Assyria, Asshur
was a great and powerful country lying on the Tigris, (Genesis 2:14) the capital of which was
Nineveh. (Genesis 10:11) etc. It derived its name apparently from Asshur, the son of Shem, (Genesis
10:22) who in later times was worshipped by the Assyrians as their chief god.
•Extent.— The boundaries of Assyria differed greatly at different periods, Probably in the earliest
times it was confined to a small tract of low country lying chiefly on the left bank of the Tigris.
Gradually its limits were extended, until it came to be regarded as comprising the whole region
between the Armenian mountains (lat. 37 30’) upon the north, and upon the south the country
about Baghdad (lat. 33 30’). Eastward its boundary was the high range of Zagros, or mountains
of Kurdistan; westward it was, according to the views of some, bounded by the Mesopotamian
desert, while according to others it reached the Euphrates.
•General character of the country.— On the north and east the high mountain-chains of Armenia
and Kurdistan are succeeded by low ranges of limestone hills of a somewhat arid aspect. To these
ridges there succeeds at first an undulating zone of country, well watered and fairly productive,
which extends in length for 250 miles, and is interrupted only by a single limestone range. Above
and below this barrier is an immense level tract, now for the most part a wilderness, which bears
marks of having been in early times well cultivated and thickly peopled throughout.
•Original peopling.—Scripture informs us that Assyria was peopled from Babylon, (Genesis 10:11)
and both classical tradition and the monuments of the country agree in this representation.
•Date of the foundation of the kingdom.—As a country, Assyria was evidently known to Moses.
(Genesis 2:14; 25:18; Numbers 24:22,24) The foundation of the Assyrian empire was probably
not very greatly anterior to B.C. 1228.
•History.—The Mesopotamian researches have rendered it apparent that the original seat of
government was not at Nineveh, but at Kileh-Sherghat, on the right bank of the Tigris. The most
remarkable monarch of the earlier kings was called Tiglath-pileser. He appears to have been king
towards the close of the twelfth century, and thus to have been contemporary with Samuel.
Afterwards followed Pul, who invaded Israel in the reign of Menahem (2 Kings 15:29) about B.C.
770, and Shalmaneser who besieged Samaria three years, and destroyed the kingdom of Israel
B.C. 721, himself or by his successor Sargon, who usurped the throne at that time. Under Sargon
the empire was as great as at any former era, and Nineveh became a most beautiful city. Sargon’s
son Sennacherib became the most famous of the Assyrian kings. He began to reign 704 B.C. He
invaded the kingdom of Judea in the reign of Hezekiah. He was followed by Esarhaddon, and he
by a noted warrior and builder, Sardanapalus. In Scripture it is remarkable that we hear nothing
of Assyria after the reign of Esarhaddon, and profane history is equally silent until the attacks
began which brought about her downfall. The fall of Assyria, long previously prophesied by Isaiah,
(Isaiah 10:5-19) was effected by the growing strength and boldness of the Medes, about 625 B.C.
The prophecies of Nahum and Zephaniah (Zephaniah 2:13-15) against Assyria were probably
delivered shortly before the catastrophe.
•General character of the empire.— The Assyrian monarchs bore sway over a number of petty
kings through the entire extent of their dominions. These native princes were feudatories of the
great monarch, of whom they held their crown by the double tenure of homage and tribute. It is
not quite certain how far Assyria required a religious conformity from the subject people. Her
religion was a gross and complex polytheism, comprising the worship of thirteen principal and
frankie
(Frankie)
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