Ashurbanipal was an ancient Assyrian king who ruled from 668 to 627 BC. He is known for his military conquests and for building one of the most extensive libraries of the ancient world in the city of Nineveh. Ashurbanipal was also a patron of the arts and learning, and his library contained a vast collection of cuneiform tablets, providing valuable insights into the history, culture, and literature of ancient Mesopotamia.