The rise and fall of the Assyrian Empire - Marian H Feldman

Prevodilac: Ivana Krivokuća Lektor: Tijana Mihajlović

Before the sun never set on the British Empire,

Još pre nego što je nastala nepregledna Britanska imperija,

before Genghis Khan swept the steppe,

pre nego što je Džingis-kan zbrisao stepu,

before Rome extended its influence to encircle the Mediterranean Sea,

pre nego što je Rim proširio svoj uticaj tako da je okružio Sredozemno more,

there was ancient Assyria.

postojala je drevna Asirija.

Considered by historians to be the first true empire,

Istoričari smatraju Asiriju prvim pravim carstvom,

Assyria’s innovations laid the groundwork for every superpower that’s followed.

a njene inovacije su postavile temelje za svaku supersilu koja je usledila.

At its height, in the 7th century BCE,

Na svom vrhuncu, u sedmom veku pre nove ere,

the Assyrian Empire stretched across modern Iraq,

Asirsko carstvo se prostiralo preko celog sadašnjeg Iraka,

Syria,

Sirije,

Lebanon,

Libana,

Israel,

Izraela,

and parts of Turkey,

delova Turske,

Iran,

and Egypt.

Irana

i Egipta.

Its wonders included a vast library and large botanical and zoological park.

Njegova čudesa su ubrajala veliku biblioteku

i veliki botanički i zoološki park.

But the story of Assyria’s rise to dominance began many centuries earlier,

Ali, priča o asirskom sticanju dominantnog položaja

počela je mnogo vekova ranije,

in the Late Bronze Age, in a city called Ashur.

u kasnom bronzanom dobu, u gradu zvanom Ašur.

Ashur was a tin and textiles trading center

Ašur je bio centar trgovine kalajem i tekstilom,

located along the Tigris River in northern Iraq.

smešten duž reke Tigar u severnom Iraku.

It shared its name with a god thought to be an embodiment of the city

Delio je ime sa bogom koji se smatrao otelotvorenjem grada,

and later of the entire empire.

a kasnije i čitavog carstva.

For the administration-minded Assyrians, politics and religion were closely linked.

Za Asirce naklonjene administraciji, politika i religija bile su usko povezane.

Around 1300 BCE, a high priest named Ashur-uballit I took the title of king

Oko 1300. godine p.n.e, prvosveštenik po imenu Ašur-ubalit I

preuzeo je titulu kralja i pokrenuo tradiciju vojnih pohoda,

and initiated a tradition of military campaigns,

effectively transforming Assyria from a city-state to a territorial state.

čime je efikasno pretvorio Asiriju od grada-države u teritorijalnu državu.

This meant that a single administrative entity

To je značilo da je jedan administrativni entitet

oversaw many places, cultures, and peoples.

nadgledao više mesta, kultura i naroda.

For the next 150 years, Assyria extended its reach and thrived.

Tokom narednih 150 godina, Asirija je proširila svoj domašaj i razvila se.

In the 12th century BCE,

U 12. veku pre nove ere,

a mysterious catastrophe that still bewilders archaeologists

misteriozna katastrofa koja još uvek zbunjuje arheologe

caused the Assyrians to lose much of their territory.

dovela je do toga da Asirci izgube veliki deo teritorije.

A few hundred years later, however,

Međutim, nekoliko stotina godina kasnije,

Assyrian kings began a new round of conquests.

asirski kraljevi su započeli novi krug osvajanja.

This time, they honed their administrative system

Ovog puta su usavršili svoj administrativni sistem

into an empire that would last generations.

u carstvo koje će trajati generacijama.

Assyrians were military innovators and merciless conquerors.

Asirci su bili vojni inovatori i nemilosrdni osvajači.

During their conquests,

Tokom svojih osvajanja, koristili su taktike opsade

they used siege tactics and cruel punishments for those who opposed them,

i okrutne kazne za one koji su im se suprotstavljali,

including impalement and flaying.

uključujući nabijanje na kolac i deranje kože.

The growth of their empire was due, in part,

Za rast njihovog carstva delom je bila zaslužna

to their strategy of deporting local populations,

njihova strategija proterivanja lokalnog stanovništva,

then shifting them around the empire to fulfill different needs.

da bi ih zatim premeštali po carstvu radi ispunjavanja raznih potreba.

This broke peoples’ bonds with their homelands

To je presecalo vezu ljudi sa njihovim domovinama

and severed loyalties among local groups.

i raskidalo lojalnost među lokalnim grupama.

Once the Assyrians conquered an area,

Kada bi Asirijci osvojili neko područje,

they built cities connected by well-maintained royal roads.

izgradili bi gradove koji su bili povezani dobro održavanim kraljevskim putevima.

Often, when a new king came to power, he would build a new capital.

Kada bi novi kralj došao na vlast, često bi izgradio novu prestonicu.

With each move, new palaces and temples were erected and lavishly decorated.

Pri svakom premeštanju su podizane i bogato ukrašavane nove palate i hramovi.

Although kings claimed absolute power,

Iako su kraljevi polagali pravo na apsolutnu moć,

we know that an extensive system of courtiers,

znamo da je široki sistem dvorana,

provincial officials,

provincijalnih zvaničnika

and scholars influenced affairs.

i učenih ljudi uticao na stvari u državi.

At least one woman, Sammuramat, ruled the kingdom.

Najmanje jedna žena, Šamuramat, vladala je kraljevstvom.

Assyrian rulers celebrated their military excursions

Asirski vladari su slavili svoja vojna putovanja

by having representations of their exploits

tako što su predstavljali svoje podvige

carved into the walls of their newly built palaces.

urezivanjem u zidove novoizgrađenih palata.

But despite the picture of a ruthless war state projected by these records,

Ali, uprkos slici nemilosrdne ratne države koju nameću ovi zapisi,

the Assyrian kings were also interested in the cultural traditions of the region,

asirske kraljeve su takođe interesovale kulturalne tradicije regije,

especially those of Babylonia, a separate state to the south.

naročito Vavilonije, odvojene države ka jugu.

Babylonia had been a cultural leader for millennia,

Vavilonija je milenijumima bila kulturalni prevodnik,

stretching back to the beginning of writing

još od začetka pisanja

at the end of the 4th millennium BCE.

pri kraju četvrtog milenijuma p.n.e.

Assyria saw itself as the inheritor and protector of this tradition.

Asirija je u sebi videla naslednika i zaštitnika ove tradicije.

Assyrian rulers supported scholars

Asirski vladari su podržavali učenjake

in specialties ranging from medicine to magic,

u specijalnostima od medicine do magije,

and the capital cities, like Ninevah,

a glavni gradovi poput Ninive

were home to elaborate parks and gardens

bili su dom složenih parkova i vrtova

that housed plants and animals from around the empire.

u kojima su bile smeštene biljke i životinje iz svih krajeva carstva.

One of Assyria’s final rulers, Ashurbanipal,

Jedan od poslednjih asirskih vladara, Asurbanipal,

sent scholars throughout Babylonia to gather up and copy ancient literary works.

slao je učene ljude širom Vavilonije

da okupe i kopiraju stara književna dela.

Ashurbanipal’s library took the form of clay tablets

Asurbanipalova biblioteka razvila je oblik glinenih tablica

ispisanih klinastim pismom na akadskom i sumerskom jeziku.

inscribed with cuneiform in the languages of Akkadian and Sumerian.

The library was lost during the final sack of Ninevah in 612 BCE.

Biblioteka je izgubljena u poslednjoj pljački Ninive 612. godine p.n.e.

But thanks to a 19th century archaeological excavation,

Ali zahvaljujući arheološkim iskopavanjima iz 19. veka,

many masterpieces of ancient literature,

mnoga remek-dela stare književnosti,

including the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Babylonian Creation Epic,

uključujući Ep o Gilgamešu i vavilonski Ep o stvaranju sveta

survive today.

preživeli su do današnjeg dana.

After centuries of rule,

Nakon više vekova vladavine,

Asirsko carstvo je palo u ruke Vavilonaca i Medijaca

the Assyrian Empire fell to the Babylonians and Medes

between 612 and 609 BCE.

između 612. i 609. godine p.n.e.

Yet the innovations that the Assyrians  pioneered live on.

Ipak, novine koje su Asirijci razvili nastavljaju da žive.

Their emphasis on constant innovation,

Njihov naglasak na stalnoj inovaciji,

efficient administration,

efikasnoj administraciji

and excellent infrastructure

i izvrsnoj infrastrukturi

set the standard for every empire that’s followed them in the region

postavio je standard za svako carstvo koje je za njima usledilo u regionu

and across the globe.

i širom sveta.