Assyria

Rulers of Assyria Assyria was a region of farmland along the upper Tigris river in northern Mesopotamia ~ 2000 BCE the Amorites conquered the region and turned Assyria into a kingdom 1740 BCE – the small kingdom was conquered by the Babylonians The region would continue to exchange rulers for the next few centuries including intermittent periods of Assyrian independence 1200 BCE – The Hittite Empire, who were the most recent rulers, collapsed along with much of the Late Bronze Age world Assyria became independent and began to regain power

Assyrian Empire ~900 BCE – The Assyrian army had become ruthlessly efficient Raided surrounding territories and demanded payment Conquered regions around Assyria sent tribute and resources 663 BCE – Assyrian Empire reached its greatest extent

Assyrian Siege Warfare The Assyrians were experts at attacking city The city was surrounded so no one could escape Starved the citizens of the city of food and supplies Knocked down the walls with siege equipment and captured the city Assyrians would then proceed to destroy the city – the people were killed, enslaved, or tortured to serve as a warning to other cities that might resist the Assyrians

Assyrian Rule Assyrians believed their land belonged to Ashur – their chief god Assyrian kings thought that they were chosen by the gods to rule Assyria and conquer new lands Took the grand title “King of the Universe” Grand cities full of magnificent palaces were built Power kings would move the capital to newer and grander cities – Ashur, Nimrud, Khorsabad, lastly Nineveh Assyrian kings lived in luxury relying on taxes from across their empire to support their lifestyle

Conquered Peoples Considered cruel even by ancient standards Assyrians relied on impalement, mass execution, and mass deportation of entire peoples to different parts of their empire They did set up state assistance to help establish the resettled people The “Ten Lost Tribes” of Israel were subjected to this mass deportation Ruling through fear and intimidation the Assyrians created many enemies

Fall of Assyria By the 7th century BCE Assyria grew to its greatest extent but had overstretched itself 612 BCE – an alliance between the Medes and Neo-Babylonians (aka Chaldeans) attacked and destroyed Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire The Empire quickly collapsed The Chaldeans set up their rule in Babylon and created the Neo-Babylonian Empire which would last for less than a century