Bible Word of the Day

Assyria, Assyrian Empire (A Mesopotamian Semitic Kingdom)

Meaning
Assyrian Empire lasted from 1364 BC to 607 BC and during its heights, it encompassed the entire Middle East including Egypt. The borders of the Assyrian Empire ranged from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea and to the Caspian Sea. The Assyrian Empire was a major Mesopotamian Semitic kingdom. Centered on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia (northern Iraq, northeast Syria and southeastern Turkey), the Assyrians came to rule several powerful empires at several times during their existence. In addition the last of which grew to be the largest and most powerful empire the world had yet seen. The Assyrians have used two languages throughout their history: ancient Assyrian (Akkadian), and Modern Assyrian (neo-Syriac). Akkadian was written with the cuneiform writing system, on clay tablets, and was in use from the beginning to about 750 BC.

However a new way of writing, on parchment, leather, or papyrus was developed. The people who brought this method of writing with them, the Arameans, would eventually see their language, Aramaic, supplant Ancient Assyrian because of the technological breakthrough in writing. Aramaic was made the second official language of the Assyrian empire in 752 BC. Moreover, parts of both the Old and New Testament are written in Aramaic. In 704 BC Sargon the king of Assyria was replaced by his son Sennacherib and established the Assyrian capital at Nineveh. Both Sennacherib and the city of Nineveh are mentioned in the Bible. The northern kingdom of Israel eventually fell to the Assyrian Empire after rebelling against God and defying God’s message through the prophets warning them to return to God.