They transplanted the aristocracies to other areas and importedreplacement ones. This ensured there was no sympathetic localruling class which would lead uprisings against Assyriancontrol.Their army provided a backup to enforce control, and to preventincursions by external forces.This technique was copied by the successive empires of Babylonand Persia after they took over, which is what happened to theJews. When the Assyrians captured the north, they deported thearistocracy and imported a new one – the Ten Tribes were notdeported, their aristocracy was, and the people remained with anAssyrian one replacing it. Similarly the Babylonians took over thesouth and deported the Judean aristocracy and replaced it with aBabylonian one – the people remained. Cyrus the Persian allowed thedescendants to go home and try to reclaim their estates. Some tookup the offer, but many remained, preferring their new life inBabylon.

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