The reign of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III (858–824 B.C.) has long been associated with three major monuments: the Bronze Gates from Balawat/Imgur-Enlil; the Throne Base from Fort Shalmaneser at Nimrud; and the Black Obelisk also from Nimrud. Each of these works is carved with scenes of historical narrative, arranged in narrow bands, with the subject matter identified in short epigraphs usually at the top of each band. Each monument also preserves a longer inscription, recording the military activities of the king. Although reproductions and descriptions of the relief carvings, and translations of the accompanying inscriptions have been available for some time, art and text have not, as yet, been studied together. Yet these three monuments comprise the primary visual sources available for the reign of Shalmaneser, as we lack any of the large-scale architectural reliefs of historical narrative that characterize the palace decoration of his father, Assurnasirpal II, and later Assyrian kings. For this reason, it seems particularly worthwhile to reexamine the monuments here. In fact, when all three works are studied as a unit—the images together with their accompanying texts and the many other royal inscriptions available—they become highly valuable sources of information for this period.