The Assyrian Civilization - Innovations, Art, Politics and Policies

The Assyrian Civilization - Innovations, Art, Politics and Policies
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The Assyrian Civilization
The Assyrians lived in Northern Iraq, Northwestern Iraq, and Southern- eastern Turkey which is now the modern present-day. "They are occupied in a location called Assyrian Triangle which is located between the lower Zab and the Tigris Rivers. They were 3 million people who populated the Assyrian region and their native language is called Assyrian, sometimes referred as Neo-Aramatic or Syriac" (Patrick,2007).
The 7th and 6th century B.C, the empire of the Assyrian and Babylonian fell and it reduced the Assyrian population to a small nation living at the mercy of their overloads and gods in the immensely scattered lands all over the middle Eastern region. Regardless of the fallout of the empire, they played a key role in the development of civilization in mankind. "They were the first people to embrace Christianity among the 1st century" (Tauris, 2006). Due to the frequent violence that was cast amongst them over the following century due to their religion and nationality, they almost lost their identity as a nation. It was until the middle of the 19th century, when they came contact directly with western world of which their existence attracted the attention of the western world. Owing the hatred they had towards Babylon with passion, the Monarchs of Assyrian took action and destroyed Babylon which resulted for the Assyrian moving their capital into the city of Nineveh.
The Assyrian Innovation
The Assyrian Military commanders grew wealthy from the spoils of war and were the largest standing arm ever seen in the Middle East. The provisions of war excited new technologies innovation which made them almost unbeatable; iron swords, lance, metal armor and battering rams were innovated and made them a fearsome foe in battle. Another great innovation was of science and mathematics which they had among the great mathematical inventions of the Assyrians, the division of the circle into 360o degrees. They were also responsible for the innovation of the longitude and latitude systems which they used for navigation and mapping and also developed the sophisticated medical science, which greatly influenced medical science as far away as Greece.
The Assyrians were the first to invent the larger cavalry squadrons and was created to keep the army supplied with horses which was able to get hold of 3,000 horses a month for military use. The Assyrian came up with invention of the leather jackboot which provided an excellent example; initially they wore sandals which were ineffective in preventing foot injuries to troops forced to conduct operations in rough terrain. The lack of adequate footgear was a major factor in limiting the tactical mobility of the early ancient armies to withstand the desert climates.
The regular use of tactical engineering units also provided yet another increase in the combat power of field units. They mastered the technique of building the world`s first military pontoon bridges from the palms woods and planks and reeds. While these factors contributed significantly to tactical proficiency and flexibility and they did so only in an arm whose tactical proficiency in the large sense was already relatively sophisticated.
The Assyrian Art
Whatsoever, the attitude of the society may be, it reflects the culture it creates. The method which it reflects this attitude is Art. As the art is created, so as the culture; these two are symbolic, meaning one creates the other and one cannot exist without the other.
In ancient times, art was used to communicate primitive images such as evil spirit, fertility, love, war, fear and death. In ancient Assyria for instance, they used the art to construct cities, palaces, hanging gardens, sculpture, reliefs and text. They used the art not only for education and shape their society and to establish human identity, but they also used art to influence other societies around them. Assyrian rulers found that if a society engages in creating and preserving culture through art, the society superfluities within and spreads its influence through other regions. The Assyrians were more than any society used art to institute the emergence of a super-cul...