The Book of Ezekiel refers to its seamen and soldiers in the service of Tyre. Its maritime importance is indicated by the inscriptions of the Assyrian kings. Tiglath-pileser I (BC) boasts that he sailed in the ships of Arwad. Ashurnasirpal II (BC) made it tributary, but it revolted and 200 men of Arwad were mentioned among the allies of Hadadezer of Aram Damascus at the Battle of Qarqar, when all Syria seems to have been in league against Shalmaneser III (). At this time, the king of Arwad was Mattan Baal. It was afterward tributary to Tiglath-pileser III and Sennacherib; under Sennacherib, its king was Abd-Ilihit . Ashurbanipal () compelled its king Yakinlu to submit and send one of his daughters to become a member of the royal harem.