You're knees buckling, chest tightening, fearful encounters with something radically other, something that we know could both crush and bless us. That is awe. And I apologize for having watered you down, but seriously, you're awesome. Best wishes, John Green. So what happened to the Assyrians? Well, first, they extended their empire beyond their roads, making administration impossible. But more importantly, when your whole worldview is based on the idea that the apocalypse will come if you ever lose a battle, and then you lose one battle, the whole worldview just blows up.