Nineveh: History, Former Names & Timeline
Capital of the Assyrian Empire on the Tigris and home of Ashurbanipal’s library; the city of Mosul later grew on the opposite bank.
NinevehExplore Nineveh in the interactive map
Former names of Nineveh
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 700 BC | Nineveh | Assyrian capital |
| 1100 | Mosul | city across the river |
Timeline of Nineveh
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 705 BC | Sennacherib makes Nineveh his capital |
| 668 BC | Ashurbanipal comes to the throne and gathers his library of clay tablets |
| 612 BC | Medes and Babylonians destroy Nineveh |
| 1262 | The Mongols take Mosul |
| 1918 | British forces occupy Mosul |
| 2017 | Iraqi forces retake Mosul from the Islamic State |
Who ruled Nineveh
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–324 BC | Achaemenid Empire |
| 323 BC–301 BC | Empire of Alexander |
| 300 BC–2 BC | Seleucid Kingdom |
| 1 BC–199 | Parthian Empire |
| 200–299 | Roman Empire |
| 300–399 | Parthian Empire |
| 400–499 | Persia |
| 500–699 | Sasanian Empire |
| 700–799 | Umayyad Caliphate |
| 800–999 | Abbasid Caliphate |
| 1000–1099 | Buwayhid Emirates |
| 1100–1199 | Seljuk Empire |
| 1200–1299 | Khwarazmian Empire |
| 1300–1399 | Ilkhanate |
| 1400–1491 | Timurid Empire |
| 1492–1599 | Emirate of the White Sheep Turks |
| 1600–1919 | Ottoman Empire |
| 1920–1944 | Mesopotamia (GB) |
| 1945–today | Iraq |
Battles and sites near Nineveh
- Battle of Gaugamela · 331 BC
Famous people of Nineveh
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| c. 685 BC – 631 BC | Ashurbanipal | King of Assyria |
Nearby cities
Further reading
Questions about Nineveh
What was Nineveh called in the past?
Nineveh has been known as Mosul (from 1100, city across the river). Its present name dates from 1100.
Which states have ruled Nineveh?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Nineveh lies within 18 different states: Achaemenid Empire, Empire of Alexander, Seleucid Kingdom, Parthian Empire, Roman Empire, Persia, Sasanian Empire, Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate, Buwayhid Emirates and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Nineveh?
705 BC: Sennacherib makes Nineveh his capital. 668 BC: Ashurbanipal comes to the throne and gathers his library of clay tablets. 612 BC: Medes and Babylonians destroy Nineveh. 1262: The Mongols take Mosul. 1918: British forces occupy Mosul.
Which famous people are connected with Nineveh?
Ashurbanipal (king of assyria, c. 685 BC – 631 BC).
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.