Assur is an Iron Age site on the upper Tigris River in Iraq. It is located near the present day city of Qalat Sharqat. Assur was initially discovered in 1821 by a British traveler named Claudius Rich. Excavations at Qalat Sharqat began in 1847 and were conducted by a British archaeologist named Austen Layard. After the turn of the century it was excavated once more. The second time excavations were conducted by a German archaeologist Walter Andrae. Tablets were unearthed by these excavations that gave a written record of the ancient city and it’s layout. It is from these tablets that archaeologists were able to identify the sites remains.
The city was founded early in the 2000's BC by immigrants from Mesopotamia. Similarities between art found at Assur and ancient Sumeria can be seen. This indicates that the people of Assur were probably emigrants from Sumeria. A fortified wall of 2.5 miles surrounded the city protecting the inhabitants. Within the walls their were 34 temples and 3 palaces. Unfortunately only one third of the temples have been located. Archaeological evidence indicates different social and economic levels based on housing. Some areas of the town were spacious and open, while others were slum-like. Although Assur was not as strategically located as Nineveh or Kalakh in the empire it flourished due to religious significance. But, in 614 it was destroyed by the Babylonians.
Assur was one of three major cities in the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrian Empire grew out of the vacuum left by the collapse of the Hittite Empire, and Egypt’s decline as a power. It eventually covered Iraq, Syria, Palestine, parts of Iran, and parts of Egypt itself. Agriculture formed the backbone of the Assyrian culture, and most people lived in rural farming villages. Unlike Mesopotamia, Assur received much more rain so large irrigation projects were not needed to grow crops. Because of it’s location trade was also important to the Assyrians.
Assyrian success can be attributed to two things: military strength, and an organized government. The Assyrian army at times reached over 100,000 men who were well organized and extremely disciplined. It included infantrymen, a calvary, and chariots. The infantrymen comprised the core of the fighting force. A calvary was used in support of the infantry. The calvary added the ability to move a support force around to where it was needed, and do so quickly. Chariots were used as platforms from which archers could shoot from. Assyrian chariots were lightweight and maneuverable with a leather platform that acted as a shock absorber. The Assyrians armies were also the first to use iron weapons. Iron weapons provided the Assyrians with a couple of advantages. First, iron weapons were cheaper than bronze weapons. More people could be outfitted with weapons enlarging the core of infantrymen. Secondly, iron weapons are superior to bronze weapons. The Assyrian army was known as expert military tactitioners. They were especially noted as experts at siege warfare.
To govern the areas that were conquered an efficient government was needed. At the top of the system was the king. He held absolute power over the land. Under him were various local officials who were directly responsible to him. This direct hierarchical system eliminated the noble class whose power came from governmental involvement on the basis of heredity. Consequently, the king had greater control of the resources and the revenues generated by them.