Assyrian imperial frontiers during the first millennium BC: the case of the Iraqi Middle Euphrates

Abstract

Many recent studies have dealt with the nature of the Assyrian imperial frontiers, demonstrating how diversified they have been through time and space, with cases such as Khabur and Upper Tigris regions. On the other hand, the Assyrian periphery along the Iraqi middle Euphrates – ancient region of Suḫu – is archaeologically less known. The archaeological investigations before the construction of the Haditha Dam revealed many sites datable to the Iron Age, some of which seemed to have a marked military nature. The region was therefore seen as a seat for fortresses of the Assyrian Empire. The present paper, through a preliminary analysis of the material culture of the sites, the settlement pattern using GIS and satellite images, aims to suggest a more multi-faced nature of the settlement in the region.