Ashur-nirari V facts for kids

Ashur-nirari V (Neo-Assyrian cuneiform:  Aššur-nārāri, meaning "Ashur is my help") was a king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. He ruled from 755 BC until his death in 745 BC. Ashur-nirari was the son of Adad-nirari III. He became king after his brother, Ashur-dan III.

His time as king was a period of decline for Assyria. Not many records from his reign have survived. This means we don't know much about what happened during his rule. During this time, important officials in Assyria became very powerful. They sometimes acted almost like kings themselves. Also, Assyria's enemies grew stronger and more dangerous. Ashur-nirari V did not lead many military campaigns. This might suggest there were problems inside Assyria. In 746 or 745 BC, there was a revolt in Nimrud, the capital city. Ashur-nirari was followed by Tiglath-Pileser III. It's not clear if Tiglath-Pileser was his son or brother. It's also not fully known how Tiglath-Pileser became king. Some believe he took the throne by force. Others think it might have been a smooth change.

Ashur-nirari's Rule

Ashur-nirari V became king of Assyria in 755 BC. He followed his brother, Ashur-dan III. His reign happened during a time when the Neo-Assyrian Empire was becoming weaker. The king's power was challenged by very strong officials. These officials started to write their own records. These records were about building projects and political events. This was something kings usually did. This shows how much power these officials had gained.

At the same time, Assyria's enemies became more powerful. For example, the northern Kingdom of Urartu was at its strongest during this period.

Records of His Reign

Most of what we know about Ashur-nirari V comes from later records. These include the Assyrian King List. This list tells us how long he ruled. There is also a list of eponyms. Eponyms were year names. They usually included an official's name and a big event.

A few records from his own time mention him. One is an inscription by Sarduri II of Urartu. Sarduri claimed he defeated Ashur-nirari in battle. A small part of a treaty also exists. This treaty was between Ashur-nirari and Mati'ilu, king of Arpad.

One record written during Ashur-nirari's rule also survives. It describes how he gave land and tax breaks to an official. This official, Marduk-sarra-usur, had fought bravely in a battle.

Military Campaigns

Based on the list of eponyms, Ashur-nirari's reign was not very active in war. Kings usually led military campaigns every year. But Ashur-nirari stayed "in the land" for most of his rule. This means he did not go on campaigns. This could be a sign of problems within Assyria.

He only campaigned in three years. In 755 BC, he fought against Arpad. In 748–747 BC, he campaigned against the city of Namri in Urartu. The treaty with Mati'ilu likely came from the end of the 755 BC campaign. This treaty mostly contains curses against Mati'ilu.

Most Assyrian kings also built many new structures. However, no building projects by Ashur-nirari V are known.

How He Was Succeeded

Ashur-nirari is thought to have died in 745 BC. This is the year his successor, Tiglath-Pileser III, became king. How Tiglath-Pileser came to power is not fully clear. Ancient records give different stories about his family.

The Assyrian King List says Tiglath-Pileser was Ashur-nirari V's son. But Tiglath-Pileser himself claimed to be the son of Adad-nirari III. This would make him Ashur-nirari's brother.

There are records of a revolt in Nimrud, the capital, in 746 or 745 BC. Also, Tiglath-Pileser's own writings say he became king because of a divine choice. He did not mention his royal family. Because of this, many historians believe he took the throne from Ashur-nirari by force.

However, some historians have suggested another idea. They think Tiglath-Pileser might have become king in a normal, legal way. He might even have been a co-ruler with Ashur-nirari for a short time. This idea comes from some unusual details in the records of year names. It also considers that the Assyrian King List says Ashur-nirari ruled for 10 years. If this is true, he would have died in 744 BC. But the Assyrian King List can sometimes have errors.