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Sînaḥḥīerība 𒀭𒌍𒉽𒈨𒌍𒋢 | |
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| Born | c. 745 BCE Nimrud, Assyria |
| Died | 20 October 681 BCE Ninua, Assyria |
| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Nationality | Assyrian |
Sînaḥḥīerība (c. 745 BCE – 20 October 681 BCE), also known as Sennacherib, was king of Assyria from 705 until his assassination in 681 BCE. He moved the capital of Assyria to Ninua (Nineveh). The city was supplied with water by 50-km long aqueducts, and its streets were organized into straight lines.[1]
Conquest of Babylon[edit | edit source]
In 703 BCE, the Chaldean chief Mardukaplaiddina II overthrew the Assyrian rule of Babylon, and another war began between Elam and Assyria. In 694 BCE, Sînaḥḥīerība invaded and looted Elam. In response, the Elamites invaded Sippar and kidnapped Sînaḥḥīerība's son, who was the ruler of Babylon. The next year, Assyria defeated the Elamites and Babylonians at Nippur. In 692 BCE, Mušezibmarduk led a Babylonian revolt against Assyria with the support of Elam and the Aramaean tribes. The Elamite king Humbannumena defeated Assyria at the battle of Halule and drove the Assyrians out of Babylon, but his army was too weak to pursue them back to Assyria.[1]
Sînaḥḥīerība began a siege of Babylon in 690 BCE after the king of Elam, Babylon's longtime ally, became paralyzed. The siege caused a famine in the city and rose food prices by 75 times. He captured the city in April of 689 BCE and killed or enslaved most of its population. He burned down its temples and then flooded the city with water from the canals.[1]
Assassination[edit | edit source]
Sînaḥḥīerība appointed his youngest son Aššuraḫaiddina as his successor. His two older sons assassinated him, but Aššuraḫaiddina put down the rebellion.[1]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Grigory Bongard-Levin, Boris Piotrovsky (1988). Ancient Civilisations of East and West. https://archive.org/details/ancientciveastwest/mode/1up.