Assyria began as a small trading community centered at the ancient city of Ashur and grew to become the greatest empire in the ancient world prior to the conquests of Alexander the Great and, after him, the Roman Empire. While the Assyrians' administrative skills were impressive, and they could be adept at diplomacy when necessary, these were not the means by which the empire grew to rule the ancient world from Egypt in the south, through the Levant and Mesopotamia, and over to Asia Minor; it was their skill in warfare.
More about: Assyrian Warfare7 days left
Server Costs Fundraiser 2024
Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Please donate and contribute to covering our server costs in 2024. With your support, millions of people learn about history entirely for free every month.
$12729 / $18000
Definition
Timeline
-
1813 BCE - 1791 BCEReign of Shamashi Adad I who drives out Amorites, secures border of Assyria, makes Ashur capital.
-
c. 1250 BCEShalmaneser I of Assyria conquers the kingdom of Mitanni and defeats its allies.
-
c. 1245 BCEBattle of Nihriya: Tukulti-Ninurta I of Assyria defeats Tudahalija IV of the Hittites.
-
1244 BCE - 1208 BCEReign of Tukulti-Ninurta I, Hittites conquered.
-
c. 1225 BCETukulti-Ninurta I sacks Babylon.
-
1115 BCE - 1076 BCEReign of Tiglath-Pileser I of Assyria who conquers Phoenicia and revitalizes the empire.
-
853 BCEBabylonian kings depend on Assyrian military support.
-
722 BCE - 705 BCEPeak of the Assyrian empire under the reign of Sargon II.
-
722 BCEIsrael is conquered by Assyria.
-
701 BCEKing Sennacherib of Assyria sacks the city of Lachish in Judah but fails to take the capital Jerusalem.
-
c. 676 BCEScythians and Mannaens attack Assyria.
-
671 BCEEgypt is conquered by Assyria.
-
653 BCEEgypt expels Assyrians.
-
648 BCEWar between Assyria and the Elamites.
-
612 BCEThe great Assyrian cities of Ashur, Kalhu, and Nineveh are sacked and burned by the Medes, Babylonians, and Persian forces.