The book, also known as the "Proverbs of Ahiqar" tells the story of Ahikar, an advisor to the ancient Assyrian and Egyptian rulers. It was probably written about 600 BCE, with the earliest surviving fragments dating to about 500 BC. The Story of Aḥiqar has been characterised as "one of the earliest 'international books' of world literature." It circulated widely in the Middle and the Near East. The earliest copy is from the fifth century BCE on papyri from Elephantine, Egypt. Ahikar is a mythical chancellor to the Assyrian kings Sennacherib and Esarhaddon. Having no child of his own, he adopted his nephew Nadab and raised him to be his successor... But Nadab is ungrateful, and has a plot to take over.