2. Assyrian places

‘Assyrian places’ considers the exploration of key sites that provide insight into Assyria’s rediscovery since the mid-19th century. Firstly, it looks at the city where everything started—Aššur, at the southern edge of the core region—where the empire of the first millennium first came together. Aššur and Kalhu (which replaced Aššur as capital city) are two of Iraq’s most significant archaeological sites. A glimpse at the trading colony at Kaneš in Central Turkey serves to investigate Assyrian history of the early second millennium bc further afield, while Dur-Katlimmu, an important provincial centre in Syria, serves to emphasize the impact of Assyria’s expansion from the 13th century bc onwards.