Assyrian History: A Captivating Guide to the Assyrians and Their Powerful Empire in Ancient Mesopotamia by Captivating History

Author:Captivating History
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Published: 2018-09-20T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5 – The Fall of the Empire

As is often the case in imperial history, the expansion of the Assyrian Empire actually coincides with its downfall. Starting with the rise of Tiglath Pileser III to the throne in 747 BCE, the Assyrian Empire began to expand dramatically, largely by conquering territories Assyrian kings had long sought to control but had failed to conquer, mainly Phoenicia, Palestine, Syria, Arabia, and Egypt.

Despite the successes of these campaigns, they ultimately distracted Assyria from the major threat to its dominance in Mesopotamia: the kingdom of Babylon. Since Babylon and Assyria shared many cultural similarities—mainly worshiping the same gods—and because both kingdoms were exceptionally powerful, there had been an understanding between the two kingdoms that neither was to try to meddle too much in the affairs of the other. Yet as Assyria began to rise in prominence throughout the 7th and 8th centuries BCE, the prospect of controlling their southern neighbor and ruling all of Mesopotamia became too great an opportunity to pass up, leading to a prolonged period of Assyrian intervention in Babylon that would contribute significantly to the fall of the empire.

The story told here starts with the rise of Tiglath Pileser III and details the relations each subsequent Assyrian king had with its southern neighbor, as trying to describe these events alongside an explanation of other Assyrian campaigns in the north and west would not do justice to the significance of Assyrian-Babylonian affairs. The periods in which Assyrian kings turned their attention away from Babylon align nicely with the expansions of territory that existed in other parts of the empire.

Losing Control: Assyria Struggles to Maintain Power over Babylon

As a powerful Mesopotamian civilization, Assyrian rule was under constant threat from the many different powers that also existed in Southwest Asia, specifically the kingdoms of Elam, Arabia, Egypt, Urartu, Medes, and Babylonia. From around 750-650 BC, Assyria became heavily involved in Babylonian affairs in an attempt to expand their influence in the region. This move would end up having significant consequences for all the civilizations in the Fertile Crescent and surrounding areas. It would lead to a period of restored dominance for Babylon, and it also was one of the most important factors driving the decline of Assyrian power and influence in the area.

The year 748, or 747 depending on the source, initiates Assyrian involvement in the affairs of Babylon, and it serves as a useful starting point for understanding how these interactions affected the overall decline of Assyrian hegemony. It was in this year that Assyrian king Tiglath Pileser III ascended the throne. After decades of famine and military struggle against tribal groups such as the Chaldeans and Aramaeans (the two dominant tribes of ancient Mesopotamia), Tiglath Pileser III began his rule by moving quickly and forcefully into the lands bordering the southern and eastern edges of Assyrian territories. Part of the strategy for doing this was to prop up the Babylonian throne from afar. A strong Babylonian king was in Assyria’s best

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