Neo-Assyrian Empire

Neo-Assyrian Empire was an empire in Mesopotamia (Middle East) that lasted from 911 to 609 BCE, about 302 years. Its people spoke Semitic languages (Akkadian, Amorite, Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya).

First empire to rule the whole Fertile Crescent and Egypt, using a standing army and mass deportations. Ashurbanipal gathered a great library at Nineveh, which Babylon and the Medes destroyed in 612 BCE.

See Neo-Assyrian Empire on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

911 to 609 BCE

Duration

302 years

Type

Empire

Region

Mesopotamia, Middle East

Language family

Semitic

Capital

Assur, Nimrud, Nineveh

Came from

• Middle Assyrian Empire 1365 to 912 BCE

Became

• Neo-Babylonian Empire 626 to 539 BCE

Events in Middle East during its time

• 853 BCE Battle of Qarqar
• 722 BCE Assyria conquers Samaria
• 612 BCE Fall of Nineveh

Neighbours in Middle East

• Kingdom of Saba c. 1000 BCE to 275 CE
• Greek cities of Asia Minor c. 1050 to 129 BCE
• Phoenician city-states c. 1200 to 332 BCE
• Kingdom of Judah c. 930 to 587 BCE
• Urartu c. 860 to 590 BCE
• Kingdom of Israel c. 930 to 720 BCE
• Phrygia c. 900 to 695 BCE
• Lydia c. 680 to 546 BCE
• Median kingdom c. 678 to 550 BCE
• Neo-Babylonian Empire 626 to 539 BCE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE, North and West Africa
• Greek city-states c. 800 to 338 BCE, Europe

Questions