Warfare > Fall of Assur
Fall of Assur
Background
Fall of AssurDate614 BC[1]LocationAssurResultMedian & Babylonian victoryBelligerentsBabyloniaMediaAssyriaCommanders and leadersNabopolassarCyaxaresSin-Shar-Ishkun[2]StrengthUnknownUnknownCasualties and lossesUnknownExtermination of the city[1][hide] v t eCampaigns of theNeo-Assyrian EmpireRise of Neo-Assyria Campaigns of Ashurnasirpal II (Suru) Campaigns of Shalmaneser III (Qarqar) Campaigns of Shamshi-Adad V (Dur-Papsukkal) Campaigns of Tiglath Pileser III (Gezer) War with Urartu Campaigns of Sargon II Campaigns of Sennacherib (Sennacherib's campaign in Judah, Azekah, Lachish, Jerusalem, Diyala River, Halule, 1st Babylon) Campaigns of Esarhaddon Conquest of Elam Campaigns of Ashurbanipal (Ulai, Susa, Ashdod) 2nd Babylon Arrapha Assur Nineveh HarranThe Fall of Assur occurred when the first city and old capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire fell to a combined Median-Babylonian alliance. The sack of the city that followed utterly destroyed the city; it would never recover from the destruction.[3]Background[edit]Ever since the end of Ashurbanipal's reign (and some speculate years before) the Neo-Assyrian Empire was in exposed and critical position; revolts in Babylon and in the Levant coupled with Egyptian and Median invasions proved too much for an empire torn with civil war. In 616 BC, the Babylonians established their de facto independence.Assault on the city[edit]In 615 BC, the Medians and Babylonians tried to attack Nineveh. However, the Babylonians suffered a serious defeat there, so Nabopolassar took his Babylonian army and instead attacked Assur. The Medians under Cyaxares joined forces with the Babylonians and began a terrible siege of Assur.[4] Much of what was left of the Assyrian army was in Nineveh, unable to assist. Finally, after a bloody hand-to-hand combat (many skulls and skeletons were later found), it appears that the city was taken in 612 BC.References[edit]^ Jump up to: a b Healy, Mark (1991). The Ancient Assyrians. New York: Osprey. p. 55.Jump up ^ Healy, Mark (1991). The Ancient Assyrians. New York: Osprey. p. 6.Jump up ^ Healy, Mark (1991). The Ancient Assyrians. New York: Osprey. p. 57.Jump up ^ Grant, R.G. (2005). Battle a Visual Journey Through 5000 Years of Combat. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 18.
Babylonian & Median Campaign
