Summary

King Ashurnasirpal II of Assyria built a grand palace in 870 BCE to celebrate his military victories. He ordered an elaborate feast for the people which lasted ten days. That there was as much wine served as there was beer made the event a standout. Prior to this feast, wine had been available in Mesopotamia but only in small amounts because it was imported from the wine-growing lands to the north and the cost of transporting it was exorbitant. Wine had been enjoyed by the elite and used chiefly in religious ceremonies. The King’s ability to serve this expensive drink in great quantities was a testament to his wealth and power.

Wine’s exact time of creation is lost in prehistory but there is evidence that it first appeared in the Neolithic period between 9000 and 4000 BCE in the Zagros...