A Land of Bloodshed

 The Assyrians were known for their military might.  The book Ancient Cities notes:  "They worshiped strength, and would say their prayers only to colossal idols of stone, lions and bulls whose ponderous  limbs, eagle wings, and human heads were symbols of strength, courage, and victory.  Fighting was the business of the nation, and the priests were incessant fomenters of war."  It is with good reason that the Bible prophet Nahum described  Nineveh, Assyria's capital as "the city of bloodshed." -Nahum 3:1.

The war tactics of the Assyrians were unusually cruel.  Carved reliefs from those days show Assyrian warriors leading off captives by means of hooks stuck through noses or the lips.  With spears they blinded some captives.  One inscription tells of a conquest in which the Assyrian army dismembered its captives and made two mounds outside the city-one of heads and the other of limbs.  The children of the conquered were burned in fire.  The fear inspired by such cruelty must have served the Assyrians well in military sense, discouraging resistance by those who stood in the way of their armies. 

Next time: The War Against Ashdod

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, 2000