Chapter 4 Section 2: Vocab & Qs 3-7 The Assyrian Empire Chapter 4 Section 2: Vocab & Qs 3-7

Assyria Homeland: Northern Mesopotamia, between the Tigris & Euphrates Rivers. Started an Empire that conquered all of the Fertile Crescent starting in ~850 B.C., conquered Egypt in 671 BC, and lasted until 612 B.C. when its capital (Nineveh) was sacked in a rebellion. Area was fertile but flat with no natural barriers – constant outside threats forced Assyrian culture to become warlike or be enslaved. Adapt or be overcome!

Sennacherib Assyrian King, ruled with an Iron Fist, ~700 BC. Captured/destroyed 89 cities including Jerusalem in 701 BC. Also famous for many engineering accomplishments such as large irrigation projects. Hi Capital city Nineveh may have been the site of the famous “Hanging Gardens of Babylon.”

Nineveh Capital City of Assyria – had one of the largest libraries of cuneiform tablets in the world – 20,000 clay tablets.

Ashurbanipal One of the last great Assyrian Kings who established a library of over 20,000 Cuneiform tablets at the Nineveh library.

Sappers Specialized soldiers – Engineers for the Assyrians who tunneled under walls and built siege equipment, pontoon bridges.

Tribute money paid by a lesser power to a greater power.

Medes & Chaldeans Persian peoples (in Modern Iran), who were conquered by the Assyrians but rose up and rebelled, sacked Nineveh (the Assyrian Capital) and brought an end to the Assyrian Empire.

Nebuchadnezzar: A Chaldean king who created an Ancient Wonder: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon in 600 B.C.

3. What methods did the Assyrians use when they attacked enemy cites? The Assyrians were able to capture an enemy city by using their well trained military to “sap” a city’s walls (Sappers would tunnel underneath the walls and make them collapse). Then the well trained foot soldiers and archers would march against the city, raining destruction in a coordinated attack.

4. What contributions to government administration and culture did the Assyrians make? In government: the Assyrians started a system of centralized government where local rulers reported directly to a central power – rule with an Iron Fist. In culture: An Impressive library at Nineveh, focus on education = power (immortality) – We still talk about Sennacherib today. Sculpture: The Assyrian lion hunts – video clip.

5. Why did the people in the region rejoice when the Assyrian Empire was defeated? The People who were under the control of the Assyrians rejoiced when they were defeated because the Assyrians were very cruel rulers.

6. Was the Assyrian Empire building strategy – just relying on the military – good or bad? The Assyrian strategy of relying solely on their Military Power to create their empire was good B/C… It lasted for over 200 years – it must have been effective! It was bad B/C… In the end the Military was just too harsh to win over enough conquered people to replace lost troops, Assyria became weaker, eventually in 612 B.C. the Medes and Chaldeans rebelled and won.

7. Why were Assyrian kings highly interested in reading and writing? The Assyrian warrior kings may have been very interested in reading and writing because… … they wanted their great victories recorded for all time. The Written Word = Immortality!