All Hail the King?

From what we have learned from past readings and what has been instilled in our brains is that the king in any given empire is the ruler. Francis Joannes’s The Age of Empires is no exception. In chapter 4, we learn about how it is the king who is the sole source of power in Assyria.

According to Joannes, “[t]he king of Assyria was both the legitimate successor of a theoretically unique line, and the chosen of the gods, and was thus endowed with every quality” (78). From this statement, it is no wonder that the king would see himself as the sole source of power in Assyria. Since the gods play a significant role during this time period, not only the king but also the inhabitants of Assyria would agree with the fact that the king is, in actuality, the one in charge.

Joannes also states that “[t]he king was directly in charge of the empire, and the only decisions that mattered were his, which he worked out in detail with the help of a limited group of relatives and close associates” (83). This is also validates the assumption that the king is the sole source of power. While he may have the help of “relatives and close associates,” it is still he who has the final voice.

One may see this is as a bad way to rule an empire, but the upsides to a monarchy may be the fact that the king is extremely knowledgeable and his decisions may be the best ones in solving issues or problems. However, because he is in control of many people, their voice should count as well.