1. Lesson #8: The Assyrian Empire

2. The Rise of Assyria
Mesopotamia was conquered by the warlike Assyrians in 900 B.C.E.
The capital of Assyria, Nineveh, was located north of Babylon along the Tigris River.
Assyria was able to expand their territory with a well-trained and cruel army. Assyrians
perfected the use of horses and iron weapons in battle;
used battering rams and moveable towers that allowed soldiers to climb a city’s walls;
were good at siege warfare - attacking a city over and over until its walls fell.

3. Life Under the Assyrians
The Assyrian Empire was ruled by powerful kings.
Since kings were chosen by the gods to rule, Assyrians built them beautiful palaces.
To keep the land fertile Assyrians continued to dig canals and also built some of the earliest aqueducts.
The Assyrian Empire lasted 300 years and stretched from Egypt to the Persian Gulf.
Eventually the area was too big and the army spread too thin. The capital city of Nineveh was conquered in 612 B.C.E.