Nineveh
Location
About
The ancient capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire at its zenith, Nineveh was the largest city in the world from approximately 700 to 612 BCE, covering an area of 750 hectares within its 12 km walls. King Sennacherib and his successors built spectacular palaces here with hundreds of sculpted stone reliefs. The city features prominently in the Hebrew Bible as the target of Jonah's mission and the enemy of Israel.
Significance
Nineveh was the capital of the most powerful empire the ancient world had yet seen — the Neo-Assyrian Empire under rulers like Tiglath-Pileser III, Sargon II, Sennacherib, and Ashurbanipal. Ashurbanipal's library of over 30,000 cuneiform tablets (the greatest ancient library) was discovered here, including the Gilgamesh Epic and the Enuma Elish. The city's destruction in 612 BCE was celebrated across the ancient Near East.
History & Historical Arc
Nineveh was occupied from around 6000 BCE. It reached its zenith under Sennacherib (705-681 BCE) who built the 'Palace W…
Archaeological Notes
Layard's excavations (1845-1851) revealed the Southwest Palace of Sennacherib with its famous bull colossi and reliefs (…
Key Features & Structures
- Mashki Gate (restored)
- Nergal Gate
Visitor Information
Located within modern Mosul. Parts of the site were destroyed by ISIS (2014-2017). Some areas have been restored. Access…
Related Figures
In the Bible
Source References
- Jonah 3:1-10
- Nahum 3:7
- Ashurbanipal Library tablets