Question

analyzing primary sources
assyrian sculpture
this relief shows ferocious assyrian warriors attacking a fortified city. a relief is a sculpture that has figures standing out from a flat background. the assyrian war - machine included a variety of weapons and methods of attack.
1 ladders
assyrian archers launched waves of arrows against opponents defending the city walls. meanwhile, assyrian troops threw their ladders up against the walls and began their climb into the enemys stronghold.
2 weapons
troops were armed with the best weapons of the time, iron - tipped spears, as well as iron daggers and swords. they were also protected with armor and large shields.
3 tactics
the assyrians were savage in their treatment of defeated opponents. those who were not slaughtered in the initial attack were often impaled or beheaded, while women and children were sometimes murdered or sold into slavery.
4 tunnels
the assyrian army used sappers - soldiers who dug tunnels to sap, or undermine, the foundations of the enemys walls so that they would fall.
skillbuilder: interpreting visual sources

1. making inferences what emotions might the relief have inspired in the assyrian people?
2. making inferences how might the assyrians enemies have reacted to the sculpture?

the empire crumbles
ashurbanipal proved to be one of the last of the mighty assyrian kings. assyrian power had spread itself too thin. also, the cruelty displayed by the assyrians had earned them many enemies. shortly after ashurbanipals death, nineveh fell.
decline and fall in 612 b.c., a combined army of medes (meedz), chaldeans (kal - dee - uhnz), and others burned and leveled nineveh. however, because the clay writing tablets in ninevehs library had been baked in a pottery oven, many survived the fire.
most people in the region rejoiced at ninevehs destruction. the hebrew prophet nahum (nay - huhm) gave voice to the feelings of many
main idea
analyzing primary sources
primary source
and it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall i seek comforters for thee?.. thy shepherds slumber, o king of assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them.
nahum 3:7 - 18 (bible)
rebirth of babylon under the chaldeans after defeating the assyrians, the chaldeans made babylon their capital. around 600 b.c., babylon became the center

Explanation:

1. For the first inference - The relief might have inspired pride and a sense of power in the Assyrian people, as it depicted their military might and successful attacks on fortified cities.
2. For the second inference - The Assyrians' enemies likely reacted with fear, hatred, and a desire for revenge, seeing the brutal and savage nature of the Assyrian military tactics shown in the relief.

Answer:

1. Pride, sense of power.
2. Fear, hatred, desire for revenge.