The Assyrians became well-known traders, who travelled constantly between Assur and Southern Turkey around 2000 BC. After 1700 BC, the Assyrians were controlled by a people called the Hurrians. When the Hurrian kingdom collapsed about 1360 BC, the Assyrian governor of Assur, whose name was Ash-sur-uballit, saw his chance and began calling himself the King of Assyria. In time, the Assyrians became a military power to be reckoned with. In 1225 BC, the Assyrians conquered and ransacked the city of Babylon. The Assyrian army, which was feared everywhere, started to go on plundering expeditions every spring along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. These plundering expeditions continued more or less every year for hundreds of years.
By 705 BC, the Assyrians had conquered everything near enough to rule, and even dominated Egypt. Now their kings concentrated more on providing services to the conquered people that would keep them from wanting to revolt. The Assyrian kings now built highways and bridges and water systems, established courts to settle disputes among their subjects, and encouraged scholarship and art with great libraries at their palaces. Yet their empire was built on their military power, which is why they are regarded as the first military power in history.