HST 319 Cultures of Imperial Power Discovers Ancient Assyria

09/10/2008

HST 319 Cultures of Imperial Power Discovers Ancient Assyria

This week HST 319 Cultures of Imperial Power travelled to the British Museum for a special guest lecture by Paul Collins of the British Museum on the sculptures and reliefs of ancient Assyria. Dr Collins talked about the early origins of the Assyrian Empire, the world’s first superpower, and the later problems which the Assyrians had controlling Iraq and Iran. Students could see the methods by which the Assyrians expanded their empire, in particular the reliefs demonstrating their military prowess (siege engines, ordered troops, advanced weaponry and tactic of ethnic cleansing). They also saw for themselves the role of culture, especially architecture and sculpture, in cementing imperial power.

Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/n/590.aspx