Sargon II

For other rulers named Sargon, see Sargon.

Sargon II (Akkadian: Šarru-kên, "legitimate king", reigned 722 – 705 BC) was an Assyrian king. Sargon II became co-regent with Shalmaneser V in 722 BC. Shalmaneser V died in 722 BC. From then on, Sargon II was the only ruler of Assyria. It is not clear if he was the son of Tiglath-Pileser III or a usurper unrelated to the royal family. In his inscriptions, he styles himself as a new man and rarely talks about his predecessors. He nevertheless took the name Sharru-kinu ("true king"), after Sargon of Akkad — who had founded the first Semitic Empire in the region about 16 centuries earlier.^[1] Sargon is the Biblical form of the name.

Sargon II
Assyrian
Sargon II and dignitary
Reign	722 – 705 BC
Predecessor	Shalmaneser V
Successor	Sennacherib
House	Assyrian