Assyria
an ancient Semitic kingdom of Asia, the native name of which was Ashur or Asshur, and thus also called by the Hebrews. It was intersected by the middle course of the Tigris with its two affluents, the Upper Zab and the Lower Zab, and had the Armenian Mountains on the N. and Babylonia on the S. The Assyrian conquests during the 8th and 7th centuries B. C. enlarged its boundaries, and at one time it included Babylonia, parts of Elam, Palestine, Egypt, parts of Arabia and Asia Minor. The chief cities of Assyria in the days of its prosperity were Ashur, the most ancient, then Nineveh, the site of which is marked by mounds opposite Mosul (Nebi Yunus and Koyunjik), Dur-Sargina (Khorsabad), and Arbela Calah or Kalakh (the modern Nimrud), (Arbil). Lower down the Tigris exhibits a line of ruins from Telkrit to Bagdad. The country, probably some time before the 16th century B. C., became independent. At the end of the 14th century its king, Shalmaneser, is said to have founded the city of Calah; his son Tiglath-ninip conquered the whole of the valley of the Euphrates. The following five reigns were chiefly occupied by wars with the Babylonians. About 1120, a date fixed by Sennacherib, 705-681 в. C., ASSYRIA ASSYRIA Tiglath-pileser I., one of the greatest Omri, and Jehu of Israel, from whom of the sovereigns of the first Assyrian he exacted tribute, as also from the kings monarchy, ascended the throne, and carried his conquests to the Mediterranean on the one side and to the Caspian and the Persian Gulf on the other. At his death ensued a period of decline, which lasted over 150 years. Under Assurnasir-pal, who reigned from 884 to 859 B. C., Assyria once more advanced to the of Tyre and Sidon. The old dynasty came to an end in the person of Assurnirari II., who was driven from the throne by a usurper, Tiglath-pileser III., in 745, after a struggle of some years.
He was the first Assyrian king mentioned by the Hebrews, identical with Pul. No sooner was this able ruler firmly seated THE ASSOUAN DAM position of the leading leading power in the world, his kingdom being greater in extent than that of Tiglath-pileser.
History. In 859 Assur-nasir-pal was succeeded by his son Shalmaneser II. (859- 824), who was the first Assyrian king to have relations with Israel, and whose annals are found inscribed on the famous Black Obelisk in the British Museum, and on the bulls and slabs from his palace at Calah. His career of conquest was equally successful. He reduced Babylon to a state of vassalage, and came into hostile contact with Benhadad and Hazael of Damascus, and with Ahab, son of on the throne than he made an expedition into Babylonia, followed by another to the east in 744. A year later he defeated the confederate princes of Armenia, Syria, etc., and, advancing against Syria, overthrew the ancient kingdoms of Damascus and Hamath, and in 733 he placed his vassal Hosea on the throne of Samaria. Having reduced the west to submission the Assyrian King now attacked Chaldea, and, after a severe war, commencing in 731 B. C., he defeated and slew Ukin-ziru, the Kinziros of the Canon of Ptolemy, and was proclaimed King of Sumir and Akkad, in 729 в. c. Tiglath- ASSYRIA pileser carried the Assyrian arms from Lake Van on the N. to the Persian Gulf on the S., and from the confines of Susiana on the E. to the Nile on the W.
He was, however, driven from hi throne by Shalmaneser IV. (727), who blockaded Tyre for five years, invaded Israel, and besieged Samaria, but died before the city was reduced.
Conquests ests under Sargon. - His successor, Sargon (722-705), a usurper, claimed descent from the ancient Assyrian kings. After taking Samaria and leading over 27,000 people captive, ASSYRIA soldiers in the new palace, in 705 B. C.
Sennacher-ib at once had to take up arms against Merodach-baladan, who had again obtained possession of Babylon.
In 701 fresh outbreaks in Syria led him in that direction. He captured Sidon and Askelon, defeated Hezekiah and his Egyptian and Ethiopian allies, and forced him to pay tribute, after which he returned to Assyria to overawe the Babylonians, Elamites, and the northern hill tribes. On Dec. 20, 681, he was murdered by his two sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, but they were defeated by their he overthrew the combined forces of brother Esar-haddon, who then mounted ره تے