The Assyrians of Mesopotamia

Assyria’s history begins in northern Iraq somewhere between 3000 and 2000 BCE along the Tigris River. In those days it was called Mesopotamia, which roughly translates to “the land between two rivers”. It was a small collection of urban civilizations that had been flourishing along the active waters of the Tigris, which is the second largest river to be found in western Asia. Here was also the birthplace of the Babylonians, Akkadians and Sumerians around this time.

The Assyrian’s of the time were well-known for their approach to military advancements in warfare technology and an ability to build empires that lasted many centuries. They had been the first empire in their region to implement iron weaponry to get the upper hand on those nations still using bronze to forge their weapons. They were titans of the middle east up until the early 600’s BCE, when it is surmised that the empire outgrew itself and splintered apart before being taken over by the Persian empire near the end of the 600’s BCE.

The geography of Mesopotamia ranges from arid deserts to fertile marsh lands that were optimal for farming. The rivers were known to flood annually from immense seasonal rainfall, yet the unpredictability of the storms led to the occasional devastation of crops. By the time of the Assyrians there had been canals and dams that had been bult for centuries to help subdue the threat of flooding along the rivers. These canals were integral to the farming in the region as Assyria grew with Mesopotamia. The canals were used to control the proportional water distribution across the region for farming and were under great scrutiny by their government to maintain stability. 

Trade was also very important to the Assyrians of Mesopotamia. Their economy was built on textiles, tin, lead, and grain that they traded for stones and metals, which they turned around to use in the improvements of their household tools and defensive weaponry. Currency at one point transitioned to silver, or shekel, which is a weighted value in silver. Historically, it is thought that the Assyrians found much of their advancements by improving on the goods and resources they traded for, in turn bolstering their standing in the region as an empire that was one step ahead of everyone else they borrowed ideas from. They enjoyed a thriving economy that matched the growth of its empire up until it’s demise.

Today, Assyrians mostly reside in Turkey and parts of Iraq and Iran where the Dinar or Lira is currency in their respective nations. Iraq’s economy is mostly supported by oil production but its economy and stability is not in great shape, especially post-pandemic. Oil production is 98% of the country’s GDP and is controlled by the government, meaning that all the money comes back to the government, and not the people. Almost a quarter of the 40 million people of Iraq are on government assistance programs. Turkey and Iran both are in a similar position with an economy that feels uncertain following the pandemic and major shifts in manufacturing and resources. The entire region’s future stability looks bleak, especially with all the cultural and religious conflict being a constant problem in the area.

Modern Assyrians were some of the first adopters of Christianity as a religion during its inception. In contrast to their ancient system of beliefs, which regarded many gods instead of just one, Assyrians tie themselves to Christianity through language as well. Their Aramaic dialect was the spoken language of Jesus Christ and is still used today. Religion and land control have been a major source of conflict for countless generations. Most recently, extremist groups like ISIS were forcing Assyrians to convert to Islam or pay a religious tax know as a “jizya”, be executed or exiled. Many fled their leftover homeland to safer territories while few remained to fight back for their safety and sovereignty with no true end in sight.

Politically, ancient Assyrians wanted control and military power. The military was a large focus of their central government and they had many technological advances in military arms and devices that helped them take over neighboring nations with ease. They were so ahead of most of their opponents that the Assyrian empire was nearly the size of all of Mesopotamia by the time it fell. There were many kings and rulers, many of whom were assassinated, which lead to on-again-off-again stability within its kingdoms. It was ultimately this lack of structure that helped Assyria almost topple itself in a way when the Persians finally came calling. Assyria had grown too large without proper leadership among its ranks to maintain organized control everywhere.

Assyrians in the 21st century are in constant political upheaval, looking for support anywhere they can in the fight against extremist groups and their supportive governments who wish to remove them from history. The fight flip-flops back and forth between gaining the upper hand and being forced out of their homes again with no resolutions made along the way.  

As Assyrians who were once the most prominent empire of Mesopotamia, they saw their people emboldened by prosperity, technology and their military might. Today, they mostly fight for their lives due to cultural, political, and religious oppression in what was once their homelands. It must be a terrifying way to live, especially for a people who have endured the same story for centuries, but they continue to press on to reclaim their rightful freedoms in the modern world.

Works Cited: 

Fordham, Alice. “In Iraq's 'Dire' Economy, Poverty Is Rising - And So Are Fears Of Instability.” NPR, NPR, 3 Feb. 2021, www.npr.org/2021/02/03/961149079/in-iraqs-dire-economy-poverty-is-rising-and-so-are-fears-of-instability. Accessed 20 Jun. 2021

Jones, Christopher. “Assyrian Agricultural Technology.” Gates of Nineveh: An Experiment in Blogging Assyriology, 30 May 2014, gatesofnineveh.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/assyrian-agricultural-technology. Accessed 20 Jun. 2021

National Geographic Society. “Assyrian Empire.” National Geographic Society, 25 Apr. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/assyrian-empire. Accessed 20 Jun. 2021

Stavridis, Terry. “The Issue of An Assyrian Homeland.” Seyfocenter, 6 Mar. 2020, www.seyfocenter.com/english/the-issue-of-an-assyrian-homeland. Accessed 20 Jun. 2021

“Assyria: Civilization and Empire.” Time Maps, 10 May 2021, www.timemaps.com/civilizations/assyria. Accessed 20 Jun. 2021

“History of Assyria.” History World, www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac26. Accessed 20 Jun. 2021

“Trade in Assyria.” Fertile Crescent Trade: Williams 8-3.” sites.google.com/a/iolani.org/fertile-crescent/change-over-time-and-trade/asyria/trade-in-asyria. Accessed 20 Jun. 2021