Centuries ago, conquering of other locations was a frequent occurrence, with the empires paying attention to the size of their armies. However, while some emperors emphasized the brutality and atrocities when invading and capturing new places, others concentrated on remaining tolerant and forgiving. Both Assyrians and Persians differ significantly in their approaches to invasions, with the former murdering their enemies and the latter valuing human lives and religion.
The Assyrian empire conquered lands through the number and power of soldiers. The Assyrians trained for many years to become skilled military commanders and combatants (Spielvogel, 37). The empire was maintained through assimilation and punishments of traitors. Ethnic differences were actually less significant in Assyria owing to the Assyrian strategy of deporting numerous captives from recently conquered countries there (Spielvogel 37). The approach to conquered people can be seen through the narratives of King Ashurnasirpal II regarding the treatment of captives: “Many of the captives taken from them I burned in a fire. Many I took alive; from some of these I cut off their hands to the wrist, from others I cut off their noses, ears and fingers” (Spielvogel, 38). Therefore, the political rationale was to create a sense of fear in people.
In comparison, Persia’s rulers were known for their tolerance and lack of brutality. By conquering the Iranian Plateau, Sogdia, and even western India, Cyrus the Great established his eastern borders of the empire (Spielvogel, 41). He then invaded Mesopotamia in 539 and took Babylon, which implies that for conquering, Persia used maneuvers (Spielvogel, 41). To maintain the empire, the Persian empire needed a strong communication infrastructure, such as good roads to move quickly (Spielvogel, 41). In the empire, Cyrus the Great was particularly notable, and, according to Cyrus Cylinder, primary document, the ruler wrote the following: “My numerous troops walked around in Babylon in peace. I did not allow anybody to terrorize any place of the country of Sumer and Akkad” (Spielvogel, 40). The religious rationale of Persians involved norms of forgiveness.
Hence, both Assyrians and Persians treat invasions quite differently, with the former killing their opponents and the latter placing value on both human life and religion. The size and might of its army helped the Assyrian kingdom capture territory. The Assyrians spent a long time honing their military leadership and battle skills. The kings of Persia, in contrast, were renowned for their tolerance and lack of cruelty.
Reference
Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization: A Brief History. United States: Cengage Learning, 2019.