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    CH 4 Sec 2 - The Asyrian Empire PDF

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    J. Nieves
    The Assyrian Empire rose to power between 850-650 BC through its highly advanced military organization and weaponry. They conquered much of Southwest Asia through constant warfare, establishing an empire that stretched from Egypt to Persia. However, Assyrian cruelty towards conquered peoples earned them many enemies. After the death of King Ashurbanipal in the 7th century BC, a coalition of Medes, Chaldeans and others destroyed Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, causing the empire to collapse. Babylon then became the new dominant power in the region under King Nebuchadnezzar.

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    CH 4 Sec 2 - The Asyrian Empire PDF

    Uploaded by

    J. Nieves
    435 views4 pages
    The Assyrian Empire rose to power between 850-650 BC through its highly advanced military organization and weaponry. They conquered much of Southwest Asia through constant warfare, establishing an empire that stretched from Egypt to Persia. However, Assyrian cruelty towards conquered peoples earned them many enemies. After the death of King Ashurbanipal in the 7th century BC, a coalition of Medes, Chaldeans and others destroyed Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, causing the empire to collapse. Babylon then became the new dominant power in the region under King Nebuchadnezzar.

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    The Assyrian Empire rose to power between 850-650 BC through its highly advanced military organization and weaponry. They conquered much of Southwest Asia through constant warfare, establishing an empire that stretched from Egypt to Persia. However, Assyrian cruelty towards conquered peoples earned them many enemies. After the death of King Ashurbanipal in the 7th century BC, a coalition of Medes, Chaldeans and others destroyed Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, causing the empire to collapse. Babylon then became the new dominant power in the region under King Nebuchadnezzar.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    435 views4 pages

    CH 4 Sec 2 - The Asyrian Empire PDF

    Uploaded by

    J. Nieves
    The Assyrian Empire rose to power between 850-650 BC through its highly advanced military organization and weaponry. They conquered much of Southwest Asia through constant warfare, establishing an empire that stretched from Egypt to Persia. However, Assyrian cruelty towards conquered peoples earned them many enemies. After the death of King Ashurbanipal in the 7th century BC, a coalition of Medes, Chaldeans and others destroyed Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, causing the empire to collapse. Babylon then became the new dominant power in the region under King Nebuchadnezzar.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 4

    Page 1 of 4

    The Assyrian Empire


    MAIN IDEA

    WHY IT MATTERS NOW

    EMPIRE BUILDING Assyria


    developed a military machine
    and established a well-organized
    administration.

    Some leaders still use military


    force to extend their rule, stamp
    out opposition, and gain wealth
    and power.

    TERMS & NAMES

    Assyria
    Sennacherib
    Nineveh
    Ashurbanipal

    Medes
    Chaldeans
    Nebuchadnezzar

    SETTING THE STAGE For more than two centuries, the Assyrian army

    advanced across Southwest Asia. It overwhelmed foes with its military strength.
    After the Assyrians seized control of Egypt, the Assyrian king Esarhaddon
    proclaimed, I tore up the root of Kush, and not one therein escaped to submit to
    me. The last Kushite pharaoh retreated to Napata, Kushs capital city.

    A Mighty Military Machine

    TAKING NOTES

    Beginning around 850 B.C., Assyria (uhSEEReeuh) acquired a large empire.


    It accomplished this by means of a highly advanced military organization and
    state-of-the-art weaponry. For a time, this campaign of conquest made Assyria
    the greatest power in Southwest Asia.
    The Rise of a Warrior People The Assyrians came from the northern part of
    Mesopotamia. (See the map on page 96.) Their flat, exposed land made them
    easy for other people to attack. Invaders frequently swept down into Assyria from
    the nearby mountains. The Assyrians may have developed their warlike behavior
    in response to these invasions. Through constant warfare, Assyrian kings eventually built an empire that stretched from east and north of the Tigris River all
    the way to central Egypt. One of these Assyrian kings, Sennacherib
    (sihNAKuhrihb), bragged that he had destroyed 89 cities and 820 villages,
    burned Babylon, and ordered most of its inhabitants killed.

    Analyzing Causes Use


    a chart to identify the
    causes of the rise and
    decline of Assyrian
    power.
    Assyrian Power
    Causes
    for Rise

    Causes for
    Decline

    Need to
    defend
    against
    g
    attacks

    Hated by
    conquered
    people

    Military Organization and Conquest Assyria was a society that glorified military strength. Its soldiers were well equipped for conquering an empire. Making
    use of the ironworking technology of the time, the soldiers covered themselves
    in stiff leather and metal armor. They wore copper or iron helmets, padded loincloths, and leather skirts layered with metal scales. Their weapons were iron
    swords and iron-pointed spears.
    Advance planning and technical skill allowed the Assyrians to lay siege to enemy
    cities. When deep water blocked their passage, engineers would span the rivers with
    pontoons, or floating structures used to support a bridge. Before attacking, the
    Assyrians dug beneath the citys walls to weaken them. Then, with disciplined organization, foot soldiers marched shoulder to shoulder. The foot soldiers approached
    the city walls and shot wave upon wave of arrows. Meanwhile, another group of
    troops hammered the citys gates with massive, iron-tipped battering rams.
    First Age of Empires 95

    Page 2 of 4

    Assyrian Empire, 650 B.C.

    Ca

    spi
    an Se a

    40N

    40E

    Black Sea

    AN ATO L I A
    TS

    Nineveh

    SYRIA

    Ashur

    tes

    Babylon

    OS

    Jerusalem

    AS I A

    GR

    ra

    R.

    Tyre

    ph

    ZA

    PHOENICIA Sidon

    Mediterranean
    Sea PALESTINE

    Medes

    MESOPOTAMIA

    .
    sR

    Eu

    CYPRUS

    Tigri

    T A U R US

    BABYLONIA

    Persians
    M

    Chaldeans

    Memphis

    EGYPT

    ia

    d
    Ri

    Sea

    ver

    Thebes
    0

    rs

    Re

    SAHARA

    TS

    Pe

    ARABIAN
    DESERT

    Gu

    lf

    500 Miles

    il

    0
    1,000 Kilometers
    N
    GEOGRAPHY
    SKILLBUILDER:
    Interpreting
    Maps

    1. Location What is the approximate distance between


    Nineveh and Thebes?
    2. Location What is the southernmost part of the
    Assyrian Empire and to what other empire did it
    previously belong?

    When the city gates finally


    splintered, the Assyrians
    showed no mercy. They
    killed or enslaved their victims. To prevent their enemies from rebelling again,
    the Assyrians forced captives to settle far away in the
    empires distant provinces
    and dependent states.

    The Empire
    Expands
    Between 850 and 650 B.C.,
    the kings of Assyria
    defeated Syria, Palestine,
    and Babylonia. Eventually,
    the Assyrians ruled lands
    that extended far beyond
    the Fertile Crescent into
    Anatolia and Egypt.
    Assyrian

    Rule At its
    peak around 650 B.C., the
    Assyrian Empire included
    almost all of the old centers
    of civilization and power in
    Southwest Asia. Assyrian officials governed lands closest to Assyria as provinces and
    made them dependent territories. Assyrian kings controlled these dependent regions
    by choosing their rulers or by supporting kings who aligned themselves with Assyria.
    The Assyrian system of having local governors report to a central authority became
    the fundamental model of administration, or system of government management.
    In addition, the military campaigns added new territory to the empire. These additional lands brought taxes and tribute to the Assyrian treasury. If a conquered people
    refused to pay, the Assyrians destroyed their cities and sent the people into exile.
    Such methods enabled the Assyrians to effectively govern an extended empire.
    Assyrian Culture Some of Assyrias most fearsome warriors earned reputations as
    great builders. For example, the same King Sennacherib who had burned Babylon
    also established Assyrias capital at Nineveh (NIHNuhvuh) along the Tigris River.
    This great walled city, about three miles long and a mile wide, was the largest city of
    its day. In the ruins of Nineveh and other Assyrian cities, archaeologists found finely
    carved sculptures. Two artistic subjects particularly fascinated the Assyrians: brutal
    military campaigns and the lion hunt.
    Nineveh also held one of the ancient worlds largest libraries. In this unique
    library, King Ashurbanipal (AHshurBAHnuhPAHL) collected more than 20,000
    clay tablets from throughout the Fertile Crescent. The collection included the
    ancient Sumerian poem the Epic of Gilgamesh and provided historians with much
    information about the earliest civilizations in Southwest Asia. The library was the
    first to have many of the features of a modern library. For instance, the collection
    was organized into many rooms according to subject matter. The collection was
    also cataloged. Europeans would not use a library cataloging system for centuries.

    96 Chapter 4

    Page 3 of 4

    Assyrian Sculpture
    This relief shows ferocious Assyrian warriors attacking a
    fortified city. A relief is a sculpture that has figures standing
    out from a flat background. The Assyrian war machine
    included a variety of weapons and methods of attack.
    1

    Ladders

    Assyrian archers launched waves of arrows against


    opponents defending the city walls. Meanwhile, Assyrian
    troops threw their ladders up against the walls and began
    their climb into the enemys stronghold.
    2

    Weapons

    1
    2

    Troops were armed with the best weapons of the time, irontipped spears, as well as iron daggers and swords. They were
    also protected with armor and large shields.
    3

    Tactics

    The Assyrians were savage in their treatment of defeated


    opponents. Those who were not slaughtered in the initial
    attack were often impaled or beheaded, while women and
    children were sometimes murdered or sold into slavery.
    4

    Tunnels

    The Assyrian army used sapperssoldiers who dug tunnels to


    sap, or undermine, the foundations of the enemys walls so
    that they would fall.

    SKILLBUILDER: Interpreting Visual Sources


    1. Making Inferences What emotions might the relief have
    inspired in the Assyrian people?
    2. Making Inferences How might the Assyrians enemies have
    reacted to the sculpture?

    The Empire Crumbles


    Ashurbanipal proved to be one of the last of the mighty Assyrian kings. Assyrian
    power had spread itself too thin. Also, the cruelty displayed by the Assyrians had
    earned them many enemies. Shortly after Ashurbanipals death, Nineveh fell.
    Decline and Fall In 612 B.C., a combined army of Medes (meedz), Chaldeans

    (kalDEEuhnz), and others burned and leveled Nineveh. However, because the
    clay writing tablets in Ninevehs library had been baked in a pottery oven, many
    survived the fire.
    Most people in the region rejoiced at Ninevehs destruction. The Hebrew
    prophet Nahum (NAYhuhm) gave voice to the feelings of many:
    Analyzing Primary
    Sources
    What was
    Nahums opinion
    on the collapse of
    the Assyrian
    Empire?

    PRIMARY SOURCE
    And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and
    say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? Whence shall I seek comforters for
    thee? . . . Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust:
    thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them.
    NAHUM 3:7, 18 (Bible)

    Rebirth of Babylon Under the Chaldeans After defeating the Assyrians, the

    Chaldeans made Babylon their capital. Around 600 B.C., Babylon became the center
    First Age of Empires 97

    Page 4 of 4

    This is an artists
    rendering of the
    legendary hanging
    gardens of Babylon.
    Slaves watered the
    plants by using
    hidden pumps that
    drew water from the
    Euphrates River.

    SECTION

    of a new empire, more than 1,000 years


    after Hammurabi had ruled there. A
    Chaldean king named Nebuchadnezzar
    (NEHBuhkuhdNEHZuhr) restored the
    city. Perhaps the most impressive part of
    the restoration was the famous hanging
    gardens. Greek scholars later listed them
    as one of the seven wonders of the ancient
    world. According to legend, one of
    Nebuchadnezzars wives missed the flowering shrubs of her mountain homeland.
    To please her, he had fragrant trees and
    shrubs planted on terraces that rose 75
    feet above Babylons flat, dry plain.
    Indeed, the entire city was a wonder. Its
    walls were so thick that, according to one
    report, a four-horse chariot could wheel
    around on top of them. To ensure that the world knew who ruled Babylon, the king
    had the bricks inscribed with the words, I am Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon.
    The highest building in Babylon was a great, seven-tiered ziggurat more than 300
    feet high. It was visible for miles. At night, priests observed the stars from the top of
    this tower and others in the city. Chaldean astronomers kept detailed records of how
    the stars and planets seemed to change position in the night sky. They also concluded
    that the sun, moon, Earth, and five other planets belonged to the same solar system.
    The Chaldeans observations formed the basis for both astronomy and astrology.
    Nebuchadnezzars empire fell shortly after his death. The Persians who next
    came to power adopted many Assyrian military, political, and artistic inventions.
    The Persians would use the organization the Assyrians had developed to stabilize
    the region.

    ASSESSMENT

    TERMS & NAMES 1. For each term or name, write a sentence explaining its significance.
    Assyria

    Sennacherib

    Nineveh

    Ashurbanipal

    Medes

    Chaldeans

    Nebuchadnezzar

    USING YOUR NOTES

    MAIN IDEAS

    CRITICAL THINKING & WRITING

    2. Why did the Assyrians develop

    3. What methods did the

    6. FORMING OPINIONS Do you think the Assyrians almost

    into a great military power?


    Why did their power decline?
    Assyrian Power
    Causes
    for Rise

    Causes for
    Decline

    Need to
    defend
    against
    g
    attacks

    Hated by
    conquered
    people

    Assyrians use when they


    attacked enemy cities?
    4. What contributions to

    government administration and


    culture did the Assyrians make?
    5. Why did the people in the

    region rejoice when the


    Assyrian Empire was defeated?

    exclusive reliance on military power was a good strategy


    for creating their empire? Why or why not?
    7. MAKING INFERENCES Why might the Assyrian warrior

    kings have had such a great interest in writing and


    reading?
    8. COMPARING In what ways were King Ashurbanipal and

    King Nebuchadnezzar similar?


    9. WRITING ACTIVITY EMPIRE BUILDING Write a one-

    paragraph essay on how developments in technology


    influenced the rise and decline of the Assyrian Empire.

    CONNECT TO TODAY CREATING A POSTER


    Research an instance when a modern ruler used excessive force to govern or put down
    opposition. Create a poster that tells about and illustrates the ruler and the event.

    98 Chapter 4

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