the continuity of assyrian identity is endorsed and well supported by many non-assyrian modern assyriologists, iranologists, orientalists, linguists, geneticists and historians, while others see the connection between ancient assyria and the modern assyrians as more complex. there was assyrian resistance to persian rule in achaemenid assyria. h. w. f. saggs in his "the might that was assyria" clearly supports cultural and historical continuity, as do richard nelson frye, simo parpola, robert d. biggs and patricia crone among others.