An Atheist's Guide to the Bible

Assyrian period

Related articles

Assyria was a Mesopotamian state which for the critical early period in Old Testament history (9th - 7th centuries BCE) was the dominant imperial power throughout the Near East.

The Assyrian capital was at Ashur on the upper Tigris. The empire forged by the conquests of Assurnasirpal (884 - 860 BCE) is known as the neo-Assyrian empire because it was the second flowering of Assyrian power, recreating the earlier empire of Tiglath-Pileser I (12th century).

In the Assyrian period we know of the existence of the kingdom of Israel from archaeological finds such as clay cuneiform tablets and monumental stone inscriptions or stelae. One famous stele, the Black Obelisk, shows the Israelite king Jehu bowing in tribute to the Assyrian king (the stone is now in the Louvre, Paris). Some of the characters in the book of Kings can thus be identified in the historical record.

The Assyrians eventually captured the northern kingdom of Israel, and destroyed its capital Samaria. They took captive many of the people of Israel - the first of several exile events mentioned in the biblical history.

In the late seventh century, Assyrian power in the region was replaced by Babylonian.

Comments or feedback - Email the Atheist Guide