The Assyrians

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The Assyrians
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Assyrians An aggressive mountain people who had
waged war for years against the Babylonians
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• They used iron expanded their empire through
  warfare.
• They conquered Egypt the Fertile Crescent.
• The used military innovations such as the
  battering ram, cavalry, chariots, infantry,
  camels for desert warfare, conscription (drafting
  soldiers), the siege tower.

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• They also built roads for troop movement and a
  messenger service to report rebellions.
• Conquered people were tortured and enslaved
  people were often deported
• They divided their empire into provinces or
  states ruled by a governor protected by the
  military.

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Walls of Nineveh
Their capital at Nineveh on the Tigris river had
a constant supply of fresh water. Tribute and
stolen treasures were displayed in this huge
capital.
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Assurbanipal the last
and mightiest of the
Assyrian kings
From his library in Nineveh
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Flood Tablet found in Assurbanipals library
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Assyrian Guardian figure
Weighs 30 tons 6 ½ ft high
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Assyrian carving

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Assyrian officials
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Assyrian Winged Bull
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Winged Assyrian Bull
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Assyrian god they were polytheistic
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Assyrian god Assur
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Assyrian chariots
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Scythians - one of the groups that joined with
the Chaldeans and the Medes to defeat the
Assyrians
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The Chaldeans (Neo Babylonians)
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Nebuchadnezzar 630-562BC
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• Nebuchadnezzar - Leader of the Chaldeans
• He rebuilt Babylon and had the Hanging Gardens
  constructed.
• After conquering and destroying the city of
  Jerusalem, he deported the Jews (Hebrews) to
  Babylon to keep them from rebelling
• This is when the Hebrews decided it was important
  to write down their history

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Babylonian Captivity
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Hanging Gardens of Babylon
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Ruins of Nebuchadnezzars Babylon
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Parts of Babylon have been rebuilt by Saddam
Hussein
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Rebuilt by Saddam Hussein
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Mosul on the Tigris River
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Iraq
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Ishtar Gate of Babylon
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Soldiers
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Ishtar Gate at Babylon
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Dragon of Marduk on the wall of the Ishtar Gate
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Lion in Nebuchadnezzar's throne room
Design in throne room
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The Star Gazers of Babylon

• Priests observed and kept detailed records of the
  heavens from a 300 ft high Ziggurat
• Chaldeans believed that the stars determined
  human destiny and could be used to foretell the
  future
• They observed the Zodiac, a belt of 12
  constellations and the phases of the moon

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Priests studied the stars. Their study formed
the basis for both astronomy astrology.
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First Historical Horoscope
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Lion over man