A Short History of Assyria and the Neo-Assyrian Empire

Summary

This World History Encyclopedia video explores the rise and fall of the Assyrian Empire, from its beginnings in Mesopotamia to its Neo-Assyrian expansion. Key rulers like Ashurnasirpal II and Ashurbanipal shaped its legacy, with Ashurbanipal's library at Nineveh preserving invaluable ancient texts. The empire's military strategies, cultural assimilation, and eventual decline are highlighted, with its destruction leading to the preservation of significant historical records that have enriched our understanding of the ancient Near East.

Takeaways

• 🏛 The destruction of the Assyrian Empire led to the preservation of crucial ancient texts, including those from Ashurbanipal's library.
• 🌏 Assyria's history began in northern Mesopotamia and expanded significantly during the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
• 👑 Prominent Assyrian rulers like Adad Nirari I and Ashurbanipal played key roles in the empire's military campaigns and cultural advancements.
• 🛡️ The Assyrian military's use of iron weapons gave them a significant advantage during their conquests.
• 📈 The empire went through multiple periods of rise and fall, with various external forces such as the Mittani, Babylonians, and Hittites impacting its trajectory.
• 🏭 Trade colonies like Karum Kanesh were vital for Assyria's economic growth and the acquisition of raw materials.
• 🔍 The Assyrians were known for their deportation policies, relocating populations to prevent rebellion and assimilate diverse cultures into their empire.
• 🏥 Advances in medicine and the establishment of schools during the Neo-Assyrian period reflect the empire's commitment to knowledge and education.
• 🏰 The Assyrian Empire reached its greatest extent under kings like Sargon II and Sennacherib, who expanded its borders through military conquests.
• 📚 Ashurbanipal's library at Nineveh was a significant cultural achievement, housing a vast collection of texts that have greatly informed our understanding of the ancient world.
• 🗝️ The decipherment of cuneiform tablets, initially through the Aramaic language, unlocked a wealth of knowledge about Mesopotamian history and culture.

Q & A

What was the significance of the destruction of the Assyrian Empire in preserving ancient texts?

The destruction of the Assyrian Empire led to the preservation of thousands of clay tablets that were baked by the fires that destroyed Nineveh and other cities. These tablets, once deciphered, provided invaluable insights into the ancient Near East, including myths that inspired Biblical stories, as well as details on early agriculture, architecture, and warfare.

How did the Assyrian Empire expand its territory?

The Assyrian Empire expanded its territory through a series of military campaigns and strategic alliances. They also utilized siege warfare techniques, such as lighting fires under gates, using mobile ladders, and battering rams to breach city walls.

What was the role of Anatolia in the rise of the Assyrian Empire?

Anatolia played a crucial role in the rise of the Assyrian Empire as a source of raw materials, particularly iron, which allowed the Assyrians to perfect ironworking. The trade relationship with Anatolia brought wealth to the Assyrians, enabling them to expand their city and lay the foundation for their empire.

Who were some of the prominent rulers of the Assyrian Empire mentioned in the script?

Prominent rulers of the Assyrian Empire mentioned in the script include Tudiya, Erishum I, Shamashi Adad I, Tiglath Pileser I, Ashurnasirpal II, Adad Nirari I, Tukulti-Ninurta I, Ashurbanipal, and Sennacherib.

How did the Assyrian Empire's policy of deportation impact the stability of their empire?

The Assyrian Empire's policy of deporting large portions of the population from conquered lands and replacing them with Assyrians was intended to prevent future rebellions. This policy also involved relocating people based on their talents to areas where they could contribute to the empire, which helped in stabilizing the regions under their control.

What was the significance of the Battle of Nihriya in the context of the Assyrian Empire?

The Battle of Nihriya, fought in circa 1254 BCE, was significant as it marked the end of Hittite power in the region and initiated their decline. It was a victory for Tukulti-Ninurta I, which allowed the Assyrian Empire to expand and solidify its control over the region.

How did the Assyrian Empire's approach to religion contribute to its cohesion and expansion?

The Assyrian Empire's approach to religion, particularly the worship of their god Ashur, contributed to its cohesion and expansion by assimilating the gods and religious practices of conquered peoples into their worship. This helped in integrating the conquered populations into the Assyrian Empire and maintaining control over diverse regions.

What was the role of Ashurbanipal's library in shaping our understanding of the ancient Near East?

Ashurbanipal's library, discovered in the 19th century, revolutionized our understanding of the ancient Near East by providing a vast collection of cuneiform tablets containing texts on myths, agriculture, architecture, and warfare. These texts were crucial in deciphering the Akkadian and Sumerian languages and provided insights into the development of culture, arts, and religion in neighboring civilizations.

How did the Assyrian Empire's military tactics evolve over time?

The Assyrian Empire's military tactics evolved to include the use of siege warfare, with brutal attacks on cities involving the use of fire, mobile ladders, ramps, and archers. They also employed four-wheeled wooden towers with turrets and battering rams to break down walls or force a city's surrender through prolonged siege.

What were some of the cultural and technological advancements during the Neo-Assyrian Empire?

During the Neo-Assyrian Empire, there were advancements in the fields of medicine, with the formulation of systematic lists of plants and animals, and the establishment of schools, although these were reserved for the sons of the wealthy and elite. There were also developments in mathematics, astronomy, literacy, architecture, and the arts.

Outlines

00:00

🏛 Rise and Fall of the Assyrian Empire

The video script introduces the Assyrian Empire, detailing its origins in northern Mesopotamia and expansion during the Neo-Assyrian period. It discusses the empire's early history, significant rulers, and the critical role of trade in its development. The script also covers the military's use of iron weapons, the empire's interactions with other civilizations such as the Hurrians, Hittites, and Babylonians, and the eventual decline and fall of the Assyrian Empire.

05:01

🌐 Assyrian Expansion and Cultural Preservation

This section of the script delves into the Assyrian Empire's Middle Empire period, highlighting the influence of the Hurrians and Mittani, as well as the Assyrian kings' strategies for expansion and control. It discusses the innovative policy of population deportation to prevent rebellion, the importance of scribes and scholars in preserving knowledge, and the empire's continued growth and development under various rulers. The script also touches on the preservation of cultural knowledge and the impact of the Assyrian's military successes on the region.

10:09

🛡 Neo-Assyrian Empire: Height of Power and Military Tactics

The script describes the Neo-Assyrian Empire's period of greatest expansion, marked by ruthless and effective military tactics, including siege warfare. It outlines the empire's territorial growth, the establishment of schools reserved for the elite, and the decline in women's rights with the rise of Assyrian monotheism. The section also covers the empire's religious practices, the assimilation of conquered peoples' gods into the worship of Ashur, and the empire's eventual overextension and internal strife leading to its decline.

15:11

📜 Ashurbanipal's Legacy and the Fall of the Assyrian Empire

This part of the script focuses on the reign of Ashurbanipal, known for his extensive library and contributions to arts and culture, as well as his military campaigns. It discusses the empire's challenges under his successors, the eventual sack of Nineveh, and the empire's collapse. The script also highlights the importance of the discovery of Assyrian texts, which revolutionized our understanding of ancient Near Eastern culture, agriculture, and warfare.

20:11

📘 Conclusion and Invitation to Explore More

The final section of the script invites viewers to reflect on the significance of Ashurbanipal's library and the impact of archaeological discoveries on our knowledge of the ancient Middle East. It encourages viewers to share their thoughts and to follow the channel for more educational content. The script also promotes the World History Encyclopedia's website and merchandise shop, thanking viewers for their engagement.

Keywords

💡Assyrian Empire

The Assyrian Empire was a major Mesopotamian kingdom that originated in the ancient city of Ashur and expanded to become a vast empire stretching from Mesopotamia to Egypt. The empire is known for its significant contributions to history, including its military prowess and administrative innovations. In the video, the rise, rule, and eventual fall of the Assyrian Empire is discussed, highlighting its impact on ancient history.

💡Neo-Assyrian Empire

The Neo-Assyrian Empire, also referred to as the Late Empire, represents the period of the greatest territorial expansion and cultural development in Assyrian history. This era is marked by the empire's ruthless military campaigns and the construction of grand capital cities like Nineveh. The video details the Neo-Assyrian Empire's expansion and its reputation for cruelty, as well as its cultural achievements.

💡Ashurbanipal's Library

Ashurbanipal's Library was a collection of thousands of cuneiform tablets housed in Nineveh, the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. It is considered one of the great libraries of the ancient world and contained texts covering a wide range of topics, from literature to medicine. The library's discovery has been instrumental in understanding ancient Mesopotamian culture and history. The video emphasizes the library's significance in preserving knowledge and its role in shaping our understanding of the ancient Near East.

💡Cuneiform Tablets

Cuneiform tablets are inscribed clay tablets that were used for writing in ancient Mesopotamia. They are a crucial source of historical and cultural information about the civilizations of the region, including the Assyrians. The video mentions the discovery of these tablets in the ruins of Nineveh, which have provided invaluable insights into the daily life, beliefs, and administrative practices of the Assyrian Empire.

💡Ironworking

Ironworking refers to the craft of working with iron, which was a significant technological advancement in ancient times. The Assyrians are noted for perfecting the craft of ironworking, which gave their military a considerable advantage due to the use of iron weapons. The video explains how the Assyrians obtained iron from Anatolia and how it contributed to their military success and empire expansion.

💡Deportation Policy

The deportation policy was a strategy used by the Assyrian Empire to manage conquered populations by forcibly relocating them within the empire. This policy aimed to prevent rebellions by dispersing populations and integrating them into Assyrian society. The video discusses how this policy was implemented under various Assyrian kings, including Adad Nirari I, and its impact on the assimilation of conquered peoples.

💡Sennacherib

Sennacherib was a king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire known for his military campaigns and the expansion of the empire. He is infamous for the siege and destruction of Babylon, which led to his assassination by his sons. The video highlights Sennacherib's reign, his contributions to the empire's growth, and the eventual downfall caused by his actions.

💡Babylon

Babylon was an ancient city-state and a significant cultural and administrative center in Mesopotamia. It had a complex relationship with the Assyrian Empire, alternating between being a rival, a vassal state, and later an ally. The video details Babylon's interactions with Assyria, including its sack by Tukulti-Ninurta I and Sennacherib, and its subsequent rise to supremacy after the fall of Assyria.

💡Mittani

The Mittani, also known as the Hurrian Empire, was a powerful kingdom in ancient Mesopotamia that had significant influence over the region. The Assyrians had a tumultuous relationship with the Mittani, with periods of conflict and vassalage. The video describes how the Assyrians eventually overcame Mittani influence and incorporated parts of their territory into the Assyrian Empire.

💡Akkadian Language

Akkadian was the primary language used in ancient Mesopotamia and the language of the Assyrians before the introduction of Aramaic. The video mentions that the deciphering of Akkadian was made possible through the survival of the Aramaic language, which allowed scholars to read the cuneiform tablets and gain insights into the Assyrian culture and history.

💡Nineveh

Nineveh was an ancient city and the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. It was a center of culture and learning, most notably known for Ashurbanipal's library. The video discusses the significance of Nineveh as a symbol of Assyrian power and the tragic destruction of the city, which led to the loss of the empire and the covering of its ruins by sand for centuries.

Highlights

The destruction of the Assyrian Empire led to the preservation of some of the world's most important ancient texts.

Assyria's history began in northern Mesopotamia and expanded through Asia Minor and Egypt during the Neo-Assyrian Empire.

The city of Ashur was an important center for commerce and laid the foundation for the Assyrian Empire.

Assyrian ironworking advancements provided a significant military advantage during their conquests.

The Assyrian king Shamashi Adad I secured Assyria's borders by driving out the Amorites.

Babylon's dominance over Assyria ended after the death of Hammurabi, allowing Assyria to reassert its regional control.

The Assyrian king Eriba Adad I gained influence in the Mittani court, leading to opportunities for expansion.

Adad Nirari I's rule marked the beginning of the Assyrian policy of deporting populations to prevent rebellion.

Tukulti-Ninurta I defeated the Hittites at the Battle of Nihriya, ending their power in the region.

Tiglath Pileser I revitalized the Assyrian economy and military, adding to the empire's resources and skilled populations.

The Neo-Assyrian Empire is known for its ruthlessness and cruelty during its period of greatest expansion.

Adad Nirari II recaptured lost lands and secured Assyria's borders, including the important region of Eber Nari.

The Assyrian method of siege warfare involved brutal tactics and the use of advanced military technology.

Ashurnasirpal II formulated the first systematic lists of plants and animals in the empire, contributing to medical knowledge.

Sennacherib moved the Assyrian capital from Ashur to Nineveh and improved the city with orchards and gardens.

Ashurbanipal's library at Nineveh revolutionized our understanding of the ancient Near East.

The Assyrian Empire's fall led to the rise of Babylon's supremacy in the region until its fall to the Persians.

The discovery of Ashurbanipal's library and other clay tablets provided insights into ancient myths, agriculture, and warfare.

Transcripts

Did you know that the destruction of  the Assyrian Empire preserved some  

of the most important ancient texts in the world?

Hello and welcome to World History Encyclopedia!  My name is Kelly and today's video will take you  

through the rise of Assyria and the Neo-Assyrian  Empire, the prominent rulers, and the fall of  

their empire. Don't forget, the easiest way to  support us is by giving this video a thumbs up,  

subscribing to our channel and hitting that bell  icon for notifications, so you don't miss out on  

any new uploads. World History Encyclopedia is  a non-profit organisation and you can find us on  

Patreon - a brilliant site where you can support  our work and receive exclusive benefits in return.  

Your support helps us create videos twice a  week, so make sure to check it out via the  

pop-up in the top corner of the screen or via  the Patreon link down below. Assyria has a long  

history beginning in northern Mesopotamia and  then expanding during the Neo-Assyrian Empire  

from Mesopotamia through Asia Minor and down  through Egypt. The empire began in the city of  

Ashur and went through many different stages of  expansion and sacking by a number of kingdoms,  

including the Mittani, the Babylonians and  the Hittites. Stick around while we take  

you through the rise and fall and rise and fall  again of the Assyrian and Neo-Assyrian Empire.

Well, it only makes sense to start at the  beginning, and for the Assyrians that is in  

the third millennium BCE, when the city of Ashur  first emerged. However, the ruins that you can see  

if you visit the site today date to 1900 BCE which  is now considered the date the city was founded.  

After the first king, Tudiya, the following  kings were known as "kings who live in tents,"  

which suggests a pastoral community,  not an urban one. Despite this though,  

the city of Ashur was already an important centre  for commerce and in circa 1900, the king Erishum  

I built a temple to the god Ashur at the site. An  important trade colony for sure was Karum Kanesh,  

or the Port of Kanesh in Anatolia.  Merchants from Ashur travelled to Kanesh;  

they would set up their business and after  putting a trusted employee in charge,  

then they would return to Ashur and supervise  business dealings from there. From the trade with  

Karum Kanesh came a lot of wealth which meant that  the people of Ashur had the stability and security  

to expand their city, and in doing this they laid  the foundation from their empire. The Assyrians  

got a lot of their raw materials from Anatolia  which made it an important trade relationship,  

and with the iron from Anatolia, the Assyrians  were able to perfect the craft of ironworking.  

The fact that the Assyrian military had iron  weapons would prove to be a major advantage  

during their later campaigns and conquests, while  expanding their empire. During the Old Kingdom of  

Assyria, there were the powerful civilisations  of the Hurrians and the Hatti in Anatolia  

holding dominance, while Ashur, to the north of  Mesopotamia, remained in their shadow. There were  

also the Amorites who were steadily expanding  and increasing their territory and resources.  

It was under the Assyrian king Shamashi Adad  I, between 1812 and 1791 BCE, that the Amorites  

were driven out of the region and the borders  of Assyria were secured. By circa 1700 BCE, the  

Hatti were invaded by the Hittites and assimilated  into their kingdom. While all this was going on,  

there was another city that was slowly gaining  power and becoming a bit of a concern and that  

city was Babylon. Under Hammurabi, between 1792  and 1750, Babylon conquered Assyria and made it  

their vassal state. Not only that, but at this  time the trade between Ashur and Karum Kanesh  

came to an end and so Babylon became the  dominant kingdom in the region and took  

control of the Assyrian trade. I guess it's  lucky for the Assyrians that after the death  

of Hammurabi in 1750 BCE, the Babylonian  Empire completely fell apart, and Assyria  

had the chance to reassert its dominance  in the region around their city of Ashur.  

Unfortunately, the kings of Assyria during this  time didn't seem up to the task and their region  

fell into a period of civil war and instability,  until the Assyrian king Adasi. Adasi was able to  

secure the region and his successor continued the  policies he introduced, but for whatever reason,  

whether they were unwilling or unable, his  successors did not work to expand their kingdom.

And now on to the Middle Empire, which begins in  the 15th century with the Hurrians from Mittani  

sacking Ashur and making Assyria a vassal  state. The Mittani grew from eastern Anatolia  

and by the 14th century, they also held  power in Mesopotamia. Mittani's power was  

broken by invasions by the Hittites, who  replaced Mittani rulers with their own.  

During this time, the Assyrian king Eriba Adad I  was able to gain influence in the Mittani court,  

which was now mostly Hittite. The Assyrians saw an  opportunity for expansion and started to push the  

boundaries of their region outward from Ashur and  into the regions previously held by the Mittani.  

The Hittites didn't just let this expansion  happen though, and fought back against the  

Assyrians and were able to keep them at bay until  the Assyrian king Ashur-Uballit I defeated what  

was left of the Mittani forces under the Hittite  commanders. He was able to take pretty substantial  

portions of the region and was succeeded  by two kings who didn't lose the regions,  

but also didn't expand any further, that was until  Adad Nirari I who ruled between 1307 and 1275 BCE.  

He's the first Assyrian king that we know anything  about with certainty because he left inscriptions  

of his achievements, and it was under his rule  that the Assyrian Empire drove out the Hittites  

and the standard Assyrian policy of deporting  large portions of the population began. Adad  

Nirari I thought that removing the occupants of  the land he had conquered and replacing them with  

Assyrians was a good way to prevent any future  rebellion or uprising, but anyone deported was  

never in bonds and not everyone was displaced.  Deportees were chosen based on their talents  

and placed elsewhere in the empire where  they could make the most of their skills,  

and families weren't ever separated. It  was when people resisted the presence and  

policies of the Assyrians that they were  killed or sold into slavery, but overall,  

the populations were absorbed into the  Assyrian Empire and thought of as Assyrians.  

Under Adad Nirari I's, son Shalmaneser I,  the destruction of the Mittani was completed,  

and he also continued his father's policies and  relocations of large chunks of the population.  

Shalmaneser I's son, Tukulti-Ninurta I, continued  these policies as well, but took it even further  

especially with his desire to preserve knowledge  and cultures of the people he conquered.  

He took more care in deporting people where they  could be utilised; with scribes and scholars being  

relocated to urban centres where they could  help with written works. In circa 1254 BCE,  

Tukulti-Ninurta I defeated the Hittites at the  Battle of Nihriya, which pretty much ended Hittite  

power in the region and initiated their period of  decline. In response to Babylon making incursions  

into Assyria, he sacked Babylon, desecrated and  sacked their temples, and took both the king  

and some of their people to Ashur as slaves.  Since Babylon and Assyria shared many of the same  

deities, his sons and court officials rebelled  against him claiming that his sack of Babylonian  

temples was an offence to their shared gods. He  was assassinated, probably by one of his sons  

Ashur-Nadin-Apli, who then took the throne. After  the murder of Tukulti-Ninurta I, Assyria neither  

expanded nor declined, and while the Near East  and beyond fell into a so-called 'dark age' with  

civilisations completely collapsing following  the Bronze Age Collapse in circa 1200 BCE,  

Ashur and the Assyrian Empire remained intact.  When Tiglath Pileser I ascended the throne in  

circa 1115 BCE, he revitalized the economy and  the military through his campaigns, which then  

added more resources and skilled populations to  the Assyrian Empire. Under Tiglath Pileser I,  

the arts and literacy flourished and his  preservation of cuneiform tablets would become the  

model for Ashurbanipal's famous library at Nineveh  later on. After Tiglath Pileser I died, his son,  

Asharid-apal-ekur, ruled for two years and was  succeeded by his brother Ashur-bel-Kala, who ruled  

successfully in the beginning until the usurper  challenged him and initiated a civil war. The  

rebellion was crushed and the participants were  executed, but during the turmoil, Assyria lost the  

region of Eber Nari, which is modern-day Syria,  Lebanon and Israel. This was a bummer for Assyria  

because this region was important to the empire  due to their established seaports, all of which  

were now held by the Aramaeans. The Assyrians  were not only dealing with incursions from  

the Aramaeans, but the Amorites and the Mari were  trying to free themselves from the empire's grasp.  

The empire shrank under the following kings, and  although they maintained their city of Ashur,  

they weren't able to take back Eber Nari or drive  the Amorites and Aramaeans from their borders.

The Neo-Assyrian Empire, also known as the Late  Empire, is the period of the greatest expansion  

of the empire, and it's where their reputation  has come from for ruthlessness and cruelty.  

Under the reign of King Adad Nirari II, between  circa 912 and 1891 BCE, he was able to recapture  

the lands lost during the Middle Empire,  including the important region of Eber Nari,  

and their borders were secured  as their expansions continued.  

Adad Nirari II conquered Babylon, but he learnt  from his predecessors and instead of plundering  

the city, he entered into a peace treaty with  the king by marrying each other's daughters;  

this meant that Babylon became a powerful  ally rather than a problem to be dealt with.  

The expansion continued under Adad Nirari  II's successors with Tukulti Ninurta II,  

who was king between 891 and 884 BCE, expanding  the empire towards Anatolia, and Ashurnasirpal II,  

between 884 and 859 BCE, consolidating a  Syrian rule in the Levant through Canaan.  

The method that afforded them so  many victories was siege warfare,  

which was started with a brutal attack on the  city; they would light fires under wooden gates,  

mobile ladders were used to cross moats and  ramps were used to breach high sections of wall,  

and all of these actions were covered with archers  who made up the core of the Assyrian infantry.  

After the initial assault, they would bring in  their four-wheeled wooden towers with turrets on  

top and one or two battering rams at the base, and  either break down the walls or if the walls held,  

lay siege to the city until it surrendered. It  wasn't all about the expansion and conquering  

but also about other advancements, with the  notable one being in the field of medicine.  

the Assyrians built on the foundation of Sumerian  medical knowledge with king Ashurnasirpal II  

formulating the first systematic lists of plants  and animals in the empire, who even brought his  

scribes with him on campaign to record new  findings. Plus, there was the establishment  

of schools, but these were reserved only for  the sons of the wealthy and the elite, since  

girls weren't allowed to go to school and women  weren't able to hold any position of authority.  

The rights of women, who were once almost  equal in the early history of Mesopotamia,  

steadily declined with the rise of Assyrian  monotheism. The Assyrians worshipped their god  

Ashur only at the temple in the city but as they  went on campaign their god Ashur went with them,  

so this meant that they had to come up with a new  way of worshipping and imagining their god. The  

vision resulted in Ashur as the supreme deity and  as the Assyrians conquered peoples, they absorbed  

the gods and religious practices of these peoples  into their worship of Ashur. The Neo-Assyrian  

Empire continued to grow as it became more  cohesive with the spread of the worship of Ashur  

and the assimilation of conquered people. The  region expanded up the coast of the Mediterranean,  

where they received tribute from the Phoenician  cities of Tyre and Sidon, and defeated the  

Armenian kingdom of Urartu, under Shalmaneser  III. The expansion of the empire ceased  

after Shalmaneser III with his successor Shamshi  Adad V fighting with his brother for control and  

inciting civil war, which was eventually  put down. The next king, Adad Nirari III,  

was too young to assume the throne so his mother  Shammuramat, who was also known as Semiramis;  

who later became a mythical goddess queen, held  the throne and organised successful campaigns,  

until her son came to age. She handed her son a  strong empire at the end of the 9th century BCE,  

but his successors were happy to just chill out  and ride the wave of the earlier king's success  

and the empire ceased to develop until the  eighth century under Tiglath Pileser III,  

between 745 and 727 BCE. Tiglath Pileser III  reorganised the government and the military,  

and these reforms allowed him to reassert control  of the Assyrian Empire over his conquered regions,  

including the kingdom of Urartu, which had risen  again and started to cause trouble. It was under  

Tiglath Pileser III, that the Assyrian military  was at its most effective. Tiglath Pileser III was  

followed by Shalmaneser V between 727 and 722 and  then Sargon II between 722 and 705. Sargon II's  

rule was challenged by the Assyrian nobles who  claimed that he had illegally seized the throne,  

but their problems didn't seem to worry Sargon who  brought the Neo-Assyrian Empire to its greatest  

heights; completely conquering Urartu in 714 BCE,  sacking the city and bringing its vast wealth back  

to Assyria. He was succeeded by Sennacherib, who  was king between 705 and 681 BCE, who campaigned  

widely and ruthlessly. Sennacherib's annals,  inscribed on what is known as the 'Taylor Prism,'  

describes Sennacherib's military exploits in  his sacking of Jerusalem, where he claims that  

he captured 46 cities and overwhelmed the people  of Jerusalem after trapping them in their city.  

Sennacherib grew the wealth of the empire with  his military victories and moved the Assyrian  

capital from Ashur to Nineveh, where he improved  the city and planted all sorts of orchards and  

gardens. Sennacherib failed to learn from history  though and decided to capture and sack Babylon,  

and once again, his desecration of sacred  temples led to his assassination by his sons.  

His son, Esarhaddon, claimed the throne and  ruled between 681 and 669 BCE. The first  

thing he did was rebuild Babylon, and under  his reign, the Assyrian Empire flourished,  

especially with his success in conquering Egypt;  something Sennacherib tried and failed to do.  

Esarhaddon's campaigns were successful and allowed  for stability in the empire, so that advancements  

could be made in areas like medicine, mathematics,  astronomy, literacy, architecture and the arts.  

Esarhaddon died in the midst of preparing  a campaign against the Nubians, and he was  

succeeded by the last great Assyrian king,  Ashurbanipal. Ashurbanipal ruled between 668  

and 627 BCE and was the most literate of the  Assyrian kings. This isn't surprising since he  

is best known in the modern day for the huge  library he collected at Nineveh. Although he  

was a patron for arts and culture, he was just as  ruthless as the previous rulers in securing his  

empire. He defeated the Elamites and expanded his  regions further east, and with his belief that it  

was important to preserve the past, he sent envoys  to all of the lands under his control and had them  

either copy or bring back books from the various  towns and cities to Nineveh for his royal library.

Ashurbanipal died in 627 BCE, after ruling  effectively for 42 years. But in that time,  

the regions dominated by the Assyrian Empire  became too large, which made it difficult to  

defend the borders and also meant the regions  were overtaxed. His successors couldn't hold  

all of the territories, and regions broke  away with the vassal states revolting against  

the Assyrian dominance. In 612, Nineveh was  sacked and burned by a group of Babylonians,  

Medes, Persians and Scythians, among others,  which destroyed the palace and the library.  

The Assyrians were so despised that their cities  were all so thoroughly destroyed that within two  

generations no one knew where they had once been  and they lay covered in sand for the next two  

thousand years. After the fall of Assyria, Babylon  assumes supremacy in the region from 605 until its  

fall to the Persians in 549 BCE, under Cyrus  the Great, who founded the Achaemenid Empire.  

Cyrus learned from history and did not repeat the  mistakes of the Assyrians; he instituted a more  

humane form of government, creating an even larger  empire and more stable one. Herodotus, the Greek  

historian referred to the entirety of Mesopotamia  as 'Assyria,' and Herodotus' works were well-known  

to early scholars who therefore knew of Assyria's  existence. When serious excavations began of the  

fallen Assyrian cities in the 19th century,  thousands of clay tablets were discovered.  

The fires that destroyed Nineveh and other cities  baked the clay cuneiform tablets of Assyrian works  

and the broken walls covered them until they  were discovered by modern-day archaeologists.  

At first, no one could decipher them but the  Aramaic language turned out to be key. Akkadian  

was the initial language of the Assyrians until  Tiglath Pileser III introduced Aramaic, and with  

the survival of Aramaic written language, it was  used to decipher first Akkadian and then Sumerian.  

Once the texts could be read, they were found  to contain myths that inspired some of the most  

famous stories from the Bible, details on early  agriculture, architecture, beer brewing and  

warfare, which previously were credited to later  cultures. The discovery of Ashurbanipal's library  

and those at other cities revolutionised  our understanding of the ancient Near East  

and the development of culture, the arts and  religion of neighbouring civilisations as well.  

Did you know about Ashurbanipal's library? What  do you imagine we'd think about the ancient Middle  

East if archaeologists hadn't discovered it? Let  us know what you think in the comments below!  

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