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Nineveh was the last capital of [[Assyria]] from 5000 until 612 BC when it was destroyed by the [[Babylonians]].  [[Jonah]] was sent by God to preach to the people of Nineveh warning of their impending doom, and they repented and were spared.

'''Nineveh''' was the last capital of [[Assyria|the Assyrian empire]] from 5000 until 612 BC when it was destroyed by the [[Babylonians]].  The early date is based upon the biblical account of Asshur founding Nineveh in the biblical book of [[Genesis|Genesis]] (Genesis 10:11), which would translate to roughtly 5000 B.C. based upon recorded geneologies.

 

How early it was a major city is not known, but references to it can be traced back to at least 1800 B.C.  In the [[book of Jonah]] in the [[Bible]], [[Jonah]] was sent by God to preach to the people of Nineveh warning of their impending doom. They repented and were spared at that time. The book of Jonah also records that Nineveh had 120,000 inhabitants.

 

The book of [[Nahum]] and the book of [[Zephaniah]] both make prophecies telling of Nineveh's impending doom due to its wickedness and Nineveh's sudden destruction would be due to God's judgement.