Ancient Israel and Assyria Early Encounters in the Levant Part I 1

This video is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus. More about this amazing service, as well as how you can get your own free trial, later on in the video. As we've discussed in several previous programs on this channel, the world of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant has an extremely long and rich history. It was the home of many ancient civilizations, including the Minoans, Mycenaeans, Egyptians, and countless other groups of people living along the coasts of Southern Anatolia and the shores of what was once called Canaan. Connecting the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa, this part of the world has for millennia been the place where different peoples, ideas, artistic styles, trade, and commerce have all come together. It's perhaps for these very reasons, among others, that the area was coveted by several great empires throughout history. In 1300 BC, the two dominant powers in the region were the Hittite Empire and the New Kingdom of Egypt. At the time, both of these states were at the height of their power and influence. However, barely a century later, their empires in the Levant would come crashing down as waves of new peoples entered into their territories and resettled in the region, causing its ethnic and cultural landscape to change forever. Scholars called these series of events that occurred, roughly between 1200 to 1150 BC, the Late Bronze Age Collapse and its effects would be permanent. By 1100 BC, what was once an Egyptian empire in Canaan had now become a patchwork of new kingdoms and petty states. The Iron Age had arrived in the Levant, and with it, a new political order. Two of the states that rose from the ashes of the Late Bronze Age Collapse were those of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. However, further to the east in the land that the Greeks called Mesopotamia, a military juggernaut had awakened. These were the armies of what became the Neo-Assyrian Empire, who, for better or worse, would directly impact the world of the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond. The story of the meeting of these two worlds, that of Mesopotamia and the Eastern Mediterranean during the Early Iron Age, is one of the most exhilarating in all of ancient history. It's during this time that Israel confronted Assyria. Hey man, what's going on? Dude, I'm so bored. I don't know what to do right now with this lockdown. I'm stuck at home. Oh, uh, you could probably watch History with Sy. I've heard there are a lot of great videos on that channel. Dude, I've already seen them like 10 times. Oh, all right. Bro, what are you doing right now? Yeah, well, right now actually I'm planning a trip to Ephesus, Athens, and Jericho for, you know, when the lockdown is done. All from information that I'm getting from lectures on The Great Courses Plus. The Great Courses what? Dude, The Great Courses Plus. It's awesome. 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So give the gift of knowledge or start your own journey with a free trial of The Great Courses Plus today. To start your free trial, click the link in the video description. The stories found in the books of the Hebrew Bible, what Christians call the Old Testament, have fascinated people from all parts of the world, regardless of their religious affiliation. Passed down from generation to generation until some of them were finally written down, for nearly two millennia, practically all of our ancient knowledge of the area came from the various books of the Bible. Then, in the latter part of the 19th century, the field of archaeology exploded and relatively soon, with the decipherment of several ancient languages such as Akkadian and various forms of Canaanite, our knowledge of this region increased exponentially and with it, the history and backstory of many of the places, people, and events that appear within the pages of the Hebrew Bible. This includes the two kingdoms that we know as Israel and Judah. While at the moment there's been little archaeological evidence uncovered with regard to the earliest history of these two kingdoms, the latter history of both is much better documented, especially after King Omri of Israel, whose reign most scholars have estimated to have been between the years 885 to 874 BC. Archaeology has confirmed that both Israel and Judah were part of a very lively neighborhood to say the least. To the north of the kingdom of Israel was the confederation of Phoenician city-states, the most powerful and wealthy being Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre. To the northeast was an Aramaean kingdom centered around the city of Damascus, which we conveniently call Aram-Damascus. Other kingdoms east of both Israel and Judah were Ammon, Moab, and Edom. Southwest of Israel and west of Judah were the Philistine city-states, and beyond these was the once great kingdom of Egypt. Let's not also forget to the west of both was the Mediterranean Sea, which brought with it many opportunities as well as threats. Sometimes friends, other times foes, these relatively small kingdoms and states were constantly interacting with each other, most significantly through trade and commerce. For the most part, they shared many similarities with regard to culture and language. In addition, their location at the nexus of Asia and Africa, along with their proximity to the island cultures of the eastern Mediterranean, allowed them to absorb all sorts of outside influences. However, it was a kingdom further to the east, in the land that the Greeks later called Mesopotamia, that by the mid 9th century BC, would be the greatest influence and power broker in the eastern Mediterranean, Assyria. Though relatively far away, most in the eastern Mediterranean world at the time had heard of Assyria. Centered around the city of Ashur, today in northern Iraq, the Assyrians first really came onto the pages, or rather tablets, of history around 2000 BC as intrepid traders who set up merchant colonies as far away from their homeland as central Anatolia. Though eventually being absorbed into the empires of others, by 1300 BC, Assyria, along with the Hittite Empire in Anatolia, the Kassite Kingdom of Babylonia, and the New Kingdom of Egypt, were the most powerful states in the region. Then came the events of the late Bronze Age collapse of the 12th century BC, which completely unraveled this political landscape. Since we've covered this period quite extensively in previous programs, which I'll link to in the video description, I won't go into too much detail here. But in summary, the half century between 1200 to 1150 BC saw the political and cultural breakdown of many civilizations, including the various Mycenaean kingdoms of Greece and the Aegean, the Hittite Empire in Anatolia and the Levant, the decline of the New Kingdom of Egypt and the collapse of its empire in Canaan, and the end of the Kassite Kingdom of Babylonia. These were just some of the major powers. There were several other kingdoms who also met their end during this time period. The causes of the late Bronze Age collapse have been attributed, or a better word would be blamed, on two main factors or series of events. One was the arrival of large groups of migrants and marauders from the Mediterranean known as the Sea Peoples, and the other being severe drought caused by changes in the overall climate. There was one great Bronze Age kingdom that did survive the chaos, Assyria. Though weakened and ultimately losing territory and influence, the effects of the late Bronze Age collapse, to a great extent, spared Assyria from the severe destruction that afflicted its neighbors to the west. Assyria was also arguably the first kingdom to bounce back after the dust had begun to settle. Already by 1100 BC, the powerful Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser I, claims to have crossed the Euphrates River at least 28 times to fight against groups of Aramaeans who had established several small kingdoms of their own. Though he was successful in establishing a presence in the region, Tiglath-Pileser's successors weren't able to capitalize on his gains, and for most of the next century or so, Assyrian influence in the Levant was relatively limited. Things though changed with the Assyrian king, Ashurdan II, whose reign ushered in what we call the Neo-Assyrian period. Starting from around 934 BC and continuing for the next three centuries, Assyria would go on to dominate much of the Near East on all fronts, including the Levant. Ashurdan II's successors gradually extended their reach westward, and by the reign of Ashurnasirpal II in 875 BC, Assyria was collecting tribute from several kingdoms, including cities of the eastern Mediterranean coast as far south as Tyre. At the time, the Assyrians' goal was not to annex these areas, but simply collect tribute and allegiances of Vassalate. It was his son and successor, Shalmaneser III, who altered Assyria's western policy to maintain a more sustained presence in the region. Starting in the very first year of his reign, Shalmaneser marched into the Aramaean and Luwian Neo-Hittite areas of what's today northern Syria to face a coalition made up of four relatively small kingdoms, Samaal, Patin, Bitadini, and Carchemish. Though we don't know the specifics of the battle or the number of troops involved, it's clear that Shalmaneser's and he was able to annex a good deal of territory. Though defeated, the coalition didn't completely disband. In fact, it grew. The next year, Carchemish revolted, as did Bitadini under its king Ahuni. Shalmaneser was able to recapture Carchemish, but Bitadini held out, and the Assyrians laid siege to the city. This continued until the next year when Shalmaneser was finally able to capture it. He then turned the city into his regional capital, renamed it Kar-Shalmaneser, meaning City of Shalmaneser, and repopulated it with Assyrians. As for King Ahuni, he managed to escape. Accomplishing his goal of creating a permanent Assyrian presence in the region, Shalmaneser headed back east to Assyria. Though not in open conflict with Shalmaneser, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah had closely been monitoring the situation of their Aramaean neighbors and knew that it would only be a matter of time before the Assyrian juggernaut would come for them. At the time, the kingdom of Israel was ruled by the Omride dynasty, which was founded around 885 BC by an Israelite army officer named Omri. In all honesty, we don't know too much about Omri other than what the authors of Hebrew Bible tell us, and their portrayal of both him and his son Ahab is not a very favorable one. This could have been for several reasons. For example, the controversial way in which Omri came to power, his supposed unfaithfulness towards the god Yahweh, and, in the case of Ahab, his marriage to a Phoenician princess named Jezebel, who promoted the worship of the Canaanite Despite their negative press, Omri and his son Ahab oversaw one of the kingdom of Israel's greatest periods of prosperity and expansion. Archaeological surveys seem to back this up, with significant finds illustrating massive building projects during the reign of his dynasty, especially around the site of ancient Samaria, the kingdom of Israel's capital city. As for Israel's southern neighbor, Judah, it too was prospering, though it was smaller, essentially landlocked, and less developed. It's very likely though that Judah's independence may have been quite limited, with the kingdom being in reality a vassal of Israel. For example, there are several references in Assyrian texts to various kings of Israel, but none of any king of Judah until much later, towards the end of the 8th century BC. Even if this was not the case, it's clear that Israel under the Omri dynasty was the more powerful of the two kingdoms. In the summer months of 853 BC, Shalmaneser III returned to the Levant and took the city of Aleppo before turning his army southwards towards Hamath, which was ruled by a king named Irhuleni. He describes how his forces, one by one, took Irhuleni's cities as they moved towards Karkar, located just over 50-60 km northwest of Hamath. In his own words, Shalmaneser tells us, Irhuleni though was not to be found. Facing little resistance at Karkar, Shalmaneser burned the town. However, the real challenge would come as he prepared to march further south. There, he faced a massive coalition consisting of 11 kings and whatever resources their kingdoms could muster together. Led by Hadadezer of Aram-Damascus, Irhuleni of Hamath, who had just recently fled his own kingdom, and King Ahab of Israel, it was an impressive force. Though there's no way to confirm his numbers, Shalmaneser in two monuments, known as the Kirk Monoliths, gives us his estimate of the coalition. It's a pretty long inscription, so I'm just going to break down the numbers by king and kingdom. First, we have 1,200 chariots, 1,200 horsemen, and 20,000 soldiers of King Hadadezer of Damascus. Next, 700 chariots, 700 horsemen, and 10,000 soldiers of King Irhuleni of Hamath, which is pretty impressive considering that he just lost the rest of his kingdom to Shalmaneser a short while before the battle. Then we have 2,000 chariots and 10,000 soldiers of King Ahab of Israel. Other notable mentions include King Matinu of the Phoenician city of Arvad, and a force of 1,000 camel cavalry from Gindibu of Arabia, the latter being the first Arab ever to be mentioned in written history. Again, I have to stress that one can't confirm these numbers, and we also have to take into account that these are Shalmaneser's figures, which he may have exaggerated to emphasize how massive the coalition that he defeated was. In his own words, he states, Trusting in the exalted might which Asher, the Lord, had given me, I battled with them. From Karkar, as far as the city of Gilzao, I routed them. Fourteen thousand of their warriors I slew with the sword. I rained destruction upon them. I scattered their corpses far and wide, and covered the face of the desolate plain with their widespread armies. With my weapons I made their blood flow down to the valleys of the land. The plain was too small to let their bodies fall, and the wide countryside was used up in burying them. Most scholars though have concluded that the outcome of the battle of Karkar was a at best, and one that was very costly for Assyria. For the Kingdom of Israel though, the battle of Karkar may have been considered a win, after all, it remained untouched and independent from Shalmaneser's forces. Though they must have lost many men in battle, the fact that they contributed so many troops, the third largest contingent in the coalition, indicates that Ahab's Israel was indeed a very powerful state. Unfortunately, Ahab died shortly after the battle of Karkar, and soon after this, Israel's fortunes began to reverse. Kingdoms that Israel had subjugated broke out in rebellion, for example, Moab. There were also conflicts with Aram-Damascus, especially after Hazael came to the throne of that kingdom in 843 BC. Hazael probably saw the and instability within Israel as an opportunity to expand his influence further south. Assyrian spies must have also taken notice of this, and reported such developments back to their king. In 841 BC, Shalmaneser returned, and this time, without the old coalition intact, had a much easier time plowing through the Levant. In fact, he really only had to deal with Hazael, who faced him around the vicinity of Mount Lebanon. Shalmaneser was victorious, and he gives us some specifics. As the text states, Hazael fled to Damascus, but Shalmaneser chose not to follow him there, and instead devastated the surrounding lands, cities, and villages before proceeding to the Phoenician port of Tyre. Damascus, after all, was a highly fortified city, so why devote so many resources into subduing it when perhaps more sustainable damage could be done in other areas? This strategy may have actually worked. Not laying siege to Damascus meant that the Assyrian army was free to push further south into the Levant. At the same time, Hazael was also at war with Israel's king Yehoram and his ally, King Ahaziah of Judah. Hazael obtained a decisive victory against them at a battle near Ramoth Gilead. Injured, Yehoram fled to the fortress city of Yisrael, but he was soon overthrown by one of his generals, Yehu, who became king of Israel and founded a new dynasty. Though the Hebrew Bible states that it was Yehu who killed Yehoram, a broken Aramaic inscription from the site of Tel Dan appears to indicate that Yehoram may have been killed by Hazael's forces. Regardless, upon the overthrow of Yehoram, Yehu became king of Israel and, probably to save his kingdom from being obliterated by the oncoming Assyrian army, promptly swore an oath of vassalage to Shalmaneser. This is actually depicted on the famous Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser in one of its many panels. Shalmaneser's inscription on it reads, With his goal of subjugating most of the Levant complete for the time being, Shalmaneser headed back to Assyria to take care of matters closer to home. Though the Neo-Assyrian empire was the most powerful that it had ever been up until that time, the last years of Shalmaneser's reign saw a civil war break out between his two sons. This set into motion events that ultimately weakened Assyrian influence in the eastern Mediterranean, which allowed Hazael to reassert his power and, this time, take over even more territory in the southern Levant to form a small empire of his own. With the Assyrians too occupied with internal matters to pay much attention to what was going on in the west, by 820 BC, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah had become vassals of Aram-Damascus. This though would prove to be only temporary, as eventually, the Assyrians would return, and the political order, as well as several kingdoms, would be uprooted once again. We'll find out what ultimately happened to the kingdoms of Israel, Judah, and the Neo-Assyrian empire in part 2 of this series. Stay tuned. Thanks so much for stopping by, I really appreciate it. If you learned something, or simply just enjoyed the video, please don't hesitate to hit that like button, because it helps the channel out a lot. Also, check out the History with Sai podcast, where I go into more detail with regard to some of the topics discussed on the channel. You can also follow History with Sai on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Thanks again, and I'll catch you in the next episode. Take care, and stay safe.