The greatest feast of antiquity known to date was the one that occurred Mesopotamia, which was organized by King Asurbanipal II (883-859 BC). It was held to celebrate the urban reorganization of the city of Kalah, which from that moment became in the capital of Mesopotamia, taking this honor from the city of Nineveh.
This lavish banquet was documented on a stele that describes what happened.
According to this stele, for 10 days total, 69.574 people were fed with 695.740 kg of meat (once boneless, it amounted to about 1kg per person per day). They were also fed more than 10.000 different varieties of fish, 10.000 eggs and 10.000 loaves of bread. To hydrate they had 10.000 jugs of beer and 10.000 wineskins. The preparation of the food and the compliments had to be up to par for this macro-event, so the best known condiment was chosen, which was olive oil. In the end, 36.000 kg were consumed (more than 500 grams per person).
In the words of Asurbanipal II read from the stele, he states, «When I inaugurated the palace of Kalah, I fed in this way, for ten days 47.074 men and women who had been invited from all parts of my kingdom, as well as 5.000 representatives of several countries, more than 16.000 inhabitants of Kalah and 1.500 members of my palace staff, that is, a total of 69.574 guests, whom I gave food and drink to and those who provided what was necessary for their cleanliness. That’s how I honored them before sending them home in good harmony and joy! «.
In addition, according to the tale, the God Asur, who is the Great Gentleman of the Gods of all the country, was invited. But the means used for such an invitation is not known or if he did indeed attend the greatest banquet of the antiquity in the end.