the+rise+a




 * __Geography: __**
 * The Ancient Assyrians were the people of the land of Assur (also spelled Ashur) [1][[image:TigrisRiver.JPG width="448" height="336" align="right" caption="Tigris River from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/TigrisRiver.JPG"]]
 * Located in Northern Mesopotamia (the region currently known as Iraq). [1]
 * Just north of Babylonia
 * South of Armenia
 * Nineveh (capital) was centred on the upper Tigris River valley. [2]
 * Essential to economy. Tigris River was part of the “highway” that connected the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean so wealth flowed through the area constantly.
 * The Zagros Mountains lay to the north and east of Ancient Nineveh[1]
 * Spanning approximately 1 500 km.
 * Weather is Mediterranean (hot and dry) and rains only in the winter.[2]
 * The heart of Assur was fertile however the outer regions were composed of rocky limestone ridges with arable valleys in between.
 * The supply of water is not regular [4]
 * Annual rainfall is very low so the ground remains hard, dry and inapt for plant growth for at eight months a year
 * Events and Leaders: **
 * 1) Asshur-dan II and his son, Adad-nirari II (911-891) [[image:ps332320_l.jpg width="501" height="501" align="right" caption="Stele of Shamshi-Ada V from http://www.britishmuseum.org/images/ps332320_l.jpg"]]
 * Wanted to re-establish Assyrian power
 * Increased cultivated land
 * Attacked Aramaean tribes at Assyrian border
 * 1) Tukulti-Ninurta II (890-884)
 * 2) Ashurnasirpal II (883-859)
 * Terrorised the Aramaeans
 * 1) Shalmaneser III (858-824 B.C.)
 * Attacked coalition of bordering states (853 B.C.)
 * Opposition was prepared
 * Assyrians won but suffered heavy losses
 * Unable to defeat Damascus (Capitol of Syria)
 * Succeeded in controlling Babylonia
 * Rebelled against by son
 * 1) Shamshi-Adad V (823-811)
 * Assyria lost it’s newly acquired land at it’s border
 * 1) Adadnirari III (810-783)
 * Under control of queen-regent Ammuramat, Queen of Assyria for 4 years
 * Conquered Damascus
 * Obtained vassal status on some Syro-Palestinian states



 1. Russell, John Malcolm. __From Nineveh to New York the strange story of the Assyrian reliefs in the Metropolitan Museum and the hidden masterpiece at Canford School__. New Haven, CT: Yale UP in association with 2. Albright, William F. "Assyria." //Encyclopedia Americana//. 2009. Grolier Online. 29 Apr. 2009 . 3. Starr, Ivan. "Assyria." //Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia//. 2009. Grolier Online. 30 Apr. 2009 . 4. "**history of Mesopotamia**." __Encyclopædia Britannica__. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 02 May. 2009 <[]>.