The Assyrians are well known for their vast ancient empire in the Middle East; ancient cities, such as Nimrud and Nineveh; and their fierce invasions, including into the Kingdom of Judah and Egypt.

Despite this cultural durability, the significance of ancient Assyria lies in the spectacular rise and fall of the Neo-Assyrian empire, whose deep influence contrasts with its relatively brief life.

In his new book “Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Empire” (Basic Books), Yale professor Eckart Frahm offers a comprehensive history of the ancient civilization (circa 2025 BCE to 609 ...

Assyrian people are among the oldest indigenous communities of Syria and Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia). Descendants of a rich and ...

Was this the world’s first empire?

A carved panel found at Nimrud depicts Assyrian soldiers swimming across a river and using inflatable goat skins as floaties.

The Assyrian Empire shaped the ancient world for centuries. At its height, it stretched from the Persian Gulf to Egypt, ...

Archaeologists have unearthed a peculiar ancient stone slab in Iraq depicting an Assyrian emperor from the seventh century BC surrounded by deities worshipped in the Mesopotamian civilisation. The ...

In 1911, the explorer Gertrude Bell visited the German excavations at Ashur, the founding capital of the Assyrian empire. Emerging from communities on the banks of the Tigris, in present-day Iraq ...

Rare stone carving depicting Assyrian king surrounded by gods unearthed. Stone engravings of deities from the Assyrian Empire have been rare ...