99% Invisible: "Ancient DMs" - Episode Summary
Release Date: January 14, 2025
Host: Roman Mars
Producer: Joe Rosenberg
Guests:
- Lisa Wilhelmi: Assistant Professor at the Free University of Berlin, Assyriologist
- David Damrosch: Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard
Introduction: The Challenge of Preserving Everyday Life
Roman Mars opens the episode by highlighting the scarcity of everyday documents from ancient civilizations, emphasizing that while monumental works like Sophocles' plays survive in limited numbers, the mundane aspects of daily life in ancient societies are often lost to history.
“It's called ephemera for a reason.” — Roman Mars [00:00]
Discovery of the Assyrian Imperial Library
Joe Rosenberg introduces the central story: the remarkable discovery of a vast collection of clay tablets in Nineveh, the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, dating back to around 600 BCE. Unearthed in the 1840s, this find includes tens of thousands of tablets in exceptional condition, making it one of the most significant archaeological discoveries for understanding ancient Mesopotamia.
“This find remains arguably the single most impressive collection of documents ever found.” — Joe Rosenberg [04:32]
Lisa Wilhelmi underscores the library’s uniqueness, noting that it’s the only ancient tablet collection referred to as a "library," housing not only literary and scholarly works but also mundane records like personal correspondence and official petitions.
“It is outstanding. It is extraordinary because there are so many tablets.” — Lisa Wilhelmi [04:45]
King Esarhaddon: The Neurotic Ruler
The narrative delves into the life of King Esarhaddon, the powerful yet deeply insecure ruler of Assyria. Through his personal letters found among the tablets, a different image of the king emerges—one marked by paranoia and indecisiveness.
“Esarhaddon was terminally indecisive and he was also the most powerful person in the world, but he worries about everything.” — David Damrosch [09:39]
One notable letter reveals Esarhaddon’s anxiety over a mongoose passing under his chariot, prompting him to question its omenistic significance and consider whether it portends misfortune.
“Does the omen, if something passes between the legs of a man apply to something that came out from underneath the chariot?” — Esarhaddon (as quoted by Joe Rosenberg) [10:12]
Despite his fears, Esarhaddon’s advisors, particularly Blasi, maintain a rare frankness in their correspondence, revealing growing frustration with the king’s incessant concerns over omens and potential betrayals.
“Why is the king like this? What can we do? Why is he so worried about an earthquake in the south of the country?” — Advisors (as quoted by David Damrosch) [12:06]
Ashurbanipal: The Scholar King and Library Expansion
Esarhaddon's inability to read leads him to rely heavily on his advisors to interpret messages and manage affairs. Anticipating the limitations this posed, Esarhaddon ensures that his son, Ashurbanipal, is trained in reading and writing.
“Being illiterate sucks. So my son will learn to read.” — Esarhaddon (as interpreted by Joe Rosenberg) [16:43]
Ashurbanipal not only becomes literate but also a passionate bibliophile. Upon ascending to the throne, he significantly expands the existing archive into a comprehensive library, collecting a vast array of texts spanning literature, astronomy, statecraft, and more. This expansion includes multiple copies of seminal works like the Epic of Gilgamesh and detailed astronomical records.
“He just loved writing. He was fascinated by it.” — David Damrosch [17:42]
Preservation Through Catastrophe: The Fate of the Tablets
The Assyrian Empire's relentless expansion eventually leads to its downfall. In 612 BCE, a coalition of rebellious states sacks Nineveh, resulting in the accidental preservation of the library’s clay tablets. The destruction, while catastrophic, effectively buried the tablets, transforming them into durable terracotta that survived millennia.
“If you cook them, it makes them last forever. They become like terracotta.” — David Damrosch [24:00]
Lisa Wilhelmi compares this preservation to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which preserved Pompeii. The burning and subsequent burial of the library ensured that both grand literary works and mundane records remained intact until their rediscovery in the 19th century.
“Accidental destruction tends to preserve much more information on the actual lives of people.” — Lisa Wilhelmi [23:35]
Assyriology and the Quest to Reconstruct the Past
In the latter part of the episode, Joe Rosenberg and Lisa Wilhelmi discuss the intricate work of assyriology—the study of ancient Mesopotamian societies through their cuneiform texts. Lisa elaborates on the challenges scholars face in piecing together fragmented and incomplete tablets, often dealing with "known knowns," "known unknowns," and "unknown unknowns."
“We have references to place names in our texts and we don't know where these places were.” — Lisa Wilhelmi [33:18]
The discussion highlights the painstaking efforts to reconstruct narratives like the Epic of Gilgamesh, where significant portions are still missing. Lisa remains optimistic that ongoing discoveries and scholarly dedication will continue to fill these gaps, potentially revealing forgotten facets of ancient civilizations.
“I think we will get there, but it will just take time.” — Lisa Wilhelmi [36:13]
Conclusion: The Legacy of Preservation
Roman Mars reflects on the dual role of creation and destruction in preserving history. The deliberate efforts of Ashurbanipal to amass a comprehensive library, combined with the unintended preservation through the empire's fall, underscore the fragile yet enduring nature of human legacy.
“Preserving the human legacy. I mean, it kind of turns out it takes, I guess, equal parts hard work and dumb luck.” — Joe Rosenberg [25:23]
The episode closes by acknowledging the remarkable journey of these ancient documents through time, surviving both the might of an empire and the ravages of time to offer invaluable insights into the lives and minds of people from over two millennia ago.
Notable Quotes Overview
- “It's called ephemera for a reason.” — Roman Mars [00:00]
- “This find remains arguably the single most impressive collection of documents ever found.” — Joe Rosenberg [04:32]
- “Esarhaddon was terminally indecisive and he was also the most powerful person in the world, but he worries about everything.” — David Damrosch [09:39]
- “Being illiterate sucks. So my son will learn to read.” — Esarhaddon (as interpreted by Joe Rosenberg) [16:43]
- “Accidental destruction tends to preserve much more information on the actual lives of people.” — Lisa Wilhelmi [23:35]
- “We have references to place names in our texts and we don't know where these places were.” — Lisa Wilhelmi [33:18]
- “Preserving the human legacy. I mean, it kind of turns out it takes, I guess, equal parts hard work and dumb luck.” — Joe Rosenberg [25:23]
Final Thoughts:
"Ancient DMs" offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of ancient Assyrian royalty through their written correspondence, revealing the human side of historical figures often overshadowed by their political and military actions. The episode underscores the importance of preservation—both intentional and accidental—in safeguarding our collective past.