Assyria
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(from Ashur) (2 Kings 15:19) — the mightiest empire in Asia, whose fate, in its greatness and glory as well as in its calamities and destruction, was most strikingly foretold by the prophet (Ezek. 31). In all likelihood Assyria was founded by Ashur, who built Nineveh and other cities, but according to others by Nimrod, 120 years after the Flood. In its broadest sense the word Assyria embraced all the lands and peoples as far as the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the river Indus to the east.
It is worth noting that in Holy Scripture, by the word “Assyrians” is properly meant the Assyrian people, or empire, whose chief city was Nineveh; by the designation “Babylonians,” or “Chaldeans,” is meant the people of the country whose chief city was Babylon; and finally by the name “Syrians” —