Schoolcraft College

The Assyrian Origins and Army Practices

Sydnee Penrod

History 134

Professor McDonald

18 March 2023
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The Assyrian Empire, Assyria, was a greatly strong empire, and would come to expand

very quickly to its surrounding land and concur cities all around. Assyria originates in Ashur,

which is located near the Tigris river in northern Iraq, and the people of it would soon grow tired

of the regional power they were under. The newly appointed king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser III,

declared war in 745 BCE, and those against him should not have taken it lightly. He made it his

mission bring back the once strong Assyria, and along with that came assembling a remarkable

army. The Assyrian Army was strong and brutal, and was given the best treatment by the king to

prepare them for war.

This all begins with the origin of Assyria, and how to got the be where it could supported

a well-trained army such as the Assyrian Army. In 1900 BCE, Ashur, which is the capital of

Assyria, is founded, and what leads them to the top is ultimately thanks to the Hittite’s empire

failing.1 The Hittites were an empire that lasted from 1600 BCE to 1180 BCE, and their

destroyed land was left there, waiting for a new power to overcome it. As we know, Assyria and

its army fight for this abandoned land and will find themselves victorious in the end. This is

because the Hatti was over Anatolia and Ashur, but was left in the shadows of these larger and

more powerful civilizations. The Hittites were the civilization who were known to acquired more

land and expand, as well as being advanced with using their resources and leaving behind

cultural achievements. These people were also called Amorities. Leading back to when the

Hattites had power over Ashur, The Assyrian King Shamashi Adad I had driven them out and

finally gained control over the city Ashur and secured the boarders of Assyria.

After the babylonian empire had fallen apart around 1750 BCE, Assyria panicked and

attempted to assert dominance and try to control multiple areas and cities surrounding Ashur, but

instead of being successful, a civil war had broken out instead. This had not been fixed until
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Asyrian King Adasi had stepped in to secure the areas in the region back. His policies would be

followed after he was gone, but expansion soon became a problem that nobody necessarily

wanted to address. After this, the official end of Hittite power within the region of Ashur and

Assyrian territory would be thanks to Assyrian King Tukulti-Ninurta I, as his part in the Battle of

Nihriya in 1245 BCE would lead to this conclusion.2 Soon enough, he was killed and they

needed to quickly find another king who would help with expansion and growth within the

civilization. In 1200 BCE, this year is known as the year the bronze age collapsed, and left Ashur

and its empire almost unaffected. These tough times would follow with the rise of Tiglath Pileser

I, who ultimately saved the economy and military systems previously put in place. After his

death, his son followed his policies, along with the kings to follow. The only issue is that they

were pretty unsuccessful in expanding and protecting the boarders of the empire.

The most revolutionary Assyrian king had risen after this dull time of no expansion, and

he would come to be known as Tiglath Pileser III. He evolved the military to become a standing

army, the most significant an empire had ever seen, as well as caused rapid expansion outside of

the empire itself.3 We will focus more on the impact he left on the Assyrian military and how he

created them to be the most efficient and effective military in all of history at the time they

existed. Their weapons and fighting tactics were revolutionary for their time, and its all thanks

to the King putting in a lot of effort to try and make the best army known to man. He made

anything and everything his soldiers would need to become the best version of themselves, even

including an armory to look after all of the necessities, including the chariots, steeds, weapons,

etc. This army consisted of many different types of soldiers, including archers, swordsmans,

some who chose no weapon at all, but instead held shields to protect other soldiers out on the

battlefield. As mentioned earlier, the King took great care of his soldiers, as his pride stood with
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them. He made sure they were well fed, clothed, trained, and ready for whatever comes at them,

including preparing them for actions such as raids into other regions to conquer more land.

More on why the Assyrian Army was so great, it was the first army to utilize chariots in

such a way that can have many different defense lines. They had three soldiers on one chariot,

usually an archer along with some sort of dagger, and one acting as a line of defense near the

back.4 Chariots were used to ram into enemies, creating an open gap for moving forward into the

enemy base/region. Iron weapons were also a staple piece of these soldiers training and

upbringing, as they found this metal to be hard enough the keep for longer periods of time

without having to sharpen or fix. The Assyrian army was known to be the most brutal and violent

army out of the three different civilizations, not the Hebrews had much of one to begin with.

They would often siege warfare, as well as kill whatever was in their way. They would try not to

shoot or injure horses though, as even the king saw them as important figures to not be brought

into war. Overall, the Assyrian Army conquered many regions outside the empire, and will

eventually take over land in Egypt and Babylon.

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Works Cited

Mark, Joshua J. "Assyria." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 10 Apr

2018. Web. 19 Mar 2023.

The information in this source provides an overview of the history, culture, and

achievements of the ancient Assyrian civilization. The article begins by introducing the

geographical location of Assyria, which is in modern-day Iraq, and then explores the origins of

the Assyrian people and their early history. The article then delves into the most significant

achievements of the Assyrian civilization, including their impressive military campaigns, their

advanced administrative system, and their contributions to art, literature, and religion. The article

also discusses the decline of the Assyrian civilization, including the invasion of Assyria by the

Babylonians and the subsequent fall of the Assyrian Empire. Finally, the article highlights the

lasting legacy of the Assyrian civilization, including their influence on subsequent civilizations

and their impact on the development of the Middle East.

Oppenheim, Leo. "The Organization of the Assyrian Army in the Neo-Assyrian Period." Journal

of the American Oriental Society, vol. 72, no. 2, 1952, pp. 59-66.

This source examines the structure and organization of the military forces of the Assyrian

Empire during the Neo-Assyrian period, which lasted from the ninth to the seventh centuries

BCE. Oppenheim analyzes various aspects of the Assyrian army, including its composition,

tactics, and command structure. The article draws upon a variety of sources, including Assyrian

texts and inscriptions, and provides insights into the military practices of one of the most

powerful empires of the ancient world. Overall, Oppenheim's article sheds light on the complex

and sophisticated organization of the Assyrian army during a crucial period of the empire's

history.
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Parpola, Simo. "The Assyrian Army and Its Targets of Conquest." Iraq, vol. 55, 1993, pp. 147-

157.

In this article, Simo Parpola discusses the military campaigns of the Assyrian army

during the Neo-Assyrian period. The author explains that the Assyrian army was well-organized

and well-trained, with a hierarchy of officers and specialized units. Parpola also analyzes the

Assyrian army's strategies and tactics, as well as their targets of conquest, including the

Babylonians, Elamites, and other neighboring peoples. The author argues that the Assyrian

army's success was due to a combination of military prowess and a sophisticated system of

administration and logistics.

Radner, Karen. "The Military Campaigns of Tiglath-pileser III: A Reassessment." Iraq, vol. 67,

2005, pp. 73-88.

This specific source explores the military campaigns of Tiglath-pileser III, the king of

Assyria, during his reign between 745 and 727 BC. The article analyzes Tiglath-pileser III's

military strategies, targets of conquest, and the political and social contexts that led to these

campaigns. Radner also provides a detailed account of the Assyrian army's organization and

composition during this period. By reassessing the primary sources, Radner offers new insights

into the military campaigns of Tiglath-pileser III and challenges previous interpretations of his

reign.
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Endnotes

1. Mark, 2018.
2. Oppenheim, pp 59.
3. Radner, pp 75.
4. Parpola, pp 150.