Tiglath Pileser III (Pul)
Tiglath Pileser III (Pul) is seen here in this sculptured tablet from ancient Nimrud, the capital of ancient Assyria during his time. When Tiglath Pileser III ascended the throne of Assyria it was the beginning of the end for the northern kingdom of Israel. The Tiglath Pileser III tablet is an important discovery in Biblical Archaeology because it shows us a portrait of the Assyrian monarch who formed the Assyrian Empire and confirms the Biblical account.
"In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria." 2 Kings 15:29
Interesting Note: There is also an inscription of Tiglath Pileser that says: "Pekah their king they had overthrown, I placed Hoshea over them. From him I received 10 talents of gold and 1000 talents of silver." [This is an exact confirmation of the Biblical account in 2 Kings 15:30 "And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead" and 2 Kings 17:3 "Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents." Tiglath Pileser's inscriptions mention the names of 5 Hebrew kings: Uzziah, Ahaz, Menahem, Pekah and Hoshea. ]
Interesting Note: There is also an inscription of Tiglath Pileser that says: "The people of the land of Omri I deported to Assyria, with their property." [This also is an exact confirmation of the Biblical account. It says in 2 Kings 15:29 "In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria."]
Material - Plaster Tablet
Upper Fragment
Neo Assyrian
Date: 745-727 BC
Height: 3.5 feet
Width:
Depth:
Nimrud (ancient Calah), northern Iraq
Central Palace
Excavated by: Henry Layard 1845-1849
Location: British Museum, London
British Museum Excerpt
Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria (744-727 BC)
Tiglath-pileser III (Tukulti-apil-Esharra, 'my trust is the son of Esharra') came to the throne of Assyria in 745 BC following a revolt that may have been prompted by the threat of invasion from the north. It is unclear whether he was a member of the royal family, but his actual name was probably Pul when he adopted the throne name of Tukulti-apil-Esharra. This means, 'my support is the son of the god Esharra' and has been simplified by modern scholars to Tiglath-pileser.
The new king extended Assyrian control over much of Syria and, around 736 BC, he invaded Urartu, a powerful and expanding state to the north, leading his army into the heart of the enemy's capital on Lake Van.
The reorganisation of the administration in the region led to the growth of a true Assyrian empire with previously independent states like Damascus, which fell to Assyria in 732 BC, now ruled directly from Kalhu through governors. To the south of Assyria, the kingdom of Babylonia was also now ruled by Tiglath-pileser who had invaded in 729 BC on the pretext of maintaining peace in the region. Tigalth-pileser died in 727 BC and was succeeded by his son Shalmaneser V.