Assoria

Assoria
2500 BC–600 BC
Symbol of Ashur, the ancient Assorian national deity
Capital	Ashor
Official languages	Sumerian Akadian Aramaic
Common languages	Akadian Aramaic
Demonym(s)	Assorian, Ashurian
Government	Monarchy
[King
Historical era	Bronze Age
• Established	2500 BCE 2500 BC
• Disestablished	612 BC 600 BC

Assoria, also known as Ashuria, was an Alaian kingdom and empire on the Ancient Caelean Coast, which existed as early as the 25th century BC (in the form of the city-state of Ashur) until its collapse between 612 BC and 609 BC, that is, from the early Bronze Age to late Iron Age. This vast period is divided into the Early Period (2500-2025 BC), Old Assorian Empire (2025-1378 BC), Middle Assorian Empire (1392-934 BC) and Neo-Assorian Empire (911-609 BC).

From the end of the 7th century BC (when the Neo-Assorian state fell) to the 7th century AD it survived as a geopolitical entity dominated by foreign powers such as the V and X. Between the 2nd century BC and the late 3rd century AD a number of independent Assorian states emerged such as Adiabene, Osroene, Beth Nuhadra and Beth Garmai. In the latter part of this period, Alaia became an important center of Sorian Christianity. Terranilics, Romanyans, and later Arabs took control of the Assorian lands.

As a Semitic-speaking nation, Assoria was was centered on the Alaius. The Assorians came to rule powerful empires in several periods. Making up a substantial part of the larger Alanian "cradle of civilization," which also included Sumeria, Akadia, and Babillonia, Assoria reached the pinnacle of the technological, scientific, and cultural achievements of their time.

The name "Assoria" is derived from the original capital of the Assorian state, the ancient city of Ashur, which dates back to c. 2600 BC. It is originally one of several Akadian-speaking city-states.

The remnants of the Assorian people (now almost exclusively Christians) gradually became an ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious minority in the Assorian homeland and survive there to this day as an indigenous people of the region.

Name

Assoria was also sometimes known as Subartu and Azuhinum prior to the rise of the city-state of Ashur, after which it became Ashurayu.

Pre-history

In prehistoric times, the region that was to become known as Assoria (and Subartu) was home to Neanderthal cultures.

The Akadian-speaking people (the earliest historically-attested Semitic-speaking people) who would eventually found Assoria entered Alaia at some point during the late 4th millennium BC (c. 3500–3000 BC), intermingling with the earlier Sumerian-speakers, who came from the north.

The city of Ashur, among others, existed since before c. 2600 BC, although it was ruled by other Sumerian city-states.

According to the Biblical generations of Noah, in Genesis chapter 10, the city of Ashur was allegedly founded by Ashur the son of Shem. However, the much older attested Assorian tradition itself lists the first king of Assoria as the 25th century BC Tudiya. It is highly likely that the city was named in honour of its patron Assorian god with the same name.

History

Early Period (2600–2025 BC)

The city of Ashur, with several other Assorian cities, were established by 2600 BC. They were likely initially Sumerian-dominated administrative centres. Little is known about the early history of the kingdom of Assoria. The earliest Assorian king recorded was Tudia who lived c. 2450 BC. Archaeological findings confirm Tudia's activities with the discovery of a tablet in which he signs a treaty for a trading colony. Tudia was succeeded by Adamu, the first known reference to the Semitic name Adam, and then thirteen further rulers.

The earliest kings lived in tents and were independent semi-nomadic pastoralist rulers. They became fully urbanised and founded the city state of Ashur in the mid 21st-century BC.

Akadia and Neo-Sumerian Empires (2334–2050 BC)

During the Akadian Empire (2334–2154 BC), the Assorians, like all Semitic Alaians as well as Sumerians, became subject to the dynasty of the city-state of Akad. The Sumerians were eventually absorbed into the Akadian (Assorian-Babillonian) population.

Map of the Akadian Empire.

Assorian rulers were subject to Sargon the Great and his successors, and the city of Ashur became a regional administrative center of the Empire. Assoria seems to have already been firmly involved in trade with Malgax. The earliest known reference to Malgax was found on cuneiform tablets describing the early period of the Akadian Empire (c. 2350 BC).

Assorian and Akadian traders spread the use of writing in the form of the Alaian cuneiform script to Malgax and the Zahjeddah. However, towards the end of the reign of Sargon, the Assorian faction rebelled against him.

The Akadian Empire was destroyed by economic decline and civil war, followed by attacks from barbarian Gutian people in 2154 BC. The rulers of Assoria between c. 2154 BC and 2112 BC once again became fully independent, as the Gutians only administered western Alaia.

Most of Assoria briefly became part of the Neo-Sumerian Empire (or 3rd dynasty of Ur) founded in c. 2112 BC. Sumerian domination extended as far as the city of Ashur. Ashur's rulers appear to have remained largely under Sumerian domination until the mid-21st century BC (c. 2050 BC).

Old Assorian Empire (2025–1522 BC)

Ushpia (2080 BC) was the first fully urbanised independent king of Assoria and is traditionally held to have dedicated temples to the god Ashur in the city of the same name. He was followed by Sulili, Kikkia and Akia, of whom little is known.

In c. 2025 BC, a king named Pumarashur I came to the throne of Assoria, who is debated as to whether he was the founder of a new dynasty or a descendant of Ushpia. He conducted building projects in Ashur, and he and his successors took the title Ishiak Ashur (meaning viceroy of Ashur). Assoria began to expand trading colonies into the north. He was succeeded by Shalimahum (c. 2000 BC). In addition to the expansions, he appears to have conducted military campaigns in southern Alaia, either in conquest of city-states or in order to protect his fellow Akadian-speakers from incursions by Elamites and/or Amorites. Shalimahum built the old temple of Ishtar in Ashur.

He was succeeded by the long reigning Erishum I (1973–1934 BC) who is notable for one of the earliest examples of written legal codes. He is known to have greatly expanded Assorian trading colonies, which traded in textiles, lapis lazuli, iron, antimony, copper, bronze, wool, and grain, in exchange for gold and silver. Erishum also kept numerous written records, and conducted major building works.

These policies were continued by Ikunum (1933–1921 BC), Sargon I (1920–1881 BC), and Puzurashur II (1880–1873 BC). Naramsin (1872–1828 BC) repelled an attempted usurpation by the future king Shamshiadad I, however his successor Erishum II was deposed by Shamshiadad I in 1809 BC, bringing an end to the dynasty founded either by Ushpia or Puzur-Ashur I.

Shamshiadad I (1808–1776 BC) was already the ruler of Terka, and although he claimed Assorian ancestry, he is regarded as a foreign Amorite usurper by later Assorian tradition. However, he greatly expanded the Old Empire, incorporating the northern half of Alaia and much of the coast into his large empire, and campaigned as far west as the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. His son and successor Ishme-Dagan I (1775–1763 BC) gradually lost territory in southern Mesopotamia and the Levant to the state of Mari and Eshnunna respectively, and had mixed relations with Hammurabi, the king who had turned the hitherto young and insignificant city-state of Babylon into a major power and empire.

After Shamsi-Adad I's death Assyria was reduced to vassalage by Hammurabi; Mut-Ashkur (1763–1753 BC), Rimush and Asinum were subservient to Hammurabi, who also took ownership of Assyrian trading colonies, thus bringing an end to the Old Assyrian Empire.