We’re exploring themes from the current Getty Villa exhibition “Mesopotamia: Civilization Begins,” and today’s theme is kingship! ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ In their images and inscriptions, different Mesopotamian kings emphasized different personal qualities. The Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (668-632/27 BC) portrayed himself as a powerful warrior but also a highly educated and literate man.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ The relief panel pictured here, which once decorated Ashurbanipal’s palace in the city of Nineveh, can be seen in the Villa’s other current exhibition “Assyria: Palace Art of Ancient Iraq.” This scene of opulent feasting in the king’s gardens shows Ashurbanipal and his queen drinking wine as the head of a vanquished enemy hangs from a nearby tree (at left). Behind Ashurbanipal’s banqueting couch, his sword, bow, and quiver of arrows lie on a table as a reminder of his military prowess.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ Ashurbanipal is also known for his library at Nineveh, where thousands of cuneiform tablets have been found, covering all genre...