The Assyrians

What tactics did the Assyrians use to rule their empire?
How did the rule of Cyrus the Great differ from the rule of Assyrian kings?
The discovery of the Cyrus Cylinder in the 19th century challenged the story of Cyrus the Great told in the Hebrew Bible in at least one important way. Do the differences between the text of the Cyrus Cylinder and the Bible mean that one source is more reliable than the other? Or are they equally reliable primary sources? Use class material to support your reasoning.