Western Civilization I / Unit 2 WC1 0115 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Assyria: The First Empire That Held
Captions available
The idea
Assyria survived the collapse through militarism and became the first empire to hold its neighbors for centuries with a standing army. Two innovations: the first permanent cavalry, bred by the mid-eighth century, making chariots obsolete, and a large trained iron-armed infantry.
In practice
Ashurnasirpal II from about eight eighty; mounted messengers with waystations.
Where people slip
Ashur had no natural borders. Annual campaigns were defense too.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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