The Assyrian Empire

Assyria was an ancient country on the upper Tigris River in Mesopotamia. It covered roughly the northern part of present-day Iraq. The Assyrians have been called the Romans of Asia. Like the Romans, they were great conquerors. They won their victories in the Roman way, by superb organization, weapons, and equipment.

In the 1850's, archaeologists discovered two major libraries in Nineveh, each containing thousands of clay tablets. Many of these tablets are now in the British Museum in London.

Assyrian religion was closely related to the earlier Sumerian and Babylonian religions. And, so was the duty of all Apostles who were sent by God calling their nations to abjure the folly worship and all heavenly bodies for the one true God. Assyrians believed that many gods directed human destiny and controlled the sky, the forces of nature on earth. The chief god of Assyria was Ashur, or Assur, whose name was the same as the Assyrians' name for their state. The Assyrian king served as both the ruler and the chief priest, and the people considered him Ashur's governor on the earth. Assyrians indulged in worshipping other gods, including Nabu, the god of learning; Ninurta, god of war; and Ishtar, the goddess of love, which was famous in Nineveh.

From about 2000 to 1700 B.C., Assyrian traders established colonies in Anatolia (now part of Turkey) to acquire the silver and gold that were plentiful there. Assyria's state extended its boundaries to western Syria, northern Mesopotamia, and the borders of Babylonia.

Assyria enjoyed brief periods of expansion in the 1200's and 1100's, and built its empire in the 800's B.C. During the 9-8th century B.C., Assyria gained control of the Mediterranean trade routes and conquered large parts of Syria, Israel and Babylonia. In 671 B.C. Assyria invaded Egypt and subjected it to its rule. Assyria declined after the mid-600's B.C., and Median and Babylonian attacks and ended the empire in 612 B.C.