Geographic Core (“Assyrian Heartland”)

• Located in Northern Mesopotamia along the Tigris River.
• Anchored by three major cities forming a triangle:
  • Aššur (south) – the religious capital.
  • Nimrud / Kalhu (center) – political and administrative capital in the 9th century BCE.
  • Nineveh (north) – later imperial capital and largest city.

Natural Borders

• West: Euphrates River and Syrian steppes.
• North: Taurus Mountains (modern Turkey).
• East: Zagros Mountains (Iran).
• South: Babylonia and the alluvial plains.

These natural borders shaped Assyria’s expansion routes.