2. Assyrians – An aggressive mountain people who had waged war for years against the Babylonians

3. They used iron & expanded their empire through warfare. They conquered Egypt & the Fertile Crescent. The used military innovations such as the battering ram, cavalry, chariots, infantry, camels for desert warfare, conscription (drafting soldiers), & the siege tower.

4. They also built roads for troop movement and a messenger service to report rebellions. Conquered people were tortured and enslaved people were often deported They divided their empire into provinces or states ruled by a governor & protected by the military.

5. Walls of Nineveh Their capital at Nineveh on the Tigris river had a constant supply of fresh water. Tribute and stolen treasures were displayed in this huge capital.

6. Assurbanipal the last and mightiest of the Assyrian kings From his library in Nineveh

7. Flood Tablet found in Assurbanipal’s library

8. Assyrian Guardian figure Weighs 30 tons 6 ½ ft high

9. Assyrian carving

10. Assyrian officials

11. Assyrian Winged Bull

12. Winged Assyrian Bull

13. Assyrian god – they were polytheistic

14. Assyrian god Assur

15. Assyrian chariots

16. Scythians - one of the groups that joined with the Chaldeans and the Medes to defeat the Assyrians

18. Nebuchadnezzar 630-562BC

19. Nebuchadnezzar - Leader of the Chaldeans He rebuilt Babylon and had the Hanging Gardens constructed. After conquering and destroying the city of Jerusalem, he deported the Jews (Hebrews) to Babylon to keep them from rebelling This is when the Hebrews decided it was important to write down their history

21. Hanging Gardens of Babylon

22. Ruins of Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon

23. Parts of Babylon have been rebuilt by Saddam Hussein

24. Rebuilt by Saddam Hussein

25. Mosul on the Tigris River

26. Iraq

27. Ishtar Gate of Babylon

28. Soldiers

29. Ishtar Gate at Babylon

30. Dragon of Marduk on the wall of the Ishtar Gate

31. Lion in Nebuchadnezzar's throne room Design in throne room

32. The Star Gazers of Babylon Priests observed and kept detailed records of the heavens from a 300 ft high Ziggurat Chaldeans believed that the stars determined human destiny and could be used to foretell the future They observed the Zodiac, a belt of 12 constellations and the phases of the moon

33. Priests studied the stars. Their study formed the basis for both astronomy & astrology.

34. First Historical Horoscope

35. Lion over man