Military Empires

1. Military Empires Chapter 7

2. The Assyrians 7-1

3. Introduction • A. Assyria – upper part of the Tigris River valley • B. Same language & writing system as Babylonians • C. Warriors • D. Assyrians had to learn to fight because their surroundings did not provide protection • E. By 800 B.C., they took over cities, trade routes, and fortresses throughout Mesopotamia

4. I. The Assyrian Army • A. Well-organized • 1. divided into groups: • a. Foot soldiers with shields, helmets, spears, & daggers • b. Charioteers, cavalry, & archers • B. Hired soldiers from other places & used slaves when they needed more people • C. Weapons were made of iron • 1. harder & stronger than copper or tin • 2. used smelting – heated iron ore, hammered out its impurities, & rapidly cooled it

5. D. Cruel warriors • 1. skilled in attacking cities – tunneled under walls, climbed over on ladders, used beams to ram holes in gates, etc. • 2. once captured, they set it on fire & take the people and goods • E. Anyone who resisted was punished • F. Some people were so frightened by stories that they willingly surrendered

6. II. Kings & Government • A. Needed strong leaders to rule a kingdom that stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Nile valley • B. Ruled many people, so they divided the empire into provinces – political districts • 1. each province had an official that governed, collected taxes, and enforced the laws • C. System of roads connected each province • 1. traders and messengers used these roads • 2. government soldiers were stationed along the routes to protect traders from bandits

7. D. Ashurbanipal • 1. great Assyrian king • 2. started one of the world’s first libraries • 3. collected all cuneiform tablets that he thought were worth saving • 4. library held 25,000 tablets of hymns, stories, biographies, official documents, & studies of math, astronomy, & botany • 5. after his death, some of their conquered people worked to end Assyrian rule