Urartu–Assyria War

Urartu-Assyria War
Date	714 BC - mid 7th century BC
Location	Van
Result	Assyrian victory
Belligerents
Urartu	Neo-Assyrian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Sardur III,; Erimena,; Rusa III,; Rusa IV	Tiglath-Pileser III,; Sargon II,; Sennacherib,; Esarhaddon,; Ashurbanipal
Strength
no reliable estimates	no reliable estimates

The Urartu–Assyria War was a conflict between the Kingdom of Urartu and the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The war began around 714 BC, with the invasion of Urartu by the Assyrian King Sargon II.^[1] Sargon led multiple offensives deep into Urartian territory, amassing numerous victories in the war. Following his death, however, Urartian 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 client state.

Background

The

Armenian Highlands. However, the Assyrian King Tiglath-Pileser III saw the rising Kingdom of Urartu as a growing threat to the safety of his empire. The Assyrian leadership deemed that they must end this threat through direct confrontation with the young kingdom.^[2]

Early stages

In 714 BC, King

Mushashir, almost caused total defeat for his Uratuan counterpart, King Rusa I

.

Urartian counterattack

After Sargon's death in 706 BC, King Rusa's successor,

Tepe

.

Assyrian victory

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, King Rusa III was repeatedly defeated by the Assyrians. This ultimately turned Urartu into an Assyrian client state, used as a buffer on the northern borders of this powerful empire.

Aftermath

Both states did not last long after the end of the war. The Assyrian capital, Nineveh,

Persians, Scythians and Cimmerians, in 612 BC, with Assyria finally falling by 609 BC. The Medes and Scythians then turned on the remnants of Urartu, destroying it c. 590 BC.^{[citation needed}

]

References

^ Melville, Sarah "The Campaigns of Sargon II, King of Assyria, 721-705 B.C.", University of Oklahoma, 2016
^ The Cambridge Ancient History. - Page 74 by I E S Edwards

[Melville-1] Melville, Sarah "The Campaigns of Sargon II, King of Assyria, 721-705 B.C.", University of Oklahoma, 2016

[cam-2] The Cambridge Ancient History. - Page 74 by I E S Edwards

[1]

[2]