Asur

Asur (Asurlular, Asuriler) is a people who ruled in northern Mezopotamya, especially around the Dicle valley and Ninova, and are mentioned among the ancient peoples of the Kürt geography in ancient and later sources. Its name holds an important place in the historical appellations of the region (Asuristan, Cezîretu Aşûr, Asurya) and in the past of the geography that would later be known as Kürdistan.

Ancient and Armenian Sources

In ancient sources, Asurlular are frequently mentioned along with the other great peoples of the region. Sicilian Diodorus, in his work, mentions Asurlular with rich information, alongside the Medler, Persler, and Babilliler (Cilt 1, s. 28). Similarly, in Eusebius Kroniği, considered the first systematic and universal history of the ancient world, peoples such as Keldaniler, Asurlular, Medler, and Lidyalılar are discussed together (Cilt 1, s. 36).

Asur's geographical and political dominance is also reflected in Armenian historical narratives. According to the account by Armenian historian Moses Khorenatsi, when Asur queen Semiramis arrived at a summer resort in the north, she left a person named Zerdüşt, king and clergyman of the Medler, as regent in Asuristan (Cilt 1, s. 76, 77). In the same work, Khorenatsi uses the term Korduats'i for the region south of Van Gölü, and the name Korduk for a mountainous region (Cilt 1, s. 77).

Christian and Islamic Sources

Early Christian narratives also feature Asur. The history of Mar Qardagh, martyred during the persecutions against Christians in the reign of Sasanian king II. Şapur, provides information about the cultural world of Irak and Kürdistan with details from the fourth century; in this text, Kürtler are directly mentioned, and Mar Qardagh's parents' origin is traced to an Asur village named Hazza (Cilt 1, s. 58).

In Islamic-era geographical sources, the trace of Asur persists in the naming of the region. Based on the lands where Asur kings originated, el-Umerî states that Asur kings used this name before İslam and that these localities later became known as Cezîretu Aşûr; however, over time, the name el-Cezîre became the more commonly used appellation (Cilt 2, s. 61, 62).

Asur in Ottoman Press

In Ottoman press and periodicals, Asur prominently features in discussions about the ethnic origin of Kürtler and the historical layers of the region. According to these sources, the regions of Cezire and Asurya were the abode of Asur bin Sam and subsequently Fars peoples in ages before written history (Cilt 4, s. 101). "Asuriye/Asurya" is considered one of the ancient lands of Asya; it is stated that it encompassed the mountains of present-day Kürdistan, that over time this name was forgotten, and the land became inhabited by Ari peoples, the Kürtler, taking the name Kürdistan; and the possibility is expressed that Asuriler did not entirely disappear but mingled with a dominant people by adopting their language, and that the Kürt people might have emerged from this mixture (Cilt 4, s. 103).

In these publications, the dominance of Asuriler in Ninova in the earliest ages of history is emphasized: the region was first seen under Asuri rule, and with the end of this sovereignty, it passed to the rule of Medya monarchs along with Ninova, and then to Keyhüsrev (Cilt 4, s. 112). It is noted that Asuriler, who came from the Babil regions, ruled in Ninova and the Dicle valley; that because Kürtler are of Ari peoples, they cannot be descendants of either Asuriler or Medyalılar, but it is recorded that many words borrowed from Asuri and Keldani languages are found in Kürtçe (Cilt 4, s. 111). It is stated that the Nasturi and Keldani communities in the region are the descendants of the ancient Keldaniler and Süryaniler (Cilt 4, s. 112). Some sources continue this line, characterizing the Süryaniler and Nesturiler living in the region as descendants of Asuriler (Cilt 4, s. 177).