Reds0xfan at 23:12, 16 September 2006

2006-09-16T23:12:20Z

New page

[[Image:Tilglath_pileser_iii.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Tiglath-Pileser III — [[stela]] from the walls of his palace ([[British Museum]], [[London]])]]

'''Tiglath-Pileser III''' (Akkadian: '''Tukultī-Apil-Ešarra''') was a prominent king of [[Assyria]] in the 8th century BC (ruled 745-727 BC) and is widely regarded as the founder of the [[Neo-Assyrian Empire]]. He is considered one of the most successful military commanders in world history, conquering most of the world known to the ancient [[Assyrians]] before his death.

== Etymology ==
The name '''''Tiglath-Pileser''''' was a throne-name; that is, one given to the king on his accession to the throne, rather than a name given at birth. In translation, it means "My Trust is the Heir of Ešarra". It is given in several different forms in historical records. The [[Bible]] records him as ''Tillegath-pilneser'' ([[Books of Chronicles|2 Chronicles]] 28:20) and the much-abbreviated ''Pul'' (1 Chronicles 5:26 and [[2 Kings]] 15:19,20). This latter resembles the name he took for his coronation as King of Babylon, ''Pulu''.

== Origins ==
The king's origins are unknown, but it is believed he may have been a usurper who assumed the name of a more legitimate predecessor. The Assyrian kingdom had seriously weakened after the death of [[Shalmaneser III]] (859 - 824 BC). He may, however, have been a younger son of Adad-nirari III, whose son he calls himself in his inscriptions or related in some other way to his predecessors - perhaps even a son of his predecessor Ashur-nirari V.

== Reign ==
Under the rule of Tiglath-Pileser, Assyrian power in the [[Near East]] greatly increased as the result of his campaigns of conquest. Soon after becoming king, he defeated [[Urartu]] (in modern Armenia), who had extended to northern Mesopotamia and Syria. He then took [[Arpad]] after three years of siege, and led several campaigns to the west. Assyrian inscriptions record, in the fifth year of his reign (739 BC), a victory over Azariah ([[Uzziah]]), king of [[Kingdom of Judah]], whose achievements are described in 2 Chronicles 26:6-15. In 733 BC his armies conquered [[Philistia]] on the [[Mediterranean]] coast, destroyed [[Damascus]] and occupied most of the [[Kingdom of Israel]], with its northern regions becoming Assyrian provinces. Many of the inhabitants were impaled or deported to other parts of the Assyrian empire.

== Chronicles ==
These events were recorded in the Bible, which describes how Tiglath-Pileser III defeated [[Pekah]], king of [[Kingdom of Israel]], and [[Rezin]], king of the [[Arameans]], who had allied against him. He executed Rezin, and Pekah was murdered by [[Hoshea]], who took control of the rump Israelite kingdom as a vassal paying tribute to the Assyrians. (2 Kings 15:29; 16:5-9; 1 Chronicles 5:6, 26) [[Ahaz]] (known to the Assyrians as Yahu-khazi), the king of [[Judah]], was also forced to pay tribute to the Assyrian conqueror (2 Kings 16:10-16).

In October 729 BCE, the Assyrian king Tiglath took Babylon and established the Assyrian rulership over Babylonia, becoming king of Babylon, under the name of [[Pulu]].

== Legacy ==
Tiglath-Pileser III's conquests paved the way for the establishment of the [[Second Assyrian Empire]]. He built a royal palace in [[Nimrud]] (the so-called "central palace") which would later be dismantled by [[Esarhaddon]]. On the sculptured slabs decorating his palace, across the bas-reliefs depicting his military achievements, he had engraved his royal annals.

On his death, he was succeeded by his son Ululayu, who took the name [[Shalmaneser V]].

[[Category:Old Testament Characters]]

Tiglath-Pilasser III - Revision history

Reds0xfan at 23:12, 16 September 2006