Asnapper

asnapper

probably the same as -ssur-bani-pal (sardanapalos of the greeks), styled the “great and n-ble” (ezra 4:10), was the son and successor (b.c. 668) of esar-haddon (q.v.). he was “luxurious, ambitious, and cruel, but a magnificent patron of literature.” he formed at nineveh a library of clay tablets, numbering about 10,000. these are now mostly in the british museum. they throw much light on the history and antiquities of -ssyria. -ssur-bani-pal was a munificent patron of literature, and the conqueror of elam. towards the middle of his reign his empire was shaken by a great rebellion headed by his brother in babylon. the rebellion was finally put down, but egypt was lost, and the military power of -ssyria was so exhausted that it could with difficulty resist the hordes of kimmerians who poured over western asia. (see nineveh.)

historical examples

-ssur-bani-pal is probably the ‘great and n-ble’ asnapper of ezra iv.
-ssyria, its princes, priests and people a. h. (archibald henry) sayce