ASSYRIAN MILITARY DOMINATION

Assyrian Winged Bull from King Ashurnasirpal II’s palace

The Assyrians had the best equipped and most ferocious army of ancient times. They were the first to use the cavalry charge effectively, and their weaponry included iron-tipped lances and arrows and the battering ram. The Assyrian army’s most powerful weapons, however, were fear and terror. In the excerpt below Sargon II, who ruled the Assyrians from 722 to 705 B.C., discusses his conquests. As you read the excerpt, note the tactics that Sargon II used to strike fear into his opponents.

“Hanno, king of Gaza and also Sib’e, the (top general) of Egypt, set out against me to fight a decisive battle. I defeated them; Sib’e ran away, afraid when he heard the noise of my approaching army, and has not been seen again. Hanno, I captured personally…

Iamani from Ashdod, afraid of my armed force, left his wife and children and fled to the frontier…and hid there like a thief. I installed an officer of mine as governor over his entire large country and its prosperous inhabitants, making profitable again the territory belonging to Ashur, the king of the gods. The terror inspired by my lord god Ashur overpowered the king of Ethiopia and he threw himself with fetters on hands and feet before me. I conquered and sacked the towns of Shinuhtu and Samaria, and all Israel. I caught, like a fish, the Greeks who live amidst the Western Sea…

Ia’ubidi from Hamath, a commoner without claim to the throne, a cursed Hittite, schemed to become king of Hamath, induced cities to desert me, made them collaborate and fitted out an army. I called up the masses of the soldiers of Ashur and besieged him and his warriors in Qarqar, his favorite city. I conquered it and burned it. Himself I flayed; the rebels I killed in their cities and established again peace and harmony. A collection of 200 chariots and 600 men on horseback I formed from among the inhabitants of Hamath and added them to my royal corps.

Azuri, king of Ashdod, had schemed not to deliver tribute (taxes paid by a conquered people to the conqueror) anymore and sent messages to the kings living in his neighborhood full of hostilities against Assyria. On account of the acts which he committed, I abolished his rule over the people of his country and made Ahimiti, his younger brother, king over him. But these Hittites, always planning evil deeds, hated his reign and wanted instead to be ruled by a Greek who, without claim to the throne, had no respect for authority – just as they themselves. In a sudden rage, I did not wait to assemble the full might of my army but started out towards Ashdid with only those of my warriors who, even in friendly areas, never leave my side. But this Greek heard about the advance of my expedition, from afar, and fled into the territory of Musru – which belongs now to Ethiopia – and his hiding place could not be detected. I besieged and conquered the cities. I declared his images, his wife, his children, all the possessions and treasures of his palace as well as the inhabitants of his country as booty. I reorganized the administration of these cities and settled therein people from the regions of the East which I had conquered personally. I installed an officer of mine over them and declared them Assyrian citizens and they pulled the straps of my yoke. The king of Ethiopia, who lives in a distant country, in an inapproachable region, whose fathers never – from remote days until now – had sent messengers to inquire after the health of my royal forefathers, he did hear, even that far away, of my might. The awe-inspiring glamour of my kingship blinded him and terror overcame him. He threw the Greek in fetters, shackles and iron bands, and they brought him to Assyria, a long journey.”


1. Who is Ashur?

2. How did Sargon punish those people who rebelled against him?

3. Which of these punishments caused the most terror?

4. With whom did Sargon ALWAYS travel? What does that suggest about his personality?

5. Why did the king of Ethiopia return the ‘Greek pretender’ to the throne of Ashdod to Assyria?