ASHUR
ASSYRIA THE LAND

 

GEOGRAPHY

Geographically, Assyria situated between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris; the small triangular shaped land lying between the Tigris and Zab Rivers.
The area of Assyria is about fifty thousand square miles. In physical character it is mountainous and well watered, especially in the northern part. Limestone and, in some places, volcanic rock form the basis of its fertile soil. Its southern part is more level, alluvial, and fertile. Its principal rivers are the Tigris and the Euphrates, which have their source in the Armenian Mountains and run almost parallel as far south as Babylonia an, flowing into the Persian Gulf. There are other minor rivers and tributaries, such as the Khabur; the Balikh, the Upper and Lower Zab, the Khoser the Turnat, the Radanu, and the Subnat. Assyria owes to these rivers, and especially to the Tigris and Euphrates, somewhat as Egypt owes to Nile, its existence, life, and prosperity.

The principal cities of Assyria are:

· Asshur whose site is now marked by the mound of Kalah-Shergat, on the Right Bank of the Tigris.

· Calah, the eastern bank of the Tigris and at its junction with the Upper Zab, a city built (c.1280 B.C.) by Shalmaneser I, who made it the capital of Assyria in place of Asshur. The ruins of Nimroud nowadays mark its site.

· Nineveh, represented by the villages and ruins of the modern Kujunjik and Nebi-Yunus, on the eastern bank of the Tigris, opposite Mosul. Nineveh was undoubtedly one of the most ancient cities of Assyria, and in the time of Sennacherib (7th cent. B.C.) It became the capital of the empire, and the center of the worship of Ishtar, the Assyro-Babylonian Venus, who was called Ishtar of Nineveh, to distinguish her from Ishtar of Arbela. In the Old Testament the city of Nineveh is well known in connection with the prophets, and especially as the theatre of Jonah's mission.

· Dur-Sharrukin, or Dur-Sargon (i.e. Sargonsburg) built by Sargon II (8th cent. B.C.), the founder of the famous Sargonid dynasty. It was made first the royal residence of Sargon, and afterwards became the rival of Nineveh. The modern Khorsabad represents its site.

· Arhailu, or Arbela, famous in Greek and Persian annals for the decisive victory won by Alexander the Great over the formidable army of Darius, King of Persia and Babylon (331 B.C.).

· Nasibina, or Nisibis

· Harran, well known for the worship of Sin, the moon-god.

· Ingur-Bel, corresponding to the modern Tell-Balawât.

· Tarbis, corresponding to the modern Sherif-Khan. The sites and ruins of all these cities have been explored.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE ASSYRIAN TRIANGLE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE

 

 

THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE

 

THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2006 by Assyria National Assembly. All rights reserved.