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Queens of Assyria
The period between ca. 934-609 BCE is called the Neo-Assyrian or the Assyrian Imperial Period. The kings of Assyria who lived during this period are very well known but the queens are not known as well. On these pages is information on the Assyrian queens’ position, their titles and activities during the Neo-Assyrian Period. Our knowledge of the queens comes from textual as well as archaeological sources. During the 1988-1989 excavation season at Nimrud the queens’ tombs were found at the North-West Palace. These tombs included jewellery and objects of three Assyrian queens, although ten Assyrian queens are known from this period. It is known that the Assyrian queens lived in the harem at the palace. They played an active role in the social, economic, religious and political life of Assyria. Some of them were very wealthy and had their own army under their command. They supported their husbands and sons as wife or mother. According to the sources, most of the Assyrian queens were not native of Assyria. They came from a foreign country via marriage, to the Assyrian palace. They had the title “woman of palace” as Sumerian Mĺ.É.GAL (Akkadian sēgallu). The figure of the scorpion which appears on the texts, seals and the other archaeological evidences was identified with the queenship.
