Life in Ancient Assyria: What Was it Really Like?
© Balage Balogh | Archaeology Illustrated
Assyria was a vast kingdom of the ancient world that corresponds to adjacent parts of modern-day northern Iraq, north-western Iran, south-eastern Türkiye, and north-eastern Syria. From the ninth- to the seventh centuries BCE, the Assyrians made great territorial expansions— stretching throughout Mesopotamia, the Levant, Egypt, Anatolia, and into parts of Arabia and Persia.
The empire was known for its wealth, enriched by its trading routes as well as its libraries, vast centres of learning, and soaring achievements in monumental art and architecture. The Assyrians made significant contributions to human culture and civilisation, the effects of which are felt to this day.
What was life in ancient Assyria really like?
Social Classes
Ancient Assyrian society was hierarchically structured, with distinct social classes that determined a person’s status and privileges. The social classes in ancient Assyria may be broadly categorised as follows:
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Assyria’s royal family held absolute power and were considered to be the highest authority in Assyrian society. The king not only enjoyed immense privilege and prestige but also acted as the religious representative of the deity Āshūr on earth.
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Assyria’s nobility as well as high-ranking officials held positions of authority and were responsible for the day-to-day operations of the kingdom and its empire. They were also responsible for maintaining law and order, collecting taxes, and overseeing administrative affairs.
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Free citizens constituted Assyria's middle class such as craftsmen, landowners, merchants, the military, and other professionals. Free citizens were afforded legal protections and enjoyed certain rights.
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Commoners comprised the majority of the Assyrian population. This constituted artisans, farmers, and laborers. Although commoners had fewer privileges and rights as opposed to free citizens, they were a significant part of Assyria's economy and society.
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Slaves in Assyria were individuals captured in wars or sold into servitude to pay off debts. Slaves had no rights in the kingdom and were considered the property of their respective owners. They performed various tasks, including agricultural labour, domestic work, and serving in households or temples.
Law and Order
In ancient Assyria, law and order were maintained through a comprehensive and centralised legal system that emphasised the rule of law. The Assyrians had a well-developed legal code which served as a basis for their legal practices.
This code covered a wide range of administrative, civil, criminal, including contracts, property rights, family law, and trade regulations. Common penalties included fines, restitution, corporal punishment, enslavement, and in more severe cases, capital punishment.
The state’s laws were inscribed on stone monuments and displayed publicly, emphasising the importance of justice in society. Assyria’s king, his nobility, as well as high-ranking officials were the highest authority responsible for upholding the law and ensuring its enforcement.
In ancient Assyria, women held a relatively higher status compared to some other neighbouring societies. While gender roles still existed, Assyrian women enjoyed certain freedoms such as the right to own property, engage in business and trade, and were able to hold high-ranking positions within the religious hierarchy.
It’s important to note that the rights and privileges enjoyed by Assyrian women, particularly those from hailing from aristocratic circles may not have been accessible to women from lower social classes. Nevertheless, Assyrian women had relatively more rights compared to many other contemporaneous societies.
Diet
The ancient Assyrian diet consisted of a variety of foods, including grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy products, and spices. Wheat and barley were the primary grains consumed by the Assyrians and were commonly used for the baking of bread or other types of cakes.
As a result of Assyria’s strategic trade networks, the Assyrians also had access to a variety of spices and flavourings sourced from neighbouring societies such as cumin, coriander, saffron, sesame, and turmeric. Food preparation methods included baking, boiling, roasting, grilling, and frying.
Meals were often accompanied by flatbread and a side of beer, water, or wine. The availability of certain beverages such as wine, however, varied depending on factors such as social status and geographic location.
Religion
Ancient Assyrian religion was largely polytheistic, consisting of multiple gods and goddesses— each associated with different domains and aspects of life. The Assyrians, however, favoured Āshūr and considered him to be the single omnipotent national god of Assyria and the divine patron of their empire.
The king of Assyria held a special religious role and was seen— by the Assyrians as well as his subjects —as an intermediary between Āshūr and the people. In fact, the king was considered the “shepherd” of the people, maintaining order and ensuring the favour of Āshūr.
Symbolism associated with Āshūr portray him with anthropomorphic features. For instance, Āshūr is often depicted as a bearded figure, wearing a horned headdress, positioned within a winged sun disc wielding a bow and arrow— representing his role as a warrior god.
Worship of Āshūr played a crucial role in developing a cohesive cultural or national identity— the Āshūrāyū “of Āshūr” or “Assyrians”. The veneration of a common national deity also helped bind various regions and social groups within the empire together, reinforcing a shared cultural and religious identity.
According to historians, Assyrians’ devotion to Āshūr may be one of the earliest examples of monotheistic worship, predating the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism (Persia), Atenism (Egypt), and all three Abrahamic faiths— Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Founded almost 5,000 years ago, worship of Āshūr continued to attract devotees up until it was superseded by Christianity in the fourth- or fifth centuries CE.
Military
The ancient Assyrian military was considered to be one of the most formidable fighting force in the ancient Middle East. Assyrian soldiers were disciplined and fought with tremendous cohesion, by virtue of being a professional army, and intimidated foes on the battlefield.
Assyria was one of the earliest civilisations to fully exploit the use of iron metal in the craft of weaponry and military materials such as armour. The use of iron granted the Assyrian soldiers with a greater advantage over their foes, who still relied upon the outdated bronze and wooden technology.
The Assyrian army was organised into various combat branches such as artillery (archers and slingers), charioteers (on horseback), cavalry (mounted warriors), and infantry (foot soldiers). Assyrian soldiers were also among the first to use floatation devices made of animal bladders or inflated skins to swim through rivers and to cross enemy territory.
Siege warfare was another crucial aspect of Assyrian military campaigns. In fact, the Assyrians constructed sophisticated siege towers and battering rams to forcefully breach city walls as well as fortifications.
Through such innovations, the Assyrian military was successful in subduing their enemies. Overall, the Assyrian military was highly organised and successfully conquered large swathes of territories, establishing one of the world’s first true empires.
Economy
The economy of ancient Assyria was primarily agrarian and based on agriculture. The Assyrians inhabited a vast fertile territory, watered by the Tigris River and its tributaries— the Upper Zab and Lower Zab rivers.
Fertile soil allowed the Assyrians to cultivate crops such as barley, dates, various fruits, vegetables, and wheat. Assyria’s nobility played a significant role in agriculture, overseeing irrigation projects and controlling the distribution of resources.
As a result of Assyria’s successful military campaigns, the Assyrians developed some of the earliest and most sophisticated trade networks. Assyrian merchants travelled to distant territories in the empire, exchanging goods and establishing economic relationships.
They transported commodities such as copper, garments, gold, silver, tin, and various other textiles. The Assyrian government levied taxes on trade activities, which contributed to its revenue.
