Misplaced Pages

The fall of Assur, occurred when the first city and old capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire fell to Median, Babylonian, and other rebellion-led forces. The sack of the city that followed destroyed the city to some degree; however, it recovered during the Achaemenid Empire. The city remained occupied by Assyrians until the massacres of Tamurlane in the 14th century AD.

Background

Ever since the end of Ashurbanipal's reign in 627 BC, the Neo-Assyrian Empire was in an exposed and critical position; civil war, revolts in Babylonia, Anatolia, Caucasus and in the Levant coupled with Median, Babylonian and Scythian invasions proved too much for the empire torn by civil war. In 616 BC, the Babylonians established their de facto independence from the Assyrians.

Assault on the city

In 615 BC, the Medes and their allies conquered Arrapha. The next year, they besieged Assur. Much of what was left of the Assyrian army was in Nineveh, unable to assist. Finally, after bloody hand-to-hand clashes (many skulls and skeletons were later found), the city was taken in 614 BC.

References

1. Healy, Mark (1991). The Ancient Assyrians. New York: Osprey. p. 55.
2. Healy, Mark (1991). The Ancient Assyrians. New York: Osprey. p. 6.
3. A companion to Assyria : page 192
4. A Companion to Assyria : page 192

• 614 BC
• 7th-century BC conflicts
• Battles involving Assyria
• Battles involving Babylonia
• 7th century BC
• Battles involving the Median kingdom