Image Gallery
Assyrian Soldiers Holding Decapitated Heads of Nubian Soldiers
Detail of a large gypsum wall panel, depicting the Assyrian attack on a fortress at the Egyptian city of Memphis in 667 BCE, Panel 17, Room M of the North Palace at Nineveh, Northern Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, Neo-Assyrian Empire, 645-635 BCE.
The Nubian soldiers of King Taharqa (of the 25th Dynasty) are being led, as prisoners, by the Assyrian soldiers of Ashurbanipal II. The heads of the Nubian soldiers are clearly recognizable by their scalp hair and facial features. They wear short kilts and are bare-footed. They are handcuffed. On the right, two Assyrian soldiers hold decapitated heads of defeated Nubians; one soldier holds two heads while the other one holds one head with his right hand and a sword with his left hand. At the left upper part, an Assyrian soldier tries to undermine the wall of the fortress. Part of an Egyptian civil prisoner appears on the extreme right.
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.
