Nineveh: The Great Assyrian Capital
- Rezan Babakir
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
Nineveh was once the greatest city in the world — the mighty capital of the Assyrian empire, spread along the east bank of the Tigris opposite what is now Mosul, in the Nineveh Plains at the edge of the Kurdish region. For a time the largest city on earth, it was ringed by vast walls and gates guarded by the great winged-bull colossi called lamassu, and adorned with palaces and a famous royal library. Though it fell more than two and a half thousand years ago, its mighty mounds and monuments still rise from the plain, a testament to the deep antiquity of this land.
A capital of empire whose ruins still guard the Tigris, Nineveh stands among the wonders of the ancient world. This profile looks at the city, its glory, and its fall.
Key Takeaways
• Nineveh was the great capital of the Assyrian empire, opposite modern Mosul.
• For a time it was the largest city in the world.
• Its gates were guarded by winged-bull colossi known as lamassu.
• It held grand palaces and the famous library of Ashurbanipal.
• It fell in 612 BC to a coalition that included the Medes.
Quick Facts
Name: Nineveh
Type: Ancient capital city (ruins)
Country / Region: Iraq (Nineveh Plains, by Mosul)
Empire: Assyria
Famous Kings: Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal
Guardians: Lamassu (winged bull-men)
Library: The library of Ashurbanipal
Fall: 612 BC
Contents
Where Is Nineveh?
The ruins of Nineveh lie on the east bank of the Tigris, directly across the river from the heart of Mosul, in the Nineveh Plains — a fertile, multi-ethnic region at the edge of the Kurdish lands, home to Assyrians, Kurds, Arabs, Yazidis, and others. Nearby stand other monuments of the Assyrian age, such as the great Jerwan Aqueduct, and Christian towns of the plains like Alqosh. The city’s great mounds, Kuyunjik and Nebi Yunus, still rise above the modern sprawl.
Capital of an Empire
Nineveh reached its height around the seventh century BC, when the kings of Assyria made it the capital of an empire that stretched across much of the ancient Near East. The king Sennacherib rebuilt the city on a magnificent scale, raising a vast “Palace Without Rival,” laying out streets and squares, and bringing water to the city and its gardens through great canals and aqueducts cut through the hills. At its peak Nineveh was perhaps the largest city in the world, a dazzling capital whose fame spread far beyond the lands it ruled.
Walls, Gates, and Lamassu
Nineveh was protected by enormous walls many kilometres in length, pierced by great gates each with its own name. Guarding the entrances to the palaces and gates stood the lamassu — colossal stone figures with the body of a bull, the wings of an eagle, and the head of a bearded man, set there to ward off evil and awe all who approached. These magnificent guardians, carved from single huge blocks of stone, are among the most iconic images of the ancient world, and they have become enduring symbols of Assyria and of the heritage of the region.
The Library of Ashurbanipal
One of Nineveh’s greatest treasures was the library gathered by the king Ashurbanipal, who collected tens of thousands of clay tablets inscribed in cuneiform, covering literature, religion, science, history, and law. Among them was found the famous epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest great works of literature in the world. The discovery of this library by archaeologists opened a window onto the knowledge and stories of the ancient Mesopotamians, making Nineveh a cornerstone of our understanding of the deep human past.
The Fall of Nineveh
For all its might, Nineveh fell suddenly and dramatically. In the year 612 BC, a coalition of the city’s enemies — including the Medes, a people often looked back upon in the heritage of the Kurds, together with the Babylonians — besieged and destroyed the great capital, bringing the Assyrian empire to its end. The fall of Nineveh echoed through the ancient world and was remembered in scripture and legend. The proud city was left in ruins, its mounds slowly covered by the dust of ages until rediscovered in modern times.
Nineveh Today
Today the ruins of Nineveh are a place of both wonder and sorrow. Its mounds, the remains of its walls and gates, and the sites of its palaces draw those who come to glimpse the ancient capital, yet the site has also suffered grievously in recent conflict, when extremists deliberately damaged and destroyed some of its monuments and gates. Efforts to protect and restore what remains continue. Standing above the Tigris by Mosul, Nineveh endures as a profound reminder of the ancient grandeur layered into the land of the region.
Timeline
ancient times — Nineveh grows as an important Assyrian city on the Tigris.
c. 700 BC — Sennacherib makes Nineveh his magnificent imperial capital.
7th century BC — Ashurbanipal gathers his great library of cuneiform tablets.
612 BC — A coalition including the Medes destroys Nineveh.
modern era — The ruins are rediscovered, studied, and, in part, damaged in conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Nineveh?
Nineveh was the great capital of the Assyrian empire, on the Tigris opposite modern Mosul; for a time it was the largest city in the world, famous for its palaces, walls, and royal library.
Where is Nineveh?
Its ruins lie on the east bank of the Tigris across from Mosul, in the Nineveh Plains of northern Iraq, at the edge of the Kurdish region.
What are lamassu?
Lamassu are colossal stone guardians with a bull’s body, eagle’s wings, and a man’s head, set at the gates of Nineveh and other Assyrian cities to ward off evil.
When did Nineveh fall?
Nineveh was destroyed in 612 BC by a coalition that included the Medes and the Babylonians, bringing the Assyrian empire to its end.
Related People, Places, and Topics
The Assyrian empire · the Medes · the Nineveh Plains · Mosul · the Jerwan Aqueduct · Alqosh.
References and Further Reading
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