Assyrian Empire
Jacob McLean, Mara Walters, Kirsten
Willeford, Caroline Frew, Alex Johnson,
Ann Munike& Jade Gray
http://www.aina.org/brief.html
Religion
• Assyrian in Latin form derives from the
name Ashur
• Ashurism was practiced until 256 A.D.
• Christianity started to be practiced
• Assyrian church was founded in 33 A.D.
by Thomas, Bortholemew, and Thadderus
en.wikipedia.org
Religion
• Assyrians built huge buildings with big demons
protecting the building and town from evil
• Assyrians buried dead with few of their favorite
possessions, such as weapons, drinking cups,
and small personal items
• Poor buried family in holes with their
possessions for the afterlife
• An oil lamp was kept burning near the gravesite,
might have been a light to the afterlife or in
honor of the deceased person
revphil2011.wordpress.com
The Bible Mentions the "Assyrians"
Jeremiah 2:18
2 Kings 16:10
2 Kings 19:4
Isaiah 37:4
Jeremiah 2:36
2 Chronicles 32:9
Chronicles 30:6 2 Kings 18:9
2 Kings 18:17
2 Kings 17:26
2 Kings 17:24
2 Kings 20:6
Jeremiah 50:17 2 Kings 18:16
Isaiah 36:8
Nehemiah 9:32
2 Kings 23:29
Isaiah 27:13
Isaiah 36:2
2 Kings 18:23
2 Kings 18:28
2 Kings 19:10
Isaiah 36:13
2 Kings 15:19
2 Kings 16:8
2 Kings 18:30
Micah 5:6
2 Chronicles 28:21
Zechariah 10:10
Assyrian Emperors
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Adad-Nirari
Ruled from 911 B.C. to 891 B.C.
Was a military mastermind
Attacked the Mediterranean coast and expanded the
faridparhadart.com
empire to twice its size
Attacked and defended against the Persians and the
Babylonians
http://www.faridparhadart.com/main.htm
Assyrian Emperors
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Ashur-Nasir-Pal
Ruled from 883 B.C. to 859 B.C.
Captured Babylonia, Anatolia, and Syrian plain
Led the largest Syrian army of all time
Tyrant, destroyed everyone in his path
http://www.britannica.com
Assyrian Emperors
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Shalmanser III
Ruled from 859 B.C. to 824 B.C.
Scheming man, overthrew enemies internally and
then replaced them with allies
Destroyed Babylon and the Persian Empire
http://www.assyrianvoice.net/assyrians.htm
Asher-Dan II
• Concentrated on rebuilding Assyria with its
natural borders.
http://thestonescryout.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Map_of_Assyria.267134947_std.png
Assyrian Government
• Central government with
provincial governors
– Government office in each
province
– Each governor reports
directly to the king
• Conquered rulers
required to pay tribute
• Conquered peoples
required to pay heavy
taxes
Assyrian Government (cont.)
• Taxes support the army
and fund building
projects
– Nineveh
– Network of roads
• If a conquered land
refuses to pay, their
cities are destroyed and
their people are exiled.
• Other government
functions:
– Postal system
– Town planning
– Sanitation in the cities
Built government offices in all
provinces.
http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/assyrian-empire/images/assyrian-empire4.jpg
Provided plows throughout the
land, which produced grain crop.
•http://weblogs.marylandweather.com/wheat%20crop.jpg
Economy:
Economy
• Based off agriculture & herding
• Not known for trade
- Possibly collected taxes from traders passing
through the land
Assyrian Army
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Not professional
Only a few trained soldiers
All had very limited power
Wealthier men could afford to go to war in
chariots
• Others made up cavalry and had whatever
weapons they could afford
• Had to supply their own food in war
Advanced Assyrian Army
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Very weak until Tyglapitlesar’s reign
Known for being extremely cruel
All forces were very well prepared
Famous for raiding and capturing
fortressed cities
http://www.allempires.com/empires/assyria/assyria1.htm
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http://
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Units
Each unit had 150-200 thousand men
50,000 units total
Large groups of horsemen
First to recruit foreigners
Each unit lead by experienced important
people
http://www.bethsuryoyo.com/images
Guratu
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The “brave ones”
Only professional soldiers
Protected the King
Made up of 1,000 men well trained men
Kept on royal family grounds at all times
Had nice weapons but had to supply their
own food
Assyrian Attacks
• They preferred to attack one place at
many different areas.
• Attacked very quickly did not like long term
battles, these quick attacks forced people
to surrender.
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sargon/essentials/soldiers/warheroes/
Weapons used
• They used battering rams
on wheels.
– These broke down wall and
doors.
– They were so durable that
they could break down
stone walls.
• They also made holes in
the walls
• Had ladders to climb the
walls for “air” attacks
http://www.biblepicturegallery.com/pictures/assyriana/Assyrian
%20battering%20ram%20la.htm
Prisioners
• The ruler that was
defeated would have
to pluck his eyes out
and then he would be
locked in a cage.
• The royal wife's and
daughters would be
sent to harems, a
house reserved for
women.
www.savepasargad.com/New-050508/01.General-News
/Newss-Pages/Professor%20Kaveh%20Farokh-E.htm
• The new king would
sit in a throne outside
the gates and cut off
all of the other
peoples heads.
Down Fall of the Army
• The Assyrian army started to lose
character
• After Asubanipala died they started to lose
places they had conquered
• Any new leader would have to fight
rebellion
http://www.forumbiodiversity.com/showthre
ad.php/28459-Are-Armenians-the-originalIndo-Europeans-split-mod/page5
Works Cited
• Textbook, World History: The Human
Experience
• www.lmoskal.net/worldhistory/whtext/ch04/4.2.p
df
• www.eduplace.com/ss/socsci/ca/books/bkf3/revi
ews/pdfs/LS_6_04_02.pdf
• www.socialstudiesforkids.com/wwww/world/assy
riansdef.htm
• www.assyrianinfo.com/
• www.aina.org/brief.html
“Religion”. Brief History of Assyrians
(2007): n.pag. Web. 18 March 2013.
www.aina.org.
“Religion”. The Assyrians. n.pag. Web. 18
March 2013.
www.mesoopotamia.mrdonn.org.
Works Cited
• http://www.geni.com/people/Ashur-danII/6000000003645912454
• http://armieswiata.com/armies/aasyrian.ht
ml