Where is Assyria located? A city returned from oblivion. Formation of the Assyrian state

The militant power originated from the small city of Ashur, founded in the upper reaches of the Tigris River. Its name was associated with the religious cult of Ashur, which translated meant “lord of countries”, “father of all ancestors”. A state was named after him in the northern part of the ancient Mesopotamia – Ashur or the Assyrian Empire. Over the course of several centuries, it joined several states. The main trade of the Assyrians was growing wheat, grapes, hunting, and raising livestock.

The Assyrian kingdom was located at the crossroads of trade sea routes and was the goal of conquest of many ancient civilizations . Over time, they became skilled masters in the art of war and conquered more than one state. By the 8th century. BC. they managed to conquer most of the states of the Middle East, including the powerful Ancient Egypt.

Conquests of Assyria

The main regiments of the Assyrian army were foot troops, attacking with arrows from bows, protected by iron swords. Horse riders were armed with bows and spears and could travel on forged war chariots. The art of war permeated the lives of the ancient civilization of Assyria so much that they invented machines that moved, destroying everything in their path. They were equipped with rafters, along which troops could climb the walls of enemy fortresses or ram them. It was not easy for the neighbors of this warlike people in those days. They were cursed and wished for the hour of reckoning for all their atrocities to come soon. The early Christian prophet Nahum predicted the death of the last center of the Assyrian Empire, Nineveh: “ The Empire and its capital will be plundered and destroyed! Retribution will come for the blood shed!”

As a result of numerous military campaigns, not only the military power and skill of the people of the empire began to grow, but also the treasury of wealth was replenished due to the plunder of other states. The kings built huge luxurious palaces for themselves. The infrastructure of cities expanded.

Kings of the Assyrian Empire

Kings ancient Assyria considered themselves unsurpassed rulers of civilizations, ruling over the entire world of not only people, but also nature. The main entertainment for them was bloody fights with lions. This is how they showed their superiority over the animal world and its subordination. Paintings depicting Assyrians emphasized the warlike image of the inhabitants of the empire, with heavy forms and served as a demonstration of their physical strength.

In the mid-19th century, researchers undertook a campaign to organize archaeological excavations at the site where fabulous Nineveh once flourished. The ruins of the palace of King Sargon II of Assyria were also discovered. Wealthy residents of ancient civilization preferred to hold noisy feasts accompanied by entertainment.

Culture of Assyria (Ashur)

A special place in the history of the ancient world was occupied not only by military successes, but also by the era of enlightenment in Assyria. During the excavations, scientists discovered several libraries, the most famous of which is the reading room of King Ashurbanipal. Which was established in the capital Nineveh. It contained hundreds of thousands of clay tablets with cuneiform writing. They were strictly ordered, numbered and contained information about history, religion and the resolution of court cases not only in the cities of Assyria, but also copied texts from neighboring ancient civilizations: the Roman Empire, Sumeria, Ancient Egypt.

With the advent of the 7th century BC. The Assyrian kingdom perished from the army of Babylon. The capital was completely burned out, including the libraries of Nineveh. For thousands of years, the cultural heritage of the ancient civilizations of the world lay buried under a layer of sand and clay until archaeologists began studying the history of the population of Mesopotamia.

Empire of Assyria and Urartu

By the 1st millennium BC. In the territory near the northern border of the ancient civilization, local tribes formed the independent state of Urartu. They were skilled weaponsmiths and had huge reserves of copper. The Assyrian Empire made many raids on the fertile valley of Transcaucasia, but they managed to maintain independence throughout the existence of the system.

One of the main cities of the ancient civilization of Urartu was the capital of modern Armenia, Yerevan. Its walls had good reinforcement. But they could not resist the onslaught of the Assyrians, who took Urartu in the 8th century. BC.

Uncover the mysteries of existence ancient state Urartu managed to archaeologist B.B. Petrovsky, who cleared the sand from Urartu and brought it to civilization.

Video 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, raised grapes, using natural irrigation (rain and snow), wells and, in a small volume - with the help of irrigation structures - Tigris water. 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 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 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 “bitumen” communities, 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 meant the city or community of Ashur. People's assemblies and councils of elders still remain, which elected the ukullum - the official in charge of the judicial and administrative affairs of the city state. There was also a hereditary position of 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 was developing unsuccessfully: 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 into Mesopotamia. Apparently, with the aim of restoring it, Ashur, during the reign of Ilushuma, undertook 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, under Shamshi-Adad 1 (1813-1781 BC). Her troops capture the northern Mesopotamian cities, subjugate Mari, and capture the Syrian city of Qatnoi. 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 large state and Shamshi-Adad 1 appropriated to himself 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 (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 warriors and a 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. 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.

Back in the 2nd millennium BC. Assyria became one of the largest ancient eastern states. However, the invasion of semi-nomadic Aramaic tribes had a serious 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 had no worthy rivals. Assyria was pushed to campaigns of conquest by a shortage of raw materials (metals, iron), as well as a desire to capture forced labor. labor- slaves. Assyria often resettled entire peoples from place to place. Many peoples paid large tribute to Assyria. Gradually, over time, the Assyrian state began to essentially live from these constant robberies.

Assyria was not alone in its desire to seize the wealth of Western Asia. States such as Egypt, Babylon, Urartu constantly opposed Assyria in this, and it 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: Ashurnasirpal 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. The Assyrian troops inflicted a series of defeats on the mountain tribes of the Medes, 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. Abundance of minerals (metals, precious stones), magnificent timber and incense were known throughout the Middle East. The main routes of land and sea trade passed here. They passed through cities such as Tire, Sidon, Damascus, Byblos, Arvad, Carchemish.

It is in this direction that Ashurnatzinapar 2 undertakes the main military campaigns. He managed to defeat the Aramaic tribes living in Northern Syria and conquer one of their principalities - Bit Adini. He soon reached the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and a number of rulers of Syrian principalities and Phoenician cities brought him tribute.

His son Shalmaneser 3 continued his father's policy of conquest. Most of the campaigns were also directed to the west. However, at this time Assyria also fought in other directions. In the north there was a war with the state of Urartu. At first, Shalmaneser 3 managed to inflict several defeats on him, but then Urartu gathered its strength, and the wars with it became protracted.

The fight against Babylon brought great success to the Assyrians. Their troops invaded far into the interior of the country and reached the shores of the Persian Gulf. Soon an Assyrian protege was placed 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 tribute to him and expressed their submission. However, the kingdom of Damascus soon created a large coalition to fight Assyria. It included the states of Que, Hamat, Arzad, the Kingdom of Israel, Ammon, the Arabs of the Syrian-Mesopotamian steppe, and an Egyptian detachment also took part in the battles.

A fierce battle took place at the city of Karkar on the Orontes River in 853 BC. Apparently, the Assyrians were unable to inflict a final defeat on the coalition. Although Karkar fell, 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. Hazael, king of Damascus, was defeated and rich booty was captured. Although the city of Damascus itself was not taken again, military force 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 seizure of numerous treasures, Assyria began extensive construction during this period. Ancient Ashur was rebuilt and decorated. But in the 9th century BC. The Assyrian kings paid special attention to the new Assyrian capital - the city of Kalha (modern Nimrud). Majestic temples, palaces of Assyrian kings, and powerful fortress walls were built here.

At the end of the 9th - beginning of the 8th century BC. The Assyrian state again entered a period of decline. Involved in constant trips most of Assyrian population, causing the country's economy to 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 forefront 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 soldiers who received for their service land. 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 chariot was harnessed to four horses. The crew consisted of two or four people. The army was well armed. Armor, shields, and helmets were used to protect warriors. Horses were sometimes covered with “armor” 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. The Phoenicians usually built the fleet 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 (rab-reshi), chief of the prince's regiment, great herald (rab-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 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 3 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 3's successor, 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 eventually overthrown by Sargon 2 (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 2 waged a difficult struggle with the Cimmerian tribes.

The son of Sargon 2 - 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, conquers northern part Arabian Peninsula. In 671 he conquers Egypt and takes the title of Egyptian pharaoh. He died during a campaign against the newly rebelled Babylon.

In Assyria, Ashurbanipal came to power (669 - about 635/627 BC). 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 Egypt had already completely fallen away. 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. 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.

Source: unknown.

The first empire of the Ancient World was Assyria. This state existed on the world map for almost 2000 years - from the 24th to the 7th century BC, and around 609 BC. e. ceased to exist. The first mentions of Assyria were found in ancient authors such as Herodotus, Aristotle and others. The Assyrian kingdom is also mentioned in some books of the Bible.

Geography

The Assyrian kingdom was located in the upper reaches and stretched from the lower reaches of the Lesser Zab in the south to the Zagras Mountains in the east and the Masios Mountains in the northwest. IN different eras During its existence, it was located on the lands of such modern states as Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Turkey, Syria, Cyprus and Egypt.

More than one capital of the Assyrian kingdom is known to centuries-old history:

1. Ashur (the first capital, located 250 km from modern Baghdad).
2. Ekallatum (the capital of upper Mesopotamia, was located in the middle reaches of the Tigris).
3. Nineveh (located in modern Iraq).

Historical periods of development

Since the history of the Assyrian kingdom occupies too long a period of time, the era of its existence is conventionally divided into three periods:

• Old Assyrian period - XX-XVI centuries BC.
• Middle Assyrian period - XV-XI centuries BC.
• New Assyrian kingdom - X-VII centuries BC.

Each period was characterized by its own internal and foreign policy states, monarchs from various dynasties were in power, each subsequent period began with the rise and flourishing of the statehood of the Assyrians, a change in the geography of the kingdom and a change in foreign policy guidelines.

Old Assyrian period

The Assyrians came to the territory of the Euphrates River in the middle of the 20th century. BC BC, these tribes said. The first city they built was Ashur, named after their supreme deity.

During this period, there was no single Assyrian state yet, so the largest ruling nome was Ashur, who was a vassal of the kingdom of Mitania and Kassite Babylonia. The nome retained some independence in the internal affairs of the settlements. The Ashur nome included several small rural settlements led by elders. The city developed quite quickly due to its favorable geographical location: trade routes from the south, west and east passed through it.

It is not customary to talk about the monarchs ruling during this period, since the rulers did not have all the political rights characteristic of bearers of such status. This period in the history of Assyria was highlighted by historians for convenience as the prehistory of the Assyrian kingdom. Before the fall of Akkad in the 22nd century BC. Ashur was part of it, and after its disappearance it became independent for a short period of time, and only in the 21st century BC. e. was captured by Ur. Only 200 years later, power passed to the rulers - the Ashurians, from that moment the rapid growth of trade and commodity production began. However, this situation within the state did not last long, and after 100 years Ashur loses its significance as a central city, and one of the sons of the ruler Shamsht-Adad becomes its governor. Soon the city came under the rule of the king of Babylon, Hammurabi, and only around 1720 BC. e. The gradual flourishing of the independent Assyrian state begins.

Second period

Beginning in the 14th century BC, Assyrian rulers in official documents are already called kings. Moreover, when addressing the Pharaoh of Egypt, they say “Our brother.” During this period, there was active military colonization of the lands: invasions were carried out on the territory of the Hittite state, raids on the Babylonian kingdom, in the cities of Phenicia and Syria, and in 1290-1260. BC e. The territorial formation of the Assyrian Empire ends.

A new rise in the Assyrian wars of conquest began under King Tiglath-pileser, who was able to capture Northern Syria, Phenicia and part of Asia Minor; moreover, the king sailed several times on ships to the Mediterranean Sea to show his superiority over Egypt. After the death of the conquering monarch, the state begins to decline, and all subsequent kings can no longer preserve the previously captured lands. The Assyrian kingdom was pushed back to its native lands. Documents from the period XI-X centuries BC. e. has not survived, which indicates decline.

Neo-Assyrian kingdom

A new stage in the development of Assyria began after the Assyrians managed to get rid of the Aramaic tribes that came to their territory. It is the state created during this period that is considered to be the first empire in human history. The protracted crisis of the Assyrian kingdom was stopped by the kings Adad-Nirari II and Adid-Nirari III (it is with his mother Semiramis that the existence of one of the 7 wonders of the world - the Hanging Gardens - is associated). Unfortunately, the next three kings could not withstand the blows of an external enemy - the kingdom of Urartu, and carried out an illiterate domestic policy, which significantly weakened the state.

Assyria under Tiglapalaser III

The real rise of the kingdom began in the era of King Tiglapalasar III. While in power in 745-727. BC e., he was able to seize the lands of Phenicia, Palestine, Syria, the kingdom of Damascus, and it was during his reign that the long-term military conflict with the state of Urartu was resolved.

Successes in foreign policy are due to the implementation of domestic political reforms. So, the king began the forced resettlement of residents from the occupied states, along with their families and property, to his lands, which led to the spread of the Aramaic language throughout Assyria. The king solved the problem of separatism within the country by dividing large regions into many small ones led by governors, thus preventing the emergence of new dynasties. The tsar also took up the reform of the militia and military colonists, it was reorganized into a professional regular army, receiving salaries from the treasury, new types of troops were introduced - regular cavalry and sappers, special attention was paid to the organization of intelligence and communications services.

Successful military campaigns allowed Tiglath-pileser to create an empire stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea, and even be crowned king of Babylon - Pulu.

Urartu - a kingdom (Transcaucasia), which was invaded by Assyrian rulers

The Kingdom of Urartu was located on the highlands and occupied the territory of modern Armenia, eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. The heyday of the state occurred at the end of the 9th - mid-8th century BC; the decline of Urartu was largely contributed to by the wars with the Assyrian kingdom.

Having received the throne after the death of his father, King Tiglath-Pileser III sought to return control of the Asia Minor trade routes to his state. In 735 BC. e. In the decisive battle on the western bank of the Euphrates, the Assyrians were able to defeat the army of Urartu and advance deeper into the kingdom. The monarch of Urartu, Sarduri, fled and soon died, leaving the state in a deplorable state. His successor Rusa I was able to establish a temporary truce with Assyria, which was soon broken by the Assyrian king Sargon II.

Taking advantage of the fact that Urartu was weakened by the defeat received from the Cimmerian tribes, Sargon II in 714 BC. e. destroyed the Urartian army, and thus Urartu and the kingdoms dependent on it came under the rule of Assyria. After these events, Urartu lost its significance on the world stage.

Politics of the last Assyrian kings

The heir of Tiglath-pileser III was unable to retain in his hands the empire founded by his predecessor, and over time, Babylon declared its independence. The next king, Sargon II, in his foreign policy was not limited to the possession of only the kingdom of Urartu, he was able to return Babylon to the control of Assyria and was crowned as the Babylonian king, and he also managed to suppress all the uprisings that arose on the territory of the empire.

The reign of Sennacherib (705-680 BC) was characterized by constant confrontation between the king and the priests and townspeople. During his reign, the former king of Babylon again tried to restore his power, this led to Sennacherib brutally dealing with the Babylonians and completely destroying Babylon. Dissatisfaction with the tsar's policies led to a weakening of the state and, as a result, outbreaks of uprisings; some states regained independence, and Urartu regained a number of territories. This policy led to the murder of the king.

Having received power, the heir to the murdered king Esarhaddon first set about restoring Babylon and establishing relations with the priests. Concerning foreign policy, the king managed to repel the Cimmerian invasion, suppress the anti-Assyrian uprisings in Phenicia and undertake a successful campaign in Egypt, which resulted in the capture of Memphis and ascension to the throne of Egypt, but the king was unable to maintain this victory due to unexpected death.

The last king of Assyria

The last strong king of Assyria was Ashurbanipal, known as the most competent ruler of the Assyrian state. It was he who collected a unique library of clay tablets in his palace. His reign was characterized by a constant struggle with vassal states wishing to regain their independence. During this period, Assyria fought with the kingdom of Elam, which led to the complete defeat of the latter. Egypt and Babylon wanted to regain their independence, but as a result of numerous conflicts they failed. Ashurbanipal managed to spread his influence to Lydia, Media, Phrygia, and defeat Thebes.

Death of the Assyrian Kingdom

The death of Ashurbanipal marked the beginning of the turmoil. Assyria was defeated by the Median kingdom, and Babylon gained independence. The united forces of the Medes and their allies in 612 BC. e. The main city of the Assyrian kingdom, Nineveh, was destroyed. In 605 BC. e. At Karchemish, the Babylonian heir Nebuchadnezzar defeated the last military units of Assyria, thus the Assyrian Empire was destroyed.

Historical significance of Assyria

The ancient Assyrian kingdom left behind many cultural and historical monuments. Many bas-reliefs with scenes from the life of kings and nobles, six-meter sculptures of winged gods, a lot of ceramics and jewelry have survived to this day.

Great contribution to the development of knowledge about Ancient world brought in a discovered library with thirty thousand clay tablets of King Ashurbanipal, where knowledge on medicine, astronomy, engineering was collected, and even the Great Flood was mentioned.

Engineering was at a high level of development - the Assyrians were able to build a water canal and an aqueduct 13 meters wide and 3 thousand meters long.

The Assyrians were able to create one of the strongest armies of their time, they were armed with chariots, battering rams, spears, warriors used trained dogs in battles, the army was well equipped.

After the fall Assyrian state Babylon became the heir to centuries-old achievements.

Short story. Huge Assyria grew from a small nome ( administrative districts) Ashur in Northern. For a long time, the “country of Ashur” does not play a significant role in the destinies 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” experiences the hardships of foreign rule, goes bankrupt, and suffers from hunger.

But in the 9th century. BC e. Assyria is regaining strength. The era of large-scale conquests begins. The Assyrian kings create a perfect military machine and transform their state into the most powerful power in the world. Vast areas of Western Asia submit to the Assyrians. Only at the beginning of the 7th century. BC e. their energy and strength are running out. The revolt of the conquered Babylonians, who entered into an alliance with the tribes of the Medes, leads to the death of the colossal Assyrian empire. The people of traders and soldiers, who carried its weight on their shoulders, heroically resisted for several years. In 609 BC. e. The city of Harran, the last stronghold of the “country of Ashur”, falls.

History of the ancient kingdom of Assyria

Time passed, and already from the 14th century. BC e. in Ashur documents, the ruler began to be called a king, like the rulers of Babylonia, Mitanni or the Hittite state, and the Egyptian pharaoh - his brother. From that time on, the Assyrian territory either expanded to the west and east, then again shrank to the size of historical ancient Assyria- a narrow strip of land along the banks of the Tigris in its upper reaches. In the middle of the 13th century. BC e. Assyrian armies even invaded the boundaries 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, into the lands of the Nairi tribes; to the south, passing more than once through the streets of Babylon; to the west - to the flourishing cities of Syria and.

The Assyrian civilization reached its next period of prosperity at the beginning of the 11th century. BC e. under Tiglath-pileser I (about 1114 - about 1076 BC). His armies made more than 30 campaigns to the west, capturing Northern Syria, Phenicia and some provinces of Asia Minor. Most of the trade routes connecting the west with the east once again fell into the hands of Assyrian merchants. In honor of his triumph after the conquest of Phenicia, Tiglath-pileser I made a demonstrative exit on Phoenician warships into the Mediterranean Sea, showing his still formidable rival who was really a great power.

Map of ancient Assyria

The new, third stage of the Assyrian offensive occurred already in the 9th-7th centuries. BC e. After a two-hundred-year hiatus, former time the decline of the state and forced defense from hordes of nomads from the south, north and east, the Assyrian kingdom reasserted itself as a powerful empire. She launched her first serious attack to the south - against 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. Over the next few decades, ancient Assyria experienced virtually no defeats and steadily moved towards its goal: to take control of the main sources of raw materials, production centers and trade routes from the Persian Gulf to the Armenian Plateau 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 brought the states of Syria and Palestine to the obedience, and, finally, under King Sargon II in 710 BC. e. Babylon was finally conquered. Sargon was crowned king of Babylonia. His successor, Sennacherib, fought for a long time against the disobedience 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. Uprisings of 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 into the Median kingdom. Culture time Assyria passed. Already in 615 BC. e. The Medes appeared at the walls of the capital of the state - Nineveh. In the same year, Nabopolassar besieged the ancient center of the country - Ashur. In 614 BC. e. The Medes again invaded Assyria and also approached Ashur. 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 spoils, and the Babylonians continued their conquest of the Assyrian inheritance. In 610 BC. e. the remnants of the Assyrian army, reinforced by Egyptian reinforcements, were defeated and driven back beyond the Euphrates. Five years later, the last Assyrian troops were defeated. This is how it ended its existence the first “world” power in human history. At the same time, no significant ethnic changes occurred: only the “top” of Assyrian society died. The huge centuries-old inheritance of the kingdom of Assyria passed to Babylon.

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 " 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 is a state for a long time was 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.