| Sardanapalus | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:The_Two_Foscari,_Sardanapalus,_and_Cain.jpg) First edition title page | |
| Written by | Lord Byron |
| Characters |
|
| Mute | Women of the harem, guards, attendants, Chaldean priests, Medes etc. |
| Date premiered | 10 April 1834 |
| Place premiered | Theatre Royal, Drury Lane |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | The fall of the Assyrian monarchy |
| Genre | Historical tragedy, blank verse tragedy, closet drama |
| Setting | The Royal Palace at Nineveh |
Sardanapalus (1821) is a historical tragedy in blank verse by Lord Byron, set in ancient Nineveh and recounting the fall of the Assyrian monarchy and its supposed last king. It draws its story mainly from the Historical Library of Diodorus Siculus and from William Mitford's History of Greece. Byron wrote the play during his stay in Ravenna, and dedicated it to Goethe. It has had an extensive influence on European culture, inspiring a painting by Delacroix and musical works by Berlioz, Liszt and Ravel, among others.