Fall of Harran

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Fall of Harran
Date 608 BC Location Harran Result Babylonian victory
Belligerents
Babylonians	Assyria
Commanders
Nabopolassar	Ashur-uballit II
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

v • d • e Campaigns of the Neo-Assyrian Empire Rise of Neo-Assyria – Campaigns of Ashurnasirpal II – Campaigns of Shalmaneser III – Qarqar – Campaigns of Tiglath Pileser III – Campaigns of Sargon II – Campaigns of Sennacherib – Lachish – Jerusalem – Diyala River – 1st Babylon – Campaigns of Esarhaddon – Campaigns of Ashurbanipal – Ashdod – Susa – Elam – 2nd Babylon – Arrapha – Assur – Nineveh – Harran – Carchemish

The Fall of Harran refers to the Babylonian siege and capture of the Assyrian city of Harran in 608 BC.

Contents 1 Background 2 Siege 3 Aftermath 4 References

[edit] Background

The Assyrians from 639 BC had been suffering a decline in their power, culminating in Neo-Babylonian and Median invasions of their lands. Arrapha fell in 615 BC, followed by Assur in 614 BC and finally Nineveh in 612 BC, the newest capital of Assyria. Despite the brutal massacres that followed, the Assyrians survived as a political entity and escaped to Harran under their new King Ashur-uballit II^[1]. Establishing Harran as a capital for the Assyrians caught the attention of the Babylonian King Nabopolassar^[1], who was determined to destroy forever the threat of Assyrian resurgence.

[edit] Siege

Assyrian annals record no more after 610 BC^[1] - the presumed date of the siege. The siege lasted for another two years before the city finally fell in 608 BC^[2]. Not much is known of the siege - it is presumed that Nabopolassar killed Ashur-uballit II.

[edit] Aftermath

Despite yet another reverse, the Assyrians did not give up; remnants of the Assyrian army met up with the Egyptian forces that had won at Megiddo. In 605 BC, the Babylonians would be more successful as they did battle at Carchemish.

[edit] References