Frahm engagingly chronicles the progress of the Assyrian Empire, illustrating how a peaceful polity very gradually lost the plot . . . Frahm has a fine eye for the ironies of history . . . He punctures a fair share of myths too . . . Assyria is a work of remarkable synthesis. The range of its sources is truly extraordinary: tablets and stele, of course, but also “faunal and floral analysis”, “advanced forms of pottery studies” and satellite images. Frahm's prose has a light, aphoristic touch

Pratinav Anil, The Times

Frahm engagingly chronicles the progress of the Assyrian Empire, illustrating how a peaceful polity very gradually lost the plot . . . Frahm has a fine eye for the ironies of history . . . He punctures a fair share of myths too . . . Assyria is a work of remarkable synthesis. The range of its sources is truly extraordinary: tablets and stele, of course, but also “faunal and floral analysis”, “advanced forms of pottery studies” and satellite images. Frahm's prose has a light, aphoristic touch

Pratinav Anil, The Times

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'

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 3000 years. It is ancient history that remains relevant to this day

Edward J. Watts, author of 'Mortal Republic'

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 3000 years. It is ancient history that remains relevant to this day

Edward J. Watts, author of 'Mortal Republic'