Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

45

About 3,000 yeArs Ago, a mighty empire rose to power in the Middle

east where Iraq is today. this was the Assyrian empire. It lasted for more

than 300 years and spread all over the surrounding area from the Nile

river to Mesopotamia. under King shalmaneser I (1273-44 bce) the

Assyrians conquered babylon and many other independent states and

eventually united the region into one empire. With an enormous army,

armored horses, fast two-wheeled chariots, and huge battering rams, the

Assyrians were highly skilled, successful fighters, ruthless in battle. the Assyrian

empire grew quickly with a series of warlike kings, including Ashurbanipal II and

sennacherib. great wealth and excellent trading links enabled the Assyrians to

rebuild the cities of Nimrud and Nineveh (which became the capital), and to

create a new city at Khorsabad. Assyria was a rich, well-organized society, but by

the 7th century bce, the empire had grown too large to protect itself well. Around

612 bce, the babylonian and Mede peoples destroyed

Nineveh, and the Assyrian empire collapsed.

WArrIors

the Assyrians were

famed and feared for

their strength in battle

and for torturing their

victims. they developed

the chariot and fought

with swords, shields,

slings, and bows.

LIoN huNt

hunting and

killing lions was a

favorite pastime of

the Assyrian kings.

Lions represented the

wild strength of nature. It

was considered a noble challenge

to seek them out and kill them, although captive lions

were also hunted. only the king was allowed to kill a lion.

royAL LIfe

stone reliefs tell us much

about the lives of the Assyrian

royalty. this relief sculpture shows

King Ashurbanipal II (669-621 bce)

drinking wine in his garden with

his queen. It looks like a quiet,

domestic scene; but on another

section of this sculpture there

is a head hanging from a tree.

It is the head of teumann, the

king of the elamites, whose

defeat the king and queen

are celebrating.

Winged bulls have

a human head, wings,

and fishlike scales,

suggesting that

they represent

a combination of all the best

qualities of animals and people.

WINged buLLs

Massive stone sculptures

(right) of winged bulls

were placed on each side of

important doors and gateways.

AssyrIAN eMpIre

In the 7th century bce, the Assyrian

empire reached its greatest extent.

It stretched down to the persian

gulf in the south and the

Mediterranean coast in the west,

and included babylon.

Nineveh

Babylon

Damascus

Jerusalem

Memphis

Thebes Persian

Gulf

Mediterranean

Sea

Assyrians

Men armed with spears and

swords accompanied the

king on lion hunts.

Assyrian slaves had

to drag the massive

sculptures to the palace.

Find out more

babylonians

Middle east

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