Area Sections
Nimrod

Other Definitions
nimrod (enc)
nimrod (dict)

Nimrod

Nimrod is the name of Assyria's second capital. The site lies about 37 km south-east of Mosul, on the eastern bank of the River Tigris, just south of Ninevah another major archeological site.

It was first designated as the Assyrian capital by Ashurnasirpal II in 879BC and was known as Kalhu (mentioned in Genesis as Calah). Later, with the accession of King Sargon II it was replaced by Khorsabad as the new capital in about 720BC. In 612BC it was destroyed by the Medes of Northern Persia, at the same time as the fall of Nineveh.

Nimrod was excavated by the British under Henry A. Layard, and subsequent excavations by Sir Max Mallowen discovered vast palaces of the Assyrian kings. The most impressive of these is that of King Ashurasirpal II, the city's founding monarch. Impressive statuary at the palace entrance shows two hawk-winged lions with human heads, in the well-known Assyrian style.

 

<< PreviousWord BrowserNext >>
sights
zandjan
dorche
history
getting there
economy
health
people
iraq
an najaf
an nasiriyah
arbil
sights
assur
babylon
sights
history
baghdad
mansour and karadah districts
basra
eridu
hattra
karbala
kirkuk
kut
mosul
ninevah
qurna
samarra
tikrit
ur
economy
health
people
things to do
israel
acre
beersheva
beit shean
sights
nightlife and entertainment
bars and cafes
tel aviv
tiberias