Why were the Assyrians so strong?

Assyria was located on the upper Tigris River and its
empire reached its height about 681 B.C. The Assyrian Empire was very powerful and was
strong for several reasons.  First was the way the Assyrians organized their army.  They
were one of the first to organize their army into regular units of uniform numbers—tens,
hundreds, thousands—with standard equipment and commanders that could be promoted or
demoted for performance.  Another reason for their strength was the technology used by
the Assyrians.  Assyrians built large, powerful chariots pulled by as many as four
horses.  Though the Hittites were the ones to develop a method of working iron, the
Assyrians borrowed this knowledge and exploited it by creating weapons out of iron,
which were superior to earlier bronze weapons.  Military engineering also played an
important role in the strength of the Assyrian Empire.  The Assyrians built roads wide
enough for their wheeled vehicles allowing them to move their armies quickly to where
they were needed.  Military engineers also created battering rams to knock down the
walls of fortified cities and developed methods to dig tunnels under these walls. They
also built ladders to scale these walls.  Finally, the Assyrians used terror to
conquer.  They were cruel warriors, often burning buildings and torturing and beheading
prisoners, as well as enslaving women and children.  This reputation for brutality
allowed the Assyrians to conquer people without a fight.