Battle of Olay River mural
Another scene from the mural of the battle of the Ulai River, which was fought by the Assyrian army led by Ashurbanipal against Elam. The history of the mural dates back to the year 650-660 BC. It is from the southwestern palace of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh.
An Assyrian soldier appears preparing to behead an Elamite officer named Itoni...The Elamite officer is shown breaking his bow in recognition of the defeat and Assyrian victory in the battle.
The country of Elam is located southeast of Babylon, and is what is called today Ahvaz or Khuzestan [naturally, it is an extension of the alluvial plain that the Euphrates, Tigris and Karun helped create]...
Elam was in the seventh century BC, under the rule of its king (Urtak), who made great efforts to consolidate the relationship with Assyria. He returned what had been plundered by his predecessor and his older brother (Khumban-Khaldash) in a quick raid [after which he died immediately] to Assyria..
The two sides began to have friendly relations that reached the point of an alliance throughout the rule of Esarhaddon and some of the reign of Ashurbanipal.
A frightening famine is sweeping Elam, so Ashurbanipal rushes to send aid and welcomes those of the people of Elam who have temporarily sought refuge in his kingdom...
With all this, Urtak, king of Elam, allies himself with Jambulu or Jambulai [a large Aramaic tribe living in eastern Babylon].
Why did he enter Babylon [an Assyrian area of influence] and die a short time later...
Then his brother (Theoman) seizes power, and the three sons of Ortak flee to Assyria in fear of their uncle, to live in Nineveh under the protection of the emperor...
He demands that Tioman hand them over, but his request is rejected.
Then Teoman launched a campaign to end Assyrian influence south of Babylon, then formed an alliance that included Elam, Ur, Babylon, and the Arameans against Assyria.
Which made Assyria in Nepal march with the Assyrian army to fight them and bring them back to the fold of obedience...
In a text written in the 7th century BC, the Assyrian emperor gives reasons
War is:
1-The obscene letters of the Elamite king Teoman.
2-His boasting.
3-His “evil” manifestations.
4- The lunar eclipse that predicted its fall.
5-Declaring war on Assyria.
6-The wrath of the gods against Tioman.
The two parties met on the banks of the Ulay River [currently, a river that originates from the Zagros Mountains and empties into the Hawizeh Marsh].
Ashurbanipal's victory was overwhelming, and he then sacked the capital of Elam. (Sousse-Shoush currently)..
Elam did not recover after the Battle of Ulay until it was conquered by the Persians a century later...
The murals inscribed on the walls of Ashurbanipal's palace depict the results of the battle. The great army of Assyria completely routed the enemies, causing their corpses to fill the battlefield.
We see the king of Elam (Teoman and his son) as they are about to throw their last arrows, and in another we find him and his son
(Tamarito) cut off my head...
The scene of two Elam leaders being flayed while they were alive, scenes of surrender and torture, as well as the scene of the coronation of Khumban Igash as the new ruler of Elam.
Another depicts a victory banquet, where Ashurbanipal celebrates in the garden of his palace, with the head of Teoman, King of Elam, hanging on a tree near him.
Source: websites