Why did Ashurbanipal refuse to help Gyges of Lydia against the Cimmerians?

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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 refused to provide military assistance to Gyges of Lydia against the Cimmerian invaders because Lydian mercenaries had previously assisted Egypt in its efforts to gain independence from Assyrian rule.1

While Gyges had initially sought and received help from the Assyrians after a dream advised him to turn to Ashurbanipal, his subsequent decision to form an alliance with the Egyptian king Psamtik led to the breakdown of their diplomatic relations. Consequently, Ashurbanipal withdrew his support, leaving Lydia vulnerable to further Cimmerian attacks.213