IX.

End of the Empire

The death of Ashurbanipal in 627 bc was followed by a revolt in the court, and little is known about what took place in Assyria after that date. The Medes took the city of Ashur in 614 bc, and, aided by the Babylonians, they captured Nineveh in 612. The Assyrian army, led by the last Assyrian king, Ashur-uballit II (reigned 612-609 bc), retreated to Harran, considerably to the west and north of the Assyrian capital. This defeat marked the end of the Assyrian Empire.

The power of Assyria depended, throughout its history, almost entirely on the success of its army. The main force of the army was the infantry, both heavy and light. Both were equipped with pikes, bows, and short swords, but only the heavy infantry was protected by armor. Cavalrymen, who rode without saddles, were similarly equipped. Heavy chariots were driven by three-man crews, and siege towers and battering rams were used for attacking and breaking down walls and fortifications.

The king was the commander in chief of the army and usually conducted his own campaigns. Theoretically, he was an absolute monarch. In reality the nobles and courtiers with whom he was surrounded, as well as the governors whom he appointed to administer the conquered lands, often made decisions for him. Their ambitions and intrigues were a constant menace to the life of the Assyrian ruler. Palace revolts and revolutions were not uncommon, especially toward the end of the reign of a king, when the selection of a successor became a crucial issue. This central weakness in the organization and administration of the Assyrian Empire was responsible to no small extent for its disintegration and collapse.

See also Ashur; Babylonia; Hittites; Kassites; Mesopotamia; Nineveh; Sumer.