Sennacherib (redirected from Sin-ahhe-eriba)

Sennacherib (sĕnăk`ərĭb) or Senherib, d. 681 B.C., king of Assyria (705–681 B.C.). The son of Sargon, Sennacherib spent most of his reign fighting to maintain the empire established by his father. It is difficult to determine the exact sequence of his conquests, but his first campaign seems to have been waged against Babylonia. Later he marched against an uprising of the western nations (Phoenicia, Judah, and Philistia), who were supported by Egypt. He defeated the Egyptians at Eltekeh (701 B.C.) and prepared to take Jerusalem. Isaiah had warned Hezekiah not to join the uprising against Assyria, but the king had refused the advice. Thus, Sennacherib destroyed many Judaean cities and besieged Jerusalem, forcing the king to pay a heavy tribute. Hezekiah built the famous Siloam Tunnel when the water supply was threatened by the approach of the Assyrian forces. Disturbances in Babylonia called the king to that area, and he waged a naval campaign against the Chaldaeans. He laid Elam waste and finally fought both the Chaldaeans and the Elamites at the battle of Halulina (Khaluli; c.691 B.C.). The exact outcome of the battle is uncertain. Two years later Sennacherib captured and destroyed Babylon. He constructed canals and aqueducts and built a magnificent palace at Nineveh. Two of his sons, jealous of their brother Esar-haddon, murdered Sennacherib. Esar-haddon succeeded to the throne.

Bibliography

See L. L. Homor, Sennacherib's Invasion of Palestine (1926, repr. 1966); B. S. Childs, Isaiah and the Assyrian Crisis (1967).

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Sennacherib

(died January 681 BC) King of Assyria (r. 705/704–681 BC), son and successor of Sargon II. Between 703 and 689 he undertook six campaigns against Elam (southwestern Iran), which was stirring up Chaldean and Aramaean tribes in Babylonia; Babylon was sacked during the last campaign. He dealt firmly with an Egyptian-backed rebellion in Palestine in 701, sparing Jerusalem after receiving payment of a heavy indemnity. He rebuilt the city of Nineveh, around which he planted fruit trees and exotic plants, including cotton, building extensive canals to bring water to the plantations. He devised less laborious methods of bronze casting and improved methods of raising water from wells. He was assassinated by a son during a rebellion.

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Sennacherib

died 681 bc, king of Assyria (705--681); son of Sargon II. He invaded Judah twice, defeated Babylon, and rebuilt Nineveh