Classical Antiquity
Neo-Assyrian Empire
911 BC – 609 BC · peak 670 BC
The Neo-Assyrian Empire (911–609 BC) was a Mesopotamian power that established the first 'universal' empire through advanced siege warfare and administrative deportation. Its capital, Nineveh, reached its peak under Ashurbanipal, who curated a vast library of over 30,000 cuneiform tablets. The empire collapsed following a coalition of Medes and Babylonians, culminating in the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC.
Capital: Nineveh
Key figures
Trade routes in use
- Amber Road (1500 BC – 500 AD)
- Incense Route (1000 BC – 400 AD)
- Phoenician Mediterranean Routes (1100 BC – 300 BC)