Siege of Babylon

Not to be confused with the fall of Babylon (539 BC).

The siege of Babylon in 689 BC took place after Assyrian king Sennacherib's victory over the Elamites at the Battle of River Diyala.^[1] Although the Assyrians had suffered heavy casualties at the river, they had beaten the Elamites such that the Babylonians now stood alone. Sennacherib then successfully besieged Babylon for up to fifteen months and destroyed it.^[2][3]

Siege of Babylon
20th-century illustration of Sennacherib's destruction of Babylon
Date 689 BC Location Babylon Result Assyrian victory Destruction of Babylon
Belligerents
Babylonians	Assyrians
Commanders and leaders
Mushezib-Marduk	Sennacherib

Assault

Prism of Sennacherib (705–681 BC), containing records of his military campaigns, culminating with Babylon's destruction. Exhibited at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.

King Sennacherib had lost his eldest son in the revolt and had also suffered heavy losses. Prior to this, most Assyrian attempts at punishing Babylon were lenient, due to a strong pro-Babylon presence in Assyrian governmental ranks. However, Sennacherib, now an old man with nothing to lose, found no pity in his heart and sacked Babylon. Large amounts of desecration took place, even by Assyrian standards. The destruction was so much so, it may have been a factor in Sennacherib's murder by two of his sons, eight years after the destruction. Another of his sons, Esarhaddon, succeeded him and endeavored to compensate Babylonia for his father's sacrilege by releasing Babylonian exiles and rebuilding Babylon.