After the death of
Assurbanipal in 627 BC, the
Neo-Assyrian empire entered a period of instability caused by fighting between
Sin-shar-ishkun and his brother
Assur-etil-ilani. In 626 BC,
Nabopolassar, the Babylonian ruler revolted against the Assyrians. After a few years of war, the Babylonians expelled the Assyrian forces from their territory. However,
Nabopolassar could not bring the fight to the heartland of the Assyrian empire. The situation changed drastically in 616 BC, when the
Medes attacked the
Assyrian empire.
The fall of
Tarbiṣu occurred when the Median army, led by
Cyaxares, attacked and conquered the city. In the aftermath, the
Medes went further and decisively defeated the Assyrians at the
battle of Assur.
^Who's Who in the Ancient Near East "It appears that Cyaxares did unite the Medes and achieved some impressive military victories. In 614 he attacked Nineveh and captured Ashur and Tarbisu"
^The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy "already by 614 BC, the Medes of Cyaxares (Umakishtar in the Babylonian chronicle) had invaded the Assyrian cities, conquering Tarbisu and then Ashur, which was brutally sacked"
After the death of
Assurbanipal in 627 BC, the
Neo-Assyrian empire entered a period of instability caused by fighting between
Sin-shar-ishkun and his brother
Assur-etil-ilani. In 626 BC,
Nabopolassar, the Babylonian ruler revolted against the Assyrians. After a few years of war, the Babylonians expelled the Assyrian forces from their territory. However,
Nabopolassar could not bring the fight to the heartland of the Assyrian empire. The situation changed drastically in 616 BC, when the
Medes attacked the
Assyrian empire.
The fall of
Tarbiṣu occurred when the Median army, led by
Cyaxares, attacked and conquered the city. In the aftermath, the
Medes went further and decisively defeated the Assyrians at the
battle of Assur.
^Who's Who in the Ancient Near East "It appears that Cyaxares did unite the Medes and achieved some impressive military victories. In 614 he attacked Nineveh and captured Ashur and Tarbisu"
^The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy "already by 614 BC, the Medes of Cyaxares (Umakishtar in the Babylonian chronicle) had invaded the Assyrian cities, conquering Tarbisu and then Ashur, which was brutally sacked"