Urartu–Assyria War

The Urartu–Assyria War was a conflict between the Kingdom of Urartu, the Neo-Assyrian Empire, and Assyria's successor state, the Babylonian Empire, after it was conquered. The war began around 714 BC, with the invasion of Urartu by the Assyrian King Sargon II.^[1] Sargon led multiple offensives deep into Urartuan territory, amassing numerous victories in the war. Following his death, however, Urartuan Kings Argishti II and Rusa II launched many successful counterattacks, reclaiming Urartu's lost territory and gaining some from Assyria. However, their successors suffered multiple major defeats, resulting in Urartu becoming an Assyrian, and later Babylonian, client state. Ultimately, the Babylonians decided that it would better serve their interests to directly control Urartu. Thus, they invaded Urartu, conquered the state, and annexed it, all by 585 BC.

Background

The Iron Age Kingdom of Urartu began its rise to power in the mid-ninth century BC. Within a century, the relatively new state had conquered the majority of the Armenian Highlands. However, the Assyrian King Tiglath-Pileser III saw the rising Kingdom of Urartu as a growing threat to the safety of his kingdom. As an aggressive, warmongering state, the Assyrian leadership deemed that they must end this threat through direct confrontation with the young kingdom.^[1]

Early stages

In 714 BC, King Sargon II led an offensive into Urartuan territory. His early victories, especially at the Battle of Lake Urmia and his ransack of the head Uratuan temple at Mushashir, almost caused total defeat for his Uratuan counterpart, King Rusa I.^[2]

Uratuan counterattack

After Sargon's death in 706 BC, King Rusa's successor, Argishti II, launched a major counterattack, with his forces driving the Assyrians back across the pre-war border and deep into the Assyrian heartlands, reconquering major towns and cities around Lake Urmia, including Mushashir, Ushnu, and Tepe, and conquering the territory as far south as the city of Nimud on the Tigris River. ^[2]

Assyrian/Babylonian victory

After the Uratuan victories during the early part of King Argishti II's reign, Urartu experienced a "Golden Age" characterized by a lengthy peace and economic prosperity throughout the remainder of Arghisti's reign and the entire rule of his successor, Rusa II. ^[2] However, Kings Rusa III and Rusa IV were repeatedly defeated by the Assyrians. This ultimately turned Urartu into an Assyrian, and later Babylonian, client state, used as a buffer on the northern borders of these powerful empires. ^[3] Beginning in 590 BC, Babylonians attacked Urartu and, by 585 BC, the Kingdom of Urartu had disappeared. ^{[2] [3]}

References

See also

• Military history of the Neo-Assyrian Empire
• Urartu
• Assyria
• Sargon II