Ashur
Ashur, also spelled Aššur, refers to the ancient city that served as the capital of the Assyrian Empire for much of its history, and to the chief deity of Assyria. The name is central to the term Assyria and to the religious and political identity of the region.
Location and site: The city lay on the western bank of the Tigris River in northern Mesopotamia,
Historical role: Ashur grew into a major political and religious center by the early second millennium BCE
Archaeology and legacy: Excavations at Tell Ashur began in the 19th century and continued into the modern