Outline of Assyrian history
| The following information has been copied slavishly (and
faultlessly, I hope) from encyclopaedias and other book
to give the reader (and myself) an overview of the
generally accepted ideas. The dates from ca. 900 BC and
certainly from ca. 700 BC are considered to be very
reliable. The earlier dates less so. The history of Assyria between ca. 2000 and 612 BC is divided into three periods:
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Assyria was situated in the north of Mesopotamia, on the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. The capitals were Kalhu (Calah, Nimrud), Niniveh, Dur-Sharrukin (Chorsabad) and Assur. These cities are situated in the north of Iraq, near Mosul. Babylonia was in the south of Mesopotamia. Other geographical names:
The principal Assyrian gods and goddesses:
A list of kings can be found on the internet (see below). Here follow the kings from ca. 1500 BC according to that list:
Middle period:
Late period:
The most important kings, grouped by name:
ADAD-NIRARI I (1305-1274), the most important king of the Middle Assyrian period. He conquered northern Mesopotamia and fought successfully in Babylonia. He is the oldest Assyrian king whose annals have been preserved.
ADAD-NIRARI II (911-891) fought in the west against the Arameans, in the north against the Nairi and in the south against Babylonia. The Assyrian eponym list (a list of years named after some important event) starts with his reign.
ADAD-NIRARI III (810-783) is best known for his campaigns in Syria and Phoenicia. He received tribute (presents) from King Joas of Israel according to a stela found in Tell Rimah. The idea that he was dominated by his mother Semiramis (known from a Greek myth) during the first five years of his reign is untenable.
SHALMANESER I (Middle Assyrian, ca. 1274-1245), great conqueror, left us extensive annals of his campaigns. He conquered territory in the east (the later Urartu) and in the west (up to the Euphrates, where he occupied the remains of the kingdom of Mitanni). He wrote a letter to the Hittite King Tuthalias IV, who also corresponded with Tukulti-Ninurta, S.'s successor. He rebuilt the temple of Ishtar in Niniveh.
SHALMANESER III (ca. 858-824), great conqueror, son of Assurnasirpal II, extended his kingdom up to the Euphrates, held campaigns in Urartu, Babylonia, southern Anatolia and Syria. He crossed the Euphrates 25 times with his army and penetrated into Cilicia (southern Turkey) and northern Palestine. He ran into a Syrian-Palestinian coalition which included King Ahab of Israel and the rulers of Damascus and Hamath, with whom he fought the battle of Karkar (853). He was unable to conquer Damascus. He had the 'Black Obelisk' (in the British Museum) made, and the bronze doors of Balawat. In Kalhu the remains of an enormous Fortress Shalmaneser have been found, containing many ivory carvings.
SHALMANESER II, IV and V are less important. S. V conquered Samaria. The name S. means 'the god Salam or Shulmanu is the first'.
ASSUR-UBALLIT I (1363-1328), founder of the Middle Assyrian kingdom, extended its power westward. The Hurrite kingdom of Mitanni, which had dominated Assyria in the past, had to pay tribute (King Artatama). A part of Mitanni was occupied by the Hittite King Suppiluliuma. A. corresponded with Pharaoh Akhnaten (Amarna letters) and was related to the Kassite King Burnaburiash of Babylon. After the death of the latter he made sure that his grandson Kurigalzu occupied the Babylonian throne. He built in Assur and Niniveh.
ASSUR-UBALLIT II (612-609), the last Neo-Assyrian king, who ruled for some years in Harran in Syria after the destruction of Assur and Niniveh. In spite of the support of Pharaoh Necho II he was defeated by the Babylonians in the battle of Carchemish on the Euphrates. The name A. means 'the god Assur has given'.
ASSURNASIRPAL I (1050-1032), little is known about him. The 'White Obelisk' is attributed to A. I by some scholars, to A. II by others.
ASSURNASIRPAL II (883-859), the first great king of the Neo-Assyrian empire, extended his kingdom to the north, east and west, fought against the mountain peoples of the Zagros, Kurdistan, southern Anatolia and northern Mesopotamia and against the Arameans. He also held campaigns to the west; shortly after 870 he reached the Mediterranean coast. In his palace in Kalhu many wall reliefs have been found. The name A. means 'Assur protects the heir'.
TIGLATHPILESER I (1115-1077), great conqueror, infamous because of his cruelty: executions, deportations, plundering. Towards the end of his realm he became king of Babylon. He collected exotic plants and animals in a zoo and founded a library. He left us extensive annals.
TIGLATHPILESER II, less important.
TIGLATHPILESER III (744-727), one of the most important Assyrian kings. He was infamous because of his cruelty: executions, deportations, torture. He is called Pul in the Old Testament (2 Kings 15:19). King Ahaz of Judah called him for help against Israel and Damascus. A. held campaigns to Syria and Palestine (743-740, 738, 734-732), conquered Arpad (740) and Damascus (732) in Syria. He fought against the Chaldees in Babylon and became king of Babylon towards the end of his realm (728-727). In excavations in Kalhu (Kalah) many of his reliefs (later used by Esarhaddon) have been found. He laid the foundations for the great Assyrian heyday under the Sargonids. The name T. means 'helper of the son of Esharra [=the god Ninurta].
SENNACHERIB (705-681), son of Sargon II, waged many wars, destroyed Babylon in 689. His army was destroyed in a mysterious disaster (2 Kings 19:35, Isaiah 37:36). His siege of Lachish (701) is depicted on a relief in the British Museum. He was murdered by his son Arda-Mulish during a revolt (Isaiah 37:38). The name S. means 'Sin, replace the [deceased] brothers'.
ESARHADDON (681-669), successor of Sennacherib. Takes Sidon (677) and Memphis (671), defeats the Ethiopian pharaoh Taharqa, Manasseh of Judah, Edom and Moab. He appoints his oldest son Shamashshumukin as king of Babylon and his youngest son Assurbanipal as king of Assyria.
ASSURBANIPAL (668-627), the last great king of Assyria, who defeated Egypt, Lydia and Elam. He founded a great library. Called Sardanapalos in Greek, Asenaphar in the Old Testament. He conquered Thebes in Egypt in 664 (in 654 Egypt was free again). He had a conflict with his brother Shamashshumukin, the king of Babylonia, who was killed in 652. Many of his reliefs have been found.
Assyria On Line. Some websites about the Assyrians are politically motivated; apparently the Assyrians are one of those people who want a state of their own, like the Kurds, who live in the same area.
Assyria 1995. The Glory and Fall of Assyria. Summary of Assyriological conference in Helsinki in '95. How Assyriologists amuse themselves.