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Assyrian Army Assault on Lachish
Assyrian relief, from the South-West palace at Nineveh (modern Kuyunjik, Mousil city, Iraq), room XXXVI, panel 7, Neo-Assyrian Empire, 700-692 BCE.
This wall relief delivers a very vivid description of the battlefield. The Assyrian army built artificial ramps leading up to the city in order to transport their heavy equipment right up to the walls and gate.
On the right, the Assyrian archers attack the city with their bows and arrows. On the left, siege engines are being pushed slowly up the ramps. In the middle of the scene, the enemy soldiers are defending their city tower and are bombarding the attackers with arrows, stones, and torches. Within the siege engine, the Assyrian archers appear to attack the tower and pour water onto the battering ram so that it will not catch fire. Some people of the city are leaving Lachish through a gate within the tower.
The British Museum, London.
Questions & Answers
What is the Assyrian and Neo-Assyrian Empire most famous for?
- The Assyrian/Neo-Assyrian Empire is best remembered for its ruthlessness in warfare, their deportation policy that moved large segments of the population, and the efficiency of its bureaucracy. This emphasis has overshadowed their contribution to the arts and sciences.
What was the height of the Assyrian Empire?
- The Neo-Assyrian Empire is considered the height of the Assyrian Empire, between 912-612 BCE.
How was the Library of Ashurbanipal preserved?
- The Library of Ashurbanipal was preserved because the works were written on clay tablets which were baked, rather than burned, when Nineveh was sacked and destroyed in 612 BCE.
How did the Assyrian Empire fall?
- The Assyrian Empire fell in 612 BCE because it had grown too large to maintain, and there was no longer a strong king on the throne. The Medes and others revolted and destroyed the major Assyrian cities, toppling the empire.
