BATTLE OF CARCHEMISH

The 'Battle of Carchemish' was fought between an allied army of Egyptians and Assyrians and the Babylonian army. It was fought at Carchemish about 605 BC.

Contents

Background

Battle

Aftermath

Notes

Background

When the Assyrian capital Ninevah was overrun by the Babylonians in 612 BC, the Assyrians moved their capital to Harran. When Harran was captured by the Babylonians in 608 BC, the capital was once again moved, this time to Carchemish. Egypt was allied with the Assyrians, and marched in 605 BC to their aid against the Babylonians.
The Egyptian army of Pharaoh Necho II was delayed at Megiddo by the forces of King Josiah of Judah. Josiah was killed and his army was defeated.

Battle

The Egyptians were further delayed, so that when they met the full might of the Babylonian army led by Nebuchadrezzar II at Carchemish, the combined Egyptian and Assyrian forces were soundly defeated. Assyria ceased to exist as an independent power, and Egypt retreated and was no longer a significant force in the Middle East.

Aftermath

Before the battle of Charchamesh, Egypt was known to have one of the greatest army out of all the dynasties in northern Africa and was a threat to the middle east, but this soon changed at the defeat in the battle of Charchamesh when the Chaldean Dynasty destroyed the power of Egypt and the independant existence of Assyria. Babylon would later campaign aggresively in the Middle East, emulating their Assyrian predecessors and deporting thousands of their enemies; most notably the Jews of Jerusalem.

Notes