Fall of Assur

Fall of Assur
Part of Medo-Babylonian war against Assyrian Empire
Date614 BC[1]
LocationAssur
Result Decisive Median victory[2][3]
Belligerents
Media Assyria
Commanders and leaders
Cyaxares Sin-Shar-Ishkun[4]
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Extermination of the city[1]

The Fall of Assur occurred when the first city and old capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire fell to Median forces. The sack of the city that followed utterly destroyed the city; it would never recover from the destruction.[5]

Background

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 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

In 615 BC, the Medes conquered Arrapha.[6] The next year, they began a terrible siege of Assur. 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 614 BC.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Healy, Mark (1991). The Ancient Assyrians. New York: Osprey. p. 55.
  2. ↑ A Companion to the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East "In 614 BC Assur was conquered by the Medes under king Cyaxares (625-585 BC)"
  3. ↑ The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem: Judah Under Babylonian Rule "the Medes left Arrapha, attacked Kalhu (Nimrud) and Ninuwa (Nineveh), and continued rapidly northward to capture the nearby city of Tarbisu. Afterward, they went back down the Tigris and laid siege to the city of Assur. The Babylonian army came to the aid of the Medes only after the Medes had begun the decisive offensive against the city, capturing it, killing many of its residents, and taking many others captive."
  4. ↑ Healy, Mark (1991). The Ancient Assyrians. New York: Osprey. p. 6.
  5. ↑ Healy, Mark (1991). The Ancient Assyrians. New York: Osprey. p. 57.
  6. ↑ A companion to Assyria : page 192
  7. ↑ A Companion to Assyria : page 192

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