Dan Snow's History Hit The Rise and Fall of the Assyrian Empire
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Jun 1, 2025 
Professor Eckhart Fromm, a renowned expert in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Yale University, dives into the remarkable history of the Assyrian Empire. He unpacks its complex military strategies, innovative communication networks, and impressive architecture that propelled it to greatness. The discussion shifts to the empire's unexpected decline and the rise of rivals like Babylon and the Medes, illuminating how Assyria's legacy shaped future civilizations. Join this captivating exploration of one of history's first superpowers!
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Assyria: The First Empire
- The Assyrian Empire was the world's first true empire, spanning over a million square miles.
- It featured provincial governance, a vast military, sophisticated communication, and monumental architecture.
From City-State to Empire
- Assyria grew from a peaceful, trade-based city-state to a belligerent empire with a mixed but evolving political structure.
- Its empire ruled diverse peoples with a complex system of direct and indirect control.
Conquest Over Trade
- Assyria shifted from trade to conquest to recover wealth lost during crises like plagues.
- Kings like Tiglath Pileser III doubled Assyria's territory as a response to labor and economic shortages.