Fall of Harran

Background

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

Siege

Assyrian annals record no more events after 610 BC - the presumed date of the siege. The siege lasted for another year before the city finally fell in 609 BC.

Aftermath

With the fall of Harran, the Assyrian empire ceased to exist as a state. Remnants of the former Assyrian empire's army met up with the Egyptian forces that had defeated the Kingdom of Judah at Megiddo but their combined forces were defeated again the same year at the Siege of Harran and in 605 BC at the Carchemish, ending the Egyptian intervention in the Near East.

References

References

1. Lipschitz, Oded. (2005). "The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem: Judah Under Babylonian Rule". Eisenbrauns.
2. Liverani, Mario. (2013-12-04). "The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy". Routledge.
3. Liverani, Mario. (2013-12-04). "The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy". Routledge.
4. Frahm, Eckart. (2017-06-12). "A Companion to Assyria". John Wiley & Sons.
5. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bTyeXEicBfkC&q=fall+of+harran+medes%2F&pg=PA37 Oxford Bible Atlas] "Ashuruballit assumed control over what remained of Assyria in Haran, but Haran too was captured by the Medes and the Babylonians in 610 and the might of Assyria was ended"
6. Stephen Bertman. (14 July 2005). "Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia". OUP USA.
7. Grant, R.G.. (2005). "Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5000 Years of Combat". Dorling Kindersley.
8. Liverani, Mario. (2013-12-04). "The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy". Routledge.
9. Frahm, Eckart. (2017-06-12). "A Companion to Assyria". John Wiley & Sons.
10. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bTyeXEicBfkC&q=fall+of+harran+medes%2F&pg=PA37 Oxford Bible Atlas] "Ashuruballit assumed control over what remained of Assyria in Haran, but Haran too was captured by the Medes and the Babylonians in 610 and the might of Assyria was ended"