Dur-Sharrukin

Quick Facts: Who was Dur-Sharrukin?

Subject:

Dur-Sharrukin

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Grand Assyrian capital city built by Sargon II, now located in modern-day Iraq.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Dur-Sharrukin (Neo-Assyrian Akkadian: 𒂦𒈗𒁺, romanized: Dūr Šarru-kīn, "Fortress of Sargon"; Arabic: دور شروكين, Syriac: ܕܘܪ ܫܪܘ ܘܟܢ), present day Khorsabad, was the Assyrian capital in the time of Sargon II of Assyria. Khorsabad is a village in northern Iraq, 15 km northeast of Mosul. The great city was entirely built in the decade preceding 706 BC. After the unexpected death of Sargon in battle, the capital was moved 20 km south to Nineveh. Sargon II ruled from 722 to 705 BC.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The demands for timber and other materials and craftsmen, who came from as far as coastal Phoenicia, are documented in contemporary Assyrian letters. The debts of construction workers were nullified in order to attract a sufficient labour force. The land in the environs of the town was taken under cultivation, and olive groves were planted to increase Assyria's deficient oil-production. The great city was entirely built in the decade preceding 706 BC, when the court moved to Dur-Sharrukin, although it was not completely finished yet. Sargon was killed during a battle in 705.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After his unexpected death his son and successor Sennacherib abandoned the project, and relocated the capital with its administration to the city of Nineveh, 20 km south. The city was never completed and it was finally abandoned a century later when the Assyrian empire fell. On 8 March 2015 the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant reportedly started the plunder and demolition of Dur-Sharrukin, according to a Kurdish official from Mosul, Saeed Mamuzini. The Iraqi Tourism and Antiquities Ministry launched the related investigation on the same day. Only one looting tunnel has been found.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2015: 2015 Milestone — On 8 March 2015 the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant reportedly started the plunder and demolition of Dur-Sharrukin, according to a Kurdish official from Mosul, Saeed Mamuzini.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Dur-Sharrukin

True or False: “The city walls of Dur-Sharrukin were designed with a length corresponding to the numerical value of Sargon II's name.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The length of the city walls was 16280 Assyrian units, which corresponded numerically to the value of Sargon's name.

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