Ashur-dan III

Ashur -dan (also Aschschur - dan, Assur- dan III. ) Was from 772 BC to 755 BC King of the Assyrian Empire.

Ashur -dan was the son of Adad - nirari III. and followed his brother Shalmaneser IV on the throne. His reign ( as also that of his successor and brother Ashur nirari V. ) was limited by the influence of powerful nobles, especially the Commander of the Army, Samsi - ilu. According to the chronicles, he remained 768 and 764 " in the country", so took no campaigns, what is considered an indication of internal political difficulties. His campaigns in central Syria and Babylonia failed. In the ninth year of his reign, the outbreak of an epidemic falls, followed by a rebellion in his own country ( between 763-758 ), which lasted about four years. There were revolts in Ashur, Arrapcha ( Kirkuk ) and Guzana (Tell Halaf ). At the end of the rebellion was invading another disease Assyria.

In the government Ashur -dans III. falls also the eclipse of June 15, 763 BC, which was held in a Eponymenliste and which is used as a fixed point for the ancient Near Eastern chronology.