Assyrian Empire

There are two main reasons why the Neo-Assyrian Empire became so powerful between 934 – 610 B.C. First, through this era, the power of Assyria was largely dependant on the success of its army (Saggs, 1962). Winer (1961) states that the Assyrian military perfected the art of war. During this time period, some 180 punitive expeditions or campaigns were launched against foreign foes, rebellious vassals or other anti-Assyrian groups (Olmstead, 1923). Second, the Assyrians developed an efficient and effective administrative system …

…much has made of Assyrian cruelty, it has been estimated Caesar’s conquest destroyed one million lives (Olmstead, 1923). In conclusion, the power of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was largely built on the back of its army. It was a military state that operated an effective and efficient administration system that allowed it to maintain and expand its empire. Its civil administration and military science became a future model for some of history’s greatest empires (Saggs, 1962).