22 - Assyria and the Conquest of Israel

"Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria."
2 Kings 17:5-6

In a future where the Assyrian Empire never fell, only one man and his friends can keep the world safe from evil:
Captain Assyria and the Avengers!
(source: Marvel Comics)

If you want a history of the Assyrians in one easy to digest episode, well here you go! I'll be taking you back to the earliest days of the empire, and then doing a mad dash to where we left off last time. Sure I probably missed stuff, but I've only got one episode to do this! If you're really super interested in learning the details of their awesome empire, may I recommend Scott C.'s, The Ancient World podcast? He does a really bang up job getting into the details of everything, whereas I'm just covering the big things here. Oh and tying it into the fall of Israel. That's kinda where we were supposed to be heading anyway. Two for the price of one!

Also a HUGE thank you to Owen Plant for allowing the use of his music in today's episode! It's sort of funny that I chose the one song that sounds nothing like his other stuff, but his normal fare is smooth, Americana folksy songs, and happy, warm Caribbean reggae. Yeah...you're probably wondering how that would work in today's show too. Welp, just trust me that the song I picked, Patchouli Sid, actually fits in perfectly. Seriously. Have I steered you wrong with the music so far? NOPE. Check out Owen's website here: http://www.owenplant.net/ or preview his music on Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/owenplant


MP3 Download

Music Credits
Owen Plant - Patchouli Sid

Resources
Map of the Assyrian  Empire during its two stages of expansion
All that's left of Ashur today (Google Maps)
UNESCO site for Ashur
Axehead of Adad-Nirari I (Louvre)
The Nimrud Prism
If you're interested in Akkadian cuneiform, here's a free Assyrian dictionary from Google!
Good list of many Assyrian inscriptions.
Ashurnasirpal in chariot, on a lion hunt
Drawing of Shalmaneser III receiving Jehu
Detail of the event on the obelisk

Phrygian cap 1
Phrygian cap 2
Phrygian cap 3

Painted wall of Tiglath-Pileser III
MAP: Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III
Lamassu from Khorsabad - attributed to Sargon II
Sargon II
MAP: Sargon II's Assyrian Empire (with surrounding regions!)
Inscription of Sargon II - note the refugees with their bags...
Guardian: How Ukranian women saved the Samaritans of Mount Gerizim
Samaritan High Priest: 1905