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# How Assyria Used Religion to Become a Superpower
- URL: https://www.assyriapost.com/how-assyria-used-religion-to-become-a-superpower/
- Published: 2026-02-10T20:42:25.000Z
- Updated: 2026-02-10T20:42:25.000Z
- Description: The Neo-Assyrian Empire became the largest empire in the known world in the 9th century BCE, through a system of divine kingship and state propaganda.
- Author: The Assyria Post
- Tags: Curated stories

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The reign of Tukulti-Ninurta I was a hallmark of what was to come in the arsenal of Neo-Assyrian subjugation. Before his war with Babylon, Tukulti-Ninurta I presented himself as the king who would restore the will of the gods, thereby justifying his attack. The relationship between the Assyrian ruler and the Assyrian pantheon had been notable since the start of the Old Assyrian period, when the leader was given the title “governor on behalf of Assur.”  
  
By the height of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, the king was essentially the mouthpiece of the gods, acting as their representative on earth. The Assyrians had adopted the ancient concept of divine kingship from the Sumerians and Akkadians, and it is constantly emphasized in art and inscriptions from that time."

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[How Ancient Assyria Used Religion to Become a Superpower | TheCollectorThe Neo-Assyrian Empire became the largest empire in the known world in the 9th century BCE, through a system of divine kingship and state propaganda.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5d/f5/5df5a6c1-1f57-4975-951e-ddd33d31dec7/content/images/icon/apple-icon-12c2fa.png)TheCollectorHeather Reilly![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/5d/f5/5df5a6c1-1f57-4975-951e-ddd33d31dec7/content/images/thumbnail/how-ancient-assyria-used-religion.jpg)](https://www.thecollector.com/how-ancient-assyria-used-religion/?ref=assyriapost.com)