The Assyrian Empire originated as a regional power in Mesopotamia but grew into a major empire under powerful rulers in the 1st millennium BCE. The Assyrians rose to power due to natural resources and effective military tactics like using ladders and tunneling under walls. At its height, the Assyrian Empire dominated Mesopotamia and surrounding areas but eventually fell due to threats from the emerging Persian Empire.

1. -By Mohit

3. The Assyrian Empire started off as a major regional
power in Mesopotamia in the second millennium
B.C.E., but later grew in size and stature in the first
millennium B.C.E. under a series of powerful rulers,
becoming one of the world’s earliest empires.

5. Much of Assyria’s rise was due to
the availability of natural
resources. Their armour allowed
them to easily overpower the
entire Fertile Crescent along with
much of the surrounding areas.
The Assyrians soon reached the
top of the Western hierarchy,
dominating most of the land.
THE RISE OF ASSYRIA

6. The7thCenturyAssyrianKingAshurbanipalbuilthisluxuriouspalaceonthebanks
oftheTigrisRiver,themainwatersourceforthekingandhismanysubjectsinthe
AssyriancapitalofNimrud.

7. ASSYRIAN TACTICS IN BATTLE
Assyrians used many tactics to help achieve supreme
domination. The Assyrians’ use of ladders was an
interesting tactic. They would push the ladders up against
the enemy’s walls while Assyrian archers fired
distractions. Before the enemy could react, Assyrian
soldiers would climb up and slaughter as many as
possible. Another well known tactic among the Assyrians
involved tunnel digging. They would send their soldiers
underground to dig a tunnel beneath the enemy’s walls.
Then after the hole was dug, the wall would fall into the
hole and collapse.

8. Unlike their predecessors, the
Persians, the Assyrians were
incredibly disrespectful,
intolerant, and vicious when
invading a city. They would
often kill every single person in
the invasions and those who
were spared were kept as slaves
and had to lead a very
saddening life.

9. THE FALL OF ASSYRIA
As Assyria rose, the Persian
Empire began to dominate as
well, causing a threat. Assyria
did it’s best to repel the Persian
invaders, but eventually fell.

10. How and Why Assyria Gained
Control of the Land
• Assyria started to gain
control by expanding their
empire through military
brutality towards
neighbouring lands.
• Once they gained control of
resourceful land, Assyrians
seized all trade routes.
• The Assyrians continued
their rule by reinforcing all
rules.
• Assyria needed to control
trade because in order for
them to fully succeed as an
empire, all kinds of resources
needed to be available to
them.

11. Assyrian Domination
• After their fall,Assyria was and stillis considered one of the
most skilled empires to have ever existed.
• Being able to have such organizational skills was thekey to
theirsuccess. Withtheirdetailedplans and conquests, Assyrians
were able to seize what they wanted, whenthey wanted.
• Assyrians swiftly dominatedalmost allof Mesopotamia,
creating one of the greatestempires EVER.
• Assyria consisted of skilled and tactfulsoldiers.

12. CULTURE
• Assyria was known for its diversity of cultures,
religions, and languages because of the large
population of middle easterners,
Mesopotamians, and Armenians.
• Their culture resembled many different empires
and civilizations because of cultural diffusion.
Assyria had been conquered many times and has
adopted parts of their culture that way.
• Hammurabi was a reason for cultural diffusion
because he crushed Assyria’s attempt at being
independent, which led to more conquering by
other empires.
• Assyria first took their common language from
Sumerian but changed it later on into a form of

13. RELIGION
• The Assyrians practiced two religions which were Ashurism and
Christianity.
• Ashurism was the first religion of the Assyrians.
• The religion, Ashurism, and later the whole empire of Assyria,
was named after the national god, Ashur.
• The city, Nineveh, was named after Nina, the Ishtar of Assyria.
• The first Assyrian church was founded in A.D. 33 by Thomas,
Bartholomew, and Thaddeus.
• Ashurism was practiced until A.D 256.
• Nature was worshiped and it was believed that every nature
object was possessed by a spirit .
• The Assyrians were polytheistic, therefore, they worshiped many
gods such as the following: Anu, god of the heavens; Bel, god of
region inhabited by man, beasts, and birds; Ea, god of the waters;
Sin, the moon-god; Shamash, the sun-god; and Ramman, god of
the storms, etc.

14. LANGUAGES & WRITINGS
• The Assyrians had a form of writing called
cuneiform, which the Babylonians also used.
• Cuneiform was inscribed with a reed stylus
on clay tablets and they were wedge-shaped
symbols.
• During their history, Assyrians have
spoken two languages: ancient Assyrian
(Akkadian), and Modern Assyrian (neo-
Syrian).
• Akkadian was also known as the
Babylonian-Assyrian language.
• Akkadian was written with the cuneiform
writing system on clay tablets.
• A new way of writing was developed by
750 B.C, in which people wrote on
parchment, leather, or papyrus.