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After the fall of Assyrian Empire (612 BC) there were thousands and thousands of Assyrians who survived the indescribable atrocities and killings and the unbelievable devastation. These survivors were largely (largely but not entirely) farmers and people who in today's term would be called 'the working class'. They fled and took refuge in certain 'pockets' of Northern Iraq (later referred to as 'principalities').
Being inherently cultured and instinctively courageous, these Assyrians went on to build another world---a world of their own. Here, let me point to a significant fact relevant to what I am talking about. And that is, though Assyria was conquered and the Empire ended, the influence of Assyrians outside Assyria did not die away. One eminent Assyriologist says 'Though the Assyrian Empire fell, the "imperial influence" of the Assyrians was still alive'.
As I have just said the surviving Assyrians fled and took refuge and settled in certain parts of Northern Iraq. One or two years later (most probably in 610 BC), they established a new kingdom, principality, which they called 'Osroene' in that part of Iraq. The name 'Osroene' comes from the word 'Osra' which in Assyrian/Aramaic means 'Ten' - referring to the 'group of ten men/leaders' who set up the principality in question.
The city of 'Urhai' (which in Aramaic means 'City of Light' and in the West is known as Edessa) was part of the 'newly established kingdom' and was also the capital. It was the main cultural and intellectual centre of the Assyrians ---- famous for its schools and scholars. Though the most well known cultural city, Edessa was not the only such place; there were several other cities and principalities noted for their academic and intellectual contributions.
Indeed, Assyrians continued to contribute to the world. The decline of their Empire could not prevent them from continuing their contributions to their fellow human beings and to the civilization of other countries. Persians and Greeks, for their civilizations, owe a great deal to Assyrian culture and civilization. Mesopotamia is known as 'The Cradle of Civilization' of the world'.
Assyrian scholars translated most of the Greek philosophical works into Assyriac Aramaic, and then from Assyriac (in the West, 'Syriac') into Arabic. The science of astronomy began with Assyrians and Babylonians. The first people who made use of iron/steel were Assyrians. The first people who made use of asphalt (smoothened the roads with asphalt) were the Assyrians. It was Assyrians who 'invented' the longitudes and latitudes for global navigation. And of course the division of the circle into '360 degrees' was conceptualised by the Assyrians. Many Assyriologists believe that a large number of Greek eminent scholars even some of their philosophers were taught by Assyrian philosophers and scholars. Furthermore, the treasure of Aramaic language for centuries became the 'source' for the development of many languages including Arabic and Hebrew; in fact, Hebrew and Arabic emerged from Aramaic. This blesed language, Aramaic, also enriched, philologically, Greek language. (The two languages are not from the same liguistic family.)
However, after the fall of Assyrian Empire the 'unkindly world' never wanted to know about Assyrians let alone about their contributions. And let this 'unkindly world' know (in case she does not know) that the first university in the world was established by the Assyrians in the well-known academic and cultural city of Nisibis (at the time part of Persia, now part of Turkey), not far from the famous city of Edessa which today is called Urfa.
The city of Nisibis began to flourish intellectually and culturally as the city of Edessa (Urhai) began to slide down in terms of fame and influence. The gradual diminution in educational prestige, and in scholastic status that was taking place in Edessa was giving rise to Nisibis' being the intellectual and also the academic centre. Furthermore, Nisibis was attracting to itself brilliant students and great scholars including many of the Edessan top learned men, particularly from the fields of theology, literature and science.
Let me stop being 'economical with the truth' with regard to the chief cause of the decline of the intellectual and cultural centrality of Edessa. It is thus: In 489 the over-zealous Roman Empire closed the celebrated college in Edessa established by Assyrians (more correctly, by The Assyrian Church of The East). Soon after, the Assyrians moved their educational institution and cultural centre to Nisibis, which was not in Roman territory (as Edessa was) but within the Persian Empire.
Nisibis tried to model itself on Edessa as far as schools and intellectual achievements were concerned; however, Nisibis adopted a more specialized route --- academic route. It did not take long for this educationally invigorating city, Nisibis, to establish an academically prestigeous college consisting of several departments, such as philosophy and logic, theology, science, mathematics and literature. It was the first university in the world. It attracted students and scholars not only from Middle-Eastern countries but also from some of the European and Asian countries.
But this was not the only university that Assyrians established. The Nisibis' university followed by a top school of science, and also a school of medicine within the compound of a first class (unique at the time) hospital. These were established in the city of Jundi-Shapoor in South-West Persia. The hospital in question was called 'Bimarestan', which in Persian language (Farsi) means 'hospital'. Bimarestan was a hospital and also the place to study and research into the field of medicine. This medical and research centre was certainly unique in the world. From different countries in different parts of the world students and scholars would come to do their medical research in the city of Jundi-Shapoor. And patients, including those suffering from 'incurable diseases', would come to Bimarestan for being cured/healed. And here let me say that Assyrians have a special acumen for medicine and for 'bringing about healing'. Even to this day the 'laying on of hand' is not uncommon among the Assyrians. They know well that the Healer is God, and only God. At the same time they believe in what the Lord Jesus said --- that we can 'heal one another' by being the channel of the Source of Healing'.
I am going to quote a distinguished Arab writer, Ibn Jundi Qifti, who (in his book, 'Tarikh-al-Hokama', Maktab-al-Muthana, Baghdad, Iraq, 1969, p.184) writes,
'They [the Assyrians] made rapid progress in science. They developed new methods
in the treatment of diseases along pharmacological lines, to the point that their
therapy judged superior to that of the Greeks and the Hindus. Furthermore these
physicians adopted the scientific methods of other peoples, and modified them by their own discoveries. They elaborated medical laws and recorded the work that had been developed.'
Incidentally, the Bimarestan in Jundi-Shapoor was run, administered, by the Bakhtishoo family, an Assyrian family; Bakhtishoo, himself, was a distinguished scholar. And it is also noteworthy to mention that later on in Cairo, Baghdad and in several other cities in the Middle-East (and I believe in some other parts of the world too) hospitals and medical research centres, all modelled on Bimarestan, were established.
The contribution of Assyrians, as a people, in spreading the Gospel is second to none. They went to the East and preached the message of Christ in every Asian country as far as Japan and the Pacific Islands. Millions and millions of people embraced Christianity and became followers of Christ. The Assyrian missionaries also in many of these countries built churches. And at the same time their Church, The Holy Apostolic Church of The East, which is the earliest, the first Christian church, was expanding rapidly. Yes indeed, the Assyrians were the first people to believe in Jesus Christ and to follow him. The beginning of interrelation of Assyrians and Jesus can be traced to the spiritually fascinating story of the correspondence between Lord Jesus and King Abgar (an Assyrian) of Edessa.
Now let me say a few words about the pains and sufferings of the Assyrians and some of the 'trials and tribulations' that they have been through for centuries. Indeed not many peoples have endured so much afflictions including indescribable persecutions throughout past centuries. And what about the indiscriminate killings of their men, women and children? What about the massacres of Assyrians that took place on several occasions and each time at a very high scale? Only on one occasion (horrific and brutal occasion) 750,000 (some say more than 800,000) innocent Assyrians were massacred together with their Armenian brothers and sisters, whose loss of lives was even higher than that of the Assyrians. These genocides were committed in 1915, and continued thereafter for some years. In fact, in less than a decade (perhaps in seven years or so) two-thirds of the total population of Assyrians were wiped out mostly by the barbaric forces of the Turks and also by the Kurds.
Only a 'fat book' of at least 800 pages can give a full account of the systematic persecutions of the Assyrians, the indiscriminate killings of the Assyrian people, the plunders and the destructions of their possessions and houses, including the burning down of their ancient churches. And what about the tragic exodus of the Assyrians (on two occasions in the 20th century), leaving behind everything that they had, running away from town to town even from country to country on foot (the countries in question are Iran, Turkey, Iraq and Russia) in order to find a refuge, a 'safer place'; but even while fleeing, these desperate homeless people, Assyrians, were continually under attack from their 'savage enemies'.
And what about the 'Semile Massacre' in August 1933? Unbelievable! Indescribable!
And the most painful aspect of all the horrific experiences that Assyrians went through was the fact that the world, including the so-called civilized world, had turned a blind eye to the whole thing; in fact they did not want to know what was happening. Why should they? As far as the world was (and to a large extent still is) concerned Assyrians were 'wiped out' from the face of the Earth in 612 BC, when their Empire declined; over three million people in the world, the Assyrians, are non-existent!
At present the Assyrians (nearly 3.5 million) live in different parts of the world. Despite all the sufferings, painful events and indescribable tragedies that for centuries they have been through, Assyrians have preserved their much-loved language, Aramaic, and have kept their rich culture and have maintained their Christian values and principles. And their ancient church (the first Christian church), 'The Holy Apostolic and Catholic Church of The East', which by the Grace of God is Alive and Vibrant ---- as it was on the Day that it was founded, in 33 AD, in Seluquia-Ctesiphon, Babylon.
Here (since the title of this essay is 'Assyrians After Assyria') I am going to quote some excerpts from an eight-page article written by Doctor Simo Parpola, an eminent Assyriologist, from the Helsinki University, Finland. This paper was presented at the 'Assyrian National Convention in Los Angeles', on September 4, 1999.
Doctor Parpola begins his paper thus,
"In 612 BC, after a prolonged civil war, Assyria's two former vassals, the Babylonians and the Medes, conquered and destroyed Nineveh, the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The great city went up in flames, never to regain its former status. Three years later the same rebels razed Assyria's Western metropolis, Harran, crushing the last-ditch resistance of Assyria's last King, Ashur-uballit II. This event sealed the fate of the Assyrian Empire, and that is where the story of Assyria usually ends in history books.
What happened to the Assyrians after the fall of Assyria? ...
It is true that some of the great cities of Assyria were utterly destroyed and looted -- archaeology confirms this --, some deportations were certainly carried out, and a good part of the Assyrian aristocracy was probably massacred by the conquerors. However, Assyria was a vast and densely populated country, and outside the few destroyed urban centres life went on as usual. This is proved by a recently discovered post-imperial archive from the Assyrian provincial capital Dur-Katlimmu, on the Chabur River, which contains business documents drawn up in Assyrian cuneiform more than a decade after the fall of Nineveh.
In any case, they unequivocally prove the survival of many Assyrians after the empire and the continuity of Assyrian identity, religion and culture in post-empire times. Many of these names contain the divine name Ashur, and some of the individuals concerned occupied quite high positions: one Pan-Ashur-lumur was the secretary of the crown prince Cambyses under Cyrus II in 530 BC."
Dr Parpola then goes on dealing with the aftermath of the decline of Assyrian Empire, and he then analyses the consequences mainly in a cultural context. He arrives at the conclusion that though the Empire had gone, the 'imperial power' had not disappeared; although Assyrians had no control of the Empire, the Assyrian Empire continued to exist. This all sounds paradoxical, yet, when carefully listened to, they become clearer and more meaningful. Let us listen to Professer Parpola. He says,
"On the whole, however, the old structures of the Empire prevailed or in the long run gained the upper hand. Cuneiform writing (now in its Babylonian, Elamite and Old Persian forms) continued to be used for monumental inscriptions. Aramaic retained the status of imperial lingua franca, which it had attained under the Assyrian Empire. ...
... The Assyrian calendar and month names remained in use in the whole Near East, as they still do today. So did other imperial standards and measures, the taxation and conscription system, royal ideology in general, the symbolism of imperial art, organization of the court, court ceremony, diplomatic practices, and so on. The continuity of Assyrian imperial culture was certainly aided by the fact that the Babylonians and Medes had for centuries been vassals of Assyria, while the Persians ...
... Thus, the Assyrian Empire continued to live on despite the fact that the Assyrians themselves were no longer in control of it. However, they still contributed to its government and expansion. From an analysis of the inscriptions of Nabonidus we know that this Babylonian king employed scribes who had been trained in Assyria and were familiar with its literary traditions;"
Then the author of the article "Assyrians after Assyria" turns to the 'Aramaization of Assyria'. But he finds it necessary first to clear up some linguistic ambiguities, which I call 'philological mess' (and in my opinion created mainly by the Greeks). He says,
"... the adjective Syros is used both in a historical sense referring to inhabitants of the Assyrian Empire and as an ethno-linguistic designation referring to speakers of Aramaic who identified themselves as Assyrians. ... The name Syria now became established for the Roman province, while Assyria was reserved for the Transtigridian Aturia/Adiabene and by and by for ancient Assyria as well. It is likely that this distinction reflects linguistic realities, the Aramaic words for Assyria having lost the initial syllable in the west but retained it in the eastern dialects.
To sum up the long discussion: whatever their later meanings, in Greek and Latin usage, Syria and Assyria originally both referred to the Assyrian Empire, while speakers of Aramaic were identified as Assyrians and the script they used as Assyrian script. How, when and why did this intrinsic association of Assyria and Assyrians with Arameans and Aramaic come about?
The Empire extended beyond the Euphrates already in the 12th century BC and from that point on Arameans constituted the majority of its population. In the 9th century BC, Assyrian kings initiated an active policy of assimilation and integration, the goal of which was to put a definite end to the endless revolts that had vexed the Empire in the past. The results of this new policy were soon to be seen. ...
... At this time Aramaic was already spoken all over the Empire, and Assyrian imperial culture had been dominant everywhere for centuries.
The Aramaization of Assyria was calculated policy aimed at creating national unity and identity of a kind that could never have been achieved, had the Empire remained a loose conglomeration of a plethora of different nations and languages. And it did pay off. Even though Akkadian retained its position as the language of the ruling elite and cuneiform script continued to be used for prestige purposes, Aramaic soon became part and parcel of the imperial administration too. It was by no means the language of subjected peoples only but fully equal with Akkadian, and eventually it became the language of the ruling class as well.
... It can be considered certain that by the end of the seventh century BC, Aramaic language and imperial culture had become essential parts of Assyrian identity. While Aramaic was the unifying language of the Empire, it was not spoken outside of it. The same also applies to the imperial culture and religion. While local gods continued to be worshipped in different parts of the Empire, the whole Empire shared the belief in a single omnipotent god and his earthly representative, the Assyrian king."
At this point Professor Parpola considers Greek and Assyrian cultures, and he does talk about them briefly and in a comparative manner. He says,
"It goes without saying that in the centuries following Assyria's fall, Assyrian imperial culture underwent significant changes. This is but natural; ... The essential thing is that the Assyrians still preserve their ethnic, cultural and linguistic identity in spite of their loss of political power and the heavy persecutions they have experienced especially in the Christian Era.
Not even the thousand years of Greek rule under the Seleucids, Romans and Byzantium were able to annihilate Aramaic as a language and Assyrian cultural identity from the Near East. ...
Several writers and philosophers of late antiquity born in Roman Syria identify themselves as Assyrians in their writings, ...
All these self-professed Assyrians were well versed in Greek culture but at the same time perfectly aware of the greater antiquity and value of their own cultural heritage. The second-century Church Father Tatian, in his Oratio adversus Graecos, describes himself as "he who philosophises in the manner of barbarians, born in the land of the Assyrioi, first educated on your principles, secondly in what I now profess," and then goes on to reject Greek culture as not worth having.
... Yet how could such traditions not have persisted, when we know that Greeks and Romans from Plato till late antiquity kept learning spirituality and science from the Assyrians and Babylonians?"
Doctor Parpola now comes to the area of 'Assyrians and Christianity'. Here I have to say a few words on this subject matter, and then I will let the Professor to resume.
Assyrians were the first people who believed in Jesus Christ. And Jesus' closest followers and associates were Assyrians. And above all, while Jesus was on Earth Assyrians were making the preparations for establishing the first Christian church. Thus, shortly after the Resurrection followed by the Ascenssion of The Lord the Church of Babylon (which later was called 'The Ancient Apostolic Church of the East', and today mostly is referred to as The Assyrian Church of the East) was founded.
Many people including some scholars have come up with a linguistically-related answer to the question 'Why the Assyrians, as a people, so readily accepted Jesus as their Saviour and why with such eagerness they embraced Chrstianity and then their missionaries under the 'umbrela' of their Church, The Church of The East', went on to preach the gospel to a large number of peoples and nations of the world?' They say, Jesus spoke in Assyrians' language, Aramaic; therefore Assyrians better than any other people or community understood the Lord's teaching, hence, they were also able to have a better insight into His words and parables and so on. However, Professor Parpola (whether somewhat in agreement with this theory or not) has his own view on this matter. He says,
"Since Late Antiquity, Christianity in its Syriac elaboration has constituted an essential part of Assyrian identity. As I have tried to show elsewhere, conversion to Christianity was easy for the Assyrians, for many of the teachings of the early Church were consonant with the tenets of Assyrian imperial religion. In fact, it can be argued that many features and dogmas of early Christianity were based on practices and ideas already central to Assyrian imperial ideology and religion. Such features include the central role of asceticism in Syriac Christianity, the cult of the Mother of the god, the Holy Virgin, and belief in God the Father, his Son and the Holy Spirit, formalized in the doctrine of the Trinity of God.
The Trinitarian doctrine enters Christian theology only in the third century AD. As late as in AD 260, Pope Dionysios of Rome could still be shocked by the idea of three hypostases proposed by Origen. Where did Origen get his ideas from? His teacher was Clement of Alexandria, who in his turn had been taught by an Assyrian, Tatian. We do not know exactly what part of Assyria/Syria Tatian came from, but we do know that he was an Assyrian and as such part of a religious tradition in which Trinitarian ideas had been current for centuries. I would submit there is a great likelihood that he is the ultimate source of Origen's Trinity."
In winding up his scholarly article, Doctor Parpola speaks of a long-term project, Assyria Centre, set up by Helsinki University, to study and research into Assyrian cultural heritage with the support of Assyrian institutions in different parts of the world; the main aim of such a project is, as he puts it, 'to help modern Assyrians in their struggle for a better future.' I say, very interesting indeed! Therefore, let us listen to this 'caring Assyriologist' describing this project within the context of his concluding and encouraging remarks. He says,
"To make this possible, the State Archives of Assyria Centre of Excellence of the University of Helsinki has initiated a long-term project called MELAMMU, "divine splendour," which aims at systematically documenting the continuity and transformation of Assyrian culture and ethnic identity in post-empire times until the present day. A central objective of MELAMMU is to create an electronic database bringing together all the relevant evidence and make it available worldwide on the Internet. The project has an international steering committee and a board of consultants representing several different branches of study, from Assyriology to classical, Iranian and religious studies. With the support of Assyrian institutions in the United States and Sweden, we hope to have the database ready and operational within a few years.
I am convinced that, once completed, MELAMMU will not only greatly boost research in Assyrian and Babylonian cultural heritage but also significantly help modern Assyrians in their struggle for a brighter future. I particularly hope that MELAMMU will become a source of inspiration for young computer-generation Assyrians and inspire them to work for the future of their nation. For they have plenty of reasons to do so with pride. They are descendants of a great nation which has given much to the culture of mankind and spread Christianity farther than any other people in antiquity."
Not long ago I came across an article under the heading 'Department of Assyriology' (of Helsinki University), whose chair is Professor Parpola. The last paragraph under sub-heading, 'Scientific Goals' reads:
"In the coming years, Assyria's intellectual heritage in classical antiquity, including the survival of Assyrian national identity and culture in post-empire times, will become a major focus of the Project's research program. At the same time, the Project will intensify its efforts to disseminate the latest research results not only to the scholarly world but to the general public as well. This will involve increased use of the Internet as a medium for making Assyrian sources available in English translation worldwide.
... Other major research goals of the Project include compilation of an English-Assyrian-English pocket dictionary, completion of the Prosopography project, and creation of a geographical database and a detailed historical map of the Assyrian Empire, to be made available both in electronic and printed form."