The city-state of Ashur grew into a regional Mesopotamian kingdom then it conquered most of the land from the Persian Gulf to the Levant and down the Nile. There were many ups and downs, succession crises, civil wars, aspiring generals, brutal reconquests, and naval battles. There were also cosmopolitan cities, grand libraries, buzzing economic activity, and broad communication networks.
The Assyrians had a love-hate relationship with their Babylonian neighbors. Multiple times, the city of Babylon was demolished and reconstructed. After many centuries of unprecedented imperial power, Nineveh and other core Assyrian cities were sacked by the Babylonians, the Persians, and the Medes.
The people lived on in diaspora. Their legends became integrated into other cultures. Their artifacts are left for archaeologists. As recently as 2015, ancient sites and priceless treasures were destroyed by ISIS.
For all I know, this could be the best book on Assyria. I wish the writing style were more exciting and insightful.