chapter-1-3-worksheets

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The Assyrians were  contemporary to the Babyloniahs and  much more warlike people than the Babylonians.  They were also known as great traders.  Their caravans traveled all over Mesopotamia, bringing all kind of products,  food and wine to Assyria

They worshiped the same gods as the people of Sumer and Babylon, but they had their own language. 

The Assyrians were a very fierce people and soon conquered many nearby cities.  They even tried to conquer Babylon, but the walls and warriors of Babylon were too much for them to defeat.  This defeat  grew into a great hatred of everything Babylonian life style. As the Assyrians became stronger and conquered all cities that supported and supplied Babylon.  Babylon then was much weaker. 

Finally around 1200 BCE, the Assyrians attacked again.  This time they defeated Babylon.  To get their revenge, they destroyed the city of Babylon.  After having their revenge fulfilled, the Assyrians looked back and considered that  Babylon was built to honor God Marduk. If Marduk got angry at them for destroying Babylon, they could be punished. Then  Assyrians rebuilt Babylon, but they refused to let anyone live in the city. 

Art:

The Assyrians did not create small statues like the Sumerians or Babylonians.  Instead the Assyrians painted on ceramics.  Most of their paintings dealt with battles and the life of a warrior.  We have learned a lot about how the Assyrians went to battle and how soldiers lived through their paintings.