Silver, Tribute, and the Fall of Assyria
In Silver, Tribute, and the Fall of Assyria, archaeologist and historian Richard Miles explains the economic relationship between the Phoenicians and the Assyrians. As the Assyrians demanded more and more tribute from the Phoenicians, the Phoenicians were forced to the sea to bring back silver. Eventually, they brought so much silver that there was a surplus which destabilized the economy. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Ancient Worlds, an epic series with archaeologist and historian Richard Miles as he explores the roots of civilization from Mesopotamia to the fall of the Roman Empire.
Lesson Express
Q: What demands did the Assyrians make of the Phoenicians? How did the Phoenicians meet the demands?
A: The Assyrians demanded increasingly higher tribute from the Phoenicians, including nearly five tons of gold annually. The Phoenicians expanded westward in their boats, reaching new markets and resources in places like Malta, Sardinia, North Africa, and southern Spain, where they discovered a massive silver mine.
Q: What happened when the Assyrians demanded more silver?
A: The Phoenicians supplied so much silver that it caused a surplus in Assyrian cities like Nineveh, collapsing silver prices and reducing the need for Phoenician traders, leading to tighter Assyrian control over Phoenician ports.
Q: What finally happened to the Assyrian Empire?
A: Around 630BC, an alliance of the Medes and Babylonian kings defeated the Assyrians, leading to the empire's collapse.