Synopsis: Part 2 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and persecutor of the Christians. A rollicking Third Century romp inspired by my current residence in his former tetrarchal capital of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Synopsis: Part 1 of a two-part Spotlight series on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Galerius: refugee, herdsman, soldier, Caesar, Augustus, Tetrarch, conqueror, schemer, would-be ruler of the (Dacian?) Empire, and persecutor of the Christians. A rollicking Third Century romp inspired by my current residence in his former tetrarchal capital of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Synopsis: Tiglath-pileser crushes rebellions in Patin and Luash and annexes their territories to Assyria. King Rasyan of Aram-Damascus forms a coalition of southern kingdoms - including Israel, Edom, Phoenicia and Philistia - to challenge Assyrian dominance, but betrayal by allies and the brutal tenacity of Tiglath-pileser lead to his kingdom’s downfall.

Synopsis: Matti’el of Arpad turns his back on the Treaty of Katikka and allies with Sarduri II of Urartu. The usurpation of Tiglath-pileser III heralds an Assyrian resurgence and the kingdom of Arpad’s destruction.

Synopsis: Sarduri II rules at the pinnacle of Urartian power, conquering lands from the Black Sea coast to the Zagros Mountains to the kingdoms of northern Syria. Matti’el of Arpad unifies Aramean lands north of Damascus then allies with Urartu against the Assyrians. His defeat by the mysterious ruler of KTK only results in a temporary setback, and an Assyrian Empire pressed on all fronts seems destined for imminent collapse.

Synopsis: A siege by Adad-nirari’s subordinate, Nergal-Eresh, finally breaks the Damascene hold over southern Syria and Canaan. The Urartian kings Menua and Argishti press Assyria’s frontiers, even as they conquer and secure new territories in the Araxes River valley. In the reigns of Adad-nirari’s sons, the Empire is beset by plague, rebellions, and disturbing omens.

Synopsis: Emerging triumphant from civil war, Shamshi-Adad V devotes his energies to humbling Babylonia. Upon his death, his wife Shammuramat acts as regent for their son, Adad-nirari III, and both campaign across the Euphrates to confront a resurgent Arpad. Under its vigorous king Menua, Urartu begins the military conquests that would end with its regional dominance.

Synopsis: During Neo-Assyria’s absence from the region, King Hazael of Aram-Damascus forges an Aramean Empire that extends to the borders of Egypt.