before Genghis Khan swept the steppe,

在蒙古大汗成吉思汗橫掃西伯利亞大草原前

before Rome extended its influence to encircle the Mediterranean Sea,

在羅馬帝國將其影響力拓展至地中海沿岸前

there was ancient Assyria.

這裡有個古老的亞述帝國

Considered by historians to be the first true empire,

歷史學家認為亞述帝國是第一個真正的帝國

Assyria's innovations laid the groundwork for every superpower that's followed.

亞述帝國的創新為後續所有強權大國建立基礎

At its height, in the 7th century BCE,

在公元前 7 世紀，正是亞述帝國的巔峰時期

the Assyrian Empire stretched across modern Iraq,

亞述帝國領土範圍廣達現今的伊拉克

Syria,

敘利亞

Lebanon,

黎巴嫩

Israel,

以色列

and parts of Turkey,

還有一部分土耳其

Iran,

伊朗

and Egypt.

跟埃及

Its wonders included a vast library and large botanical and zoological park.

亞述帝國內的奇觀包括一座巨大圖書館、大型的動植物公園

But the story of Assyria's rise to dominance began many centuries earlier,

但亞述帝國崛起成為主宰的故事在好幾世紀以前就開始了

in the Late Bronze Age, in a city called Ashur.

在青銅器時代晚期，在亞述古城阿舒爾內開始興起

Ashur was a tin and textiles trading center

阿舒爾是個錫與紡織品的貿易中心

located along the Tigris River in northern Iraq.

座落於北伊拉克的底格里斯河邊

It shared its name with a god thought to be an embodiment of the city

阿舒爾同時也是神的名字，祂被視為這座城市的化身

and later of the entire empire.

後來更是整個帝國的化身

For the administration-minded Assyrians, politics and religion were closely linked.

對善於管理的亞述人來說，政治與宗教是密切相關的

Around 1300 BCE, a high priest named Ashur-uballit I took the title of king

大約公元前 1300 年，一位名為阿舒爾·烏巴里特一世的大祭司取得王位

and initiated a tradition of military campaigns,

並開始了軍事戰役的傳統

effectively transforming Assyria from a city-state to a territorial state.

有效地將亞述帝國從城市國家轉變為領土國家

This meant that a single administrative entity

這意味著，從單一個行政實體

oversaw many places, cultures, and peoples.

來監督許多地方、文化與民族

For the next 150 years, Assyria extended its reach and thrived.

往後的 150 年，亞述帝國不斷向外拓展、繁榮興盛

In the 12th century BCE,

在公元前 12 世紀

a mysterious catastrophe that still bewilders archaeologists

一場至今仍讓考古學家感到迷惑的神秘大災難

caused the Assyrians to lose much of their territory.

使得亞述帝國失去他們大部分的領土

A few hundred years later, however,

然而，幾百年後

Assyrian kings began a new round of conquests.

亞述國王又開始了新一波的征戰

This time, they honed their administrative system

這一次，他們的行政體系已經過磨練

into an empire that would last generations.

讓他們能夠成為統治好幾個世代的帝國

Assyrians were military innovators and merciless conquerors.

亞述人是軍事的創新者，也是無情的征服者

During their conquests,

在他們的征戰過程

they used siege tactics and cruel punishments for those who opposed them,

他們使用圍攻戰略，並對反抗他們的人施以殘酷的懲罰

including impalement and flaying.

包括刺刑跟剝皮刑

The growth of their empire was due, in part,

亞述帝國的成長，有部分是因為

to their strategy of deporting local populations,

他們有一個策略是將當地人口驅逐

then shifting them around the empire to fulfill different needs.

然後根據不同的需求，將他們轉移到帝國其他地方

This broke peoples' bonds with their homelands

這個作法破壞人民與其家園的聯繫

and severed loyalties among local groups.

並切斷地方團體之間的忠誠

Once the Assyrians conquered an area,

一旦亞述人征服了一個地區

they built cities connected by well-maintained royal roads.

他們便建立一個城市，並以善加維護的皇家道路連結

Often, when a new king came to power, he would build a new capital.

通常，當一個新國王上位時，他會興建一座新的首都

With each move, new palaces and temples were erected and lavishly decorated.

每一次遷都，新的宮殿與寺廟都會興建起來，並極其奢華地裝飾

Although kings claimed absolute power,

雖然國王擁有絕對權力

we know that an extensive system of courtiers,

我們也知道有另外延伸的體系，即朝臣

provincial officials,

地方官員

and scholars influenced affairs.

與學者能夠影響事務

At least one woman, Sammuramat, ruled the kingdom.

亞述帝國歷史上至少有一個女性統治者，薩穆．拉瑪特

Assyrian rulers celebrated their military excursions

亞述統治者祝賀他們軍隊遠征的方式

by having representations of their exploits

是透過將他們代表性的功績

carved into the walls of their newly built palaces.

雕刻在新建成的宮殿牆上

But despite the picture of a ruthless war state projected by these records,

但儘管這些記錄圖像反映出殘忍的戰爭國家的模樣

the Assyrian kings were also interested in the cultural traditions of the region,

亞述國王也對地方傳統文化感興趣

especially those of Babylonia, a separate state to the south.

特別是巴比倫尼亞，一個南方的獨立國家

Babylonia had been a cultural leader for millennia,

巴比倫尼亞數千年來都是文化的領頭羊

stretching back to the beginning of writing

最早可追溯至寫作的起源

at the end of the 4th millennium BCE.

約略公元前 4 千年晚期

Assyria saw itself as the inheritor and protector of this tradition.

亞述帝國將自己視為此一傳統的繼承者與保護者

Assyrian rulers supported scholars

亞述統治者相當支持學者

in specialties ranging from medicine to magic,

專業領域從醫學到巫術都有

and the capital cities, like Ninevah,

而且首都城市，像尼尼微

were home to elaborate parks and gardens

就建有精心設計的公園與花園

that housed plants and animals from around the empire.

收藏來自帝國各處的植物與動物

One of Assyria's final rulers, Ashurbanipal,

亞述帝國最後的統治者之一，亞述巴尼拔

sent scholars throughout Babylonia to gather up and copy ancient literary works.

將學者派至巴比倫尼亞各地，蒐集與抄寫古老文學著作

Ashurbanipal's library took the form of clay tablets

亞述巴尼拔的圖書館收藏的著作形式為泥土刻寫板

inscribed with cuneiform in the languages of Akkadian and Sumerian.

用阿卡德語跟蘇美語的楔形文字刻寫而成

The library was lost during the final sack of Ninevah in 612 BCE.

在公元前 612 年，尼尼微的最後一次劫掠中，圖書館的許多著作遺失了

But thanks to a 19th century archaeological excavation,

但幸好 19 世紀的一次考古挖掘中

many masterpieces of ancient literature,

許多古老文學的傑作

including the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Babylonian Creation Epic,

包括吉爾伽美什的史詩，還有巴比倫尼亞的創建史詩

survive today.

都被挖掘出來並保存至今

After centuries of rule,

在數世紀的統治後，

the Assyrian Empire fell to the Babylonians and Medes between 612 and 609 BCE.

公元前 612 到 609 年間，亞述帝國落入巴比倫尼亞人與米底亞人手裡

Yet the innovations that the Assyrians  pioneered live on.

然而亞述人開拓性的創新模式仍被保存下來

Their emphasis on constant innovation,

他們強調時常的創新

efficient administration,

有效率的行政

and excellent infrastructure

還有出色的基礎建設

set the standard for every empire that's followed them in the region and across the globe.

為後續在此地區以及全球各地興起的帝國設立了標準