VIII.

Beginning Decline

Under Sargon II the Assyrian Empire was more powerful and extensive than ever before. The peoples were closely knit in language, religion, and culture. On the surface there seemed every reason to believe that it would endure for centuries. Sargon’s successors, however, set as their main goals the conquest of Egypt and Elam and the final subjugation of Babylonia. To ensure victory over these outlying lands, they weakened their armies in the northern and northeastern frontier regions. In these northern regions, the Medes and the newly arrived migrants, the Cimmerians and the Scythians, were permitted to grow in strength.

Sennacherib retained the lands conquered by his father and even threatened the Egyptian frontier. Like Sargon, he also moved his capital, this time from Dur Sharrukin to Nineveh, where he built his palace. He was the first Assyrian ruler to use a navy, with which in 694 bc he pursued Chaldean rebels and defeated them. In 689 bc, when Babylonia was again seething with unrest, Sennacherib razed the entire city and, despite its traditional status as a holy city, flooded the site. Sennacherib’s son Esarhaddon (reigned 681-669 bc) was more favorably disposed toward Babylonia and helped to rebuild it. His major military success consisted of crossing the frontier of Egypt and capturing Memphis, its capital. His son Ashurbanipal (ruled 669-627 bc), continued the Egyptian campaign, penetrating as far south as Thebes. He also sacked Sūsa (present-day Shūsh, Iran), the capital of the Elamites. Apart from his fame as a conqueror, Ashurbanipal is noted for the vast library he collected in his palace at Nineveh.