Claude.ai’s summary of 10 Things to Know About the Assyrian Empire, Who were the Assyrians? at BAS by Robin Ngo; published on July 17, 2025. The PDF of the article is in the Assyrian Empire directory in Dropbox.
10 Things to Know About the Assyrian Empire
The article, from the Biblical Archaeology Society, covers key facts about the Assyrian Empire and its significance in biblical history.
Origins & Language – The Assyrians developed in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), nourished by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Their empire peaked around 680 B.C.E., stretching from the Fertile Crescent to Egypt. They spoke Akkadian, the earliest known Semitic language and the lingua franca of the ancient Near East.
The Neo-Assyrian Empire – The Assyrians of the Bible belonged to the Neo-Assyrian Empire (c. 1000–609 B.C.E.), founded by Ashurnasirpal II, who built the lavish capital city of Kalhu (modern Nimrud).
Interactions with Israel & Judah – Several Assyrian kings appear in biblical accounts: Shalmaneser III’s Black Obelisk depicts King Jehu paying tribute; Tiglath-pileser III received tribute from Menahem, who taxed Israelites to pay it; and Sargon II deported over 27,000 Israelites after crushing a rebellion. Hezekiah famously prepared Jerusalem for Sennacherib’s siege in 701 B.C.E. by building a water tunnel and reinforcing the city’s defenses.
Fall of the Empire – The empire collapsed rapidly in the late seventh century B.C.E., with Nineveh falling in 612 B.C.E. Hebrew prophets celebrated its downfall — Nahum 3:19 declares that all who hear of Assyria’s defeat will clap their hands in joy, and Ezekiel 31:16 places Assyria among the empires fallen into the pit.
1. The Assyrian population grew around Mesopotamia in modern-day Iraq. Nourished by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, Mesopotamian cities flourished from the 20th century to the end of the seventh century B.C.E. At its peak around 680 B.C.E., the Assyrian Empire stretched across the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, central Anatolia, and western Iran.
2. Akkadian was the lingua franca of the ancient Near East. Akkadian, the earliest known Semitic language, encompasses both the Assyrian and Babylonian dialects. Its name derives from the capital city of Akkad, founded by King Sargon around 2300 B.C.E. Hundreds of thousands of cuneiform inscriptions spanning from the 26th century B.C.E. to the first century C.E. attest to its widespread use.
3. The Assyrians of the Bible were part of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The Assyrians who repeatedly clashed with Israel and Judah throughout the Hebrew Bible belonged to the Neo-Assyrian Empire (c. 1000–609 B.C.E.). Detailed inscriptions and imposing reliefs document the strength of their reign across the Middle East.
4. Ashurnasirpal II (r. 883–859 B.C.E.) is considered the founder of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Ashurnasirpal II established the city of Kalhu (biblical Calah, modern Nimrud) as his capital, lavishly equipping it with a walled citadel, palace, temples, and gardens — all funded through taxes, trade, and tribute from vassal nations.
5. Shalmaneser III’s Black Obelisk depicts King Jehu of Israel paying tribute. The 6.5-foot-tall Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III (r. 858–824 B.C.E.) features 20 reliefs showing five defeated kings bringing tribute to the Neo-Assyrian monarch. A prostrate figure in the bottom panel is widely believed to be King Jehu of Israel, though some scholars have questioned this identification.
6. Israelite king Menahem taxed landowners to pay tribute to Assyria. Around 738 B.C.E., Tiglath-pileser III received tribute from Menahem in exchange for allowing the Israelite king to maintain his independence. To fund this, Menahem levied a tax of 50 shekels of silver on every landowner in Israel (2 Kings 15:19–20).
7. Sargon II (r. 721–705 B.C.E.) faced rebellion from Syro-Palestinian states. After ascending the throne, Sargon II crushed the rebellion and converted Israel into the Assyrian province of Samaria. His so-called Great Summary Inscription claims he took more than 27,000 Israelites as captives.
8. Hezekiah prepared Jerusalem for Sennacherib’s siege in 701 B.C.E. Anticipating the Assyrian assault, Hezekiah had a tunnel dug to the Gihon Spring to secure the city’s water supply, repaired the walls, built towers, and ensured adequate weapons were available (2 Chronicles 32:5). Though Jerusalem was never taken, Sennacherib’s own records boast of having trapped Hezekiah in the city “like a bird in a cage,” and Hezekiah ultimately paid the withheld tribute to end the siege.
9. Assyrian king Esarhaddon’s life parallels the biblical story of Joseph. Like Joseph, Esarhaddon was his father’s favored son, was resented by older brothers, and had to flee to a foreign land for safety. After eventually securing the throne, he pacified the empire and expanded it southward into Egypt between 675 and 671 B.C.E.
10. The Hebrew prophets celebrated the fall of Assyria. The Assyrian Empire collapsed rapidly in the late seventh century B.C.E. The Babylonians, Medes, and Scythians seized various Assyrian cities in 615, and the capital Nineveh fell in 612 after only three months of siege. The prophet Nahum declared that all who heard of Assyria’s defeat would clap their hands in triumph (Nahum 3:19), and Ezekiel counted Assyria among the great empires cast down into the pit (Ezekiel 31:16).
