The Assyrian Empire spanned four modern-day countries in northern Mesopotamia. It had a strong army and advanced technology that allowed it to conquer other nations. The Assyrians were influenced by their climate and geography, which affected what they ate, wore, and their culture. Their flat farmland and use of rivers for transportation and trade supported a large population and enabled their civilization to advance.

1. Assyria The Empire Assyria was a great empire that spanned over four countries. It was a empire that had a strong army, advanced technology and a influential Religion.

2. Assyrian Geography Assyria was a great empire but it was greatly affected by the climate its people lived in. Geography and climate affects what you eat what you where and the culture that you live in.

13. Assyrian Religion Anastasiya Sergeyeva

14. Intro The ancient Assyrian religion existed as a belief system for 1300 years. Assyrian religion originated in Sumer and Akkad . The Assyrians were polytheistic. They performed rituals and ceremonies, and built temples for their gods. They had religious celebrations. And they put a negative view on death.

15. Gods/Deities *Assyrians were polytheistic. They recognized thousands of gods, but only about twenty were important in actual practice. Assyrian Gods: Adad : Weather God, God of storms, creator and destroyer, God of Heaven, God of oracles and divination. The number six, the lion and the bull were sacred to him and his symbol was the cypress. Ashur : National God and God of War Atrahasis : Only survivor, of the flood that destroyed mankind. Bel : "Master", applied to Enlil and Marduk. Lamassu : Protective spirits in the form of winged bulls with a human head. Carved around the throne of Sargon with 5 legs, (so that it looked like they were walking). Mah : Earth Goddess. Mutu : God of Underworld. Pazuzu : Demon king of the evil wind who protects humans from plague and evil. Sulmanu : God of war and the Underworld. Assyrian Deities: Assur / Anshar : patron of Assur Ishta r : the goddess of love and war, patroness of Nineveh Adramelech As Shalla : the Assyrian goddess of grain Anasas : god of medicine Nishraeli Nisroch : god of agriculture Nimrud Oannes Nabu Samnuha Kubaba

16. Temples Temples were built for all the various gods. In Assyrian religion it was assumed that a god or a goddess needed a home, or a place where humans could communicate with a god/goddess. The various gods were thought of as residing in cosmic places. They were also present in their idol, and lived in the temple as a king in his palace. The temples had an open court with fountains for ablution and altars for sacrifices. The indoor part of the temple contained the dwellings of the god. The god/goddess was represented with a statue. The most important gods were honored at large temples. The temples varied in size according to the god's importance. In these temples daily ceremonies were held. The monthly and yearly rituals were the most important.

17. Ceremonies/ Religious Sacrifices/Celebrations There were ceremonies and sacrifices to worship a god or goddess or group of deities. These ceremonies included, animal sacrifices, ritualistic purification, libations, sprinkling of water, and symbolical rites of all kinds. In ancient times the most important celebration of the year was “Akitu”. It is the new year according to the ancient Assyrian calendar. In ancient times, the event was held in the first month of the year (Nissanu).

18. Marriage An ancient Assyrian marriage contract reads: “Laqipum has married Hatala, daughter of Enishru in the country Laqipum [and] may not marry another [woman] in the City. He may marry a hierodule. If within two years she does not provide him with [an] offspring, she [must] purchase a slave woman. [If she does produce an offspring,] he may dispose of her by sale [or however] he pleases. Should Laqipum choose to divorce her, he must pay five minas of silver [to her] and should Hatala choose to divorce him, she must pay five minas of silver [to him]”. Witnessed by: Masa, Ashurishtikal, Talia, Shupianika. (Finkelstein)

19. Death Death in and Assyrian religion was not viewed optimistically. The spirit of the dead would go to the underworld. There wasn’t any paradise or hope for any rewards for the righteous. The spirits would go to a large dark cavern below the earth, in which all the dead were gathered and they led a miserable existence of inactivity. Occasionally a favored individual was permitted to escape from this fate and placed in a pleasant island. It appeared that the rulers were always singled out for divine grace, owing to the prevailing view that the rulers stood nearer to the gods than other mortals.

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