Ancient city of Nineveh

The Old Testament describes Nineveh as an ‘exceeding great city of three day’s walk across’ and built by Nimrod.  One of the oldest and most populous city of the ancient Assyrian empire, the ancient ruins of Nineveh are located a short distance from the east bank of the Tigris River and opposite the modern city of Mosul, which is about 350 km NW Baghdad.

Manistusu, a successor of Sargon I, erected a temple of Ishtar at Nineveh during the Semitic dynasty of Akkad (ca 2360-2180 BC).

With the appearance of King Ashur-uballit I (1365-1330 BC), Assyrian and Nineveh with it begun their dominance of the Middle Eastern stage. Nineveh was the cultic center for the worship of Ishtar and Assyrian kings over the next 500 years contributed to rebuilding the city’s temples after earthquakes and to expanding the size and appearance of the shrine.

Sennacherib moved the capital of Assyria from Dur Sharrukin to Nineveh and set himself to build a city unrivalled by any other in the ancient Near East. Sennacherib is responsible for beautifying Nineveh and bringing the capital into prominence.

Sennacherib pulled sown the old palace and built his new one on a platform well above the level of the city.

Sennacherib enlarged the city with temples, broad streets and public gardens. Unique in the Near East were the dimensions and design of his aqueduct, whoosh by its system of dam brought fresh water into the city from the mountains.

Near the headwaters of the Tigris River, Nineveh functioned as a gateway from the mountains to some of the most fertile plains in the Near East. The city was the capital of the Assyrian people from the late eight century to its destruction by the Medes and Babylonians in 612 BC.
Ancient city of Nineveh

City of Sidon in Lebanon

The Phoenicians were the descendents of Canaan, the grandson of Noah, and occupied a tract of country, which was bounded on the north and east by Syria, on the south by Judea and on the west by the Mediterranean. The Phoenicians earned the reputation of being the best seamen in the world.

Phoenicia was divided into several small kingdoms, of which the most considerable were those of Sidon, Tyre, and Arad. Sidon was a major seaport with two deep harbors. In Homer also (1000-800 BC) frequent mention is made of the merchants and skilful artist of Sidon.

Sidon, the eldest son of Canaan, founded the city which bore his name. While Eustathius declares that Sidon was built by Belus and named after his daughter Side.

In the ninth century Sidon, which had become a vassal of Tyre, resumed her independence, but Assyria had now in 880 BC stretched her hand over Phoenicia and in 842 BC both sites, Tyre and Sidon including northern kingdom of Israel paid their tribute.

Despite its woes at the hands of the Assyrians, Sidon remained a wealthy and prosperous city, until Sidonians became tired of paying tribute and rebelled. In 679-8 BC Sidon revolted against Assyria and was destroyed.

In the early sixth century BC Sidon got caught in the middle of a dispute between Egypt and Babylonia and in 587 BC it was captures by Nebuchadnezzar.

In the Persian period, Sidon have been the main and the most prosperous of the Phoenician cities, but later suffered from the aftermaths of the Tennes revolt in 351 BC.

Three times the city of Sidon was captured by the Crusaders and three times it was captured by the Muslim armies.
City of Sidon in Lebanon

City of Babylon

The name Babylonia is derived from its capital city. Its old name was Kaldu, the people were called Kaldai, i.e. Kasdim of the Old Test Testament.

Babylon appears to have been founded a short time after the flood of Noah and about 2234 years before Christ. It was said that Nimrod laid the foundation of the city and of the kingdom of Babylon.

Nimrod was the son of Cush, grandson of Ham, and great grandson of Noah.

The oldest unambiguous attestation of Babylon is dated to the reign of the Old Akkadian king Sar-kali-sarri (around 2200 BC).

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Babylon means, then’ ‘the gate of God’. Babylon was situated upon the River Euphrates, above Borsippa. 

During 18th century BC when Hammurabi was king, the city became a real territorial empire encompassing the whole of Mesopotamia after victories against Larsa, Esnunna, Assur and Mari.

The Assyria, who came from northern Mesopotamia, became the most powerful force in Mesopotamia in about 800 BC, conquering Babylon and adopting a large part of their culture.

The conquest of Nineveh and the overthrow of the Assyrian Empire were affected about 625 BC by Cyaxeres the Mede, and his ally Nabopolassar, the rebellious governor of Babylon, enabling the latter to found the Babylonian Empire.
City of Babylon