Ashurbanipal against Elam. : Figurative patterns and architectural location of the elamite wars

The present analysis reconsiders Ashurbanipal's representations of his Elamite campaigns in the North Palace at Nineveh. Starting from Ashurbanipal's accounts of the military deeds in Elam, identifications of the several sieges depicted in the rooms of the North Palace are suggested: other scenes are already known thanks to the common use of epigraphs and captions carved onto the slabs. Beside the military actions, Elamite characters can be also recognised in other situations: they document the different attitude of Ashurbanipal's policy in Elam with representations of Elamite refugees at the court of Nineveh serving and working for the Assyrian king. At the same time, considerations about the arrangement of the slabs showing the Elamite wars by Ashurbanipal in the North Palace are discussed: slabs with Elamite subjects are displayed in the rooms on the western side of the inner court J; other slabs are thought to have decorated the rooms on the upper floor of the palace. Finally, a common figurative pattern can be recognised: it will be argued that it helps in understanding the military strategy of the Assyrian army in Elam, since, as proved by thecareful depictions of the Elamite centres and their landscape, the Assyrian army seems to confront very similar situations each time