Rise of the Neo-Assyrian Empire
Ashurnasirpal II moved the Assyrian capital from Assur to Nimrud, constructing a palace whose walls were lined with elaborately carved alabaster reliefs depicting royal hunts, military campaigns, and religious ceremonies. These reliefs, many now in the British Museum, represent some of the finest examples of ancient Near Eastern art. Shalmaneser III extended Assyrian power further west, clashing with a coalition that included Ahab of Israel at the Battle of Qarqar (853 BCE). His Black Obelisk depicts Jehu of Israel prostrating himself before the Assyrian king. The Neo-Assyrian system rested on several innovations: a professional standing army with iron weapons, a sophisticated system of provincial administration, mass deportations to break up resistance, and an intelligence network of royal correspondents.
- Year: 900 BCE
- Category: Political
