The Pax Assyriaca.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Toro, Benjamín.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civilization.

Assyria--Civilization.

Iraq--History--To 634.

Middle East--History--To 622.

Iraq.

Middle East.

Middle East--Assyria.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (226 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Archaeopress, 2022.

Summary:

This study of the evolutionary process of ancient civilisations stresses the complementarity between theoretical principles and the relevant historical and archaeological evidence. Taking its approach from World Systems Theory, it focuses on the origin, development and collapse of the first, 'Near Eastern', stage of the 'Central Civilisation'.

Contents:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright page

Contents Page

List of Figures

Chapter 0

Figure 0.1: Different settlement attributes of city-states, small and large territorial states and the proportions of urbanised populations (Maisels 2010: 14-15).

Figure 0.2: Distinguishing characteristics of an ancient city-state and two territorial states (Maisels 2010: 15).

Figure 0.3: Example of historical evolution with phases of expansion (A) and contraction (B) in the Near East according to Chase-Dunn and Hall (1995: 130).

Figure 0.4: An outline of the Central Civilisation and its later evolution, by Wilkinson (1995: 48).

Figure 0.5: The historical evolution of Egypt before merging with Mesopotamia according to Taagapera (1978).

Figure 0.6: Historical evolution of Mesopotamia before merging with Egypt according to Taagapera (1978).

Figure 0.7: Comparative graph of the expansion/evolution of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia according to Taagapera (1978).

Figure 0.8: Population of the largest cities in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia from 2000 BC until 650 BC, by Bosworth (1995: 212).

Figure 0.9: Comparative graphic of the expansion/evolution of Egypt and Mesopotamia until 430 BC according to Taagapera (1978).

Chapter 1

Figure 1.1: The Ancient Near East (http://www.bible-maps/ancient-near-east.html).

Figure 1.2: The geography and major environmental zones of the Near East (Redman 1978: 26).

Figure 1.3: Altitudinal cross section of the Near East from southeast to northwest (Redman 1978: 28-29).

Figure 1.4: Altitudinal cross section of the Near East from southwest to northeast (Redman 1978: 38-39).

Figure 1.5: Distribution of transhumant nomadic peoples (Maisels 1990: 189).

Figure 1.6: Regional conditions during the late Pleistocene/Holocene (Maisels 1990: 291).

Figure 1.7: Slopes and variation in the discharge of the Tigris and Euphrates (Potts 1997: 8

Maisel 1990: 296).

Figure 1.8: Distribution and sites of domesticated animals in the Ancient Near East (Maisels 1990: 293).

Figure 1.9: First sites of intensive human settlement in southern Mesopotamia (Pollock 1999: 55).

Figure 1.10: Plans of the temple of Eridu in levels 16-15 (A) and level 8 (B) (Redman 1978: 251).

Figure 1.11: Plan of the city-state of Uruk (Redman 1978: 255).

Figure 1.12: The system of oikos and its distribution of work according to sex and age (Pollock 1999: 118-119).

Figure 1.13: Cross section of topography near natural river courses in Mesopotamia (Redman 1978: 42).

Figure 1.14: Outline of the Oriental Despotism or 'Asiatic mode of production' of Wittfogel (Maisels 1990: 267).

Figure 1.15: The Uruk expansion (Lamberg-Karlovsky 1996: 89).

Figure 1.16: Map of the Uruk and Egyptian expansions (Greenberg and Palumbi 2014: 113).

Figure 1.17: Seal impressions from Uruk describing the emergence of a new order by the rule of powerful leaders in the spheres of economy (herds of animals), military (captives and prisoners) and ideology (cultic paraphernalia) (Matthews 2003: 113).

Figure 1.18: Upper or northern Mesopotamia (https://uvamagazine.org/articles/the_trouble_with_civilization).

Figure 1.19: Different representations of kings and lions from (a) Uruk, (b) Assyrian and (c) Achaemenid periods (https://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/photos/antiquities/).

Figure 1.20: a) Kish excavations in 1923-1933 by P. R. S. Moorey (http://ancientneareast.tripod.com/Kish_Ukhaimir.html)

b) The palace of Kish (Pollock 1999: 176).

Figure 1.21: Palace and temples in the city-state of Ur during the 3rd Dynasty (Redman 1978: 316).

Figure 1.22: The 'empire' of Sargon of Akkad and its principal trade (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/mladjov/files).

Figure 1.23: Development of states through time in Mesopotamia (Matthews 2003: 101).

Figure 1.24: Plan of the ancient city of Ashur (http://www.bet-davvid.com).

Figure 1.25: The organisation of the Old Assyrian Kingdom (Yoffee 2010: 186).

Figure 1.26: Assyria, its area of influence and principal trade routes (Yoffee 2010: 185).

Figure 1.27: House of an Assyrian private merchant in Kaneš and its archaeological plan (Aubet 2007: 350).

Figure 1.28: Assyria under Mitanni control (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/mladjov/files).

Figure 1.29: The Middle Assyrian kingdom and its new social order (Yoffee 2010: 191).

Figure 1.30: Assyria after the Tell el-Amarna period (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/mladjov/files).

Figure 1.31: The 'catastrophe'· at the end of the Bronze Age (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/mladjov/files).

Figure 1.32: Egyptian representation of some of the 'Sea People' warriors: from left to right, two Sherden, two Philistines, three unidentified warriors -perhaps from Canaan or Asia- and four Libyans (Wise 1981: 32).

Figure 1.33: Comparative architectural study between the houses of the Bronze Age and the Iron Age in the Mediterranean region (Moody 2009: 18).

Figure 1.34: Egyptian infantry at the beginning of the Iron Age, based on a wall painting at Thebes. It is possible to distinguish in some of these soldiers the new concept of heavy infantry with armour, shields, spears, javelins and different varieties o

Chapter 2

Figure 2.1: Chart of historical empires in the Near East and their respective territorial expansion. The maximum extent is calculated in square mega-metres (1 square mega-metre = 1,000,000 square kilometres (km2) or 386,000 square miles) (Matthews 2003: 1.

Figure 2.2: The three periods of Assyrian expasnion from the Old Kingdom until the Neo-Assyrian Empire (http://www.allempires.com/empires/assyria/assyria1.htm).

Figure 2.3: Typical Assyrian representations of the royal figure: a) Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal, shown twice, either side of a symbolic tree with the god Ashur on top, in a relief from Nimrud (865 BC)

b) The king Ashurbanipal hunting lions, a very popul

Figure 2.4: Principal festivals associated with the figure of the Neo-Assyrian king (Parpola 2010: 42).

Figure 2.5: The idealised figure of the Assyrian king on the left during a siege (http://www.bible-history.com/ibh/Assyrian+Warfare/).

Figure 2.6: Procession of statues of the divinities of defeated peoples to Assyria, in a relief from the palace of Tiglath-pileser III (British Museum, author's collection).

Figure 2.7: Concepts and doctrines of Neo-Assyrian kingship with mythological association and symbolic representation (Parpola 2010: 38).

Figure 2.8: Neo-Assyrian siege engines (British Museum, author's collection).

Figure 2.9: The heavy Assyrian chariot (taḫlipi) used on the battlefield and in skirmishes (Postgate 2000: 94).

Figure 2.10: Assyrian cavalry depicted in reliefs from Assyrian palaces: a) Assyrian Cavalryman with armour b) Assyrian infantry directed by a mounted officer (maybe a rab kiṣri) in the centre (Posgate 2000: 100 and 106).

Figure 2.11: Representations of Neo-Assyrian soldiers from palace reliefs. All of them use heavy iron armour as a standard uniform inherited from the military reform after the collapse of the end of the Bronze Age (http://www.bible-history.com/ibh/Assyria

Figure 2.12: Three different military contingents used as mercenaries by the Neo-Assyrian empire: a) Elamite archer b) Aramaean horseman c) Israelite auxiliary troops. (Wise 1981: 6.

https://www.yu51a5.org/horsemen-on-rearing-horses-part-1/

https://www.w

Figure 2.13: Chart elaborated by Postgate (1979: 195) showing the availability of source material for studying the administration of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.

Figure 2.14: Bas-relief of the Assyrian king with high officers displayed at the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad (https://english.alarabiya.net/life-style/art-and-culture/2015/02/28/Iraq-reopens-Baghdad-museum-).

Figure 2.15: Outline of Neo-Assyrian control in its periphery (Parker 2001: 252).

Figure 2.16: Three different approaches to the Neo-Assyrian Empire

Figure 2.17: Deportations of captive families according to the Neo-Assyrian 'resettlement program', depicted in Assyrian reliefs (https://www.ancient.eu/image/5480/assyrian-deportation-of-people-from-southern-iraq/).

Figure 2.18: Map of Ziyaret Tepe during the Neo-Assyrian occupation (Rosenzweig 2016: 318).

Figure 2.19: (a) Plan of the Phase III Khabur Gate in Operation Q

(b) Plans of the four phases of the Khabur Gate in Operation Q with the locations of the soil samples taken (marked by dots)

(c) Pie chart showing the presence of plant groups within the

Figure 2.20: Topographic map of Tell Tayinat overlaid on a satellite image of the site showing the upper mound and principal excavations areas and a density distribution of surface pottery in the lower settlement (Harrison 2016: 257).

Figure 2.21: Objects and samples found at Temple XVI of Tell Tayinat (https://tayinat.artsci.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/temple6.jpg).

Figure 2.22: Map of temple XVI at Tell Tayinat with object materials. The arrow labelled T-1801 indicates where the Esarhaddon's Succession Treaty tablet was found (Harrison and Osborne 2012: 138).

Figure 2.23: The Esarhaddon Succession Treaty found at Tell Tayinat in situ and post conservation (https://tayinat.artsci.utoronto.ca/the-toronto-expedition/the-esarhaddon-succession-treaty/).

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Other Format:

Print version: Toro, Benjamín The Pax Assyriaca: the Historical Evolution of Civilisations and Archaeology of Empires

ISBN:

9781789690637

OCLC:

1302005860