Urartu-Assyria War
Encyclopedia
The Urartu–Assyria War was a conflict between the Kingdom of Urartu
, the Neo-Assyrian Empire, and Assyria's successor state, the Babylonian Empire, after it was conquered. The war began around 714 BC, with the invasion of Urartu
by the Assyria
n King Sargon II
. Sargon led multiple offensives deep into Urartuan territory, amassing numerous victories in the war. Following his death, however, Urartuan Kings Argishti II
and Rusa II
launched many successful counterattacks, reclaiming Urartu's lost territory and gaining some from Assyria. However, their successors suffered multiple major defeats, resulting in Urartu becoming an Assyrian, and later Babylonian, client state. Ultimately, the Babylonians decided that it would better serve their interests to directly control Urartu. Thus, they invaded Urartu, conquered the state, and annexed it, all by 585 BC.
Kingdom of Urartu
began its rise to power in the mid-ninth century BC
. Within a century, the relatively new state had conquered the majority of the Armenian Highland
s. However, the Assyria
n King Tiglath-Pileser III
saw the rising Kingdom of Urartu as a growing threat to the safety of his kingdom. As an aggressive, warmongering state, the Assyrian leadership deemed that they must end this threat through direct confrontation with the young kingdom.
led an offensive into Urartuan territory. His early victories, especially at the Battle of Lake Urmia
and his ransack of the head Uratuan temple at Mushashir, almost caused total defeat for his Uratuan counterpart, King Rusa I.
, launched a major counterattack, with his forces driving the Assyrians back across the pre-war border and deep into the Assyrian heartlands, reconquering major towns and cities around Lake Urmia, including Mushashir
, Ushnu
, and Tepe
, and conquering the territory as far south as the city of Nimud on the Tigris River
.
After the Uratuan victories during the early part of King Argishti II's reign, Urartu experienced a "Golden Age" characterized by a lengthy peace and economic prosperity throughout the remainder of Arghisti's reign and the entire rule of his successor, Rusa II. However, Kings Rusa III
and Rusa IV
were repeatedly defeated by the Assyrians. This ultimately turned Urartu into an Assyrian, and later Babylonia
n, client state, used as a buffer on the northern borders of these powerful empires. Beginning in 590 BC
, Babylonians attacked Urartu and, by 585 BC
, the Kingdom of Urartu had disappeared.
Urartu
Urartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
, the Neo-Assyrian Empire, and Assyria's successor state, the Babylonian Empire, after it was conquered. The war began around 714 BC, with the invasion of Urartu
Urartu
Urartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
by the Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n King Sargon II
Sargon II
Sargon II was an Assyrian king. Sargon II became co-regent with Shalmaneser V in 722 BC, and became the sole ruler of the kingdom of Assyria in 722 BC after the death of Shalmaneser V. It is not clear whether he was the son of Tiglath-Pileser III or a usurper unrelated to the royal family...
. Sargon led multiple offensives deep into Urartuan territory, amassing numerous victories in the war. Following his death, however, Urartuan Kings Argishti II
Argishti II
Argishti II was king of Urartu from 714 BC to 680 BC. He succeeded his father, King Rusa I. During the Urartu-Assyria War, Argishti was responsible for orchestrating major Urartuan counter-offensives against the invading Assyrians...
and Rusa II
Rusa II
Rusa II was king of Urartu between around 680 BC and 639 BC. It was during his reign that the massive fortress complex, Karmir-Blur, was constructed....
launched many successful counterattacks, reclaiming Urartu's lost territory and gaining some from Assyria. However, their successors suffered multiple major defeats, resulting in Urartu becoming an Assyrian, and later Babylonian, client state. Ultimately, the Babylonians decided that it would better serve their interests to directly control Urartu. Thus, they invaded Urartu, conquered the state, and annexed it, all by 585 BC.
Background
The Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
Kingdom of Urartu
Urartu
Urartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
began its rise to power in the mid-ninth century BC
9th century BC
The 9th century BC started the first day of 900 BC and ended the last day of 801 BC.- Overview :The 9th century BC was a period of great changes in civilizations. In Africa, Carthage is founded by the Phoenicians...
. Within a century, the relatively new state had conquered the majority of the Armenian Highland
Armenian Highland
The Armenian Highland is the central-most and highest of three land-locked plateaus that together form the northern sector of the Middle East...
s. However, the Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n King Tiglath-Pileser III
Tiglath-Pileser III
Tiglath-Pileser III was a prominent king of Assyria in the eighth century BC and is widely regarded as the founder of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Tiglath-Pileser III seized the Assyrian throne during a civil war and killed the royal family...
saw the rising Kingdom of Urartu as a growing threat to the safety of his kingdom. As an aggressive, warmongering state, the Assyrian leadership deemed that they must end this threat through direct confrontation with the young kingdom.
Early stages
In 714 BC, King Sargon IISargon II
Sargon II was an Assyrian king. Sargon II became co-regent with Shalmaneser V in 722 BC, and became the sole ruler of the kingdom of Assyria in 722 BC after the death of Shalmaneser V. It is not clear whether he was the son of Tiglath-Pileser III or a usurper unrelated to the royal family...
led an offensive into Urartuan territory. His early victories, especially at the Battle of Lake Urmia
Lake Urmia
Lake Urmia , ancient name: Lake Matiene) is a salt lake in northwestern Iran, near Iran's border with Turkey. The lake is between the Iranian provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped Caspian Sea...
and his ransack of the head Uratuan temple at Mushashir, almost caused total defeat for his Uratuan counterpart, King Rusa I.
Uratuan counterattack
After Sargon's death in 706 BC, King Rusa's successor, Argishti IIArgishti II
Argishti II was king of Urartu from 714 BC to 680 BC. He succeeded his father, King Rusa I. During the Urartu-Assyria War, Argishti was responsible for orchestrating major Urartuan counter-offensives against the invading Assyrians...
, launched a major counterattack, with his forces driving the Assyrians back across the pre-war border and deep into the Assyrian heartlands, reconquering major towns and cities around Lake Urmia, including Mushashir
Musasir
Muṣaṣir , in Urartian Ardini was an ancient city of Urartu, attested in Assyrian sources of the 9th and 8th centuries BC....
, Ushnu
Ushnu
An ushnu is a pyramid-shaped, terraced structure that was used by the Incas to preside at the most important ceremonies of the Tawantinsuyu.- Name :Little is known of Ushnu's Quechua root, but it seemed to mean the place of stones where the water filters...
, and Tepe
Tépe
Tépe is a village in Hajdú-Bihar county, in the Northern Great Plain region of eastern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 1176 people ....
, and conquering the territory as far south as the city of Nimud on the Tigris River
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
.
Assyrian/Babylonian victory
Rusa III
Rusa III was king of Urartu. He was called son of Erimena, probably the brother of Rusa II. Not much is known from his reign; his name was on a huge granary at Armavir and a series of bronze shields from the temple of Khaldi found at Rusahinili, now held in the British Museum...
and Rusa IV
Rusa IV
Rusa IV was king of Urartu from 590 BC to 585 BC. Rusa IV was the son and a successor of Rusa III, and the successor of Sarduri IV. His name is mentioned on a number of clay tablets found at Karmir Blur , including tablets bearing his own royal inscriptions. However, almost nothing is known about...
were repeatedly defeated by the Assyrians. This ultimately turned Urartu into an Assyrian, and later Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
n, client state, used as a buffer on the northern borders of these powerful empires. Beginning in 590 BC
590s BC
-Events and trends:* 599 BC—Vardhamana Mahavira, last Tirthankara of Jainism, is born.* 598 BC—Jehoiachin succeeds Jehoiakim as King of Judah.* March 16, 597 BC—Babylonians capture Jerusalem following a siege, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king....
, Babylonians attacked Urartu and, by 585 BC
580s BC
-Events and trends:* 589 BC—Apries succeeds Psamtik II as king of Egypt.* 588 BC—Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon begins siege of Jerusalem; the opera Nabucco sets the date at 587 BC.* 587 BC—Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians, ending the Kingdom of Judah...
, the Kingdom of Urartu had disappeared.
See also
- Military history of the Neo-Assyrian EmpireMilitary history of the Neo-Assyrian EmpireAssyria originated in the 23rd century BC, its earliest king Tudiya being a contemporary of Ibrium of Ebla. It evolved from the Akkadian Empire of the late 3rd millennium BC. Assyria was a strong nation under the rule of Ilushuma , who founded colonies in Asia Minor and raided Isin and other...
- UrartuUrartuUrartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
- AssyriaAssyriaAssyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
- Sargon IISargon IISargon II was an Assyrian king. Sargon II became co-regent with Shalmaneser V in 722 BC, and became the sole ruler of the kingdom of Assyria in 722 BC after the death of Shalmaneser V. It is not clear whether he was the son of Tiglath-Pileser III or a usurper unrelated to the royal family...