With an army second to none, an effective cavalry, and a sophisticated administration, the Assyrian Empire held sway over the entire Near East in the mid-7th century BC. It was the largest, best-organized state the ancient world had ever seen, appearing unattainable and invincible to its enemies. But how did it become such a dominant power? Arguably, four major factors gave the Assyrian army an edge over the other city-states of Mesopotamia: An unmatched propaganda of terror, expertise in siege warfare, adept administration, and, finally being the first major power in history to utilize a regular cavalry. Now, to understand all this properly, let’s quickly backtrack and have a brief look at how Assyria rose to power.
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