Nineveh is mentioned in the bible in the book of Jonas. It is described as a very powerful city, whose people live in sin. It was the third capital of Assyria dating from the reign of Sennacherib (704-681BC)and was one of the most powerful cities of the Middle East, the hub of the civilised ancient world. Its downfall came in 612BC, when it was sacked by the Medes of Northern Persia. About the sinfulness of the population little is known with certainty.
The walls of Nineveh were 12km in circumference and were set with fifteen gates, each of which was named after an Assyrian god. Some of these gates have been reconstructed, notably the Shamash and Nergal gates. It was first excavated by the French and later by the British, and is noted for its colossal palace, its library, its statuary and its prehistoric pottery. There is a small museum near the Nergal gate, which displays some Assyrian relief carvings.
The ancient city of Nineveh is situated just outside Mosul on the east bank of the River Tigris.
