What race are Assyrians?

Assyrians comprise a distinct ethno-religious group in Iraq, although official Iraqi statistics consider them to be Arabs. Descendants of ancient Mesopotamian peoples, Assyrians speak Aramaic and belong to one of four churches: the Chaldean (Uniate), Nestorian, Jacobite or Syrian Orthodox, and the Syrian Catholic.

Is Assyrian an ethnic group?

Assyrian Christians — often simply referred to as Assyrians — are an ethnic minority group whose origins lie in the Assyrian Empire, a major power in the ancient Middle East. Most of the world's 2-4 million Assyrians live around their traditional homeland, which comprises parts of northern Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran.

Who are Assyrians descended from?

Assyrians started their immigration to the U.S. and Europe more than 100 years ago. The Assyrians of today number more than five million and are the direct descendants of the ancient Assyrian and Babylonian empires.

Are Assyrians Syrians?

The Assyrians were Semitic people who lived in what is now modern Syria and present-day Iraq before the Arabs came to live in Assyria. Assyria was the Akkadian kingdom which extended between the rivers Furat and Dajla.

Are Assyrians considered Arab?

Assyrians comprise a distinct ethno-religious group in Iraq, although official Iraqi statistics consider them to be Arabs. Descendants of ancient Mesopotamian peoples, Assyrians speak Aramaic and belong to one of four churches: the Chaldean (Uniate), Nestorian, Jacobite or Syrian Orthodox, and the Syrian Catholic.

Syria & Assyria: What's the Difference?



What country is Assyria now?

Assyria, kingdom of northern Mesopotamia that became the centre of one of the great empires of the ancient Middle East. It was located in what is now northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey.

What culture is Assyrian?

religion and culture

The Assyrian religion was heavily influenced by that of its Mesopotamian predecessors—mainly the Sumerian culture. The chief god of the Assyrians was Ashur, from whom both their culture and capital derive their names.

Who is modern day Assyria?

The Assyrians are the indigenous people of northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, southeastern Turkey, and eastern Syria. Today there are over 5 million Assyrians worldwide and they speak the Aramaic language, also known as Syriac. These peoples are also referred to as the Chaldeans, Aramaeans, and Syriacs.

What religion did the Assyrians believe in?

Assyrian Religion

Mesopotamian Religion was polytheistic, but regionally henotheistic. Although the religion had approximately 2,400 gods, some cities had special connections with one particular god and built temples that were considered the deity's home on earth.

Why are they called Assyrians?

In ancient times, the Assyrian civilization was often centered at the city of Assur (also called Ashur), named after the supreme god of Assyria and the ruins of the city are located in what is now northern Iraq.

What is the difference between Chaldean and Assyrian?

Chaldeans are also quite similar in their rites to the rest of the Assyrian Church, but one main difference is their affiliation with the Catholic Church and the Pope rather than with an Orthodox Patriarch or head of Church.

What were the Assyrians known for?

The Assyrians were perhaps most famous for their fearsome army. They were a warrior society where fighting was a part of life. It was how they survived. They were known throughout the land as cruel and ruthless warriors.

What did Assyrians invent?

Ancient Assyrians were inhabitants of one the world's earliest civilizations, Mesopotamia, which began to emerge around 3500 b.c. The Assyrians invented the world's first written language and the 360-degree circle, established Hammurabi's code of law, and are credited with many other military, artistic, and ...

Who did the Assyrians worship?

While the Assyrians worshiped many gods, they eventually focused on Ashur as their national deity. The Assyrians were very superstitious; they believed in genii who acted as guardians of cities, and they also had taboo days, during which certain things were off limits.

Who defeated the Assyrians?

At the end of the seventh century, the Assyrian empire collapsed under the assault of Babylonians from southern Mesopotamia and Medes, newcomers who were to establish a kingdom in Iran.

What nationality were the Babylonians?

Where Is Babylon? The city of Babylon was located about 50 miles south of Baghdad along the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq. It was founded around 2300 B.C. by the ancient Akkadian-speaking people of southern Mesopotamia.

Are Armenians and Assyrians the same?

Armenia's Assyrians are largely the descendants of Assyrians from the Urmia region of North-Western Iran who arrived in Armenia at the invitation of the Tsarist government following the Treaty of Turkmenchai in 1828.

What is the difference between Persian and Assyrian?

One of the major differences that stood out the most was that the Assyrians used a more brutal approach when conquering and the Persians used a more enlighten approach and were more tolerant. When comparing the two military systems, it is easy to see that the Assyrians were a more hostile group than the Persians.

When did Assyria become Persia?

By the 6th century BC, the Medes had built a large empire that included the Persians to the east and the Assyrians to the west. However, in 550 BC Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered the Medes, acquiring Assyria in the process, which the Median King Cyarxes had taken in about 612 BC.

What language did the ancient Assyrians speak?

Assyrians have used two languages throughout their history: ancient Assyrian (Akkadian), and Modern Assyrian (neo-Syriac). Akkadian was written with the cuneiform writing system, on clay tablets, and was in use from the beginning to about 750 B.C.

What race were Chaldeans?

Chaldeans are Aramaic-speaking people indigenous to Iraq. They have a history that spans more than 5,500 years, dating back to Mesopotamia, known as the cradle of civilization. The area encompasses present day Iraq.

What race are Chaldeans?

The original Chaldean tribe had long ago became Akkadianized, adopting Akkadian culture, religion, language and customs, blending into the majority native population, and eventually wholly disappearing as a distinct race of people, as had been the case with other preceding migrant peoples, such as the Amorites, ...