Image Gallery
Assyrian Army Attacking Memphis
Gypsum panel showing the Assyrian army attacking the Egyptian city of Memphis and commemorating the final victory of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal II over the Egyptian king Taharqa in 667 BCE. Panel 17, Room M of the North Palace at Nineveh, Northern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, Neo-Assyrian Period, 645-635 BCE.
This wall slab was originally painted for the interior walls of Ashurbanipal's palace at Nineveh. At the top, the overwhelming wave of the Assyrian army storms the Egyptian fortress, tries to set fire to the gate, and undermines the walls. The Nubian soldiers, recognizable by the single upright feathers on their heads, are being marched off as prisoners. Egyptian civilian prisoners are shown as a group with two children on a donkey. Below is the River Nile with fish and crabs.
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.
