An ancient empire may have collapsed due to climate change

New research suggests that it was climate change that caused the Neo-Assyrian empire, a superpower in the near-east, to exist for nearly 300 years, wither in the 7th century BC.

The Neo-Assyrian empire emerged around 912 BC and developed in an area that stretched from the Mediterranean to Egypt and out to the Persian Gulf, according to the Guardian.

However, shortly after the death of King Ashurbanipal around 630 BC, the empire began to collapse. By the end of the 7th century BC, this empire completely withered.

Scientists now think that the end of Neo-Assyria coincides with the time when the climate changes from wet to dry . This is an important factor because Neo-Assyrian life depends largely on cultivation.

Lake Nasser in Dakka, Egypt, which was once the territory of the Neo-Assyrian empire.(Photo: Alamy).

"For nearly two centuries, abundant rainfall and high agricultural yields have driven urbanization but are unsustainable as the climate changes, turning to drought in the 7th century BC , " the researchers said. Writing studies in research.

In other words, apart from civil war and failure in battle, climate change is a fundamental cause of economic stagnation, exacerbating political unrest and conflict in Neo-Assyria.

Professor Nicholas Postgate, an Assyrian expert from Cambridge University, supported the results of the study."We do not have a better explanation for what happened to the Assyrian empire during that time," he said.

Professor James Baldini, a stalagmite analyst, said history could contain important lessons for the present, because fossil fuel use is leading to climate change.

"Recent research has identified a severe drought as the underlying cause of the civil war in Syria. Migration out of sub-Saharan Africa is also due to drought."

"Hopefully we can learn from history and overcome the challenges of climate change more effectively than previous civilizations," the professor said.

1. Dust can also cause a mighty empire to collapse