“Your Word Is Truth”
Assyria—Militaristic Empire
IN THE world today militarism occupies a prominent place. The general contention is that national security depends on military might. Huge sums of money are spent for the maintenance of military forces and armaments. At times even the reins of government are in the hands of the military.
Militarism, of course, is nothing new. Of the empires that held sway in ancient times, Assyria stands out prominently as a militaristic empire. There was a time when the name “Assyria” struck terror into the hearts of men. Cities, kingdoms and nations fell before its advancing armies. In the eighth century B.C.E. the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib, through his spokesman Rabshakeh, boasted: “Have the gods of the nations at all delivered each one his own land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?”—2 Ki. 18:33.
Cruel indeed was the treatment that the Assyrians meted out to their captives of war. Some were burned or skinned alive. Others were impaled atop pointed stakes that were run up through their abdomen into their chest cavity. Still others were blinded or had their noses, ears and fingers cut off. Often captives were led by cords attached to hooks that pierced the nose or lips.
Knowledge of how the Assyrians dealt with those who put up stubborn resistance doubtless gave them a military advantage. Terrified of becoming victims of Assyrian cruelty, many cities capitulated. Thus, with comparatively little effort the Assyrians gained their main objective, namely, tribute from subdued peoples. They even permitted such tributary peoples to have certain authority. In some respects this resembles the course of powerful modern-day nations that remain nonaggressive as long as their commercial interests in other lands are secure.
Ancient Assyrian records that have been found deal largely with military accomplishments. The kings shamelessly boasted about their warfare and sadistic tortures, and scenes of war were often the subject of the reliefs that adorned their magnificent palaces. Based on archaeological findings, Sir Austen Layard observed:
“The interior of the Assyrian palace must have been as magnificent as imposing. . . . [In the first hall] battles, sieges, triumphs, the exploits of the chase, the ceremonies of religion, were portrayed on the walls, sculptured in alabaster, and painted in gorgeous colors. Under each picture were engraved, in characters filled up with bright copper, inscriptions describing the scenes presented. Above the sculptures were painted other events—the king, attended by his eunuchs and warriors, receiving his prisoners, entering into alliances with other monarchs, or performing some sacred duty. These representations were inclosed in colored borders, of elaborate and elegant design. The emblematic tree, winged bulls, and monstrous animals, were conspicuous amongst the ornaments. At the upper end of the hall was the colossal figure of the king in adoration before the supreme deity, or receiving from his eunuch the holy cup. He was attended by warriors bearing his arms, and by the priests or presiding divinities.”
As evident from this description, warfare was closely associated with religion. The Assyrian king was high priest of the supreme Assyrian god Asshur, and war was the truest expression of the national religion. Regarding his warring, King Tiglath-pileser I said: “My Lord, Asshur, urged me on.” In his annals, Assyrian monarch Ashurbanipal stated: “By the command of Asshur, Sin, Shamash, Ramman, Bel, Nabu, Ishtar of Nineveh, Ninib, Nergal, and Nusku, I entered the land of Mannai and marched through it victoriously.” King Sargon regularly invoked the help of the goddess Ishtar before going to war. The Assyrian armies marched behind the standards of the gods, apparently wooden or metal symbols on poles. Great importance was attached to omens. These were determined by examining livers of sacrificed animals, observing the flight of birds or by noting the position of the planets.
The priests benefited from the Assyrian victories and therefore actually encouraged warfare. Notes W. B. Wright in his book Ancient Cities: “Fighting was the business of the nation, and the priests were incessant fomenters of war. They were supported largely from the spoils of conquest, of which a fixed percentage was invariably assigned them before others shared, for this race of plunderers was exceedingly religious.”
Against this background, it can be readily understood why the Bible refers to the Assyrian capital Nineveh as a “city of bloodshed.” (Nah. 3:1) Jehovah God long exercised forbearance toward this city, in fact, toward the entire Assyrian Empire. But, by means of his prophets, he pointed forward to the time when Nineveh would be a desolate waste. For example, with reference to what Jehovah would do, the prophet Zephaniah wrote under inspiration: “He will make Nineveh a desolate waste, a waterless region like the wilderness. And in the midst of her, droves will certainly lie stretched out, all the wild animals of a nation.”—Zeph. 2:13, 14.
This was fulfilled when the combined forces of Nabopolassar the king of Babylon and of Cyaxares the Mede besieged and captured Nineveh. The city was evidently subjected to burning, for many Assyrian reliefs show damage or stain from fire and accompanying smoke. Regarding Nineveh, the Babylonian Chronicles report: “The great spoil of the city and temple they carried off and [turned] the city into a ruin-mound.” Thus, with the desolation of its capital city Nineveh, the mighty Assyrian Empire came to an inglorious end. To this day Nineveh is a desolate waste. In the spring, flocks graze near or atop the mound of Quyunjiq, one of the two mounds marking the site of the ancient city.
How forcefully the end of the Assyrian Empire testifies to the truthfulness of God’s Word, as well as to the fact that military might is no real protection! Though such militarism had the support of the priests, this could not save Assyria. Likewise the blessing and approval of religious leaders today will not spare bloodguilty men and nations from having to render an account for their violent acts to the Supreme Sovereign of the universe, Jehovah God. May we, therefore, make it our determination to follow a God-approved course, for herein lies true security and protection. As well expressed at Proverbs 18:10: “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.”