THE SCENE: Tremble before the fury of Assur-Nasir-Pal, the Assyrian king who liked nothing more than to boast about the atrocities he had committed.
THE TEXT: To Tila I drew near; a strong city with three forts facing each other: the soldiers to their strong forts and numerous army trusted and would not submit; my yoke they would not accept; then, with onset and attack I besieged the city; their fighting men with my weapons I destroyed; of their spoil, their riches, oxen and sheep, I made plunder; much booty I burned with fire; many soldiers I captured alive; of some I chopped off the hands and feet; of others the noses and ears I cut off; of many soldiers I destroyed the eyes; one pile of bodies while yet alive, and one of heads I reared up on the heights within their town; their heads in the midst I hoisted; their boys and their maidens I dishonored, the city I overthrew, razed and burned with fire.
– The Annals of Assur-Nasir-Pal, 9th Century BCE
