genesis chapter ten, verse two, about twenty miles downstream of Nineve.
(07:58):
Authorities differ in their ESCC stimates of the attributes that
were assigned to Nebo in pre Babylonian times, and can
not decide whether he was a water god, or a
fire god or a corn god, but he was undoubtedly
associated with mar Duke, either as his son or as
a fellow god. It is certain that as early as
(08:21):
b c. Two thousand it was regarded as one of
the great gods of Babylonia, and about one thousand, two
hundred years later his cult was general in Assyria. He
had a temple at Nimroud in the ninth century b C.
And King adit Nirai b c. Eight hundred eleven to
(08:43):
seven hundred eighty three set up six statues in it
to the honor of the god. Two of these statues
are now in the British Museum. Under the last Assyrian Empire,
he was believed to possess the wisdom of all the gods,
and to be the all wise and all knowing. He
(09:04):
was the inventor of all the arts and sciences, and
the source of inspiration in wise and learned men. And
he was the divine scribe and past master of all
the mysteries connected with literature and the art of writing.
To Pusharute Ashur Banipal addressed him as quote Nibo, the
(09:27):
beneficent Sun, the director of the hosts of heaven and
of Earth, holder of the tablet of Knowledge, bearer of
the writing reed of Destiny, lengthener of days, vivifire of
the dead, stablisher of light for the men who are
troubled see tablet r M one hundred thirty two. In
(09:50):
the reign of Sargon the Second, the temple library of
Nibo was probably housed in some building at or near
Nabi Yunis, or, as George Smith thought, near Koyunjik, or
at Koyunjik itself. As Layard found the remains of Neibo's
library in the Southwest Palace, it is probable that Ashurbanipal
(10:14):
built a new temple to Nibo there and had the
library transferred to it. Nibo's temple at Nineveh bore the
same name as his very ancient temple at Borsippa, the
modern Persi Nimrut this eh Zida. End of section one
Section one of the Babylonian Story of the Deluge and
the Epic of Gilgamesh with an account of the Royal
Libraries of Nineve. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The Babylonian Story
(00:21):
of the Deluge and the Epic of Gilgamesh with an
Account of the Royal Libraries of Nineve by E. A.
Wallace Budge. The Babylonian Story of the Deluge as told
by Assyrian Tablets from Nineveh. The discovery of the Tablets
at Nineve by Layard, Russam and Smith in eighteen forty
(00:46):
five forty seven and again in eighteen forty nine to
fifty one, mister let Us Sir A. H. Layard carried
out a series of excavations among the ruins of the
ancient city of Nineveh. Quote that great city wherein are
more than sixteen thousand persons that cannot discern between their
(01:08):
right hand and their left, and also much cattle end
quote Book of Jonah, chapter four, verse two. Its ruins
lie on the left or east bank of the Tigris
exactly opposite the town of Elmousel or Mosel, which was
founded by the Sassanians and marks the sites of western Nineve.
(01:32):
At first later thought that these ruins were not those
of Nineve, which he placed at Nimrut about twenty miles downstream,
but of one of the other cities that were builded
by Ashore see Genesis Book ten, verses eleven twelve. Thanks however,
to Christian, Roman and Mohammedan tradition, there is no room
(01:54):
for doubt about it, and the site of Nineveh has
always been known. The fortress which the Arabs built there
in the seventh century was known as Kliot Ninowe i e.
Nineve Castle for many centuries, and all the Arab geographers
agree in saying that the mounds opposite Mosul contained the
(02:16):
ruins of the palaces and walls of Nineve, and few
of them failed to mention that close by them is
Stayl Nabi unis i e. The hill from which the
prophet Jonah preached repentance to the inhabitants of Nineve, that
quote exceeding great city of three days journey end Quo
(02:37):
Jonah chapter three, verse three. Local tradition also declares that
the prophet was birds in the hill, and his supposed
tomb is shown there to this day the walls and
palaces of Nineveh. The situation of the ruins of the
palaces of Nineveh is well shown by the accompanying reproduction
(03:00):
of the plan of the city made by Commander Felix
Jones I n. The remains of the older palaces built
by Sarga on the second Pc. Seven hundred twenty one
two seven o five, sen Naghrib BC. Seven o five
to six hundred eighty one and Esarhadan b c. Six
(03:20):
hundred eighty one to six hundred sixty eight lie under
the hill called Nabi Yunis, and those of the palaces
and other buildings of Ashurbanipal b c. Six hundred eighty
one to six hundred twenty six under the mound, which
is known locally as Tel al jar mushiya i e.
(03:41):
The Hill of Armush and Koyunjik. The latter name is
said to be derived from two Turkish words meaning many sheep,
in allusion to the large flocks of sheep that find
their pasture on and about the mound in the early spring.
These two great mounds lie close to the remains of
(04:01):
the great west wall of Nineve, which in the time
of the last Assyrian Empire was washed by the waters
of the River Tigris. At some unknown period, the course
of the river changed, and it is now more than
a mile distant from the city wall. The river Kusur
or Houzer divides the area of Nineve into two parts, and,
(04:26):
passing close to the southern end of Koyunjik, empties itself
into the Tigris. The ruins of the walls of Nineve
show that the east wall was sixteen thousand feet long,
the north wall seven thousand feet long, the west wall
thirteen thousand, six hundred feet and the south wall three
(04:47):
thousand feet. Its circuit was about thirteen thousand, two hundred
yards or seven and a half miles discovery of the
library of the Temple of Nebo at Nineveh. In the
spring of eighteen fifty two, Layard, assisted by H. Russam,
(05:07):
continued the excavation of the Southwest Palace at Kuyunjik. In
one part of the building he found two small chambers
opening into each other, which he called the Chamber of
Records or the House of the Rolls. He gave them
this name because quote to the height of a foot
(05:28):
or more from the floor. They were entirely filled end
quote with inscribed baked clay tablets and fragments of tablets.
Some tablets were complete, but by far the largest number
of them had been broken up into many fragments, probably
from the falling in of the roof and upper parts
of the walls of the buildings when the city was
(05:50):
pillaged and set on fire by the Meads and by Bylonians.
The tablets that were kept in these chambers numbered many
thousands besides those that were found in them by Layard.
Large numbers have been dug out all along the corridor
which passed the chambers and led to the river, and
(06:11):
a considerable number were kicked on to the river front
by the feet of the terrified fugitives from the palace
when it was set on fire. The tablets found by
Layard were of different sizes. The largest were rectangular, flat
on one side and convex on the other, and measured
(06:31):
about nine inches by six and a half inches, and
the smallest were about an inch square. The importance of
this find was not sufficiently recognized at the time, for
the tablets, which were thought to be decorated pottery were
thrown into baskets and sent down the river loops on
(06:52):
rafts to Basra, whence they were dispatched to England on
a British man of war. During their transport from Nineve
to England, they suffered more damage from want of packing
than they had suffered from the wrath of the meads.
Among the complete tablets that were found in the two chambers,
(07:12):
several had calophons inscribed or scratched upon them, and when
they were deciphered by Rawlinstone, Higgs and Upward a few
years later, it became evident that they had formed part
of the library of the Temple of Nebo at Nineveh.
Nibo and his library at Nineve. Nothing is known of
(07:34):
the early history of the library of the Temple of
Nebo at Nineveh. There is little doubt that it was
in existence in the reign of Sargon the second, and
it was probably founded at the instance of the priests
of Nebo who were settled at Nimroud the Color of
Genesis chapter ten, verse two, about twenty miles downstream of Nineve.
(07:58):
Authorities differ in their ESCC stimates of the attributes that
were assigned to Nebo in pre Babylonian times, and can
not decide whether he was a water god, or a
fire god or a corn god, but he was undoubtedly
associated with mar Duke, either as his son or as
a fellow god. It is certain that as early as
(08:21):
b c. Two thousand it was regarded as one of
the great gods of Babylonia, and about one thousand, two
hundred years later his cult was general in Assyria. He
had a temple at Nimroud in the ninth century b C.
And King adit Nirai b c. Eight hundred eleven to
(08:43):
seven hundred eighty three set up six statues in it
to the honor of the god. Two of these statues
are now in the British Museum. Under the last Assyrian Empire,
he was believed to possess the wisdom of all the gods,
and to be the all wise and all knowing. He
(09:04):
was the inventor of all the arts and sciences, and
the source of inspiration in wise and learned men. And
he was the divine scribe and past master of all
the mysteries connected with literature and the art of writing.
To Pusharute Ashur Banipal addressed him as quote Nibo, the
(09:27):
beneficent Sun, the director of the hosts of heaven and
of Earth, holder of the tablet of Knowledge, bearer of
the writing reed of Destiny, lengthener of days, vivifire of
the dead, stablisher of light for the men who are
troubled see tablet r M one hundred thirty two. In
(09:50):
the reign of Sargon the Second, the temple library of
Nibo was probably housed in some building at or near
Nabi Yunis, or, as George Smith thought, near Koyunjik, or
at Koyunjik itself. As Layard found the remains of Neibo's
library in the Southwest Palace, it is probable that Ashurbanipal
(10:14):
built a new temple to Nibo there and had the
library transferred to it. Nibo's temple at Nineveh bore the
same name as his very ancient temple at Borsippa, the
modern Persi Nimrut this eh Zida. End of section one
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.