Assyria

The Rise and Fall of the World's First Empire

By: Eckart Frahm

Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies

Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

At its height in 660 BCE, the kingdom of Assyria stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. It was the first empire the world had ever seen.

Here, historian Eckart Frahm tells the epic story of Assyria and its formative role in global history. Assyria’s wide-ranging conquests have long been known from the Hebrew Bible and later Greek accounts. But nearly two centuries of research now permit a rich picture of the Assyrians and their empire beyond the battlefield: their vast libraries and monumental sculptures, their elaborate trade and information networks, and the crucial role played by royal women.

Although Assyria was crushed by rising powers in the late seventh century BCE, its legacy endured from the Babylonian and Persian empires to Rome and beyond. Assyria is a stunning and authoritative account of a civilisation essential to understanding the ancient world and our own.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Eckart Frahm (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Critic reviews

"A superb, compelling, and exuberantly written history of the Assyrians, popularly known only as the bad guys of the Old Testament, but actually one of the most significant of all ancient Near Eastern empire builders. This book is filled with fascinating detail and cliché-busting analysis. Sweeping yet nuanced, Eckart Frahm challenges—and changes—the way we think about the Assyrians and the culture they fashioned." (Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, author of Persians)

"Eckart Frahm has produced a compelling account of how the Assyrians built an empire that ruled over large territories and diverse peoples. Assyria offers us a new way to think about the formation and sustainability of an imperial model that has shaped human experiences for much of the past 3,000 years. It is ancient history that remains relevant to this day." (Edward J. Watts, author of Mortal Republic)

"Frahm presents a wealth of knowledge and information in an accessible manner, and with relevance to today, which will be of interest to scholars, students, and members of the general public alike." (Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.)

great storytelling

great storytelling, very well written and read. good start to the ancient history and the history of Assyria