Three theatres of war

Three theatres of war

With the intention of removing all danger of hostile attack against their exposed frontiers and of ensuring unimpeded access to the sources of metal and other raw materials in which they were deficient, the Middle Assyrian kings of the fourteenth to tenth centuries operated in three main theatres of war. Each presented special problems of political and military strategy. The mountain zone which curved round from the northwest to the southeast had important resources of copper, semi-precious stones and timber but it was inhabited by fierce tribesmen; prone to pillage trading caravans and to raid down into Assyria itself. The country was so wild and difficult of access that its permanent pacification was impracticable but punitive expeditions, especially if conducted at frequent intervals, could hold the inhabitants in check and could persuade them to send the products of their land to Assyria in the form of tribute.

Although the Assyrians seldom used religion
as an art subject, they did sometimes depict
benevolent winged genii for their protection.

With Babylonia, the Assyrians always had a peculiar love-hate relationship. On the one hand they were deeply imbued with the older culture of the south, speaking the same Semitic language, writing the cuneiform script on clay tablets and worshipping the same gods.

A panel from a royal tomb depicts the climax of a ritual lion-hunt.
With fulfils his religious duty

On the other hand, their interests clashed with those of Babylonia, particularly in the eastern hills where each sought exclusive control of trade. In consequence wars were of frequent occurrence. Partly for reasons of sentiment but also because the burden of conquering the southern state was out of proportion to the advantages gained, the Assyrians preferred to discourage it from hostile activity by limited demonstrations of force. When, however, the Babylonians became too obstreperous and more particularly when they made common cause with other enemies of Assyria, more drastic action seemed necessary. The first king to conquer and occupy Babylonia was Tukulti-Ninurta who by doing so advanced Assyrian power to the shores of the Persian Gulf. But the main direction of Assyrian conquest, both now and later was westward. The Hurrian’s of upper Mesopotamia, who had earlier reduced Assyria to submission and were still actively hostile, were finally defeated by Shalmaneser. Beyond the Euphrates lay the fabulously rich cities of Syria and Lebanon, great commercial centers on which converged trade routes from the Near East and the Mediterranean. They were a rich prize, but in the thirteenth century they were still firmly held by the ‘Hittites and unattainable.