Assyria

An ancient empire that, with its rival Babylon, ruled much of the old states of Syria and Palestine throughout most of Old Testament times. Even though the Assyrians were a major power from the mid-12th century B.C. until the close of the 7th century B.C., they were never able to build a stable political structure. They ruled by terror, crushing their enemies by fire and sword or weakening them by deporting large portions of a population to other parts of their empire. The people who were placed under Assyrian rule constantly fought against the empire. (See 2 Kgs. 18–19; 2 Chr. 32; Isa. 7:17–20; 10; 19; 37.)