Assyria, an ancient Mesopotamian kingdom and empire, was a significant player in the commerce of the ancient Near East. Its strategic location, spanning parts of modern-day Iraq, Syria, and Turkey, allowed it to control key trade routes and facilitate the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas across vast regions.

Geographical Advantage

Assyria's geographical position was crucial for its commercial success. Situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, it had access to fertile lands and abundant water resources, which supported agriculture and sustained its population. The empire's proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Peninsula enabled it to engage in maritime trade and connect with distant lands.

Trade Routes and Goods

Assyria controlled several major trade routes, including the Royal Road, which connected the empire to Anatolia and beyond. This network facilitated the movement of goods such as textiles, metals, spices, and precious stones. Assyrian merchants traded with neighboring regions, including Egypt, Anatolia, and the Levant, exchanging goods like timber, wine, and olive oil.

The Bible references Assyria's commercial activities, highlighting its wealth and influence. In Ezekiel 27:23, the prophet lists Assyria among the trading partners of Tyre, a prominent Phoenician city known for its commerce: "Haran, Canneh, Eden, and the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you."

Economic Policies and Administration

Assyria's economic policies were designed to maximize its commercial potential. The empire imposed taxes and tributes on conquered territories, often demanding goods and resources that were then redistributed or traded. Assyrian kings, such as Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II, implemented administrative reforms to enhance trade efficiency and ensure the smooth operation of commerce.

The Assyrian government maintained a network of roads and communication systems, which facilitated the movement of goods and information. These infrastructures were crucial for maintaining the empire's economic stability and ensuring the swift deployment of military forces when necessary.

Cultural Exchange and Influence

Assyria's commercial activities were not limited to the exchange of goods; they also facilitated cultural interactions. Through trade, Assyria absorbed and disseminated cultural and technological innovations, influencing art, architecture, and religious practices across the region. The empire's interactions with other cultures enriched its own and contributed to the broader cultural landscape of the ancient Near East.

Biblical Perspective

From a biblical perspective, Assyria's commerce is often viewed in the context of its broader role in God's plan for the nations. The wealth and power derived from its commercial activities were seen as instruments in the divine narrative, used to fulfill God's purposes, whether through judgment or as a backdrop for the unfolding of biblical history.

In Isaiah 10:5-6, Assyria is described as the "rod of My anger," used by God to execute judgment: "Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath. I will send him against a godless nation; I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets."

Assyria's commerce, therefore, is intertwined with its role as an instrument of divine will, reflecting the complex interplay between human enterprise and divine sovereignty in the biblical narrative.Ezekiel 27:23
Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were your merchants.
Nave's Topical Index

History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 5
... HISTORY OF EGYPT CHALDEA, SYRIA, BABYLONIA, AND ASSYRIA ... Royal presents and marriages;
the status of foreigners in the royal harem -- Commerce with Asia, its ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 5/title page.htm

History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 2
... HISTORY OF EGYPT CHALDEA, SYRIA, BABYLONIA, AND ASSYRIA ... houses, furniture, women
in family life -- Festivals; periodic markets, bazaars: commerce by barter ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 2/title page.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... The population of Assyria seems to have been more purely Semitic than
that of Babylonia. ... War and commerce were their two trades. ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... and have sought the seat of war on the eastern frontier of Assyria: in reality ... of
their court and people, and the countless riches which the commerce of the ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

The Nations of the North-East
... commanded the ford across the river, and the high-road of commerce from east ... Assyrian
trade, and opened the road to the Mediterranean to the armies of Assyria. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iv the nations of.htm

Volume ii. , Part B. The Memphite Empire
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 2. ... relations of the
Delta to the peoples of the North: the shipping and maritime commerce of the ...
/.../volume ii part b the.htm

In Our Last Chapter we Sought to Show that in Rev. . .
... Sixty years ago it was asked, "Is not commerce the sovereign influence of the day? ...
He will be "the King of Babylon" (Isa.14:4); the "King of Assyria" (Isa.10:12 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/in our last chapter we.htm

The Place of the Old Testament in Divine Revelation
... far below the surface of the ocean,"an effective negation to all commerce. ... While
their conquerors, Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome, the ...
/.../the origin and permanent value of the old testament/iv the place of the.htm

Joshua's Conquest.
... Palestine which thereby became the bridge for the civilization and commerce of tie ...
the Hittites and had also crushed the Canaanites; (c) Assyria had increased ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

Mordecai and Esther
... the great though lesser blessings of language, united order, peaceful commerce,
sway over ... day Israel shall be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/mordecai and esther.htm

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