Were Assyrian rulers the forefathers of today's CEOs?

American Friends of Tel Aviv University ^ | April, 2, 2008 | Unknown

[decimon]

Dr. Oded Lipschits, from Tel Aviv University’s Department of Archaeology, directs Ramat Rachel, an archaeological dig two miles from the Old City of Jerusalem. Until now archaeologists believed the site was a palace of an ancient Judean king, probably King Hezekiah, who built it around 700 BCE.

But evidence points to foreign rule, says Dr. Lipschits, who believes the site was likely an ancient local administrative center — a branch office — of Assyrian rulers. "They were wise rulers," he says, "using a good strategy for keeping control, stability and order in the region.”

As today's corporations know well, the strategy was all about location. Explains Lipschits, “Between 700 BCE to about 70 CE, Jerusalem was home to various Judean cults and at times a center for religious fanaticism. The Assyrians understood that they could gain better control of their vassal kingdom — and continue collecting taxes — by maintaining a safe distance.”

Where did they set up their branch offices? In the "suburbs." The Assyrians built their economic hub for the region two miles south of Jerusalem at Ramat Rachel. They created elaborate gardens, stocked their cellars with the wine and olive oil they collected in taxes, and quietly but carefully monitored Jerusalem.

“You can see Jerusalem from Ramat Rachel, but when you’re inside Jerusalem’s City of David, you can’t see Ramat Rachel at all,” says Lipschits. “The Assyrians kept a watchful eye, but didn’t let the locals feel a dominant foreign presence.

“It was smart for the Assyrian managers to take a few steps back, and not appear to be interfering with the city’s religious center and local culture. Businesses today could be advised to adopt similar strategies with their branch offices in foreign locations,” he surmises.

Lipschits is currently writing a book about this precursor to today's corporate strategies with Boston College’s Prof. David S. Vanderhooft. He is also the author of the popular book The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem (Eisenbrauns 2005).

###

For more about Ramat Rachel, please visit: http://www.tau.ac.il/~rmtrachl/index.html.

American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israel’s largest and most comprehensive center of higher learning. It is ranked among the world’s top 100 universities in science, biomedical studies, and social science, and rated one of the world’s top 200 universities overall. Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research programs, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.

[decimon]

Imperialist ping.

[Jagman]

Never doubt a man named Lipschits!

[Billthedrill]

Oh, don't be silly. The Assyrians were aggressive, bloodthirsty people who like to flay their opponents alive.

Uh...so the answer is probably "yes"...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

"They were wise rulers," he says, "using a good strategy for keeping control, stability and order in the region.”

Hmmmm......

[decimon]

So then, you agree with Billthedrill?

[Chili Girl]

bump for later read about the site

[Liberty Valance]

Here's one of the later branch managers of the 4th century.
He supposedly invented froth at Starbucks. ;o)

[decimon]

He supposedly invented froth at Starbucks. ;o)

And he kept the tips. Whatever that meant at that time.

[Liberty Valance]

LOL!

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks decimon. Jerusalem was home to various Judean cults and at times a center for religious fanaticism. That's so unlike the Assyrians/Akkadians, Babylonians, and others, who spent a few thousand years demolishing each other's cities and stripping rival temples to aggrandize their own cults. Oh wait... Jew-hating media spin doctor grinding a frightening political axe in what is otherwise an interesting article. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are Blam, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[Ciexyz]

A good a guess as any.

[decimon]

Jew-hating media spin doctor grinding a frightening political axe in what is otherwise an interesting article.

Uhh...I'm not seeing that. Judea is/was a region and 'Judean cults' might refer to anything. And I wouldn't think the source to be anti-semitic.

I saw what you did when I read the article and I either wouldn't have posted this or would have with comment if I'd seen bigotry in it. Of course, I could be wrong.

[mo]

“Never doubt a man named Lipschits!”

Especially if his a%$ whistles!!

[colorado tanker]

My understanding of the Assyrians is they were closer the philosophy of Conan than the Harvard Business School:

Mongol General: What is best in life?

Conan: To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

[SunkenCiv]

:’) Hey, I said it was otherwise a good article. ;’) It was a bit surprising to see them portrayed as just some highly sophisticated, urbane, polished bulwarks of civilization just trying their best to administer a bunch of backward superstitious savages. The Assyrians “burned with fire” at least one city when they were conquering Israel, and carted off the “ten lost tribes”. But I may have overstated my case, eh? :’D