Assyrian Empire
900 B.C.E. to 600 B.C.E.
Primary Sources
- Assyria, 1365–609 B.C.After several centuries of obscurity and even loss of independence from around 1400 B.C., Assyria’s fortunes revived in the reign of Ashur-uballit I.
- The Old Assyrian Period (ca. 2000–1600 B.C.)The art and texts of the Old Assyrian period provide a deep view into the dynamic lives of individual people at the start of the second millennium B.C.
- State Archives of AssyriaState Archives of Assyria (SAA) is a critical edition of royal archives unearthed in the Neo-Assyrian capital Nineveh.
Streaming Media
- Neo-Assyrian Empire, Warfare, and CollapseDiscover how the Assyrian empire was restructured by Tiglath-Pileser III, how the Assyrians struggled to keep Babylonia within their empire, and how they even attempted to conquer Egypt. Hear of the mysterious hanging gardens that sat magically on roofs. Bear witness to the fall of the Assyrian Empire at the hands of angry enemies, including the Babylonians.
- Nineveh: The Architecture of Assyrian PowerDiscover the last great Assyrian palace and the largest city the world had ever seen before the Babylonian conquest. See how its designers accomplished incredible civil engineering feats, diverting entire rivers into canals that offered protection and transportation. Also meet the magnificent lamassu guardians that flanked the palace entrances, each of which stood over 12 feet tall.
Research and Reference
- Assyria: World History EncyclopediaAssyria was the region located in the ancient Near East which, under the Neo-Assyrian Empire, reached from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) through Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and down through Egypt. The empire began modestly at the city of Ashur (known as Subartu to the Sumerians), located in Mesopotamia north-east of Babylon, where merchants who traded in Anatolia became increasingly wealthy and that affluence allowed for the growth and prosperity of the city.
- Assyrian Empire: National GeographicThe Assyrian Empire was a collection of united city-states that existed from 900 B.C.E. to 600 B.C.E., which grew through warfare, aided by new technology such as iron weapons.
- Introducing the Assyrians: The British MuseumIn advance of our major autumn exhibition, curator Gareth Brereton gives a run down of what you need to know about the Assyrians, from luxury palaces and lion hunting to libraries and letters.
Perspectives
The Construction of the Assyrian Empire
In numerous ambitious expeditions Shalmaneser III of Assyria (859-824) lay the foundation of the subsequent remarkable military advance to the West of the Neo-Assyrian empire. While systematically scrutinizing and analyzing all accounts of these western campaigns, Shigeo Yamada not only discusses the historiographical problems encountered, together with their impact on the jigsaw of ninth century Ancient Near East history, but also offers new results, and an original historical reconstruction. Ample attention is given to the campaigns economic and ideological aspects. The book will serve as a useful reference for all students interested in Assyrian historiography and the history of Assyria and Syria-Palestine.It includes an appendix on a new edition of the Kurkh Monolith, based on the author s collation.
A History of the Ancient near East
This book presents a clear, concise history of the extraordinarily multicultural civilizations of the Ancient Near East. Beginning with the emergence of writing around 3000 BC, the narrative ranges from the origins of the first cities in Mesopotamia, through the growth of the Babylonian and Hittite kingdoms, to the Assyrian and Persian empires. It ends with the transformation of the Ancient Near East by the conquests of Alexander the Great. A straightforward and concise narrative of the complex history of the ancient Near East. Addresses political, social, and cultural developments. Contains in-depth discussion of key texts and sources, including the Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Includes a selection of Near Eastern texts in translation. Accompanied by plentiful maps and illustrations.
Nimrud
Nimrud (ancient Kalhu) in northern Iraq, was the capital of the Assyrian Empire during most of the 9th and 8th centuries BC, and remained a major centre until the destruction of the Empire in 612 BC. This authoritative account, written by two of the excavators of the site, traces its history and its gradual revelation through archaeological excavation, begun by Layard in the 19th century and continuing to the present day. The volume is abundantly illustrated and includes finds that have not previously been published, together with illustrations and the most complete account in English so far of the remarkable discoveries made in recent years by Iraqi archaeologists in the tombs of the Assyrian Queens. Contents: Introduction; Chapter 1: The Land of Assyria - Setting the Scene; Chapter 2: Major Palaces on the Citadel; Chapter 3: Tombs, Wells and Riches; Chapter 4: Temples, Minor Palaces and Private Houses; Chapter 4: Fort Shalmaneser: the ekal masarti; Chapter 6: The Written Evidence; Chapter 7: Types of Object and Materials from Nimrud; Chapter 8: Post-Assyrian Nimrud; Epilogue.
The Writing on the Wall: Studies in the Architectural Context of Late Assyrian Palace Inscriptions
It is too often forgotten that every Assyrian "historical" inscription functioned in a very specific context. This context influenced its content and the way in which it was perceived by ancient viewers and readers. Russell's goal is to address the reconstruction of the context of these inscriptions in order to elucidate their original impact. In the past, the palace inscriptions, including Assyrian palace inscriptions, have been published in composite editions with little or no reference to the provenience of the individual exemplars; in addition, the original excavation reports often were more interested in the content of the inscriptions than in their locations. To achieve the objective of placing these inscriptions in their original contexts and thereby provide a base for further study of them, and stimulated by two seasons of renewed excavations at Nineveh during which he studied many inscriptions in situ, Russell returned to the British Museum and Layard's original, handwritten notes from the 19th century excavations at Nineveh--the goal being to catalogue fully and as completely as possible the individual inscriptions and their locations. The results of Russell's labors are here published, including the first publication of several shorter inscriptions. The book is lavishly illustrated, both with museum photos and with photos by the author of many of the inscriptions in situ. The book will no doubt be the basis of all further study of the relationship between inscription and context in the palaces of the Assyrian kings.
Syro-Aramaic Reading of the Koran
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