Located on the east bank of the Tigris River in northern Iraq, Mosul has a population of about 1.8 million. But what connects Mosul to us as we study biblical history is what’s located on the other side of the Tigris River. In the middle of the urban sprawl of Mosul, west of the Tigris, and underneath dusty roads and forgotten fields, lie the ruins of that great city, Nineveh.
Today, we will zoom our lens in quite a bit closer and concentrate on the third stage of Assyria's history, known as the Neo-Assyrian Empire. This period begins in 912 B.C. and ends with the empire's demise in 609 B.C. We know the most about this era because this period coincides with the history of Judah and Israel given in the books of Kings and Chronicles. Let’s look at the Assyrian kings who played a prominent role in this Bible history.
If given a list of ancient world empires, you probably know enough information about some of them to impress your friends. You most likely have some knowledge of Babylon or Rome. Maybe even Persia or Greece. But what about the world power that existed before the ones just mentioned, which, at its height around 650 B.C., was the largest empire the world had ever seen? What do you know about Assyria?
