1. Assyria, Mesopotamia
Assyrians

2. The Assyrian Empire

3. Assyria Capital city: Assur Early Assyrian Period: 2450BC – 1906 BC
Old Assyrian Period: 1905 BC – 1381 BC
Middle Assyrian Period: 1380 BC – 912 BC
Neo-Assyrian Period: 912 BC – 608 BC

4. Sargon the great King and Founder of Akkad, Mesopotamia
Reigned from 2340 BC – 2284 BC
Eventually ruled over much of Mesopotamia
Sargon, king of Akkad, overseer of Inanna, king of Kish, anointed of Anu, king of the land (Mesopotamia), governor of Enlil.
Considered a model king in the region, modeled after for millennia.
Introduced the idea of “empires”

5. Ashurnasirpal II King of Assyria Reigned 883 BC – 859 BC
Known for his brutal reign, enslaving many in battle campaigns in order to build his empire
Cities included extravagant monuments depicting wealth and art
Scripts (pictures) showed his 4 royal tenants/beliefs:
1) the military success of the king
2) his service to the gods,
3)which provided divine protection
4) Assyrian prosperity

6. Sennacherib Reigned 705 BC – 681 BC
Assyrian art grew the most under his rule
Increased beautification projects
Canal built in the capital
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Assassinated by his youngest son (supposedly)

7. Sennacherib

8. Sennacherib “Babylonian Problem”
Local rulers and Sennacherib’s ancestors split power amongst the land
Sennacherib’s immediate predecessor conquered split land, creating divides between Babylonians and Assyrians
Had little care about Babylon, and eventually destroyed Babylon in 689 BC.
Destroyed temples and images of gods

9. Esarhaddon Reigned 681 BC – 669 BC Youngest son of Sennacherib
Had great military campaigns to conquer southern Mesopotamia (Dakkuri and Gambulu)
Attempted to overtake Egypt but failed
Extended the empire to the “four corners of the known universe
Died suddenly in Egypt

10. Ashurbanipal Reigned 668 BC – 627 BC
Popular amongst the people, cruel amongst his enemies
Usually depicted as cruel, however seems it was only reserved for those who took arms against the Assyrians
Established the library of Nineveh
Collection of 20,00-30,000 cuneiform tablets
Housed the Epic of Gilgamesh’s tablets

11. Ashurbanipal
The beginning of the end

12. Ashurbanipal Saw the decline of the Assyrian Empire
Over-expansion; no money, resources, insufficient troops
Fall into years of civil war
Babylonia will take advantage of the crumbling Assyrian rule to eventually take over

13. Neo Babylonian empire 626 BC – 539 BC Maintained historical records
Considered a renaissance (revival) period
Increased land cultivation use
Rule held locally by large estates
Cities had local autonomy – ruling from city centers

14. Neo Babylonian empire

15. Nabopolassar Reigned 626 BC – 605 BC
Fought against and defeated the Assyrians to be crowned king of Babylon
After the Battle of Nineveh, he sieged and took control of the city

16. nebuchadenezzar Reigned 605 BC – 562 BC
Focused on reconstruction of Nineveh
Reconstruct buildings, statues of gods, and old temples
Created walls around his palace (used for protection on all sides), stone bridge over the Euphrates
Some texts credit him with the Hanging Gardens (in honor of his wife)
No physical evidence has been found

17. Babylonian captivity 605 BC- Battle of Carchemish, besieging Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar deported Jews (Judahites) over time, eventually destroying most of Jerusalem
Cyrus the Great will allow them to return home