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The history of ancient Assyria (state, country, kingdom) briefly. March of the Indestructibles Where was Assyria located in ancient times

The Assyrian state is considered the first empire in human history. The power, where the cult of cruelty flourished, lasted until 605 BC. until it was destroyed by the combined forces of Babylon and Media.

Birth of Ashur

In the 2nd millennium BC. The climate on the Arabian Peninsula has worsened. This forced the Aborigines to leave their ancestral territory and go in search of a “better life.” Among them were Assyrians. They chose the Tigris River valley as their new homeland and founded the city of Ashur on its banks.

Although the location chosen for the city was favorable, the presence of more powerful neighbors (Sumerians, Akkadians and others) could not but affect the life of the Assyrians. They had to be the best at everything to survive. Merchants began to play a key role in the young state.

But political independence came later. First, Ashur came under the control of Akkad, then Ur, and was captured by the Babylonian king Hammurabi, and after that the city became dependent on Mitania.

Ashur remained under the rule of Mitania for about a hundred years. But under King Shalmaneser I the state was strengthened. The result is the destruction of Mitania. And its territory, accordingly, went to Assyria.

Tiglath-pileser I (1115 – 1076 BC) managed to take the state to a new level. All neighbors began to take him into account. It seemed that the “finest hour” was close. But in 1076 BC. the king died. And among the contenders for the throne there was no worthy replacement. The Aramean nomads took advantage of this and inflicted several crushing defeats on the Assyrian troops. The territory of the state was sharply reduced - captured cities were leaving power. Ultimately, Assyria was left with only its ancestral lands, and the country itself found itself in a deep crisis.

New Assyrian power

It took Assyria more than two hundred years to recover from the blow. Only under King Tiglapalasar III, who reigned from 745 to 727 BC. the rise of the state began. First of all, the ruler dealt with the Urartian kingdom, managing to conquer most of the enemy’s cities and fortresses. Then there were successful campaigns in Phenicia, Syria, and Palestine. The crowning achievement of Tiglapalasar III was his ascension to the Babylonian throne.

The Tsar's military success is directly related to the reforms he carried out. Thus, he reorganized the army, which previously consisted of landowners. Now it recruited soldiers who did not have their own station, and the state took on all the costs of material support. In fact, Tiglapalasar III became the first king to have a regular army at his disposal. In addition, the use of metal weapons played a large role in the successes.

The next ruler, Sargon II (721 -705 BC), was destined for the role of a great conqueror. He spent almost the entire time of his reign on campaigns, annexing new lands, as well as suppressing uprisings. But the most significant victory of Sargon was the final defeat of the Urartian kingdom.

In general, this state has long been considered the main enemy of Assyria. But the Urartian kings were afraid to fight directly. Therefore, they in every possible way pushed certain peoples dependent on the country of Ashur to revolt. The Cimmerians provided unexpected assistance to the Assyrians, even if they themselves did not want it. The Urartian king Rusa I suffered a crushing defeat from the nomads, and Sargon could not help but take advantage of such a gift.

Fall of God Khaldi

In 714 BC. he decided to put an end to the enemy and moved inland, but crossing the mountains was not easy. In addition, Rusa, thinking that the enemy was heading towards Tushpa (the capital of Urartu), began to gather a new army. And Sargon decided not to risk it. Instead of the capital, he attacked the religious center of Urartu - the city of Musasir. Rusa did not expect this, because he was sure that the Assyrians would not dare to desecrate the sanctuary of the god Khaldi. After all, he was honored in the northern part of Assyria. Rusa was so sure of this that he even hid the state treasury in Musasir.

The result is sad. Sargon captured the city and its treasures, and ordered the statue of Khaldi to be sent to his capital. Rusa could not survive such a blow and committed suicide. The Khaldi cult in the country was greatly shaken, and the state itself was on the verge of destruction and no longer posed a threat to Assyria.

Death of an Empire

The Assyrian empire grew. But the policy pursued by its kings towards the captured peoples led to constant riots. The destruction of cities, extermination of the population, cruel executions of the kings of defeated peoples - all this aroused hatred of the Assyrians. For example, Sargon’s son Sennacherrib (705–681 BC), after suppressing the uprising in Babylon, executed part of the population and deported the rest. He destroyed the city itself and flooded it with the waters of the Euphrates. And this was an unjustifiably cruel act, because the Babylonians and Assyrians are related peoples. Moreover, the former always considered the latter their younger brothers. This may have played a certain role. Sennaherrib decided to get rid of his arrogant “relatives”.

Assarhaddon, who came to power after Sennaherrib, rebuilt Babylon, but the situation became more tense every year. And even a new surge of Assyrian greatness under Ashurbanipal (668–631 BC) could not stop the inevitable collapse. After his death, the country plunged into endless strife, which Babylon and Media took advantage of in time, enlisting the support of the Scythians, as well as Arab princes.

In 614 BC. The Medes destroyed ancient Ashur - the heart of Assyria. The Babylonians did not participate in the capture of the city; according to the official version, they were late. In fact, they simply did not want to participate in the destruction of the shrines of their kindred people.

Two years later, the capital, Nineveh, also fell. And in 605 BC. In the Battle of Karchemish, Prince Nebuchadnezzar (who would later become famous for his hanging gardens) finished off the Assyrians. The empire died, but its people did not, who have retained their self-identity to this day.

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 brainchild - Assyria, it is considered the first empire in the history of mankind.

Geographical and natural features of Mesopotamia

In terms of its geographical location, Ancient Mesopotamia had two significant advantages. Firstly, unlike the arid regions surrounding it, it was located in the zone of the so-called Fertile Crescent, where significant amounts of precipitation fell in winter, which was very favorable for agriculture. Secondly, the soil in this region was rich in deposits of iron ore and copper, highly valued since people learned to process them.

Today, the territory of Mesopotamia - the ancient country in the north of which the Assyrian state arose - is divided between Iraq and North-Eastern Syria. In addition, some of its regions belong to Iran and Turkey. Both in ancient times and in 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 24th 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 her aggressive campaigns in the first half of the 9th century, she soon managed to conquer a vast territory. Not only all of Mesopotamia came under the rule of its kings, but also Palestine, Cyprus and Egypt, which, however, after a short time managed to regain independence.

In addition, the Assyrian power controlled certain areas of what is now Turkey and Syria for many centuries. That is why it is commonly considered an empire, that is, a state that relies in its foreign policy on military force 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 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 conquered peoples, to collect 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 unprecedented heights at that time, and with cultural achievements to influence all surrounding peoples. This order was maintained for centuries by the most brutal punitive measures. All those dissatisfied were inevitably doomed to death or, at best, to immediate deportation.

Outstanding politician and warrior

The peak of the development of the Assyrian state 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 Nabonassar, who asked for help in the fight against the Chaldean and Elamite tribes that occupied the country. Having introduced his troops into Babylonia and expelled the invaders from it, the wise king managed to win such ardent sympathy from the local residents that he became the de facto ruler of the country, pushing their hapless king into the background.

Under the rule of Sargon II

After the death of Tiglath-pileser, 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, which was under his control, and he razed it to the ground, sparing neither women nor children.

A 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 fictitious. Only excavations by French archaeologists carried out in the 40s of the 19th century made it possible to prove its historicity. This was a sensational discovery, since until then even the location of Assyria itself was not precisely known.

Thanks to the efforts of researchers, it was possible to discover many artifacts 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 languages of the Semitic group. Having deciphered them, scientists learned about the campaign of the Assyrian king Sargon II to the southwestern part of Asia, where he conquered the state of Urartu, as well as the capture of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which was also mentioned in the Bible, but was questioned by historians.

Structure of Assyrian society

From the first centuries after the formation of the state, the Assyrian kings concentrated in their hands the fullness of military, civil and religious power. They were simultaneously supreme rulers, military leaders, high priests and treasurers. The next level of the vertical power was occupied by provincial governors, 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 were farmers and artisans, who were either slaves or workers dependent on their masters.

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 desperate resistance to the enemy, the empire, which for a long time held all of Mesopotamia and the adjacent lands under its control, ceased to exist.

Under the rule 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 6th to the middle of the 4th century BC. e. this vast region was part of the Achaemenid power - the Persian empire, which subjugated all of Western Asia and a significant part of Northeast Africa. It received its name from the name of its first ruler - King Achaemen, who became the founder of a dynasty that was in power for almost 3 centuries.

In the middle of the 4th 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 monarchy of the Seleucids, who built a new Greek state on the ruins of the former power. 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, Phenicia, Syria, Iran, as well as a significant part of Central Asia and the Middle East.

However, these warriors were destined to leave the historical stage. In the 3rd century BC. BC Mesopotamia finds itself 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 Osroen. During the period of Roman rule, Mesopotamia broke up into several small states with different rulers. This last stage of its history, dating back to the period of Late Antiquity, is remarkable only in that the largest and most famous city of Mesopotamia became Edessa, repeatedly mentioned in the Bible and associated with the names of many prominent figures of Christianity.

Ancient Assyria

Assyria proper occupied a small area along the upper Tigris, which stretched from the lower Zab in the south to the Zagra Mountains in the east and to the Masios Mountains in the northwest. To the west opened the vast Syrian-Mesopotamian steppe, which was crossed in the northern part by the Sinjar Mountains. In this small territory, at different times, Assyrian cities such as Ashur, Nineveh, Arbela, Kalah and Dur-Sharrukin arose.

At the end of the XXII century. BC e. Southern Mesopotamia unites under the auspices of the Sumerian kings of the third dynasty of Ur. In the next century, they already established their control in Northern Mesopotamia.

Thus, at the turn of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. e. It was still difficult to foresee the transformation of Assyria into a powerful power. Only in the 19th century. BC e. The Assyrians make their first military successes and rush far beyond the territory they occupy, which gradually expands as the military power of Assyria grows. Thus, during the period of its greatest development, Assyria extended 350 miles in length, and in width (between the Tigris and Euphrates) from 170 to 300 miles. According to the English researcher G. Rawlinson, the entire area occupied by Assyria

“equal to no less than 7,500 square miles, that is, it covered a space larger than that occupied by ... Austria or Prussia, more than twice the size of Portugal and a little less than Great Britain.”

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Mighty Assyria is one of the first empires built by people.

The appearance of Assyria on the world map

In the Old Assyrian period, the state of Assyria occupied a relatively small territory, the center of which was the city Ashur. The country's population was engaged in agriculture: they grew barley and spelt, raised grapes, using natural irrigation (rain and snow), wells and, in a small amount - with the help of irrigation structures - water from the Tigris River. In the eastern regions of the country, cattle breeding, using mountain meadows for summer grazing, had a great influence. But trade played a major role in the life of early Assyrian society.

The fact is that the most important trade routes passed through Assyria at that time: from the Mediterranean and from Asia Minor along the Tigris to the regions of Central and Southern Mesopotamia and further to. 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 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 clothing and handicrafts were imported.

Old Assyrian society was slave-owning, but retained strong vestiges of the tribal system. There were royal (or palace) and temple farms, the land of which was cultivated by community members and slaves. The bulk of the land was the property of the community. The land plots were in the possession of large family communities. bitumen“, which included several generations of immediate relatives. The land was subject to regular redistribution, but could also be privately owned. During this period, a trading nobility emerged, becoming rich as a result of international trade. Slavery was already widespread. Slaves were acquired through debt slavery, purchase from other tribes, and also as a result of successful military campaigns.

The Assyrian state at this time was called Alum Ashur, which simply meant "city" or "community" of Ashur. There are still people's assemblies and councils of elders who elected ukullum- an official in charge of judicial and administrative affairs of the city state. There was also a hereditary position of ruler - Ishshakkuma, 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.

Assyria becomes one of the leading powers in the region

At the beginning of the 20th century BC. The international situation for Assyria is developing unsuccessfully: the rise of the state Marie in the Euphrates region became a serious obstacle to the western trade of Ashur, and education soon brought to naught the activities of Assyrian merchants in Asia Minor. Trade was also hampered by the advance of the Amorite tribes into Mesopotamia. Apparently, with the aim of restoring Ashur to the reign Ilushumy takes the first campaigns to the west, to the Euphrates, and to the south, along the Tigris.

Assyria pursues a particularly active foreign policy, in which the western direction predominates, during (1813-1781 BC). Her troops capture northern Mesopotamian cities, subjugate Mari, capture a Syrian city Katna. Intermediary trade with the West passes to Ashur. With southern neighbors - Babylonia And Eshnunnoy Assyria maintains peaceful relations, 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 I appropriated the title " king of multitudes«.

The Assyrian state was reorganized. The tsar headed an extensive administrative apparatus, became the supreme military leader and judge, and directed the royal household. The entire territory of the Assyrian state was divided into districts, or provinces ( Halsum), 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 warriors and a general militia.

Assyria is losing its independence

Under the successors of Shamshi-Adad I, Assyria began to suffer defeats from the Babylonian state, where it then ruled Hammurabi. He, in alliance with Mari, defeated Assyria and she, at the end of the 16th century BC. became the prey of the young state - . Assyria's trade declined as the Hittite Empire drove Assyrian merchants out of Asia Minor, Egypt out of Syria, and Mitanni closed the routes to the west.

Assyria in the Middle Assyrian period (2nd half of the 2nd millennium BC).

Assyria regains independence with the help of Egypt

In the 15th century BC. The Assyrians are trying to restore the previous position of their state. They opposed their enemies - the Babylonian, Mitannian and Hittite kingdoms - to an alliance with Egypt, which began to play in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. leading role in the Middle East.

An example of Assyrian architecture - the royal palace

Assyrian Empire

Assyria - a soldier state or... a robber state

Having survived this time, Assyria, which was not particularly peaceful in previous periods, turned into a real “terrorist”, using fear as its most important weapon.

Attacking quickly and mercilessly, the Assyrians ensured that the very name of their people was enough to make the hearts of their neighbors flutter (and the few remaining, their fists clench). Most often, no prisoners were taken at all: if the population of the captured city resisted, it was completely destroyed as a warning to all the rebellious.
By extracting obedience from the vanquished, they were deprived of their homeland, driving thousands of new subjects of the tsar to other places, often very far away. Everything was done in order to frighten the conquered peoples, to break their spirit and will to freedom. The Assyrians plundered the conquered countries for decades.

However, the formidable Assyrian kings were never able to unite the conquered countries for a long time and create a strong state. Their empire was based solely on fear. It turned out to be impossible to endlessly plunder the conquered countries: there was no one to sow their own fields and engage in crafts. The Assyrians had too many military leaders and too few officials to collect taxes. The scribe could replace the soldier only where the population voluntarily agreed to live under the rule of the Assyrians. There were no such peoples in the Ancient East - invaders (especially people like the Assyrians) were hated by everyone.

The Assyrians also had difficulty with trading cities, which throughout their history enjoyed special rights: they did not pay large taxes, and their residents were exempt from military service. The Assyrians did not want to preserve these privileges, but they also could not cancel them, fearing constant revolts.

One of these free cities was Babylon. The Assyrians mainly adopted their culture, religion and writing from Babylon. The respect for this city was so great that for some time it became, as it were, the second capital of Assyria. The kings who ruled in Nineveh made rich gifts to the Babylonian temples, decorated the city with palaces and statues, and Babylon, nevertheless, remained the center of dangerous conspiracies and rebellions against Assyrian power. It ended with the king Sennacherib in 689 BC ordered to destroy the entire city and flood the place on which it stood.

The king's terrible act caused discontent even in Nineveh itself, and although the city was quickly rebuilt under Sennacherib's son Asarhoddon, relations between Assyria and Babylon deteriorated completely. Assyria was never able to rely on the authority of the most important religious and cultural center of Western Asia.

Lessons from the war with Urartu and the reform of the Assyrian army

At the end of the 9th - beginning of the 8th century BC. The Assyrian state again entered a period of decline. A large part 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 soon other regions and cities of the country rebelled: Arraphu, Guzan. Only five years later all these rebellions were suppressed. There was a fierce struggle within the state itself. The trade elite wanted peace for trade. The military elite wanted to continue campaigns to capture new booty.

The decline of Assyria at this time was facilitated by changes in the early 8th century BC. international situation. Urartu, a young state with a strong army, which made successful campaigns in Transcaucasia, the southeast of Asia Minor and even into the territory of Assyria itself, came to the fore among the states of Western Asia.

In 746-745 BC. After the defeat suffered by Assyria from Urartu, an uprising breaks out in Kalhu, as a result of which Tiglath-pileser 3 comes to power in Assyria. He carries out important reforms. Firstly, he carried out the disaggregation of the former governorships, so 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 Tiglath-pileser was carried out in the field of military affairs and the army. Previously, Assyria fought wars with militia forces, as well as colonist warriors who received land plots for their service.

During the campaign and in peacetime, each warrior supplied himself. Now a standing army was created, which was staffed from recruits and was fully supplied by the king. The division according to the types of troops was fixed. The number of light infantry was increased. Cavalry began to be widely used. The striking force of the Assyrian army were war chariots.

The army was well armed and trained. Armor, shields, and helmets were used to protect warriors. Horses were sometimes covered in protective gear made of felt and leather. During the siege of cities, battering rams were used, embankments were erected to the fortress walls, and tunnels were made. To protect the troops, the Assyrians built a fortified camp surrounded by a rampart and a ditch. All major Assyrian cities had powerful walls that could withstand a long siege.

The Assyrians already had some semblance of sapper troops who built bridges and paved passages in the mountains. The Assyrians laid paved roads in important directions. Assyrian gunsmiths were famous for their work. The army was accompanied by scribes who kept a record of the booty and prisoners. The army included priests, soothsayers, and musicians. Assyria had a fleet, but it did not play a significant role, since Assyria waged its main wars on land.

A fleet was usually built for Assyria. An important part of the Assyrian army was reconnaissance. Assyria had enormous agents in the countries it conquered, which allowed it to prevent uprisings. During the war, many spies were sent to meet the enemy, collecting information about the size of the enemy army and its location. Intelligence was usually headed by the crown prince. Assyria almost did not use mercenary troops. There were such military positions - 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.

End of Assyrian rule

With a renewed army, Tiglath-pileser III (745-727 BC) resumed his aggressive activities. In 743-740. BC. he defeated the coalition of North 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 kingdoms of Damascus and Israel, many coastal cities, Arab principalities and Elam. In the east by 737 BC. Tiglath-pileser managed to gain a foothold in a number of areas of Media. In the south, Babylon was defeated, and Tiglath-pileser himself was crowned there with the crown of the Babylonian king. The conquered territories were placed under the authority of an administration appointed by the Assyrian king. It was under Tiglath-pileser III that the systematic resettlement of conquered peoples began, with the goal of mixing and assimilating them. 73,000 people were displaced from Syria alone.

Under Tiglath-pileser III's successor, Shalmaneser V (727-722 BC), a broad policy of conquest was continued. Shalmaneser V tried to limit the rights of wealthy priests and merchants, but was eventually overthrown by Sargon II (722-705 BC). Under him, Assyria defeated the rebel kingdom of Israel. After a three-year siege, in 722 BC. The Assyrians stormed the capital of the kingdom, Samaria, and then completely destroyed it. Residents were relocated to new places. The kingdom of Israel disappeared. In 714 BC. a heavy defeat was inflicted on the state of Urartu. A difficult struggle ensued for Babylon, which had to be recaptured several times. In the last years of his reign, Sargon II waged a difficult struggle with the Cimmerian tribes.

The son of Sargon II, Sennacherib (705-681 BC), also led a fierce struggle for Babylon. In the west, the Assyrians in 701 BC. besieged the capital of the Kingdom of Judah - Jerusalem. The Jewish king Hezekiah 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 Phoenician cities, asserts his power in Cyprus, and conquers the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula. In 671 he conquers Egypt and takes the title of Egyptian pharaoh. He died during a campaign against the newly rebelled Babylon.

Ashurbanipal (669 - about 635/627 BC) came to power in Assyria. He was a very smart, educated man. He spoke several languages, knew how to write, had literary talent, and acquired mathematical and astronomical knowledge. He created the largest library, consisting of 20,000 clay tablets. Under him, numerous temples and palaces were built and restored.

However, in foreign policy, things did not go so smoothly for Assyria. Egypt (667-663 BC), Cyprus, and Western Syrian possessions (Judea, Moab, Edom, Ammon) rise up. Urartu and Manna attack Assyria, Elam opposes Assyria, and the Median rulers rebel. Only by 655 did Assyria manage to suppress all these uprisings and repel attacks, but it was no longer possible to return Egypt.

In 652-648. BC. Rebellious Babylon rises again, joined by Elam, Arab tribes, Phoenician cities and other conquered peoples. By 639 BC. Most of the protests 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 enter into an alliance against Assyria. In 614 BC. Ashur fell, in 612 Nineveh fell. The last Assyrian forces were defeated at the battles of Harran (609 BC) and Carchemish (605 BC). The Assyrian nobility was destroyed, Assyrian cities were destroyed, and the ordinary Assyrian population mixed with other peoples.

Assyria disappeared from the face of the earth. It turned out that it was impossible to create a strong state with the help of fear, violence and robbery. This is also taught by the history of a small town, whose merchants at first wanted only one thing - to trade freely in peaceful eastern markets.

Where is Assyria

“Assur came out of the land and built Nineveh, Rehobothir, Kalah and Resen between Nineveh and Kalah; this is a great city"(Gen. 10:11,12)

Assyria is one of the greatest states of the ancient world, going down in history thanks to its outstanding military campaigns and conquests, cultural achievements, art and cruelty, knowledge and strength. Like all great powers of antiquity, Assyria can be viewed through different eyes. It was Assyria that had the first professional, disciplined army of the ancient world, a victorious army that made neighboring peoples tremble in fear, an army that spread terror and fear. But it was in the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal that an unusually large and valuable collection of clay tablets was preserved, which became a valuable source for the study of science, culture, religion, art and life of those distant times.

Where is Assyria

Assyria, at the moments of its highest development, owned vast territories both between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and the vast eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. To the east, the possessions of the Assyrians extended almost to the Caspian Sea. Today, on the territory of the former Assyrian kingdom there are such modern countries as Iraq, Iran, part of Turkey, part of Saudi Arabia.

History of Assyria

The greatness of Assyria, however, like all great powers, did not manifest itself in history immediately; it was preceded by a long period of formation and emergence of Assyrian statehood. This power was formed from nomadic Bedouin shepherds who once lived in the Arabian desert. Although there is a desert there now, and before there was a very pleasant steppe, the climate changed, droughts came and many Bedouin shepherds, as a result of this reason, chose to move to fertile lands in the Tigris River valley, where they founded the city of Ashur, which became the beginning of the creation of the mighty Assyrian state. The location of Ashur was chosen very well - it was at the intersection of trade routes, in the neighborhood there were other developed states of the ancient world: Sumer, Akkad, which intensively traded (but not only, sometimes fought) with each other. In a word, very soon Ashur turned into a developed trade and cultural center, where merchants played a dominant role.

At first, Ashur, the heart of the Assyrian power, like the Assyrians themselves, did not even have political independence: at first it was under the control of Akkad, then it came under the rule of the Babylonian king Hammurabi, famous for his code of laws, then under the rule of Mitani. Ashur remained under the rule of Mitani for 100 years, although, of course, he also had his own autonomy; Ashur was headed by a ruler who was a kind of vassal of the Mitani king. But in the XIV century. BC e. Mitania fell into decline and Ashur (and with it the Assyrian people) gained true political independence. From this moment begins a glorious period in the history of the Assyrian kingdom.

Under King Tiglapalasar III, who reigned from 745 to 727 BC. e. Ashur, or Assyria turns into a real superpower of antiquity, active militant expansion is chosen as its foreign policy, constant victorious wars are waged with its neighbors, bringing into the country an influx of gold, slaves, new lands and associated benefits. And now the warriors of the warlike Assyrian king are marching through the streets of ancient Babylon: the Babylonian kingdom, which once ruled the Assyrians and arrogantly considers itself their “elder brothers” (does this remind you of anything?) has been defeated by its former subjects.

The Assyrians owe their brilliant victories to a very important military reform carried out by King Tiglapalasar - it was he who created the first professional army in history. After all, as it used to be, the army was composed mainly of cultivators, who exchanged the plow for the sword during the war. Now it was staffed by professional soldiers who did not have their own land plots; all expenses for their maintenance were paid by the state. And instead of plowing the land in peacetime, they spent all their time improving their military skills. Also, the use of metal weapons, which actively came into use at that time, played a major role in the victory of the Assyrian troops.

Assyrian king Sargon II ruled from 721 to 705 BC. e. strengthened the conquests of his predecessor, finally conquering the Urartian kingdom, which was the last strong opponent of Assyria, which was rapidly gaining strength. True, Sargon was unknowingly helped by those who attacked the northern borders of Urartu. Sargon, being a smart and prudent strategist, simply could not help but take advantage of such a great opportunity to finally finish off his already weakened enemy.

Fall of Assyria

Assyria grew rapidly, more and more conquered lands brought a constant flow of gold and slaves to the country, Assyrian kings built luxurious cities, and so the new capital of the Assyrian kingdom was built - the city of Nineveh. But on the other hand, the aggressive policy of the Assyrians bred the hatred of the captured, conquered peoples. Here and there, riots and uprisings broke out, many of them were drowned in blood, for example, Sargon's son Sinecherib, after suppressing the uprising in Babylon, brutally dealt with the rebels, ordered the remaining population to be deported, and Babylon itself was razed to the ground, flooded with the waters of the Euphrates. And only under the son of Sinecherib, King Assarhaddon, this great city was rebuilt.

The cruelty of the Assyrians towards the conquered peoples was also reflected in the Bible; Assyria is mentioned more than once in the Old Testament, for example in the story of the prophet Jonah, God tells him to go preach to Nineveh, which he really did not want to do, and ended up in the womb of a big fish and after a miraculous salvation, he still went to Nineveh to preach repentance. But the Assyrians did not stop preaching the biblical prophets and already around 713 BC. e. the prophet Nahum prophesied about the destruction of the sinful Assyrian kingdom.

Well, his prophecy came true. All the surrounding countries united against Assyria: Babylon, Media, Arab Bedouins, and even the Scythians. The combined forces defeated the Assyrians in 614 BC. That is, they besieged and destroyed the heart of Assyria - the city of Ashur, and two years later a similar fate befell the capital Nineveh. At the same time, the legendary Babylon regained its former power. In 605 BC. e. the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar finally defeated the Assyrians at the Battle of Karchemish.

Culture of Assyria

Despite the fact that the Assyrian state left a bad mark on ancient history, nevertheless, during its heyday it had many cultural achievements that cannot be ignored.

In Assyria, writing actively developed and flourished, libraries were created, the largest of them, the library of King Ashurbanipal, contained 25 thousand clay tablets. According to the grandiose plan of the tsar, the library, which also served as a state archive, was to become not only a repository of all knowledge ever accumulated by humanity. What is there: the legendary Sumerian epic and Gilgamesh, and the works of the ancient Chaldean priests (and essentially scientists) on astronomy and mathematics, and the most ancient treatises on medicine giving us the most interesting information about the history of medicine in ancient times, and countless religious hymns, and pragmatic business records, and meticulous legal documents. A whole specially trained team of scribes worked at the library, whose task was to copy all the significant works of Sumer, Akkad, and Babylonia.

The architecture of Assyria also received significant development; Assyrian architects achieved considerable skill in the construction of palaces and temples. Some of the decorations of Assyrian palaces are magnificent examples of Assyrian art.

Art of Assyria

The famous Assyrian bas-reliefs, which were once the interior decorations of the palaces of the Assyrian kings and have survived to our time, give us a unique opportunity to touch Assyrian art.

In general, the art of ancient Assyria is full of pathos, strength, valor; it glorifies the courage and victory of the conquerors. On the bas-reliefs there are often images of winged bulls with human faces; they symbolize the Assyrian kings - arrogant, cruel, powerful, formidable. This is what they were in reality.

Assyrian art subsequently had a great influence on the formation of art.

Religion of Assyria

The religion of the ancient Assyrian state was largely borrowed from Babylon and many Assyrians worshiped the same pagan gods as the Babylonians, but with one significant difference - the truly Assyrian god Ashur was revered as the supreme god, who was considered the superior even over the god Marduk - the supreme god of the Babylonian pantheon. In general, the gods of Assyria, as well as Babylon, are somewhat similar to the gods of ancient Greece, they are powerful, immortal, but at the same time they have the weaknesses and shortcomings of mere mortals: they can be envious or commit adultery with earthly beauties (as Zeus loved to do).

Different groups of people, depending on their occupation, could have a different patron god, to whom they gave the most honor. There was a strong belief in various magical ceremonies, as well as magical amulets and superstitions. Some Assyrians retained remnants of even more ancient pagan beliefs from the times when their ancestors were still nomadic shepherds.