Nineveh: The Great Cultural Center That Became the "City of Sin"

Q: What was Nineveh?

Nineveh was a significant city in Mesopotamia between circa 3000 and 612 BCE. It is referenced in the Bible as a site of sin and depravity, but it was known in its time as a great cultural and religious center.

Q: Why is Nineveh important?

Nineveh is important for many reasons: it was the site of the Library of Ashurbanipal, which provided modern-day scholars with the great written works of Mesopotamia; it was a great religious and cultural center; it is referenced in the Bible numerous times; and it was most likely the site of the Hanging Gardens, usually attributed to Babylon.

Q: What made Nineveh famous?

In its time, Nineveh was famous for its beauty, as it was ornamented with landscaped gardens, parks, and a zoo, and was also well known as a cultural center; in the modern day, it is famous for its depiction in the Bible as a sinful city.

Q: What happened to Nineveh?

Nineveh was destroyed by a coalition of Medes, Babylonians, and others in 612 BCE as the Neo-Assyrian Empire fell.

Joshua J. Mark

Definition

Nineveh (modern-day Mosul, Iraq) was one of the oldest and greatest cities in antiquity. It was originally known as Ninua, a trade center, and would become one of the largest and most affluent cities in antiquity. It was regarded highly by ancient writers other than those who created the biblical narratives, which cast it in a negative light. At its height, Nineveh was a great cultural center and the largest city in the world, but, after achieving notoriety through the biblical narratives (especially the book of Jonah), it is best-known today as a "city of sin."

More about: Nineveh

Timeline

c. 6000 BCE
Nineveh is first settled.
c. 3000 BCE - c. 2000 BCE
Nineveh is a major religious center for the worship of the goddess Ishtar.
1273 BCE - 1244 BCE
King Shalmaneser I builds a palace and temple at Nineveh.
c. 1000 BCE
Large-scale building projects continue in Nineveh.
681 BCE - 669 BCE
Reign of Sennacherib's son, Esarhaddon, who continues building projects.
668 BCE - 627 BCE
Reign of King Ashurbanipal, last king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Palace and library built at Nineveh.
c. 647 BCE - c. 629 BCE
Extensive collection of clay tablets acquired known as Ashurbanipal's Library at Nineveh.
625 BCE
Incursions by Babylonians, Elamites, Medes and Scythians weakens the city of Nineveh.
612 BCE
Nineveh is sacked and burned by combined forces of Babylonians and Medes.
627 CE
Site of The Battle of Nineveh which ends the Byzantine-Sassanid War.
651 CE
Muslim Conquest of Mesopotamia.