The Assyrian Empire stretched from Iran to Egypt by 700 BC.

Evidence

By 700 BC, the Assyrian rulers based in northern Iraq had built an empire that stretched from Iran to Egypt and covered most of the area that we now call ‘the Middle East’. — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 359

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Neil MacGregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, 359