The Neo-Assyrian Empire, centered on cities like Nineveh and Asshur in Mesopotamia, became the dominant power of the ancient Near East under kings such as Tiglath-Pileser III and Sennacherib. In 722 BC, Assyria conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel and deported much of its population — the exile of the 'ten lost tribes' — reshaping the region for centuries to come.