Nineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Near Eastern city of Upper Mesopotamia, located in the modern-day city of Mosul in northern Iraq on the eastern bank of the Tigris River. It served as the capital and largest city of the Neo-Assyrian Empire and was potentially the wealthiest city in the ancient world.
- Location
- Eastern bank of the Tigris River, modern Mosul, Iraq
- Known for
- Capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire; largest city in the world for ~50 years; site of extensive Assyrian sculptures and artifacts
Lore & Background
The greater Nineveh area is notable as the first location outside Anatolia to smelt copper, with the oldest copper smelting remains at Tell Arpachiyah and the oldest metal work at Tepe Gawra. During the Neo-Assyrian Empire, particularly from Ashurnasirpal II onward, Nineveh saw considerable architectural expansion. King Sennacherib (c. By Late Antiquity it was the seat of a bishop of the Church of the East, but it declined relative to Mosul during the Middle Ages and was mostly abandoned by the 14th century AD after massacres and dispersal of Assyrian Christians by Timur.
Reader's Guide
Nineveh's significance lies in its role as the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire and its status as potentially the wealthiest city in the ancient world. The city's ruins, including the two main tells of Tell Kuyunjiq and Tell Nabī Yūnus, have yielded large numbers of Assyrian sculptures and artifacts now located in museums worldwide. The site is bisected by the Khosr River, with the northern area called Kuyunjiq and the southern urbanized area called Nebi Yunus, site of a shrine to Jonah. The name Nineveh derives from the Akkadian Ninua and is reflected in various languages including Aramaic, Syriac, and Arabic. The city's legacy endures through its archaeological remains and its mention in the Hebrew Bible and Quran as the city where the prophet Jonah preached.
Did You Know?
- The city was sacked by a coalition of Babylonians, Medes, and Scythians after a bitter period of civil war in Assyria.
- The greater Nineveh area is the first location outside Anatolia to smelt copper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nineveh?
Nineveh is an ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia that rose to become the capital and largest urban center of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. It sits on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, in what is now the city of Mosul in northern Iraq.
What was Nineveh's role in the ancient world?
During its peak in the 7th century BC, Nineveh functioned as the political and economic heart of the Neo-Assyrian Empire and was likely the wealthiest city on Earth. It held the title of the world's largest city for roughly fifty years before its fall.
Where exactly is Nineveh located?
The ruins lie on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, directly across from modern-day Mosul in northern Iraq. The site has been known archaeologically since the 19th century and contains extensive remains of Assyrian palaces and sculptures.
Why is Nineveh important to history?
As the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, Nineveh represents one of the first truly large, centrally administered cities in human history. Its excavated palaces, libraries, and sculptural reliefs give us an unmatched window into Assyrian art, administration, and daily life.
More in Ancient Cities 1-24
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