The Neo-Assyrian Empire was the last and largest phase of Assyrian power in Mesopotamia, centered on the cities of Ashur, Kalhu and Nineveh in northern Iraq. Under kings such as Ashurnasirpal II, Tiglath-Pileser III, Sargon II and Sennacherib, it built a professional army, used deportation and tribute to control conquered peoples and extended from Egypt and Anatolia to western Iran. Its rulers left huge palaces decorated with carved stone reliefs, and Ashurbanipal assembled a famous library of cuneiform tablets at Nineveh. The empire weakened through civil wars and was overthrown by a coalition of Babylonians and Medes, who destroyed Nineveh in 612 BCE. Assyrian rule ended at Harran a few years later.
Before and after
- from c. 996 BCE to 586 BCEConstruction of Solomon's Temple
- from c. 945 BCE to 715 BCETwenty-second Dynasty of Egypt
- from c. 930 BCE to 720 BCEKingdom of Israel
- from c. 930 BCE to 586 BCEKingdom of Judah
- from c. 911 BCE to 609 BCENeo-Assyrian Empire
- 10th century BCEFounding of Arezzo
- from c. 860s BCE to 590s BCEUrartu
- from c. 818 BCE to 715 BCETwenty-third Dynasty of Egypt
- from c. 814 BCE to 146 BCEAncient Carthage
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- 13th century BCEAncient Celts
- c. 1,051 BCEThe Phoenician alphabet spreads
- from c. 753 BCE to 476 CEAncient Rome
- 7th century BCEConstruction of Hanging Gardens of Babylon
- from 312 BCE to 63 BCESeleucid Empire
- from 279 BCE to 1480Construction of Lighthouse of Alexandria
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 10th century BCE.