Neo-Assyrian Empire: Map & History
The Neo-Assyrian Empire was the fourth and penultimate stage of ancient Assyrian history.
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The Neo-Assyrian Empire was the fourth and penultimate stage of ancient Assyrian history. Beginning with the accession of Adad-nirari II in 911 BCE, the Neo-Assyrian Empire grew to dominate the ancient Near East and parts of the South Caucasus, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean throughout much of the 9th to 7th centuries BCE, becoming the largest empire in history up to that point. Because of its geopolitical dominance and ideology based in world domination, the Neo-Assyrian Empire has been described as the first world empire in history. It influenced other empires of the ancient world culturally, administratively, and militarily, including the Neo-Babylonians, the Achaemenids, and the Seleucids. At its height, the empire was the strongest military power in the world and ruled over all of Mesopotamia, the Levant and Egypt, as well as parts of Anatolia, Arabia and what is now Iran and Armenia.
Modern Countries Once Part of Neo-Assyrian Empire
At its mapped extent, Neo-Assyrian Empire covered territory in 11 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Jordan700–601 BCE · nearly all
- Cyprus700–616 BCE · nearly all
- Iraq900–601 BCE · nearly all
- Lebanon700–616 BCE · most
- Egypt675–616 BCE · most
- Syria900–601 BCE · most
- Palestine700–601 BCE · most
- Israel700–601 BCE · most
- Armenia700–616 BCE · most
- Turkey900–601 BCE · a large part
- Iran800–601 BCE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Neo-Assyrian Empire's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Neo-Assyrian Empire in Depth
History
The early Neo-Assyrian kings initially set out to reverse the long decline of Assyria, retake its former lands, and reestablish the position it held at the height of its power. These two empires were not as distinct as their portrayal sometimes suggests, with Neo-Assyrian rulers part of the same continuous dynasty as their earlier counterparts. The outward reexpansion by these new kings was cast as war to liberate those Assyrians cut off from Assyrian territory and forced to live under foreign rulers. This held at least some truth, with material evidence from sites lost and then reconquered by the empire demonstrating an endurance of Assyrian culture in the interim. Early efforts at reconquest were mostly focused on the region up to the Khabur in the west.
Government
Sennacherib, the great king, the mighty king, king of the Universe, king of Assyria, king of the Four Corners of the World; favorite of the great gods; the wise and crafty one; strong hero, first among all princes; the flame that consumes the insubmissive, who strikes the wicked with the thunderbolt.
In documents describing coronations of kings from both the Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods, it is specifically recorded that he was commanded by Aššur, the national deity of Assyria and whose favored city was also called Aššur, to "broaden the land of Aššur" and "extend the land at his feet". The Assyrians saw their empire as being the part of the world Aššur oversaw and administered through human agents.
Military
At the height of the empire, the Assyrian army was the strongest army yet assembled in world history. The number of soldiers was likely several hundred thousand. The Assyrians pioneered innovative strategies, particularly concerning cavalry and siege warfare, that would be used in warfare for millennia. Due to detailed royal records and detailed depictions of soldiers and battle scenes on reliefs, the equipment and organization of the army is relatively well understood. Communication within the army and between units was fast and efficient; using the empire's efficient methods of state communication, messages could be sent across vast distances very quickly. Messages could be passed within an army through the use of fire signals.
Legacy
The empire left a cultural legacy of great consequence. The population of Upper Mesopotamia continued to keep the memory of their ancient civilization alive and to maintain a positive connection with the Assyrian Empire in local histories written as late as the Sasanian period. Figures like Sargon II, Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, Ashurbanipal and Shamash-shum-ukin long figured in local folklore and literary tradition. In large part, tales from the Sasanian period and later times were invented narratives, based on ancient Assyrian history but applied to local and current landscapes.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Neo-Assyrian Empire (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Neo-Assyrian Empire: Key Facts
| Capital | Assur |
|---|---|
| Founded | 911 BCE |
| Dissolved | 609 BCE |
Preceded by
- Middle Assyrian Empire
- Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt
- Kingdom of Israel
- Elam
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q10914393 (CC0).
Neo-Assyrian Empire Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Neo-Assyrian Empire appears, with the other states of the time.
Neo-Assyrian Empire Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,400,726 km² in 646 BCE.
Neo-Assyrian Empire: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Neo-Assyrian Empire exist?
The Neo-Assyrian Empire is dated to 900 BCE – 601 BCE, in the Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations era.
What was the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire?
The capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was Assur (911–879 BCE), Nimrud (879–706 BCE), Dur-Sharrukin (706–705 BCE), Nineveh (705–612 BCE), Harran (612–609 BCE).
How large was the Neo-Assyrian Empire at its peak?
At its peak in 646 BC the Neo-Assyrian Empire covered about 1,400,726 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
Classical Antiquity • Capital: Persepolis, Pasargadae, Susa, Babylon
Bronze Age Civilizations • Capital: Memphis
Classical Antiquity • Capital: Pataliputra
Classical Antiquity • Capital: Pella, Babylon