As you know, the country in the north of which the Assyrian state arose is Mesopotamia, also called Mesopotamia. It received this name due to its location in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Being the cradle of such powerful states of the ancient world as Babylonia, Sumer and Akkad, it played an important role in the formation and development of world civilization. As for his most warlike offspring, Assyria, it is she who is considered the first empire in the history of mankind.
Geographical and natural features of Mesopotamia
In terms of its geographical position, Ancient Mesopotamia had two significant advantages. First, unlike the arid regions surrounding it, it was located in the zone of the so-called Fertile Crescent, where a significant amount of precipitation fell in winter, which was very favorable for agriculture. Secondly, the soil in this region abounded with deposits of iron ore and copper, highly valued since the people learned to work them.
Today, the territory of Mesopotamia - an ancient country in the north of which the Assyrian state arose - is divided between Iraq and North-Eastern Syria. In addition, some of its areas belong to Iran and Turkey. Both in antiquity and in the period of modern history, this Central Asian region is a zone of frequent armed conflicts, sometimes creating tension in all international politics.
Warlike daughter of Mesopotamia
According to researchers, the history of Assyria goes back almost 2 thousand years. Formed in the XXIV century BC. e, the state existed until the beginning of the 7th century, after which, in 609 BC. e., fell under the onslaught of the armies of Babylon and Media. The Assyrian power is rightfully considered one of the most warlike and aggressive in the ancient world.
Having begun its aggressive campaigns in the first half of the 9th century, it soon managed to conquer a vast territory. Under the rule of its kings was not only the whole of Mesopotamia, but also Palestine, Cyprus and Egypt, which, however, after a short time managed to regain independence.
In addition, the Assyrian state controlled parts of present-day Turkey and Syria for many centuries. That is why it is considered to be an empire, that is, a state that relies on military force in its foreign policy and expands its own borders at the expense of the territories of the peoples it has captured.
Colonial policy of Assyria
Since the country, in the north of which the Assyrian state arose, was already completely conquered by it at the beginning of the 9th century, the next 3 centuries are nothing more than a period of their common history, replete with many dramatic pages. It is known that the Assyrians imposed tribute on all the conquered peoples, for the collection of which they periodically sent armed detachments.
In addition, all skilled artisans were driven to the territory of Assyria, thanks to which it was possible to raise the level of production to an unprecedented height at that time, and to influence all the surrounding peoples with the achievements of culture. This order was maintained for centuries by the most cruel punitive measures. All those who were dissatisfied were inevitably doomed to death or, at best, to immediate deportation.
Outstanding politician and warrior
The peak of the development of the state of Assyria is considered to be the period from 745 to 727 BC. e., when it was headed by the greatest ruler of antiquity - King Tiglath-Pileser III, who went down in history not only as an outstanding commander of his time, but also as a very far-sighted and cunning politician.
It is known, for example, that in 745 BC. e. he responded to the call of the Babylonian king Nabonasar, who asked for help in the fight against the Chaldean and Elamite tribes that occupied the country. Having sent his troops into Babylonia and driven out the invaders from it, the wise king managed to win such ardent sympathy from the locals that he became the de facto ruler of the country, pushing their unlucky king into the background.
Under Sargon II
After the death of Tiglathpalasar, the throne was inherited by his son, who went down in history under the name of Sargon II. He continued to expand the borders of the state, but, unlike his father, he resorted not so much to skillful diplomacy as to brute military force. For example, when in 689 BC. e. an uprising broke out in Babylon subject to him, he razed it to the ground, sparing neither women nor children.
City returned from oblivion
During his reign, the capital of Assyria, and in fact of the entire Ancient Mesopotamia, became the city of Nineveh, mentioned in the Bible, but for a long time considered fictional. Only excavations by French archaeologists, carried out in the 40s of the XIX century, made it possible to prove its historicity. This was a sensational discovery, since until then even the very location of Assyria was not known exactly.
Thanks to the work of researchers, many artifacts were discovered that testify to the extraordinary luxury with which Sargon II equipped Nineveh, which replaced the former capital of the state - the city of Ashur. It became known about the palace he built and the powerful defensive structures that surrounded the city. One of the technical achievements of that era was the aqueduct, raised to a height of 10 meters and supplying water to the royal gardens.
Among other finds of French archaeologists were clay tablets containing inscriptions in one of the Semitic languages. Having deciphered them, scientists learned about the campaign of the Assyrian king Sargon II in the southwestern part of Asia, where he conquered the state of Urartu, as well as about the capture of the North Israeli kingdom, which is also mentioned in the Bible, but was doubted by historians.
Structure of Assyrian society
From the first centuries after the formation of the state, the Assyrian kings concentrated in their hands the entirety of military, civil and religious power. They were at the same time supreme rulers, military leaders, high priests and treasurers. The next step in the vertical of power was occupied by governors of the provinces, who were appointed from among the military.
They were responsible not only for the loyalty of the peoples living in the conquered territories, but also for the timely and complete receipt of the established tribute from them. The bulk of the population was made up of farmers and artisans, who were either slaves or workers who were dependent on their masters.
The death of an empire
By the beginning of the 7th century BC. e. the history of Assyria reached the highest point of its development, followed by its unexpected collapse. As mentioned above, in 609 BC. e. the territory of the empire was invaded by the combined troops of two neighboring states - Babylonia, which was once under the control of Assyria, but managed to gain independence, and Media. The forces were too unequal, and, despite the desperate resistance of the enemy, the empire, which for a long time kept all of Mesopotamia and the lands adjacent to it in its obedience, ceased to exist.
Under the control of the conquerors
However, Mesopotamia - the country in the north of which the Assyrian state arose - did not retain the status of a politically independent region for long after its fall. After 7 decades, it was completely captured by the Persians, after which it was no longer able to revive its former sovereignty. From the end of the VI to the middle of the IV century BC. e. this vast region was part of the Achaemenid state - the Persian empire, which subjugated the whole of Asia Minor and a significant part of Northeast Africa. It got its name from the name of its first ruler - King Achaemen, who became the founder of a dynasty that ruled for almost 3 centuries.
In the middle of the IV century BC. e. Alexander the Great expelled the Persians from the territory of Mesopotamia, incorporating it into his empire. After its collapse, the homeland of the once formidable Assyrians fell under the rule of the Hellenistic Seleucid monarchy, who built a new Greek state on the ruins of the former state. These were truly worthy heirs of the former glory of Tsar Alexander. They managed to extend their power not only to the territory of the once sovereign Mesopotamia, but also to subjugate all of Asia Minor, Phoenicia, Syria, Iran, as well as a significant part of Central Asia and the Middle East.
However, these warriors were also destined to leave the historical stage. In the III century BC. e. Mesopotamia is in the power of the Parthian kingdom, located on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, and two centuries later it is captured by the Armenian emperor Tigran Osroene. During the period of Roman rule, Mesopotamia broke up into several small states that had different rulers. This last stage of its history, relating to the period of Late Antiquity, is remarkable only in that the largest and most famous city of Mesopotamia was Edessa, repeatedly mentioned in the Bible and associated with the names of many prominent figures of Christianity.
Short story. Huge Assyria grew out of a small nome (administrative district) Ashur in the North. For a long time, the “country of Ashur” does not play a significant role in the fate of Mesopotamia and lags behind its southern neighbors in development. Rise of Assyria falls on the XIII-XII centuries. BC and suddenly ends as a result of the invasion of the Arameans. For a century and a half, the population of the “country of Ashur” has been experiencing the hardships of foreign domination, is ruined, and suffers from hunger.
But in the ninth century BC e. Assyria is recovering. The era of large-scale conquests begins. The Assyrian kings create a perfect military machine and turn their state into the most powerful state in the world. Vast expanses of Western Asia submit to the Assyrians. Only by the beginning of the 7th century. BC e. their energy and strength dries up. The rebellion of the conquered Babylonians, who made an alliance with the tribes of the Medes, leads to the death of the colossal Assyrian empire. The people of merchants and soldiers, who held her weight on their shoulders, heroically resisted for several years. In 609 BC. e. there is a fall of the city of Haran, the last stronghold of the "country of Ashur".
History of the ancient kingdom of Assyria
Time passed, and already from the XIV century. BC e. in the Ashurian documents the ruler began to be called the king, like the rulers of Babylonia, Mitanni or the Hittite state, and the Egyptian pharaoh - his brother. Since that time, the Assyrian territory either expanded to the west and east, then again shrank to the size of the historical ancient Assyria- a narrow strip of land along the banks of the Tigris in its upper reaches. In the middle of the thirteenth century BC e. Assyrian armies they even invaded the borders of the Hittite state - one of the strongest at that time, regularly made campaigns - not so much for the sake of increasing territory, but for the sake of robbery - to the north, to the lands of the Nairi tribes; to the south, more than once passing through the streets of Babylon; to the west - to the flourishing cities of Syria and.
The next heyday of the Assyrian civilization reached at the beginning of the XI century. BC e. under Tiglathpalasar I (about 1114 - about 1076 BC). His armies made more than 30 campaigns to the west, captured Northern Syria, Phoenicia and some provinces of Asia Minor. Most of the trade routes linking the west with the east once again ended up in the hands of Assyrian merchants. In honor of his triumph after the conquest of Phoenicia, Tiglathpalasar I undertook a demonstrative exit on Phoenician warships to the Mediterranean Sea, showing the still formidable rival - who is in fact a great power.
Map of ancient Assyria
A new, third stage of the Assyrian offensive falls already on the IX-VII centuries. BC e. After a two-hundred-year break, which was the time of the decline of the state and forced defense from the hordes of nomads from the south, north and east, the Assyrian kingdom again declared itself as a powerful empire. She launched her first serious offensive to the south - to Babylon, which was defeated. Then, as a result of several campaigns to the west, the entire region of Upper Mesopotamia came under the rule of ancient Assyria. The way was opened for further advance into Syria. Ancient Assyria, over the next few decades, practically did not know defeat and was steadily moving towards its goal: to take control of the main sources of raw materials, centers of production and trade routes from the Persian Gulf to the Armenian Highlands and from Iran to the Mediterranean Sea and Asia Minor.
In the course of several successful campaigns, the Assyrian armies defeated their northern neighbors, after a grueling and ruthless struggle they led the states of Syria and Palestine into submission, and, finally, under King Sargon II in 710 BC. e. Babylon was finally conquered. Sargon was crowned king of Babylon. His successor, Sennacherib, fought for a long time against the rebelliousness of the Babylonians and their allies, but by this time Assyria had become the strongest power.
However, the triumph of the Assyrian civilization did not last long. The uprisings of the conquered peoples shook different areas of the empire - from southern Mesopotamia to Syria.
Finally, in 626 BC. e. The leader of the Chaldean tribe from southern Mesopotamia, Nabopolassar, seized the royal throne in Babylonia. Even earlier, to the east of the kingdom of Assyria, the scattered tribes of the Medes united in the Median kingdom. culture time Assyria passed. Already in 615 BC. e. Medes appeared at the walls of the capital of the state - Nineveh. In the same year, Nabopolassar laid siege to the ancient center of the country - Ashur. In 614 BC. e. the Medes again invaded Assyria and also approached Assur. Nabopolassar immediately moved his troops to join them. Ashur fell before the arrival of the Babylonians, and at its ruins the kings of Media and Babylon entered into an alliance sealed by a dynastic marriage. In 612 BC. e. Allied forces laid siege to Nineveh and took it just three months later. The city was destroyed and plundered, the Medes returned to their lands with a share of the booty, and the Babylonians continued to conquer the Assyrian inheritance. In 610 BC. e. the remnants of the Assyrian army, reinforced by Egyptian reinforcements, were defeated and driven back across the Euphrates. Five years later, the last Assyrian detachments were defeated. This is how it ended the first "world" power in the history of mankind. At the same time, no significant ethnic changes took place: only the “top” of Assyrian society perished. The huge centuries-old inheritance of the kingdom of Assyria passed to Babylon.
In the upper reaches of the Tigris there was a country Assyria. For centuries, its inhabitants Assyrians, obeyed the powerful rulers of the Southern Mesopotamia - first the kings of Ur, then the Babylonian kings.
There are few fertile lands in Assyria, a significant part of the country is occupied by foothills and mountains rich in iron ore. With the advent of the Iron Age, this gave the Assyrians a great advantage. They began to use iron widely before their neighbors. By that time, the power of the Babylonian kings had weakened, and Assyria had become an independent state.
Army of Assyria
The Assyrian kings created the most powerful army in the world, armed with iron weapons. Its striking force was made up of war chariots drawn by four horses, with a driver and an archer. Sometimes they were joined by two warriors with large shields.
The Assyrians were the first in history to make the cavalry an integral part of the army. The riders were armed with long spears and bows, clad in armor made of copper and bronze plates.
Special construction troops helped the army to storm the fortresses. Builders, carpenters, blacksmiths, and other craftsmen laid roads through mountains and dense forests, built bridges over abysses, built devices for siege and assault on cities.
The Assyrian army was armed with siege towers on wheels with wall battering rams- heavy, metal-bound logs suspended on belts. Archers were placed on top of the towers.
Assyrian conquests
In the VIII century BC. Assyrian kings conquered the entire southern Mesopotamia, the Phoenician cities and Israel. In the 7th (7th) century BC. they brought Judea and Egypt under their control.
Formed Assyrian military power, a large and powerful state. It stretched from the Persian Gulf to the first rapids of the Nile in the form of a crescent, enveloping the desert. Mesopotamia and Egypt, the centers of ancient civilizations, were united under one authority.
Ruthless conquerors forcibly resettled the subjugated population to other countries - this made it easier to manage them. The Assyrians took all the valuables and treasures of the captured cities with them.
He was a particularly cruel conqueror Sennacherib, who ruled at the beginning of the 7th century BC. He ordered the destruction of Babylon, which had shown disobedience many times. Babylon was the center of the entire Mesopotamia, its cultural capital. The destruction of the city and the desecration of the temples caused indignation even in Assyria itself, among the priests and the urban population. Sennacherib announced that it was the gods who turned away from Babylon, and appointed his youngest son, whose mother was from Babylon, as the heir. Then, the Bible says, the older sons conspired and killed Sennacherib. The destruction of Babylon turned out to be a fatal mistake of the Assyrian ruler. material from the site
Administration of the Assyrian Empire
Assyrian population powers paid taxes, performed construction and military service. The country was divided into regions headed by Assyrian governors. The cities of Phoenicia and the kingdom of Judah retained their own rulers. They paid tribute to Assyria. Egypt was divided into 20 small kingdoms headed by local rulers and priests.
For better management of the occupied countries, the Assyrians laid wide roads of brick and stone, fastened with asphalt. Stone posts along the roads indicated distances. Messengers rushed to different parts of the state, delivering royal decrees.
Questions about this item:
Assyria was a region in the Middle East that under the Neo-Assyrian Empire reached from Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) through Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and down through Egypt. The empire began modestly in the city of Ashur (known as Subartu to the Sumerians), located in Mesopotamia northeast of Babylon, where traders who traded in Anatolia became increasingly wealthy, and this wealth allowed the city to grow and prosper. According to one interpretation of passages in the biblical Book of Genesis, Ashur was founded by a man named Ashur, son of Shem, son of Noah, after the Great Flood, who then went on to search for other important Assyrian cities. It is more likely that the city was named Ashur after the deity of that name sometime in the 3rd millennium BC; the name of the same god is the source for "Assyria". The biblical version of Ashur's origin appears later in the historical record after the Assyrians converted to Christianity, and is therefore thought to be a reinterpretation of their early history that was more in line with their belief system. The Assyrians were a Semitic people who originally spoke and wrote Akkadian before the easier-to-use Aramaic became more popular. Historians have divided the rise and fall of the Assyrian Empire into three periods: the "Old Kingdom", the "Middle Empire", and the "Late Empire" (also known as the Neo-Assyrian Empire), although it should be noted that the history of the Assyrians continued past and into the present day of the Assyrians live in the regions of Iran and Iraq, as well as in other places. The Assyrian Empire is considered the greatest of the Mesopotamian empires due to its space and the development of bureaucracy and military strategies that allowed it to grow and prosper.
OLD KINGDOM
Although the city of Ashur has existed since the 3rd millennium BC, the surviving ruins of this city date back to 1900 BC, which is now considered the date of the founding of the city. According to early inscriptions, the first king was Tudia, and those who followed him were known as "kings who lived in tents", suggesting a pastoral rather than an urban community. However, Ashur was certainly an important trading center even during this time, although its precise form and structure is unclear. King
Erishum I built the Temple of Ashura at the site at. 1900/1905 BC, and this has become the accepted date for the founding of the actual city at the site, although apparently some form of city must have existed there prior to that date. Historian Wolfram von Soden writes:
Due to the scarcity of sources, very little is known about Assyria in the third millennium... Assyria sometimes belonged to the Empire of Akkad as well as the third dynasty of Ur. Our main sources of this period are thousands of Assyrian letters and documents from the trading colonies in Cappadocia, the main of which was Kanesh (modern Kultepe) (49-50).
The trading colony of Karum Kanesh (Port Kanesh) was one of the most profitable trading centers in the ancient Near East, and by far the most important for the city of Ashur. Merchants from Ashur traveled to Kanesh, set up businesses, and then after they laid down trusted employees (usually family members), returned to Ashur and controlled their business dealings from there. Historian Pavel Krivachek notes:
For generations, the trading houses of Karuma Kanesh prospered, and some became extremely wealthy - the ancient millionaires. However, not all cases were kept in the family. Ashur had a sophisticated banking system, and part of the capital that financed Anatolian trade came from long-term investments by independent speculators in exchange for a certain portion of the profits. There is little to say about today's commodity markets that the old Assyrian did not learn quickly (214-215).
Rapture of Ashura
The wealth generated from trade in Karum Kanesh provided the people of Ashur with the stability and security they needed to expand the city, and therefore laid the foundation for the growth of the empire. Trade with Anatolia was equally important in providing the Assyrians with raw materials from which they were able to perfect the craft of the iron industry. The iron weapons of the Assyrian military will have a decisive advantage in campaigns that will conquer the entire region of the Middle East. However, before that could happen, the political landscape had to change. A people known as the Khuryans and Hatti held dominance in the region of Anatolia, while Ashur, to the north in Mesopotamia, remained in the shadow of these more powerful civilizations. In addition to the Hatti, there were a people known as the Amorites who steadily settled in the area and acquired more land and resources. The Assyrian king Shamashi Adad I (1813-1791 BCE) led the Amorites out and secured the borders of Assyria by claiming Ashur as the capital of his kingdom. The Hatti continued to be dominant in the region until they invaded and were assimilated by the Hittites in c. 1700. However, long before that, they had ceased to be as much of a problem as the city to the southwest that was slowly gaining strength: Babylon. The Amorites were a growing power in Babylon for at least 100 years when an Amorite king named Sin Muballit took the throne and, c. 1792 BC E. His son, King Hammurabi, ascended to power and conquered the lands of the Assyrians. Around this time, trade between Ashur and Karum Kanesh ended as Babylon now rose to prominence in the region and took control of trade with Assyria.
Shortly after the death of Hammurabi in 1750 BC, the Babylonian Empire collapsed. Assyria again attempted to assert control over the region surrounding Ashur, but it seems that the kings of this period were not up to the task. Civil war broke out in the region and stability was not restored until the reign of the Assyrian king Adasi (c. 1726-1691 BCE). Adashi was able to secure the region and his successors continued their policies but were unable or unwilling to participate in the expansion of the kingdom.
MIDDLE EMPIRE
The vast Kingdom of Mitanni has risen from the region of eastern Anatolia and now holds power in the region of Mesopotamia; Assyria fell under their control. Hittite invasions under King Suppiluliuma I broke the power of Mitanni and replaced the kings of Mitanni with Hittite rulers at the same time that the Assyrian king Eriba Adad I was able to gain influence in the Mitanni court (now mostly Hittite). The Assyrians were now able to claim their autonomy and began to expand their kingdom from Ashur to areas formerly held by the Mitanni. The Hittites retreated and were able to keep the Assyrians at bay until King Ashur-Uballit I (c.1353-1318 BCE) defeated the remaining Mitanni forces under Hittite command and captured a large portion of the region. He was succeeded by two kings who supported what had been won, but no further expansion was achieved until the arrival of King Adad Nirari I (1307-1275 BCE), who expanded the Assyrian empire to the north and south, driving out the Hittites and conquering their main strongholds. Adad Nirari I is the first Assyrian king about whom everything is known with certainty because he left inscriptions of his accomplishments that have survived mostly intact. In addition, letters between the Assyrian king and the Hittite rulers survive and make it clear that initially the Assyrian rulers were not taken seriously by those of the other peoples in the region until they proved too powerful to resist. Historian Will Durant comments on the growth of the Assyrian empire:
If we are to recognize the imperial principle - which is good, for the sake of law, security, commerce and peace - that many states should be brought by persuasion or force under one government, then we should recognize Assyria as a distinction established in Western Asia, a larger measure and an area of order and prosperity than this region of the Earth, as far as we know, used before (270).
POLICY OF ASSIRIN DEFORTATION
Adad Nirari I completely subjugated Mitanni and began what would become standard policy in the Assyrian Empire: the deportation of large segments of the population. With Mitanni under the Assyrian control of Adad Nirari, I decided that the best way to prevent a future rebellion was to remove the land's former inhabitants and replace them with Assyrians. However, this should not be understood as cruel treatment of captives. Speaking of this, historian Karen Radner argues,
Deported, their work and their abilities were extremely valuable to the Assyrian state, and their resettlement was carefully planned and organized. We should not imagine the paths of hopeless fugitives who were easy prey for hunger and disease: the deportees had to travel as comfortably and safely as possible in order to reach their destination in good physical condition. Whenever deportations are depicted in Assyrian imperial art, men, women, and children are shown traveling in groups, often riding vehicles or animals, and never in liaison. There is no reason to doubt these depictions, since Assyrian narrative art does not shy away from the graphic display of extreme violence (1).
The deportees were carefully selected for their abilities and sent to regions that could make the most of their talents. Not everyone in the conquered population was chosen for deportation, and families were never separated. Those parts of the population that actively resisted the Assyrians were killed or sold into slavery, but the general population began to be absorbed by the growing empire and were considered Assyrians. Historian Gwendolyn Lake writes of Adad Nirari I that "the prosperity and stability of his reign enabled him to engage in ambitious building projects, build city walls and canals, and rebuild temples" (3). He also provided the foundation for the empire upon which his successors would build.
ASSYRIAN DEPENDENCE OF THE MITANNI AND THE HIDDEN
His son and successor Shalmaner, I completed the destruction of the Mitanni and absorbed their culture. Shalmaner I continued his father's policies, including population resettlement, but his son Tukulti-Ninurta I (1244-1208 BC) went even further. According to Lake, Tukulti-Ninurta I "was one of the most famous Assyrian soldier kings who campaigned incessantly for the preservation of Assyrian possessions and influence. He reacted with impressive brutality to any sign of rebellion" (177). He was also very interested in acquiring and preserving the knowledge and cultures of the peoples he conquered, and developed a more sophisticated method of choosing what kind of person or community would be moved to what specific location. For example, scribes and scholars were carefully selected and sent to urban centers where they could help catalog written works and assist the empire's bureaucracy. A literate man, he composed an epic poem in which he spoke of his victory over the Kassite king of Babylon and the subjugation of this city and areas under his influence, and wrote another about his victory over the Elamites. He defeated the Hittites at the Battle of Nihriya in c. 1245 BC, effectively ending Hittite power in the region and beginning the decline of their civilization. When Babylon made incursions into Assyrian territory, Tukulti-Ninurta I severely punished the city by sacking it, sacking the sacred temples, and carrying the king and part of the population back to Assur as slaves. With his plundered wealth, he repaired his stately palace in the city he built opposite Assur, which he called Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta, to which he seems to have retreated when the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His desecration of the temples of Babylon was seen as a crime against the gods (since the Assyrians and Babylonians shared many of the same deities), and his sons and court officials rebelled against him for putting his hand on the goods of the gods. He was killed in the palace, probably by one of his sons, Ashur-Nadin-Apli, who then took the throne.
TIGLATH PILESER I & REVITALIZATION
After the death of Tukulti-Ninurta I, the Assyrian empire fell into a period of stagnation, in which it did not expand or decrease. While the entire Middle East fell into a "dark age" after the so-called collapse of the Bronze Age c. 1200 BC, Ashur and his empire remained relatively intact. Unlike other civilizations in the region that suffered total collapse, the Assyrians seem to have experienced something closer to simply moving forward. It cannot be said that the empire "stalled" because the culture, including the emphasis on military campaign and the value of conquest, continued; however, there was no significant expansion of the empire and civilization, as was the case under Tukulti-Ninurta I.
All this changed with the rise of Tiglath Pileser I to the throne (reigned c. 1115-1076 BC). According to Lake:
He was one of the most important Assyrian kings of this period, mainly due to his large-scale military campaigns, his enthusiasm for building projects, and his interest in the collection of cuneiform tablets. He performed widely in Anatolia, where he conquered numerous nations and ventured into the Mediterranean. In the capital of Assur, he built a new palace and created a library that contained numerous tablets on all kinds of scientific subjects. He also issued a legal decree, the so-called Middle Assyrian Laws, and wrote the first royal chronicles. He was also one of the first Assyrian kings who commissioned parks and gardens with foreign and native trees and plants (171).
Tiglath Pileser I boosted the economy and military through his campaigns, adding more resources and skilled populations to the Assyrian Empire. Literacy and the arts flourished, and the preservation initiative the king took regarding cuneiform tablets would serve as a model for a later ruler, Ashurbanipal's famous library in Nineveh. After the death of Tiglath Pileser I, his son Asharid-apal-ekur took the throne and ruled for two years, during which he continued his father's policy without change. He was succeeded by his brother Ashur-bel-Kala, who initially ruled successfully until challenged by a usurper who threw the empire into civil war. Although the rebellion was put down and the participants were executed, the riots allowed some regions that had been tightly held by Assyria to free themselves, and among them was the area known as Eber Nari (modern day Syria, Lebanon, and Israel), which was especially which is important to the empire because of the established seaports along the coast. The Arameans now held Eber Nari and began to make incursions from there into the rest of the empire. At the same time, the Amorites of Babylon and the city of Mari established themselves and tried to break the hold of the empire. The kings who followed Ashur bel Qala (including Shalmanezer II and Tiglath Pileser II) managed to keep the core of the empire around Ashur, but were unable to recapture Eber Nari or drive the Aramaeans and Amorites out of the borders completely. The empire was steadily shrinking due to repeated attacks from outside and rebellions from within and, lacking enough to revive an army, Assyria again entered a period of stagnation in which they kept everything they could from the empire but could do nothing.
NEO-ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
The Late Empire (also known as the Neo-Assyrian Empire) is the one most familiar to students of ancient history as it is the period of greatest expansion of the empire. This is also the era that most decisively gives the Assyrian Empire the reputation it has for ruthlessness and brutality. The historian Krivachek writes:
Assyria must surely be among the saddest announcements of any state in history. Babylon may be due to corruption, decadence and sin, but the Assyrians and their famous rulers with such terrifying names as Shalmaner, Tiglath-Pileser, Sennacherib, Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal are ranked in the popular imagination just below Adolf Hitler and Genghis Khan for cruelty, violence and sheer cruel savagery (208).
Although historians tend to shy away from analogy, it is tempting to see the Assyrian empire, which dominated the Middle East from 900-612 BC, as the historical leader of Nazi Germany: an aggressive, murderously vindictive regime backed by a magnificent and successful war machine. As was the case with the German army of World War II, the Assyrian army was the most technologically and doctrinally advanced of its day, and was a model for other generations thereafter. The Assyrians were the first to make extensive use of iron weapons [and] not only iron weapons superior to bronze, but mass production to actually equip very large armies (12).
While the reputation for decisive, ruthless military tactics is understandable, the comparison to the Nazi regime is less so. Unlike the Nazis, the Assyrians treated the captured people, whom they moved well (as discussed above), and considered them Assyrians as soon as they submitted to the central authority. In Assyrian politics there was no concept of a "master race"; all were considered an asset to the empire, whether they were born Assyrians or were assimilated into the culture. Krivachek notes: “In truth, the Assyrian war was not more severe than that of other modern states. And, indeed, there were no Assyrians, especially cruel than the Romans, who staked on their roads, thousands of victims of crucifixion died in agony "(209). Thus, the only fair comparison between Germany during the Great Patriotic War and the Assyrians is the effectiveness of the military and the size of the army, and the same comparison can be made with ancient Rome.
These massive armies were still in the future, however, when the first king of the neo-Assyrian empire came to power. The rise of King Adad Nirari II (c. 912-891 BCE) led to the revival of Assyria. Adad Nirari II recaptured the lands that had been lost, including Eber Nari, and secured the borders. The defeated Aramaeans were executed or deported to areas in central Assyria. He also conquered Babylon but, learning from the mistakes of the past, refused to sack the city and instead made a peace agreement with the king in which they married each other's daughters and promised mutual loyalty. Their treaty would secure Babylon as a powerful ally instead of a decades-long problem for the next 80 years.
MILITARY EXPANSION AND GOD'S NEW LOOK
The kings who followed Adad Nirari II continued the same policies and military expansion. Tukulti Ninurta II (891-884 BCE) expanded the empire to the north and gained further territory south in Anatolia whereas Ashurnasirpal II (884-859 BCE) unified the rules in the Levant and spread Assyrian domination through Canaan. Their most common method of conquest is siege warfare, which will begin with a vicious assault on a city. Anglim writes:
More than anything, the Assyrian army excelled in siege warfare and was probably the first force to lead a separate corps of engineers... Attack was their main tactic against the heavily fortified cities of the Middle East. They developed many methods for breaching enemy walls: sappers were used to blow up walls or set fire under wooden gates, and ramps were thrown to allow men to pass through the ramparts or try to break through the top of the wall where it was least thick. Mobile ladders allowed attackers to cross ditches and quickly attack any point of defense. These operations were covered by masses of archers, who were the core of the infantry. But the pride of the Assyrian siege block was their engines. These were multi-story wooden towers with four wheels and a tower on top and one, or sometimes two, rams at the base (186).
The advancement of military technology was not the only or even the main contribution of the Assyrians, since at the same time they made significant progress in medicine, building on the foundations of the Sumerians and drawing on the knowledge and talents of those who were conquered and assimilated. Ashurnasirpal II made the first systematic lists of plants and animals in the empire and brought scribes with him on a campaign to record new finds. Schools were established throughout the empire, but were only for the sons of the wealthy and nobles. Women were not allowed to attend school or hold positions of power, although earlier in Mesopotamia women enjoyed almost equal rights. The decline in women's rights correlates with the rise of Assyrian monotheism. As the Assyrian armies were campaigning across the land, their god Ashur went with them, but since Ashur had previously been associated with the temple of that city and only worshiped there, a new way of imagining the god became necessary to continue this worship elsewhere. Krivachek writes:
One could pray to Ashura not only in his own temple in his own city, but anywhere. As the Assyrian Empire expanded its borders, Ashur met even in the most remote places. From belief in an omnipresent god to belief in a single god is not a long step. Since He was everywhere, people came to understand that in some sense the local deities were just different manifestations of the same Ashur (231).
This unity of vision of the supreme deity helped further unite the regions of the empire. The various gods of the conquered peoples and their various religious practices immersed themselves in the worship of Ashur, who was recognized as the one true god, who in the past was called by different names by different people, but who was now clearly known and could properly be worshiped as a universal deity. Concerning this, Krivachek writes:
The belief in the transcendence, not the immanence, of the divine had important consequences. Nature has become desacralized, deconserved. Since the gods were outside and above nature, humanity - according to the Mesopotamian faith, created in the likeness of the gods and serving the gods, must be outside and above nature too. The human race, instead of an integral part of the natural earth, was now its superior and its ruler. The new position was later summed up in Genesis 1:26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." This is very good for the people clearly highlighted in this passage. But for women, this presents an insurmountable difficulty. While men can deceive themselves and each other that they are outside, above and superior to nature, women cannot distance themselves so much as their physiology makes them lucid and obviously part of the natural world… It is no coincidence that even today these religions are given more attention to the absolute transcendence of God and the impossibility of imagining His reality, should lead women to a lower level of existence, their participation in public religious worship is allowed only reluctantly, if at all (229-230).
Assyrian culture became increasingly cohesive with the expansion of the empire, a new understanding of the deity, and the assimilation of people from the conquered regions. Shalmaner III (859-824 BCE) expanded the empire across the Mediterranean coast and received homage from the wealthy Phoenician cities of Tire and Sidon. He also defeated the Armenian kingdom of Urartu, which had long been a significant nuisance to the Assyrians. However, after his reign, the empire erupted into civil war as King Shamshi Adad V (824-811 BCE) fought with his brother for control. Although the rebellion was crushed, the expansion of the empire stopped after Shalmaner III. The regent Shammuramat (also known as Semiramis, who became the mythical queen goddess of the Assyrians in later traditions) held the throne for his infant son Adad Nirari III c. 811-806 BC E. And at that time secured the borders of the empire and organized successful campaigns to suppress the Medes and other troublesome populations in the north. When her son came of age, she was able to pass on a stable and significant empire to him, which was then expanded by Adad Nirari III. However, after his reign, his successors chose to rest on the achievements of others, and the empire entered another period of stagnation. This was especially dangerous for the military, who languished under kings such as Ashur Dan III and Ashur Nirari V.
GREAT KINGS OF THE NEOSYRIAN EMPIRE
The empire was revitalized by Tiglath Pilesher III (745-727 BCE), who reorganized the military and restructured the government bureaucracy. According to the British, Tiglath Pileser III "carried out extensive reforms of the army, restored central control of the empire, reconquered the Mediterranean Sea, and even subjugated Babylon. He replaced conscription [in the army] with a labor law imposed on each province, and also demanded contingents from vassal states” (14). He defeated the kingdom of Urata, which had long troubled the Assyrian rulers and conquered the region of Syria. Under the rule of Tiglath Pileser III, the Assyrian army had up to that time become the most effective military force in history and would provide a model for future armies in organization, tactics, training and efficiency.
Tiglath Pilesher III was accompanied by Shalmanezer V (727-722 BCE) who continued the king's policies and his successor, Sargon II (722-705 BCE), improved them and expanded the empire further. Even though Sargon II's reign was contested by nobles who claimed he had illegally seized the throne, he maintained the cohesion of the empire. Following the example of Tiglath Pileser III, Sargon II was able to bring the empire to its greatest height. He was followed by Sennacherib (705-681 BCE), who campaigned widely and relentlessly, conquering Israel, Judea, and the Greek provinces in Anatolia. His bag of Jerusalem is detailed in "The Taylor Prism", a cuneiform block describing the military exploits of Sennacherib, which was discovered in 1830 by the British Colonel Taylor, in which he claims to have captured 46 cities and captured the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the city until he filled them up. However, his account is disputed by the version of events described in the biblical book of II Kings, chapters 18-19, which states that Jerusalem was saved by divine intervention and Sennacherib's army was driven from the field. However, the biblical account links the Assyrian conquest of the region.
The military victories of Sennacherib increased the wealth of the empire. He moved the capital to Nineveh and built the so-called "Palace without rival". He beautified and improved the original structure of the city and planted orchards and orchards. Historian Christopher Scarr writes:
The palace of Sennacherib had all the usual accessories of a large Assyrian residence: colossal figures of guardians and impressive carved stone reliefs (more than 2000 sculptural slabs in 71 rooms). His gardens were also exceptional. Recent research by the British Assyriologist Stephanie Dally suggested that this was the famous Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Later writers placed the Hanging Gardens in Babylon, but extensive research found no trace. Sennacherib's proud account of the palace gardens he created at Nineveh comes close to the hanging gardens in several significant details (231).
Ignoring the lessons of the past, however, dissatisfied with his great wealth and the luxury of the city, Sennacherib drove his army against Babylon, dismissed it and plundered the temples. As before in history, the looting and destruction of the temples of Babylon was seen as the height of sacrilege by the inhabitants of the region, as well as by the sons of Sennacherib, who killed him in his palace in Nineveh to appease the wrath of the gods. While they would no doubt have been motivated to kill their father on the throne (after he chose his youngest son, Esarhaddon, as heir in 683 BCE by deceiving them), to do so they would need legitimate reason; and the destruction of Babylon provided them with one.
His son Esarhaddon (681-669 BCE) took the throne and one of his first projects was the rebuilding of Babylon. He issued an official proclamation stating that Babylon was destroyed by the will of the gods because of the city's wickedness and lack of respect for the divine. Nowhere in his proclamation is Sennacherib or his role in the destruction of the city mentioned, but it is clear that the gods chose Esarhaddon as the divine remedy for restoration: “Once during the reign of a previous ruler, there were bad omens. The city offended its gods and was destroyed by their order. They have chosen me, Esarhaddon, to restore everything to its rightful place, to calm their anger and calm their fury.” The emperor prospered under his reign. He successfully conquered Egypt (which Sennacheric tried and failed to do) and established the empire's borders as far north as the Zagros Mountains (modern Iran) and as far south as Nubia (modern Sudan) with a west to east span of the Levant (modern Lebanon). to Israel) through Anatolia (Turkey). His successful campaigns and careful maintenance of government ensured the stability of advances in medicine, literacy, mathematics, astronomy, architecture, and the arts. Durant writes:
In the field of art, Assyria equaled her mentor Babylonia and surpassed her in bas-relief. Stimulated by the influx of wealth in Ashur, Calah and Nineveh, artists and artisans began to produce - for the nobles and their ladies, for kings and palaces, for priests and temples - jewels of every description, cast metal skillfully designed and finely wrought as on the great gate in Balavate, and sumptuous furniture of richly carved and expensive woods, reinforced with metal and inlaid with gold, silver, bronze, or precious stones (278).
To secure peace, Isarhaddon's mother, Zakutu (also known as Nakia-Zakutu), made vassal treaties with the Persians and the Medes, demanding that they submit him to a successor in advance. This treaty, known as the Treaty of Allegiance to Nakia-Zakut, ensured an easy transition of power when Esarhaddon, preparing to campaign against the Nubians, died and rule passed to the last great Assyrian ruler, Ashurbanipal (668-627 BCE). Ashurbanipal was the most literate of the Assyrian rulers and is probably best known in modern day for the extensive library he amassed in his palace at Nineveh. As a great patron of the arts and culture, Ashurbanipal could be as ruthless as his predecessors in securing the empire and intimidating his enemies. Krivachek writes: "What other imperialist, like Ashurbanipal, commissioned a sculpture for his palace with decoration showing him and his women's banquet in his garden, with the head removed and the severed hand of the King of Elam hanging from the trees on like terrible Christmas baubles or strange fruits ? '(208). He decisively defeated the Elamites and expanded the empire further east and north. Recognizing the importance of preserving the past, he then sent messengers to every point underground underground and took away or copied the books of that city or city, returning everything to Nineveh for the royal library.
Ashurbanipal ruled the empire for 42 years and campaigned successfully and operated effectively during that time. However, the empire became too big and the regions were overstretched. In addition, the vastness of the Assyrian domain made it difficult to defend the borders. As large as the army, there were not enough men to keep a garrison at every significant fort or outpost. When Ashurbanipal died in 627 BC, the empire began to fall apart. His successors Ashur-etli-Ilani and Sin-Shar-Ishkun were unable to hold the territories together, and the regions began to break away. The rule of the Assyrian Empire was perceived as overly harsh by the subjects, despite the fact that any improvements and luxuries that an Assyrian citizen could possibly have had, and the former vassal states revolted.
In 612 B.C. Nineveh was sacked and burned by a coalition of Babylonians, Persians, Medes and Scythians, among others. The destruction of the palace brought the walls of fire to the library of Ashurbanipal and, though far from the intention, preserved the great library and the history of the Assyrians by carefully baking and burying clay notebooks. Krivachek writes: "Thus the enemies of Assyria ultimately failed in their goal when they destroyed Ashur and Nineveh in 612 BC, only fifteen years after the death of Ashurbanipal: destroying Assyria's place in history" (255). Yet the destruction of the great Assyrian cities was so complete that for two generations of the fall of the empire no one knew where the cities were. The ruins of Nineveh were covered with sand and buried for the next 2000 years.
LEGALITY OF ASSYRIA
Thanks to the Greek historian Herodotus, who considered all of Assyria to be in Mesopotamia, scientists have long known that there was a culture (compared to the Sumerians, who did not know science until the 19th century). Mesopotamian scholarship was traditionally known as Assyriology until relatively recently (although the term is certainly still in use) because the Assyrians were so well known through the primary sources of Greek and Roman writers. Through the space of their empire, the Assyrians spread Mesopotamian culture to other regions of the world, which in turn influenced cultures throughout the world to the present day. Durant writes:
Through the Assyrian conquest of Babylon, her appropriation of the culture of the ancient city, and the dissemination of that culture throughout her vast empire; through the long captivity of the Jews and the great influence on them of Babylonian life and thought; through the Persian and Greek conquests, which then opened up unprecedented fullness and freedom in all the roads of communication and trade between Babylon and the rising cities of Ionia, Asia Minor and Greece - through these and many other ways the civilization of the Earth between the rivers was transferred to the cultural fund of our race. Nothing is lost in the end; for good or evil, every event has consequences forever (264).
Tiglath Pilesher III introduced Aramaic instead of Akkadian as the lingua franca of the empire, and since Aramaic survived as a written language, this allowed later scholars to decipher the Akkadian scriptures and then the Sumerian. The Assyrian conquest of Mesopotamia and the expansion of the empire throughout the Near East brought the Aramaeans to the regions of both Israel and Greece, and thus the thought of Mesopotamia became infused with these cultures and part of their literary and cultural heritage. After the decline and rupture of the Assyrian empire, Babylon assumed dominance in the region from 605-549. BC Babylon then fell to the Persians under Cyrus the Great, who founded the Achaemenid Empire (549-330 BCE), which fell to Alexander the Great and after his death was part of the Seleucid Empire.
The region of Mesopotamia, corresponding to present-day Iraq, Syria, and part of Turkey, was the area at this time known as Assyria, and when the Seleucids were expelled by the Parthians, the western part of the region, formerly known as Eber Nari and then Aramea, retained the name Syria. The Parthians gained control of the region and held it until the arrival of Rome in 115 AD, and then the Sassanid Empire held dominance in the area from 226 to 6550 AD. until the emergence of Islam and the conquest of Arabia in the 7th century AD. , Assyria ceased to exist as a national entity. Among the greatest achievements, however, was the Aramaic alphabet, imported into the Assyrian government by Tiglath Pileser III from the conquered region of Syria. Arameans were easier to write than Akkadian, and so older documents collected by kings such as Ashurbanipal were translated from Akkadian into Aramaic, while newer ones were written in Aramaic and ignored by Akkadian. As a result, thousands of generations of history and culture have been preserved for future generations, and this is the greatest legacy of Assyria.
Period (XX-XVI centuries BC)
In the Old Assyrian period, the state occupied a small territory, the center of which was Ashur. The population was engaged in agriculture: they grew barley and spelt, planted grapes using natural irrigation (rain and snow precipitation), wells and, in a small amount - with the help of irrigation facilities - Tigris waters. In the eastern regions of the country, cattle breeding with the use of mountain meadows for summer grazing had a great influence. But the main role in the life of the early Assyrian society was played by trade. The most important trade routes passed through Assyria: from the Mediterranean and from Asia Minor along the Tigris to the regions of Central and Southern Mesopotamia and further to Elam. Ashur sought to create his own trading colonies in order to gain a foothold on these main frontiers. Already at the turn of 3-2 thousand BC. he subjugates the former Sumerian-Akkadian colony of Gasur (east of the Tigris). The eastern part of Asia Minor was especially actively colonized, from where raw materials important for Assyria were exported: metals (copper, lead, silver), livestock, wool, leather, wood - and where grain, fabrics, ready-made clothes and handicrafts were imported. The Old Assyrian society was a slave society, but retained strong remnants of the tribal system. There were royal (or palace) and temple farms, the land of which was cultivated by community members and slaves. Most of the land was owned by the community. The land plots were owned by large-family communities "bitum", which included several generations of the closest relatives. The land was subjected to regular redistribution, but could also be in frequent ownership. During this period, the trading nobility stood out, becoming rich as a result of international trade. Slavery was already widespread. Slaves were acquired through debt slavery, purchases from other tribes, and also as a result of successful military campaigns. The Assyrian state at that time was called alum Ashur, which meant the city or community of Ashur. People's assemblies and councils of elders still survived, which elected a ukullum - an official in charge of the judicial and administrative affairs of the city of the state. There was also a hereditary position of the ruler - ishshakkum, who had religious functions, supervised temple construction and other public works, and during the war became a military leader. Sometimes these two positions were combined in the hands of one person. At the beginning of the 20th century BC. the international situation for Assyria is unfortunate: the rise of the state of Mari in the Euphrates region became a serious obstacle to the western trade of Ashur, and the formation of the Hittite kingdom soon brought to naught the activities of Assyrian merchants in Asia Minor. Trade was also hampered by the advance of the Amorite tribes in Mesopotamia. Apparently, in order to restore it, Ashur during the reign of Ilushuma undertook the first campaigns to the west, to the Euphrates, and to the south, along the Tigris. Especially active foreign policy, in which the western direction prevails, Assyria conducts under Shamshi-Adad 1 (1813-1781 BC). Her troops capture the North Mesopotamian cities, subjugate Mari, capture the Syrian city of Qatna. Intermediary trade with the West passes to Ashur. Assyria maintains peaceful relations with its southern neighbors - Babylonia and Eshnunna, but in the east it has to wage constant wars with the Hurrians. Thus, at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 18th century BC. Assyria turned into a large state and Shamshi-Adad 1 appropriated the title "king of multitudes" to himself. The Assyrian state was reorganized. The king headed an extensive administrative apparatus, became the supreme commander and judge, and managed the royal economy. The entire territory of the Assyrian state was divided into districts, or provinces (khalsum), headed by governors appointed by the king. The basic unit of the Assyrian state was the community - alum. The entire population of the state paid taxes to the treasury and performed various labor duties. The army consisted of professional soldiers and general militia. Under the successors of Shamshi-Adad 1, Assyria began to suffer defeats from the Babylonian state, where Hammurabi then ruled. He, in alliance with Mari, defeated Assyria and she, at the end of the 16th century BC. became the prey of the young state - Mitanni. Assyrian trade declined as the Hittites drove Assyrian merchants out of Asia Minor, Egypt out of Syria, and Mitanni closed the west.
In the 15th century BC. Assyrians are trying to restore the former position of their state. They opposed their enemies - the Babylonian, Mitannian and Hittite kingdoms - with an alliance with Egypt, which began to play in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. leading role in the Middle East. After the first campaign of Thutmose 3 to the eastern Mediterranean coast, Assyria establishes close contacts with Egypt. Friendly relations between the two states were strengthened under the Egyptian pharaohs Amenhotep 3 and Akhenaten and the Assyrian rulers Ashur-nadin-ahkhe 2 and Ashshuruballit 1 (late 15th - 14th century BC). Ashur-uballit 1 achieves that Assyrian henchmen sit on the Babylonian throne. Assyria achieves especially tangible results in the western direction. Under Adad-Nerari 1 and Shalmaneser 1, the once powerful Mitanni finally submits to the Assyrians. Tukulti-Ninurta 1 makes a successful campaign in Syria and captures about 30,000 prisoners there. He also invades Babylon and takes the Babylonian king into captivity. The Assyrian kings begin to make campaigns to the north, in Transcaucasia, to the country, which they call the country of Uruatri or Nairi. In the 12th century BC. Assyria, having undermined its strength in continuous wars, is in decline.
But at the turn of the 12th-11th centuries BC. in the reign of Tiglathpalasar 1 (1115-1077 BC), its former power returns to it. This was due to many circumstances. The Hittite kingdom fell, Egypt entered a period of political fragmentation. Assyria had virtually no rivals. The main blow was directed to the west, where about 30 campaigns were made, as a result of which Northern Syria and Northern Phoenicia were captured. In the north, victories were won over Nairi. However, at this time, Babylon begins to rise, and wars with it go on with varying success.
The top of the Assyrian society at that time was the class of slave owners, which was represented by large landowners, merchants, priests, and serving nobility. The bulk of the population - the class of small producers consisted of free farmers - community members. The rural community owned the land, controlled the irrigation system and had self-government: it was headed by a headman and a council of "great" settlers. The institution of slavery was widespread at that time. Even simple community members had 1-2 slaves. The role of the Ashur Council of Elders - the body of the Assyrian nobility - is gradually decreasing.
The flourishing of Assyria during this period ended unexpectedly. At the turn of the 12th-11th centuries BC. nomadic tribes of Semitic-speaking Aramaeans poured from Arabia into the expanses of Western Asia. Assyria lay in their path, and she had to bear their brunt. Arameans settled in its territory and mixed with the Assyrian population. For almost 150 years, Assyria was in decline, the dark times of the rule of foreigners. Her history during this period is almost unknown.
Great Assyrian military power in the 1st millennium BCIn the 1st millennium BC. there is an economic rise of the ancient Eastern states, caused by the introduction of a new metal into production - iron, the intensive development of land and sea trade, the settlement of all the territories of the Middle East convenient for life. At this time, a number of old states, such as the Hittite state, Mitanni, fall apart, absorbed by other states, and leave the historical arena. Others, such as Egypt, Babylon, are experiencing a domestic and foreign political decline, yielding their leading role in world politics to other states, among which Assyria stands out. In addition, in the 1st millennium BC. new states enter the political arena - Urartu, Kush, Lydia, Media, Persia.
Back in the 2nd millennium BC. Assyria became one of the largest ancient Eastern states. However, the invasion of the semi-nomadic Aramaic tribes had a heavy impact on her fate. Assyria experienced a protracted, almost two hundred year decline, from which it recovered only in the 10th century BC. The settled Arameans mixed with the main population. The introduction of iron into military affairs began. In the political arena, Assyria did not have worthy rivals. The lack of raw materials (metals, iron), as well as the desire to seize forced labor - slaves - pushed Assyria to aggressive campaigns. Assyria often moved entire peoples from place to place. Many peoples paid great tribute to Assyria. Gradually, over time, the Assyrian state began to essentially live with these constant robberies.
In an effort to seize the wealth of Asia Minor, Assyria was not alone. Such states as Egypt, Babylon, Urartu, constantly opposed Assyria in this, and she waged long wars with them.
By the beginning of the 9th century BC. Assyria strengthened, restored its power in northern Mesopotamia and resumed its aggressive foreign policy. It became especially active during the reign of two kings: Ashurnatsirapal 2 (883-859 BC) and Shalmaneser 3 (859-824 BC). During the first of them, Assyria successfully fought in the north with the Nairi tribes, from which the state of Urartu was later formed. Assyrian troops inflicted a number of defeats on the mountain tribes of Media, who lived east of the Tigris. But the main direction of Assyrian expansion was directed to the west, to the region of the Eastern Mediterranean coast. The abundance of minerals (metals, precious stones), magnificent timber, incense were known throughout the Middle East. Here were the main routes of land and sea trade. They passed through such cities as Tire, Sidon, Damascus, Byblos, Arvad, Karchemish.
It is in this direction that Ashshurnatsinapar 2 undertakes the main military campaigns. He managed to defeat the Aramaic tribes living in Northern Syria, to conquer one of their principalities - Bit-Adini. Soon he reached the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and a number of rulers of the Syrian principalities and Phoenician cities brought him tribute.
His son Shalmanasar 3 continued his father's policy of conquest. Most of the campaigns were also directed to the west. However, at this time Assyria fought in other directions. In the north there was a war with the state of Urartu. At first, Shalmanasar 3 managed to inflict several defeats on him, but then Urartu gathered strength, and the wars with him took on a protracted character.
The Assyrians gained great success in their struggle against Babylon. Their troops invaded far inland and reached the shores of the Persian Gulf. Soon an Assyrian protege was seated on the Babylonian throne. In the west, Shalmaneser 3 finally captured the principality of Bit-Adini. The kings of the principalities of northern Syria and the southeast of Asia Minor (Kummukh, Melid, Hattina, Gurgum, etc.) brought him tribute and expressed their obedience. However, the Kingdom of Damascus soon created a large coalition to fight Assyria. It included such states as Kue, Hamat, Arzad, the Kingdom of Israel, Ammon, the Arabs of the Syrian-Mesopotamian steppe, and the Egyptian detachment also participated in the battles.
A fierce battle took place at the city of Karkara on the Orontes River in 853 BC. Apparently, the Assyrians were unable to inflict a final defeat on the coalition. Although Karkar fell, the other cities of the coalition - Damascus, Ammon - were not taken. Only in 840, after 16 campaigns across the Euphrates, Assyria managed to achieve a decisive advantage. Chazael, the king of Damascus, was defeated, rich booty was captured. Although the city of Damascus itself was not taken again, the military strength of the Damascus kingdom was broken. Tire, Sidon and the kingdom of Israel hastened to bring tribute to the Assyrian king.
As a result of the capture of numerous treasures, Assyria began extensive construction during this period. Ancient Ashur was rebuilt and decorated. But in the 9th century BC. Assyrian kings paid special attention to the new Assyrian capital - the city of Kalha (modern Nimrud). Majestic temples, palaces of Assyrian kings, powerful fortress walls were built here.
At the end of the 9th - beginning of the 8th century BC. The Assyrian state again enters a period of decline. Most of the Assyrian population was involved in constant campaigns, as a result of which the country's economy was in decline. In 763 BC a rebellion broke out in Ashur, and other regions and cities of the country soon rebelled: Arraphu, Guzanu. Only five years later all these rebellions were suppressed. A fierce struggle was waged within the state itself. The trading elite wanted the world to trade. The military elite wanted to continue campaigns to capture new prey.
The decline of Assyria at this time was facilitated by the change by the beginning of the 8th century BC. international situation. Urartu, a young state with a strong army, which made successful campaigns in the Transcaucasus, the southeast of Asia Minor, and even the territory of Assyria itself, advanced to the first place among the states of Western Asia.
In 746-745. BC. after the defeat suffered by Assyria from Urartu, an uprising broke out in Kalkha, as a result of which Tiglathpalasar 3 came to power in Assyria. He carried out important reforms. Firstly, he carried out the disaggregation of the former governorships, in such a way that too much power would not be concentrated in the hands of any civil servant. The entire territory was divided into small areas.
The second reform of Tiglathpalasar was carried out in the field of military affairs and the army. Previously, Assyria waged wars with militia forces, as well as colonist soldiers who received land plots for their service. In the campaign and in peacetime, each warrior supplied himself. Now a standing army was created, which was recruited from recruits and was fully supplied by the king. The division according to the types of troops was fixed. The number of light infantry has been increased. Cavalry began to be widely used. The striking force of the Assyrian army was made up of war chariots. Four horses were harnessed to the chariot. The crew consisted of two or four people. The army was well armed. Armor, shields, helmets were used to protect warriors. Horses were sometimes covered with "armor" made of felt and leather. During the siege of cities, rams were used, embankments were erected to the fortress walls, tunnels were made. To protect the troops, the Assyrians built a fortified camp surrounded by a rampart and a moat. All major Assyrian cities had strong walls that could withstand a long siege. The Assyrians already had a kind of sapper troops who built bridges, paved passages in the mountains. In important areas, the Assyrians laid paved roads. Assyrian gunsmiths were famous for their work. The army was accompanied by scribes who kept records of booty and captives. The army included priests, soothsayers, musicians. Assyria had a fleet, but it did not play a significant role, since Assyria waged its main wars on land. The fleet for Assyria was usually built by the Phoenicians. Intelligence was an important part of the Assyrian army. Assyria had a huge agent in the countries she conquered, which allowed her to prevent speeches. During the war, many spies were sent to meet the enemy, who collected information about the number of enemy troops and their whereabouts. Intelligence was usually led by the crown prince. Assyria almost did not use mercenary troops. There were such military posts - general (slave-reshi), head of the prince's regiment, great herald (slave-shaku). The army was divided into detachments of 10, 50, 100, 1000 people. There were banners and standards, usually with the image of the supreme god Ashur. The largest number of the Assyrian army reached 120,000 people.
So, Tiglath-Pileser 3 (745-727 BC) resumed aggressive activity. In 743-740. BC. he defeated a coalition of northern Syrian and Asia Minor rulers and received tribute from 18 kings. Then, in 738 and 735. BC. he made two successful trips to the territory of Urartu. In 734-732. BC. a new coalition was organized against Assyria, which included the kingdom of Damascus and Israel, many coastal cities, Arab principalities and Elam. In the east, by 737 B.C. Tiglathpalasar managed to gain a foothold in a number of areas of Media. In the south, Babylon was defeated, and Tiglath-Pileser himself was crowned in it with the crown of the Babylonian king. The conquered territories were given under the authority of the administration appointed by the Assyrian king. It was under Tiglathpalasar 3 that the systematic migration of the conquered peoples began, in order to mix and assimilate them. From Syria alone, 73,000 people were displaced.
Under the successor of Tiglathpalasar 3 - Shalmaneser 5 (727-722 BC), a broad policy of conquest was continued. Shalmaneser 5 tried to limit the rights of wealthy priests and merchants, but was overthrown by Sargon 2 (722-705 BC) as a result. Under him, Assyria defeated the rebellious kingdom of Israel. After a three-year siege, in 722 BC. Assyrians stormed the capital of the kingdom - Samaria, and then completely destroyed it. Residents were relocated to new places. The kingdom of Israel is gone. In 714 BC a heavy defeat was inflicted on the state of Urartu. A heavy struggle went on for Babylon, which had to be recaptured several times. In the last years of his reign, Sargon 2 fought hard against the Cimmerian tribes.
The son of Sargon 2 - Sennacherib (705-681 BC) also waged a fierce struggle for Babylon. In the west, the Assyrians in 701 B.C. besieged the capital of the Kingdom of Judah - Jerusalem. The Jewish king Hezkiah brought tribute to Sennacherib. The Assyrians approached the border of Egypt. However, at this time, Sennacherib was killed as a result of a palace coup and his youngest son, Esarhaddon (681-669 BC), ascended the throne.
Esarhaddon makes campaigns to the north, suppresses the uprisings of the Phoenician cities, asserts his power in Cyprus, conquers the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula. In 671, he conquers Egypt and assumes the title of Egyptian pharaoh. He died during a campaign against the newly rebellious Babylon.
In Assyria, Ashurbanapal (669 - about 635/627 BC) came to power. He was a very smart, educated man. He spoke several languages, knew how to write, had literary talent, acquired mathematical and astronomical knowledge. He created the largest library of 20,000 clay tablets. Under him, numerous temples and palaces were built and restored.
However, Assyria's foreign policy did not go so smoothly. Egypt rises (667-663 BC), Cyprus, Western Syrian possessions (Judea, Moab, Edom, Ammon). Urartu and Manna attack Assyria, Elam opposes Assyria, and the Median rulers revolt. Only by the year 655 Assyria manages to suppress all these speeches and repulse the attacks, but Egypt has finally fallen away. In 652-648. BC. rebellious Babylon rises again, joined by Elam, Arab tribes, Phoenician cities and other conquered peoples. By 639 B.C. most of the speeches were suppressed, but these were the last military successes of Assyria.
Events developed rapidly. In 627 BC Babylonia fell away. In 625 BC - Mussel. These two states conclude an alliance against Assyria. In 614 BC Ashur fell, in 612 - Nineveh. The last Assyrian troops were defeated in the battles of Harran (609 BC) and Carchemish (605 BC). The Assyrian nobility was destroyed, the Assyrian cities were destroyed, the ordinary Assyrian population mixed with other peoples.
Source: unknown.
