Pax Assyriaca

The Pax Assyriaca, Latin for "the Assyrian peace", was a relatively long period of peace in the Neo-Assyrian Empire during the 7th century (ca. 700-630/620 B.C.). The term was coined in parallel to Pax Romana. The Neo Assyrian Empire is notorious for its use of brute force to expand and maintain an empire after the Dark Ages around 911-600 BC. However their rule brought around a time period known as the Pax Assyriaca (700-620 BC), Latin for “Assyrian Peace”. During this time the Neo Assyrian Empire achieved its highest point of success, ranging from Egypt to the West, to the Persian Gulf in the East, and most of the Central Mediterranean area. The economic, political, ideological, and militant development during this period had lasting effects on the events even after the demise of the Assyrian Empire.

The greatest moments of Assyrian expansion occurred during the rule of Tiglath-pileser III (744-727 BC), who expanded into Mesopotamia, Syria, Anatolia, and Egypt. His reforms of the Assyrian empire maximized military and political efficiency allowing him to establish the Neo Assyrian Empire. He centralized power by weakening Assyrian officials and appointed governors to distribute the already small portion of power left within the empire. He also instituted a larger army with use of tribute soldiers and conquered peoples. After his conquests and those of his sons, Shalmaneser V and Sargon II in Anatolia and Levant, the empire entered a stage of frontier fortification and stabilization known as the Pax Assyriaca. Considering the method of expansion used by the Neo Assyrians of military conquest and demands of tribute of their conquered lands paints the Neo Assyrians in a rather negative light. However, by expanding over a large territory it provided stability in power that was not seen previously since many of the local leaders were fighting over that power. With the end of the power struggle in the region the focus was shifted to expansion of economy and general empire building. Neo Assyria held many vassal states that paid tribute to the empire and the more productive and lucrative the states were, the higher the tribute that was paid. Therefore, Assyria found it in its best interest to support the development of not only their empire but those around them.

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