Fall of Harran

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict=Fall of Harran
partof=|date= 608 BC
place=Harran
result=Babylonian victory
combatant1=Babylonians
combatant2=Assyria
commander1=Nabopolassar
commander2=Ashur-uballit II
strength1=Unknown
strength2= Unknown
casualties1=Unknown
casualties2=Unknown
The Fall of Harran refers to the Babylonian siege and capture of the Assyrian city of Harran in 608 BC.

Background

The Assyrians from 639 BC had been suffering a decline in their power, culminating in Neo-Babylonian and Median invasions of their lands. Arrapha fell in 615 BC, followed by Assur in 614 BC and finally Nineveh in 612 BC, the newest capital of Assyria. Despite the brutal massacres that followed, the Assyrians survived as a political entity and escaped to Harran under their new King Ashur-uballit IIcite book|last=Bertman|first=Stephen|title=Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia|location=New York|publisher=Oxford UP|year=2005|pages=p. 80] . Establishing Harran as a capital for the Assyrians caught the attention of the Babylonian King Nabopolassar, who was determined to destroy forever the threat of Assyrian resurgence.

iege

Assyrian annals record no more after 610 BC - the presumed date of the siege. The siege lasted for another two years before the city finally fell in 608 BCcite book|last=Grant|first=R.G.|title=Battle a Visual Journey Through 5000 Years of Combat|location=London|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2005|pages=p. 18] . Not much is known of the siege - it is presumed that Nabopolassar killed Ashur-uballit II.

Aftermath

Despite yet another reverse, the Assyrians did not give up; remnants of the Assyrian army met up with the Egyptian forces that had won at Megiddo. In 605 BC, the Babylonians would be more successful as they did battle at Carchemish.

References