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[[File: Ninveh_Map.jpg|300px250px|thumbnail|left|Map of Nineveh’s Layout]]

Among the major events that took place in the ancient Near East, none were more earth-shattering than the fall of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh. The demise of Nineveh was so important because it marked the end of the Assyrian Empire, which at its height stretched from Egypt in the west to Persia in the east and included most of Anatolia, the Levant, and the Arabian Peninsula. The Assyrians ruled their empire with an iron fist and in doing so were able to fleece their subject peoples of their precious minerals and resources, which they then used to build Nineveh and other cities in the Assyrian heartland. Eventually, the enemies of the Assyrians grew tired of the malevolent regime and so came together temporarily to cast off the Assyrian yoke. The great city of Nineveh was destroyed in the process.

The destruction of Nineveh left such a strong impression on the psyche of ancient Assyrians ruled their empire with an iron fist. In doing so, we're able to fleece their subject peoples that it was written about for several subsequent centuries in the Babylonian cuneiform annals, the writings of Greek their precious minerals and Roman historiansresources, which they then used to build Nineveh and even other cities in the Old Testament of the BibleAssyrian heartland. Nineveh’s fall was so important because for a time it was Eventually, the greatest city in the ancient world as it served as a source of inspiration and awe for Assyrians and non-Assyrians alike throughout the region. The workmanship ' enemies grew tired of the city’s temples malevolent regime and palaces was superb and Nineveh boasted of one of the world’s first botanic gardens, which many scholars believe was the inspiration for the fabled “Hanging Gardens of Babylon.” <ref> Dally, Stephanie. “Nineveh, Babylon and the Hanging Gardens: Cuneiform and Classical Sources Reconsidered.” <i>Iraq</i> 56 (1994)</ref> But the details concerning how the city fell are as important so came together temporarily to cast off the city’s history as its great monumentsAssyrian yoke. As The great as city of Nineveh once was, it fell victim to a combination of internal problems within the Assyrian royal house and the ever present and large number of enemies the Assyrians managed to create during their brutal reign of terror over the Near East. In the end, the Assyrians’ enemies saw Nineveh as a symbol of their overlords so they wiped it from the face of destroyed in the earthprocess.

===Early =What was the impact of the Fall of Nineveh?====[[File: Gardens_of_Nineveh.png|300px|thumbnail|right|Assyrian Relief Depicting the Gardens The destruction of Nineveh]]Nineveh left such a strong impression on ancient peoples' psyche that it was located written about for several subsequent centuries in the middle Babylonian cuneiform annals, the writings of ancient AssyriaGreek and Roman historians, which was centered on the Tigris River and even in northern Mesopotamia in what would today by the northern part Old Testament of Iraqthe Bible. As part of the Fertile CrescentNineveh’s fall was so important because, much of Assyria had good soil that allowed for a surplus in crops and exceptional population growth. Nineveh, like many ancient citiestime, it was built on a mound for defense overlooking the Kosr River, which is greatest city in the ancient world as it served as a tributary source of inspiration and awe for Assyrians and non-Assyrians alike throughout the Tigris Riverregion. Although much The quality of Assyria was fertile crop land in ancient timesthe city’s temples and palaces were superb, and Nineveh boasted of one of the area around Nineveh world’s first botanic gardens, which many scholars believe was exceptionally productive, making it an excellent location the inspiration for a citythe fabled “Hanging Gardens of Babylon. ” <ref> MieroopDally, Marc van deStephanie. “Nineveh, Babylon and the Hanging Gardens: Cuneiform and Classical Sources Reconsidered.” <i>A History of the Ancient Near East: ca. 3000-323 BC.Iraq</i> 2nd ed. 56 (London: Blackwell, 20071994), p. 3</ref> For most of Assyrian history, the primary political capital was located in the city of Ashur, but Nineveh’s importance gradually grew until it eclipsed the older city.

Long before Nineveh became But the capital of details concerning how the Assyrian Empire in city fell are as important to the early first millennium BCcity’s history as its great monuments. As great as Nineveh once was, it was mentioned sporadically in various cuneiform historical texts. There were two notable mentions fell victim to a combination of internal problems within the city in Assyrian royal house and the late third millennium BC, ever-present and a large number of enemies the first being Assyrians managed to create during the their brutal reign of terror over the Akkadian King Manishutushu (ruled caNear East. 2269-2255 BC)In the end, who is believed to have built a temple to the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war, Ishtar, at Assyrians’ enemies saw Nineveh. <ref> Mieroop, p. 68</ref> Nineveh was also mentioned in a text attributed to as a king from the Third Dynasty symbol of Urtheir overlords, Shulgi (reigned ca. 2094-2047 BC), although so they wiped it from the reference is short and lacks detail. <ref> Beckman, Gary. “Ishtar face of Nineveh Reconsidered.” <i>Journal of Cuneiform Studies</i> 50 (1998), p. 1</ref> For over 2,000 years, Nineveh languished as a provincial backwater until the Assyrians invoked their will across the Near East and a particularly energetic king came to the throneearth.

When Sennacherib (ruled 704-681 BC) assumed the Assyrian throne, he followed in the footsteps of his predecessors by leading his armies into battle and conquering more land for ====What was the Assyrian peopleEmpire?====[[File: Gardens_of_Nineveh. But Sennacherib was not content to be remembered as just another conquering png|250px|thumbnail|left|Assyrian king, he desired to leave much more for posterity, so after his fifth military campaign he relocated Relief Depicting the Assyrian capital from Ashur to Gardens of Nineveh. <ref> Mieroop, p. 229</ref> Although a settlement already existed at Nineveh, Sennacherib transformed it from a minor religious center dedicated to Ishtar into the premier city of the ancient world.]]

On Nineveh was located in the citadel that overlooked middle of ancient Assyria, centered on the Kosr Tigris Riverin northern Mesopotamia in what would today be the northern part of Iraq. As part of the Fertile Crescent, Sennacherib much of Assyria had good soil that allowed a palace surplus in crops and exceptional population growth. Like many ancient cities, Nineveh was built – known by modern scholars as on a mound for defense overlooking the southwest palace to differentiate it from the northwest palace built by the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal (reigned 668-627 BC) – Kosr River, which he adorned with is a tributary of the many battle reliefs that are now housed Tigris River. Although much of Assyria was fertile cropland in the British Museum in Londonancient times, England. Next to the palaces stood the temples of the Assyrians two most important deitiesarea around Nineveh was exceptionally productive, Ishtar and Nabu, the god of writing and knowledgemaking it an excellent location for a city. <ref> NovákMieroop, MirkoMarc van de. “From Ashur to Nineveh<i>A History of the Ancient Near East: The Assyrian Townca. 3000-Planning Programme323 BC.” <i>Iraq</i> 66 2nd ed. (2004London: Blackwell, 2007), p. 1823</ref> The palaces and temples For most of Nineveh must have been a truly impressive sight for any visitor to seeAssyrian history, but perhaps the most spectacular sight were primary political capital was located in the gardens city of SennacheribAshur. Still, Nineveh’s importance gradually grew until it eclipsed the older city.

Long before Nineveh became the Assyrian Empire's capital in the early first millennium BC, it was mentioned sporadically in various cuneiform historical texts. There were two notable mentions of the city in the late third millennium BC, the first being during the reign of the Akkadian King Manishutushu (ruled ca. 2269-2255 BC), who is believed to have built a temple to the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war, Ishtar, at Nineveh. <ref> Mieroop, p. 68</ref> Nineveh was also mentioned in a text attributed to a king from the Third Dynasty of Ur, Shulgi (reigned ca. 2094-2047 BC), although the reference is short and lacks detail. <ref> Beckman, Gary. “Ishtar of Nineveh Reconsidered.” <i>Journal of Cuneiform Studies</i> 50 (1998), p. 1</ref> For over 2,000 years, Nineveh languished as a provincial backwater until the Assyrians invoked their will across the Near East and a particularly energetic king came to the throne. ====How did Nineveh become the capital of the Assyrian Empire?====When Sennacherib (ruled 704-681 BC) assumed the Assyrian throne, he followed his predecessors' footsteps by leading his armies into battle and conquering more land for the Assyrian people. But Sennacherib was not content to be remembered as just another conquering Assyrian king. He desired to leave much more for posterity, so he relocated the Assyrian capital from Ashur Nineveh after his fifth military campaign. <ref> Mieroop, p. 229</ref> Although a settlement already existed at Nineveh, Sennacherib transformed it from a minor religious center dedicated to Ishtar's premier city of the ancient world. On the citadel that overlooked the Kosr River, Sennacherib had a palace built – known by modern scholars as the southwest palace to differentiate it from the northwest palace built by the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal (reigned 668-627 BC) – which he adorned with the many battle reliefs that are now housed in the British Museum in London, England. Next to the palaces stood the Assyrians' temples two most important deities, Ishtar and Nabu, the god of writing and knowledge. <ref> Novák, Mirko. “From Ashur to Nineveh: The Assyrian Town-Planning Programme.” <i>Iraq</i> 66 (2004), p. 182</ref> The palaces and temples of Nineveh must have been an awe-inspiring sight for any visitor to see, but perhaps the most spectacular sight was the gardens of Sennacherib. The gardens of Sennacherib were depicted in both pictorial reliefs and a number of several texts. According to one text, the gardens were comprised of “every fruit-bearing tree . . . cypress and mulberry, all kinds of trees” that were home to “the birds of heaven, <i>igiru</i> birds . . . wild swine and beasts of the forests.” <ref> Luckenbill, Daniel David, trans. and And ed. <i>Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia.</i> (London: Histories and Mysteries of Man, 1989), p. 177-8</ref> Sennacherib built Nineveh into what was perhaps the greatest city in the world at the time and his successor Ashurbanipal certainly added to that legacy, but a spate of problems both within and outside of the Assyrian heartland manifested to bring the great city to a sudden end.

====Why did Nineveh Fall?====[[File: Delacroix_sardanapalus_1828.jpg|300px250px|thumbnail|left|1828 Painting “Death of Sardanapalus” By Eugene Delacroix Depicting the Fall of Nineveh]]The stable and effective reigns of Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal were followed by a short period of instability that was brought forth by court intrigues. Ashurbanipal’s successor was the little documented Ashur-etel-ilani (ruled 627-623 BC), whose short reign led to a succession crisis in the Assyrian royal house. Important members of the nobility opposed Ashur-etel-ilani and eventually usurped the king in favor of a royal eunuch named Sin-shum-lishir (the years of his reign are imprecise). <ref> Kuhrt, Amélie. <i> The Ancient Near East: c. 3000-330 BC.</i> Volume 2. (London: Routledge, 2010), p. 541</ref> The succession problems in the Assyrian royal house contributed to the decline of their empire and that of their capital city of Nineveh, but the final blow came from outside Assyria.

For centuries, the Assyrians were able to impose their will on the other peoples throughout the Near East through a combination The stable and effective reigns of efficient brutality Sennacherib and superior battlefield tactics and technologies, but Ashurbanipal were followed by the seventh century BC their neighbors had caught up in most of those categories. In the ancient city of Babylon, a new dynasty short period of ethnic Chaldeans came to power, which is known instability brought forth by modern scholars as court intrigues. Ashurbanipal’s successor was the “Neolittle-documented Ashur-Babylonian” Dynasty, and just to the east of Assyria in Persia, the Kingdom of the Medes was adding pressure. The first Neoetel-Babylonian king, Nabopolassar ilani (ruled 627-623 BC) was as aggressive as any Assyrian king and by all accounts just as politically savvy. According , whose short reign led to the cuneiform historical text known as the “Babylonian Chronicle,” Nabopolassar mustered an army at Babylon a succession crisis in 616 BC and marched north to destroy the Assyrians and NinevehAssyrian royal house. Ironically, Important members of the Assyrians were saved by their once rival nobility opposed Ashur-etel-ilani and eventually usurped the Egyptians, who led by their King Psamtek I king in favor of a royal eunuch named Sin-shum-lishir (ruled 664-610 BCthe years of his reign are imprecise), were able to fight off the Neo-Babylonian attack. <ref> Grayson, A. KirkKuhrt, transAmélie. <i> Assyrian and Babylonian ChroniclesThe Ancient Near East: c. 3000-330 BC.</i> Volume 2. (Winona Lake, IndianaLondon: EisenbraunsRoutledge, 20002010), p. 91541</ref>The succession problems in the Assyrian royal house contributed to the decline of their empire and that of their capital city of Nineveh, but the final blow came from outside Assyria.

The Assyrian-Egyptian victory at Nineveh For centuries, the Assyrians could impose their will on the other peoples throughout the Near East through a combination of efficient brutality and superior battlefield tactics and technologies. Still, by the seventh century BC, their neighbors had caught up in 616 BC would prove most of those categories. In Babylon's ancient city, a new dynasty of ethnic Chaldeans came to be ephemeral for King Sinpower. Modern scholars know as the “Neo-sharBabylonian” Dynasty, and just to the east of Assyria in Persia, the Kingdom of the Medes was adding pressure. The first Neo-ishkun Babylonian king, Nabopolassar (reigned ca. ruled 627-612 623 BC) (referred to , was as aggressive as “Sardanapalus” in the Greek any Assyrian king and Roman histories), thoughby all accounts, because just as politically savvy. According to the cuneiform historical text known as the enemies of Assyria smelled blood “Babylonian Chronicle,” Nabopolassar mustered an army at Babylon in the water 616 BC and were lining up marched north to divide destroy the spoils of Assyrians Nineveh. Ironically, the Assyrians were saved by their once mighty empire. In order to build an effective alliancerival, the Egyptians, Nabopolassar next reached out to an assortment of Assyria’s enemies who were , led by the Medes. The strategy for the final victory over the Assyrians and the destruction of Nineveh involved a classic pincer movement whereby their King Psamtek I (ruled 664-610 BC), were able to fight off the Neo-Babylonians attacked the city from the south and west while the Medes and their allies converged from the north and eastBabylonian attack. The victory for the allies was completed in 612 BC<ref> Grayson, as was the destruction of NinevehA. Kirk, which is documented in the trans. <i> Assyrian and Babylonian ChronicleChronicles.</i> (Winona Lake, Indiana:Eisenbrauns, 2000), p. 91</ref>

The Assyrian-Egyptian victory at Nineveh in 616 BC would prove to be ephemeral for King Sin-shar-ishkun (Insteadreigned ca. 627-612 BC) (referred to as “Sardanapalus” in the army Greek and Roman histories), though, because the enemies of Assyria smelled blood in the water and were lining up to divide the king spoils of Akkad, which had been stationed in the fortressonce-mighty empire. To build an effective alliance, inflicted a major defeat upon Assyria. The king Nabopolassar reached out to an assortment of Assyria and his army [turned] and went home. In the month Marchesvan Assyria’s enemies, who the Medes went down to Arraphu and [. . led.] The twelfth year: in strategy for the month Ab final victory over the Medes, after they had marched against Nineveh [. . .] hastened Assyrians and they captured Tarbisu, a city in the district destruction of Nineveh. . . From involved a classic pincer movement whereby the month Sivan until the month Ab – for three [months . . .] they subjected Neo-Babylonians attacked the city to a heavy siege. [On from the Nth day] of the month Ab [. . .] they inflicted a major [defeat upon a g]reat [people]south and west. At that the same time Sin-sharra-ishkun, king of Assyria, [died] . . . They carried off the vast booty of Medes and their allies converged from the city north and east. The victory for the temple (and)[turned] allies was completed in 612 BC, as was the city into a ruin heap. <ref> Graysondestruction of Nineveh, pgs. 92-94</ref>which is documented in the Babylonian Chronicle:

The classical authors offered a more dramatic version of Nineveh’s fall , where Sin-shar-ishkun burned himself alive with all of his material possessions. <ref> Diodorus. <i> The Library of History.</i> Translated by C.H. Oldfather. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2004), Book II, 27</ref> Nineveh’s destruction was also briefly mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible in the book of Nahum where the prophet states, “Nineveh is of old like a pool of water; yet they shall flee away, Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.” <ref> Nah. 2:6-10</ref> Once Nineveh fell, the Assyrian Empire limped on for another three years before it was finally relegated to the dust bin of history.

===Conclusion===Many cities have risen and fallen throughout the course of world history, but few have had such a dramatic history as the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh. At its height, Nineveh was arguably the most cultured and sophisticated city in the ancient Near East, but a combination of factors led to its quick demise. Dynastic quarrels within the Assyrian royal house precipitated the city’s decline, which allowed for allowing Assyria’s many enemies to ally and eventually siege and sack the once great capital city of Nineveh. {{Mediawiki:Cell}}