Assyria’s World Domination (745-612 BCE) HST 397 Prof. Marc Cooper.

Assyria’s Assyria’s World World

Domination Domination (745-612 BCE)(745-612 BCE)

HST 397HST 397

Prof. Marc CooperProf. Marc Cooper

General CommentsGeneral Comments

Assyria dominated the entire Near Assyria dominated the entire Near East and EgyptEast and Egypt

True imperial phase in Assyrian historyTrue imperial phase in Assyrian history Assyria controlled by one family of Assyria controlled by one family of

kingskings Succession marred by competition Succession marred by competition

within the ruling familywithin the ruling family Weakened Assyria after the death of Weakened Assyria after the death of

AssurbanipalAssurbanipal

Creation of Imperial StructureCreation of Imperial Structure

Problems facing Tiglath- pileser III Problems facing Tiglath- pileser III (744- 727) at succession(744- 727) at succession

Provincial governors nearly Provincial governors nearly independentindependent• Some scholars accept inscriptions Some scholars accept inscriptions

at face valueat face value• Some scholars see the inscriptions Some scholars see the inscriptions

as written for the local audienceas written for the local audience Urartu had extended to northern Urartu had extended to northern

SyriaSyria Revolts in the Assyrian Revolts in the Assyrian

heartland, including the city of heartland, including the city of Asshur, had weakened the Asshur, had weakened the empireempire

Solutions of Tiglath-pileser and Solutions of Tiglath-pileser and Sargon II (721-705)Sargon II (721-705)

Provinces increased from 12 to 25 to Provinces increased from 12 to 25 to diffuse the power of governorsdiffuse the power of governors

Powerful offices diffusedPowerful offices diffused• 2 Turtanu, commanders, instead of 12 Turtanu, commanders, instead of 1• Eunuchs take many offices to insure loyalty to Eunuchs take many offices to insure loyalty to

the king rather than to family or localitythe king rather than to family or locality Annual campaigns led by kingAnnual campaigns led by king

• Professional army may have replaced citizen Professional army may have replaced citizen leveelevee

• Conquered peoples incorporated into armyConquered peoples incorporated into army• Campaigns across Euphrates lead to expansion Campaigns across Euphrates lead to expansion

of provincial systemof provincial system

Development of provincesDevelopment of provinces

States which submitted becameStates which submitted became• Vassal states with own kingVassal states with own king• Puppet states with king chosen by Puppet states with king chosen by

AssyriansAssyrians• Provinces with Assyrian governorProvinces with Assyrian governor

Each stage precipitated by local Each stage precipitated by local resistanceresistance

Provinces structured to supply Provinces structured to supply Assyria with vital suppliesAssyria with vital supplies

Defeat of the Great RivalsDefeat of the Great Rivals

Nubian tribute bearer with orix and leopard skin (Metropolitan Museum)

Assyria’s powerful neighborsAssyria’s powerful neighbors Major Assyrian rivalsMajor Assyrian rivals

• Babylonia – special historical Babylonia – special historical statusstatus

• Elam – tended to support Elam – tended to support Babylonian independenceBabylonian independence

• Urartu – most dangerous rivalUrartu – most dangerous rival• Egypt – often supported Egypt – often supported

independence movements in independence movements in Palestine and SyriaPalestine and Syria

Each Assyrian king had to Each Assyrian king had to deal with these statesdeal with these states

BabyloniaBabylonia

Power transitions in Babylon pro- and Power transitions in Babylon pro- and anti- Assyrian very frequentanti- Assyrian very frequent

Kings tended to be Kings tended to be • Independent BabylonianIndependent Babylonian• Chaldaean anti-AssyrianChaldaean anti-Assyrian• Babylonian pro-Assyrian puppetBabylonian pro-Assyrian puppet• Member of Assyrian king’s family or the Member of Assyrian king’s family or the

king himselfking himself

Babylon and Fall of AssyriaBabylon and Fall of Assyria

Babylon reconstructed by EsarhaddonBabylon reconstructed by Esarhaddon In 651 Babylon again rebelledIn 651 Babylon again rebelled

• Leader of rebellion was Shamash-shumukin, Leader of rebellion was Shamash-shumukin, Assurbanipal’s brotherAssurbanipal’s brother

• Assurbanipal campaigned for 4 years against Assurbanipal campaigned for 4 years against coalitioncoalition

• Defeated coalition but weakened AssyriaDefeated coalition but weakened Assyria Babylon never incorporated into AssyriaBabylon never incorporated into Assyria Problem never solvedProblem never solved

Urartu and ElamUrartu and Elam

Sargon II defeated Urartu in 714Sargon II defeated Urartu in 714but did not destroy it, leaving it as a but did not destroy it, leaving it as a buffer against Cimmeriansbuffer against Cimmerians

Assurbanipal ravaged Elam in 647 Assurbanipal ravaged Elam in 647 after Shamash-shumukin’s rebellionafter Shamash-shumukin’s rebellion

Sacked Susa, beheaded kingSacked Susa, beheaded king Left Elam weak but still independent Left Elam weak but still independent

as a buffer against Iraniansas a buffer against Iranians

EgyptEgypt

Nubian dynasty supported Nubian dynasty supported Syrian anti-Assyrian partiesSyrian anti-Assyrian parties

Egypt very wealthy, gold Egypt very wealthy, gold minesmines

Essarhaddon led 3 Essarhaddon led 3 campaigns against Taharqa campaigns against Taharqa

Assyrians captured Assyrians captured Memphis, valuable booty Memphis, valuable booty used reconstruct Babylonused reconstruct BabylonTaharqa 690 - 664

Egyptian resistanceEgyptian resistance

After Esarhaddon’s death, Taharqa After Esarhaddon’s death, Taharqa returned to Memphisreturned to Memphis• Population supported TaharqaPopulation supported Taharqa• Egyptians killed AssyriansEgyptians killed Assyrians

Assurbanipal constructed an army of Syro-Assurbanipal constructed an army of Syro-Palestinain subjects, and a Palestinain subjects, and a Phoenician/Cypriote navy and defeated Phoenician/Cypriote navy and defeated Taharqa in 664Taharqa in 664

Necho loyal to Assyria installed on throneNecho loyal to Assyria installed on throne

AdministrationAdministration

Administrative system poorly Administrative system poorly knownknown

Large number of known titlesLarge number of known titles• Turtanu – Field MarshalTurtanu – Field Marshal• Ummanu - ChancellorUmmanu - Chancellor• Rab sha muhhi ekalli – Major domoRab sha muhhi ekalli – Major domo• Rab-shaka – cup bearer (diplomat)Rab-shaka – cup bearer (diplomat)

No legal spheres of authorityNo legal spheres of authority Personal relations with king Personal relations with king

paramountparamount Loyalty oaths in the name of Loyalty oaths in the name of

Assur importantAssur important Provinces managed like central Provinces managed like central

governmentgovernmentPair of officials in Sargon II’s court. Possibly eunuchs.

Assyrian cultureAssyrian culture

An Assyrian queen

Library of AssurbanipalLibrary of Assurbanipal

5,000 tablets now in British Museum5,000 tablets now in British Museum About 1,000 compositions probably define About 1,000 compositions probably define

the corpus of Akkadian/Sumerian canonthe corpus of Akkadian/Sumerian canon Consisted of both tablets and wax boardsConsisted of both tablets and wax boards Each work had colophon stating it Each work had colophon stating it

belonged to the librarybelonged to the library Probably brought together to assist Probably brought together to assist

divinersdiviners King took pride in his knowledge of King took pride in his knowledge of

literatureliterature

Genres and compositionsGenres and compositions

~300 Omen tablets~300 Omen tablets ~200 Lexical tablets~200 Lexical tablets ~100 Sumerian/Akkadian bilingual ~100 Sumerian/Akkadian bilingual

literary compositionliterary composition ~60 Medical texts~60 Medical texts ~40 epics and other purely literary ~40 epics and other purely literary

compositionscompositions

OmenologyOmenology Idea that the gods send indications of Idea that the gods send indications of

future important eventsfuture important events Indication called an omenIndication called an omen Collecting omens and outcomes a kind of Collecting omens and outcomes a kind of

sciencescience Destiny not fixed, extispacy specialists Destiny not fixed, extispacy specialists

could chant spells to change fatecould chant spells to change fate Substitute king used if omens indicated Substitute king used if omens indicated

danger to the kingdanger to the king ““Medical” texts much the same structureMedical” texts much the same structure

LiteratureLiterature

GilgameshGilgamesh Descent of IshtarDescent of Ishtar AtahasisAtahasis Enuma ElishEnuma Elish Erra EpicErra Epic

Queens’ tombsQueens’ tombs

Assyrian Art: Lion huntAssyrian Art: Lion huntPeople flocking to view the royal lion hunt

Assurbanipal hunts on horseback

Assurbanipal grapples with the dying lion

Dying lioness

Fall of AssyriaFall of Assyria Assurbanipal died in 627, leaving an empire Assurbanipal died in 627, leaving an empire

stretching from Egypt to Iran to his sonstretching from Egypt to Iran to his son Several sons seem to have challenged Assur-etel-Several sons seem to have challenged Assur-etel-

ilani’s claimilani’s claim Nabopolassar, former Assyrian official, proclaimed Nabopolassar, former Assyrian official, proclaimed

himself king of Babylon in 626himself king of Babylon in 626 Nabopolassar invaded Assyria in 616Nabopolassar invaded Assyria in 616 Median state attacked Assyria in 615 and allied Median state attacked Assyria in 615 and allied

with Babyloniawith Babylonia Medes, Babylonians, Scythians sacked Nineveh in Medes, Babylonians, Scythians sacked Nineveh in

612612 Assyrian state gone by 610 BCEAssyrian state gone by 610 BCE

The “Fall” in ancient sourcesThe “Fall” in ancient sources

The Judeans saw God’s punishment for The Judeans saw God’s punishment for Assyrian terrorAssyrian terror

The Babylonians saw the fall as Marduk’s The Babylonians saw the fall as Marduk’s punishment for the sack of Babylonpunishment for the sack of Babylon

The Medes on sacking Nineveh carefully The Medes on sacking Nineveh carefully removed every sign of their humiliations removed every sign of their humiliations from the orthostatsfrom the orthostats

The Greeks saw the fall as a result of the The Greeks saw the fall as a result of the feminization of Sardanapulus feminization of Sardanapulus (Assurbanipal)(Assurbanipal)

Why did Assyria fall?Why did Assyria fall?

Succession problems caused Succession problems caused instabilityinstability

Terror tactics fomented hatredTerror tactics fomented hatred• Rebellions commonRebellions common• Peripheral states never pacifiedPeripheral states never pacified

Major cities in heartland entirely Major cities in heartland entirely dependent on external suppliesdependent on external supplies

Army composed of mercenaries not Army composed of mercenaries not loyal to Assyrialoyal to Assyria