What is the historical significance of the Assyrian Empire?

The Assyrian Empire,
which existed in the Near East from approximately the 25th century BCE to its collapse around
600 BCE, was historically significant in part because it conquered Mesopotamia and much of the
Near East and spread its language, such as Aramaic, and culture throughout its empire. The
empire spread out from the city of Ashur, a trading center, and part of its significance came
from the sophistication of the banking system that was used in Ashur and that helped it grow in
wealth. In this system, independent investors put capital in the merchants' trade with Anatolia
for a return on the profits. 

Another reason the Assyrians were significant
is that their army was powerful. The army developed iron weapons from the Assyrian trade for raw
materials with Anatolia. The Assyrians were able to conquer neighboring tribes such as the
Mittani and Hittites and to establish order, law, and prosperity in these new territories with
their large bureaucracy. Under the period of Tiglath Pileser I (c. 1115-1076 BCE), the Assyrians
recovered from a period of stasis to go on to conquer new lands, build a new library and palace
in the capital city, establish laws known as the Middle Assyrian Laws, and construct fine
gardens. Tiglath Pileser emphasized the importance of literacy--a tradition later continued by
Ashurbanipal, who constructed a library at Nineveh with more than 30,000 cuneiform tablets. The
Assyrians also had many mathematical and scientific achievements, such as the invention of
longitude and latitude in navigation and the improvement of medical science. Their
architectural, scientific, and cultural achievements; military prowess; and laws contribute to
the Assyrians' historical significance, as does their longevity in the ancient
world.