Nineveh

Introduction
History
Outline of the city

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Bronze head of an Akkadian king, possibly Sargon of Akkad, with detailed curled beard and patterned hair, displayed on a white pedestal.

relief of a spirit holding a poppy flower

At a Glance

Nineveh summary

Quizzes

Temple ruins of columns and statures at Karnak, Egypt (Egyptian architecture; Egyptian archaelogy; Egyptian history)

History Buff Quiz

Related Questions

How did Islamic State attacks in 2014–16 damage monuments at Nineveh?
How did Nineveh’s early pottery show connections with both northern and southern Mesopotamia?
How did Sennacherib bring water to Nineveh?
How did Sennacherib use canals and irrigation to support gardens around Nineveh?
How large was Nineveh during the reign of Sennacherib?
How large was Sennacherib’s palace at Nineveh?
How long did the siege of Nineveh in 612 BCE last?
How many major gates were built into Nineveh’s city walls?
How many rooms did Sennacherib’s palace at Nineveh contain?
How many tablets or tablet fragments were in Ashurbanipal’s library?
How was the Shamash Gate at Nineveh protected from attackers?
How were Nineveh’s walls and gates designed for defense?
What did Austen Henry Layard discover at Nineveh between 1845 and 1851?
What did Esarhaddon build at the Nabī Yūnus mound in Nineveh?
What did excavations at the Quyunjik mound reveal about Nineveh’s prehistoric past?
What do the clay sickles found at Nineveh suggest about contact with southern Mesopotamia?
What kinds of art decorated Ashurbanipal’s palace at Nineveh?
What kinds of sculptures decorated the doorways of Sennacherib’s palace?
What new palace did Ashurbanipal build at Nineveh?
What plants and trees did Sennacherib introduce to gardens at Nineveh?
What sculptures were found at the Nergal Gate of Nineveh?
What subjects were recorded on the tablets in Ashurbanipal’s library?
What technological achievements were associated with Sennacherib’s building projects?
What was Ninevite V pottery?
What was the “palace without a rival” built by Sennacherib at Nineveh?
What was the purpose of the aqueduct at Jerwan?
What were the overturned bevelled bowls found in prehistoric levels at Nineveh possibly used for?
When did Nineveh begin to expand greatly under the Neo-Assyrian kings?
When was the first settlement at Nineveh probably founded?
Where was ancient Nineveh located in relation to the Tigris River and modern Mosul?
Which Mesopotamian stories survived mainly because they were preserved in Ashurbanipal’s library?
Which gates of Nineveh were named after Assyrian gods?
Who continued the excavation of Nineveh after Layard?
Who first surveyed and mapped the ruins of Nineveh?
Who might the bronze head discovered at Nineveh represent?
Why are Ashurbanipal’s lion-hunting reliefs important to the history of Assyrian art?
Why did Nineveh’s location make it important for trade in ancient Mesopotamia?
Why do some scholars identify the bronze head from Nineveh as Sargon of Akkad?
Why were statues of the Egyptian pharaoh Taharqa placed at the entrance to Esarhaddon’s arsenal?
What is the significance of Mohenjo-daro in the Indus civilization?
What was Troy?
Where was Troy located?
Why is Troy famous in history and legend?
What was the Trojan War, and who were the main sides involved?
How did archaeologists discover the ancient city of Troy?
What are some important archaeological findings from Troy?
What was the Battle of Karbala?
When and where did the Battle of Karbala take place?
Who were the main figures involved in the Battle of Karbala?

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External Websites

Mosul Cultural Museum - Nineveh
The History Files - Nineveh (City) (Northern Mesopotamia)
World History Encyclopedia - Nineveh, Iraq
Jewish Virtual Library - Nineveh
Livius - Nineveh
Bible Odyssey - Nineveh
The Met - Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History - Nineveh

Nineveh

ancient city, Iraq

Written by

Max Mallowan

Professor of Western Asiatic Archaeology, University of London, 1947–62. President, British School of Archaeology in Iraq, 1970–78. Archaeologist on staff of the British Museum Expedition to Nineveh, 1931–32;...

Max Mallowan

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

History

Nineveh, the oldest and most-populous city of the ancient Assyrian empire, situated on the east bank of the Tigris River and encircled by the modern city of Mosul, Iraq. Nineveh was located at the intersection of important north-south and east-west trade routes, and its proximity to a tributary of the Tigris, the Khawṣar River, added to the value of the fertile agricultural and pastoral lands in the district. The first person to survey and map...

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