How did Ashurbanipal’s alliance with the Scythian leader Madyes help protect Assyria?

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Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal — Ashurbanipal Ashurbanipal depicted in a lion hunt in an Assyrian relief from his northern palace in Nineveh; now in the British Museum.

Ashurbanipal’s alliance with the Scythian chief Madyes helped protect Assyria by providing the military support necessary to repel Cimmerian advances.1

By securing this alliance, Ashurbanipal successfully utilized Scythian military might to counter the threat posed by the Cimmerian intruders, who had been causing instability in the region. This strategic partnership allowed Ashurbanipal to stabilize his northern borders and focus his attention and resources on managing affairs in Babylonia, his southern neighbor.1