Download Nineveh: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Assyrian Capital AudioBook Free
When scholars study the history of the ancient Near East, several wars that acquired extremely brutal consequences (at least by modern requirements) often stand out. Forced removal of complete populations, sieges that decimated complete cities, and wanton damage of property were all strategies used by the many peoples of the ancient Close to East against one another, but the Assyrians were the first visitors to make conflict a science. Once the Assyrians are described, images of conflict and brutality are among the first that come to mind, despite the fact that their culture prospered for nearly 2,000 years. Like a number of ancient individuals and empires for the reason that region, the negative understanding of ancient Assyrian culture was passed down through Biblical accounts, and regardless of the accuracy of the Bible's depiction of certain occurrences, the Assyrians evidently performed the role of adversary for the Israelites. Indeed, Assyria (Biblical Shinar) and the Assyrian people performed an important role in many catalogs of the Old Testament and are first described in the publication of Genesis. Even though Biblical accounts of the Assyrians are being among the most interesting and tend to be corroborated with other historical sources, the Assyrians were much more than just the foes of the Israelites and brutal thugs. Among all the cities that thrived in the ancient Close to East, few can match the opulence and ostentatiousness of Nineveh, the administrative centre of the Assyrian Empire for much of the seventh century BCE. During that time it became known because of its mighty citadels, grand palaces, beautiful landscapes, and even its zoos. In fact, the wonder of Nineveh, especially its landscapes, impressed later freelance writers a whole lot that they designated its gardens among the original Seven Wonders of the World, except however for Nineveh's memory, the location was located in Babylon. The confusion that designated one of the Wonders of the World to Babylon rather than Nineveh is actually a large part of Nineveh's background - it was a great city during its time, but incessant warfare helped bring the metropolis to oblivion and finally its background was neglected or distorted. An study of Nineveh shows that in lots of ways it was the sufferer of the folks who built it. When Nineveh was at its elevation, they controlled an empire that encompassed Egypt, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and parts of Iran. Eventually, the Assyrians overextended themselves and their foes overthrew them and destroyed much of their cities. Nineveh became lost for years and years, only described in fragments by traditional Greek historians, but modern archaeological methods could actually bring the lost city back to life in the nineteenth century. Today, by using a mixture of archaeological information, traditional Greek accounts, and ancient cuneiform inscriptions, the chronology of Nineveh can be reconstructed. An evaluation reveals that Nineveh performed a vital role in the religious and political background of the ancient Close to East and despite troubled immense damage at the hands of the Assyrians' foes, continued to operate as an important city for many centuries following the Assyrian Empire collapsed.
