7th century BC

Millennium: 1st millennium BC
Centuries: 8th century BC · 7th century BC · 6th century BC
Decades: 690s BC 680s BC 670s BC 660s BC 650s BC
640s BC 630s BC 620s BC 610s BC 600s BC
Categories: Births – Deaths
Establishments – Disestablishments

The 7th century BC started the first day of 700 BC and ended the last day of 601 BC.

The Assyrian Empire continued to dominate the near east during this century, exercising formidable power over neighbors like Babylon and Egypt. In the last two decades of the century, however, the empire began to unravel as numerous enemies made alliances and waged war from all sides. The Assyrians finally left the world stage permanently when their capital Nineveh was destroyed in 612 BC. These events gave rise to the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which would dominate the region for much of the following century.

Contents

Events

Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria who created "the first systematically collected library" at Nineveh
A 16th century depiction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, by Martin Heemskerck, with Tower of Babel in the background.

Significant persons

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

Decades and years

Notes