J. Elayi, Sargon II, King of Assyria, Archaeological and Biblical Studies 22, SBL Press, Atlanta, 2017

Sargon II, King of Assyria
Josette Elayi
A critical resource that traces the reign of Sargon in context
Josette Elayi examines the life of warlord and megalomaniac, King Sargon II of Assyria. Elayi focuses on the political, economic, social, and military events that unfolded during his reign. This new biography of Sargon addresses important questions, including what was his precise role in the disappearance of the kingdom of Israel; how did Sargon II succeed in enlarging the borders of the Assyrian Empire by several successful campaigns; how did he organize his empire (administration, trade, agriculture, libraries), and what was the so-called sin of Sargon? Elayi masterfully draws together and evaluates the extensive, almost overburdening, amount of evidence from detailed annals, royal inscriptions on stone or metal, stelae and rock reliefs, palace reliefs, clay tablets,  and excavations to produce a rich, complete biography that is sure to become an essential resource for students and scholars of the ancient Near East and Israel.