The Assyrians

Worksheet Description

The Assyrian Empire rose and fell several times throughout history, beginning with the fall of the Akkadian Empire. The Babylonians ruled southern Mesopotamia and the Assyrians were in the north. Under the Assyrian King Shamshi-Adad, the Assyrians came to held most of the north, and their Empire grew wealthy. However, when King Shamshi-Adad died in 1781 BC, the Babylonians conquered the Assyrians. The Assyrians rose to power again between 1360 BC to 1074 BC, conquering all of Mesopotamia and most of the Middle East. The third Assyrian Empire, known as the neo-Assyrian Empire, existed from 744 BC to 612 BC. A series of powerful rulers made the Assyrians one of the most powerful empires in the world, ruling most of the Middle East and Egypt. The Babylonians defeated the third Assyrian Empire in 612 BC.

The Assyrians, which were a warrior society, are best known for their formidable army. They had a reputation as deadly fighters, and they were empowered by iron weapons and chariots. Other societies of the time, whose weapons were made of copper or tin, were no match for the Assyrians.

What two main things are the Assyrians known for?