Final answer:
Assyrian power and wealth stemmed from a combination of successful military conquests, leveraging iron weaponry, and extracting tributes from conquered territories. Their sophisticated communication network and a military culture also bolstered their empire's control and expansion. Trade, both through tribute and independent merchants, provided additional resources and wealth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Assyrian Power and Wealth
The Assyrian Empire's power and wealth were primarily the result of war and the extraction of tributes from their conquered territories. Their military prowess was bolstered by the innovative use of iron weaponry, allowing them to equip their large standing army. The Assyrians were also involved in long-distance trade, particularly during the Old Assyrian period, facilitating the exchange of valuable goods such as copper, tin, and textiles for precious metals like silver and gold.
Furthermore, the Assyrians utilized a developed communication system with messengers and waystations, which was integral to maintaining control over their expansive empire. Their aggressive military campaigns were justified by their religious beliefs, with their patron god of war, Ashur, demanding subservience from other peoples and deities. The wealth gathered from conquests funded the state and its military, as well as the construction of luxurious palaces, reflecting the scale of their wealth and power.
Unlike the Phoenicians, the Assyrians formed a unified state which, through its focus on military and bureaucratic organization, became a dominating empire in the Iron Age. Despite their militaristic society, the Assyrians did engage in international trade and exercised a redistributive economic system, using tributes and taxes from various territories to sustain their empire.