fall nineveh hands medes persians babylonians chaldeans bc assyria maintained large thriving rural population combined number well fortified cities major assyrian cities period included nineveh assur kalhu calah nimrud arbela erbil arrapha karka kirkuk dur sharrukin imgur enlil carchemish harran tushhan til barsip ekallatum kanesh kar tukulti ninurta urhai edessa guzana kahat amid diyarbakir rida mardin tabitu nuhadra dohuk ivah sepharvaim rachae purushanda sabata birtha tikrit tell shemshara dur katlimmu shekhna assyria often noted brutality cruelty period although assyrian harshness reserved solely
Humanities History Ancient history Assyrian Civilization