Sec 4 2 The Assyrian Empire Mr Marijanovich

Sec. 4. 2 - The Assyrian Empire Mr. Marijanovich Crestwood High School World History A

Sec. 4. 2 Objectives • Analyze the sources of Assyrian military strength. • Evaluate Assyrian achievements. • Trace the Assyrian decline.

The Assyrian Empire

The Assyrian Empire • The Assyrian Empire was know as a Mighty Military Machine. • By 850 B. C. , Assyria acquired a large empire based on its advanced military organization and state-of-the-art weaponry. • Originally from Mesopotamia. • Created empire from east and north of the Tigris all the way to central Egypt.

The Assyrian Empire • Sennacherib- Assyrian king that bragged about destroying 89 cities & 820 villages!!! • Military Organization: Superior Iron Working Soldiers covered in leather and metal armor. Copper and Iron helmets Leather skirts with metal scales Iron weapons Iron pointed spears Engineering: Pontoons/Floating structures to pass water blockages- They made their own bridges o Foot soldiers marched shoulder to shoulder o Tons of arrows!!! o Iron-tipped battering rams! o o o o

The Assyrian Empire • When the Assyrians won, they showed no mercy! • Enslaved their enemies. • Forced surviving enemies to move far away! • Peak of Assyrian rule around 650 B. C. • Assyrians kings controlled lands by choosing their rulers or by supporting other kings that would support Assyrian Empire.

Review Break!!! Stand up if true, throw up a ‘thumbs down’ if false. • The Assyrians were originally from the Indus Valley, then traveled West towards Anatolia • FALSE!!! …. Originally from Mesopotamia • The Assyrians were very proud of destroying the villages they encountered • TRUE!!! • The Assyrians were known for having great iron weapons and for being very wise with their engineering! • TRUE!!! • The Assyrians were very nice to the soldiers they captured in war • FALSE!!! …. They enslaved their POW’s

The Empire Expands • Nineveh: Capital of Assyrian Empire, located along the Tigris River. o Walled city, 3 miles long and a mile wide o Largest city of its time • King Ashurbanipal: created one of the world’s largest libraries in Nineveh. o 20, 000 clay tablets o Features of a modern library • Organized by subject matter and catalogued o Last of the mighty Assyrian Kings!!! • Power spread too thin

The Empire Crumbles • 612 B. C. combined army of Medes and Chaldeans destroy the capital, Nineveh. • After defeating Assyrians, Chaldeans make Babylon their capital. • 600 B. C- Babylon is the center of a new empire (1000 years after Hammurabi) • Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar restores Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar • Famous hanging gardens • Known as the 7 wonders of the world • Thick walls- A four horse chariot could ride around the walls surrounding Babylon • Chaldean’s astronomers formed basis for astronomy and astrology!!! • Empire fell shortly after his death- Persian empire take power using Assyrian organization