The Neo-Assyrian Empire, arguably the first world empire in world history, is often presented by scholars as a fundamentally new phenomenon that is only superficially connected with earlier Assyrian history. In this brief chapter, I will argue, by contrast, that the foundations of Neo-Assyrian success derive from imperial repertoires developed for a large part during the Middle Assyrian period. This continuity can be seen in a range of imperial practices in conquered territories and in a culture of empire that has its roots in the Late Bronze Age. Additional imperial repertoires were, however, first developed in the Neo-Assyrian period (1000–612 BCE), and contributed to the unprecedented success of the empire.