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Created page with "{{Infobox |image= |caption= |conflict=Battle of Carchemish |partof=the Egyptian–Babylonian wars |date=c. 605 BC |place=[[Carchemish]] |result=Decisive Neo-Babylonian Empi..."
{{Infobox
|image=
|caption=
|conflict=Battle of Carchemish
|partof=the Egyptian–Babylonian wars
|date=c. 605 BC
|place=[[Carchemish]]
|result=Decisive [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonian]] and Median victory.
*End of Egyptian intervention in the [[Near East]].
|combatant1=[[Late Period of ancient Egypt|Egypt]] <br /> Remnants of the army of the former [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyria]]
|combatant2=[[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonia]]<br>[[Medes]] (?)<ref>[http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/media/ Encyclopedia Iranica] "After the fall of Ḥarran, the strategic center of Assyrian resistance was moved to Carchemish, a city on the Upper Euphrates, which at that time belonged to Egypt. Carchemish was captured by the [Chaldean | Chaldean People] Babylonians in 605 BCE. This is the final defeat of the ancient Assyrians where there was no more assyrian army"</ref>
|commander1=[[Necho II]]
|commander2=[[Nebuchadnezzar II]]<br>[[Cyaxares]](?)
|strength1=40,000
|strength2=18,000
|casualties1=large
|casualties2=minimal}}
[[File:Battle of Carchemish, Syria.jpg|thumb|Battle of Carchemish, Syria between Chaldean Babylonians and the enemy Egyptians and Assyrians]]
The '''Battle of Carchemish''' was fought about 605 BC<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Horn|first1=Siegfried H|title=THE BABYLONIAN CHRONICLE AND THE ANCIENT CALENDAR OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH|journal=Andrews University Seminary Studies|date=1967|issue=5/1967|page=20|url=http://www.auss.info/auss_publication_file.php?pub_id=411&journal=1&type=pdf|accessdate=4 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923180227/http://www.auss.info/auss_publication_file.php?pub_id=411&journal=1&type=pdf|archive-date=2015-09-23|dead-url=yes|df=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wiseman |first1=D. J.|title=Chronicles of Chaldean Kings (626-556 B.C.)|date=1956|publisher=British Museum Publications, Ltd.|location=British Museum|page=99}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=British Museum|title=Cuneiform tablet with part of the Babylonian Chronicle (605-594 BC)|website=britishmuseum.org|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/c/cuneiform_nebuchadnezzar_ii.aspx|accessdate=4 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030154541/https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/c/cuneiform_nebuchadnezzar_ii.aspx|archive-date=2014-10-30|dead-url=yes|df=}}</ref> between the armies of [[Late Period of ancient Egypt|Egypt]] allied with the remnants of the army of the former [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyrian Empire]] against the armies of [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonia]], allied with the Medes, and Scythians.
==Background==
When the [[Assyria]]n capital [[Nineveh]] was [[Battle of Nineveh (612 BC)|overrun]] by the Medes, Chaldean Babylonians and their allies in 612 BC, the ancient Assyrians moved their capital to [[Harran]]. When Harran was [[Fall of Harran|captured]] by the Chaldean Babylonian alliance in 609 BC,<ref name="Grant1">{{cite book|last=Grant|first=R.G.|title=Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5,000 Years of Combat |location=London |publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2005|pages=18}}</ref> ending the Assyrian Empire, remnants of the Assyrian army joined [[Carchemish]], a city under Egyptian rule, on the [[Euphrates]] river. Egypt (a former vassal of Assyria) was allied with the Assyrian king [[Ashur-uballit II]], and marched in 609 BC to his aid against the Babylonians.<ref>Georges Roux, ''Ancient Iraq''</ref>
The Egyptian army of Pharaoh [[Necho II]] was delayed at [[Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)|Megiddo]] by the forces of King [[Josiah]] of [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]]. Josiah was killed, and his army was defeated at the [[Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)]].
The Egyptians and Assyrians together crossed the Euphrates and laid siege to Harran, which they failed to retake. They then retreated to north western Assyria (in what is today north eastern [[Syria]]).
==Battle==
The Egyptians met the full might of the [Chaldean | Chaldean people] Babylonian and Median army led by Chaldean King [[Nebuchadnezzar II]] at Carchemish, where the combined Egyptian and Assyrian forces were destroyed. Assyria ceased to exist as an independent power, and Egypt retreated and was no longer a significant force in the [[Ancient Near East]]. Babylonia reached its economic peak after 605 BC.<ref>King, Philip J., 1993 ''Jeremiah: An Archaeological Companion'', Westminster/John Knox Press p.22 [https://books.google.com/books?id=7xZ-HUcAEP8C&pg=PA22&dq=carchemish+battle+605&ei=0rNzSI6TIJXEigG_6_zpBw&client=firefox-a&sig=ACfU3U1Wzw_pgL4_ZsnOWUInugnu63dVpA]</ref>
==Records of the battle==
The [[Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle]], now housed in the [[British Museum]], claims that Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar "crossed the river to go against the Egyptian army which lay in Karchemiš. They fought with each other and the Egyptian army withdrew before him. He accomplished their defeat, decisively. As for the rest of the Egyptian army which had escaped from the defeat so quickly that no weapon had reached them, in the district of [[Hamath]], the Chaldean Babylonian troops [[Battle of Hamath|overtook and defeated them]] so that not a single man escaped to his own country. At that time, Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar conquered the whole area of Hamath."<ref>[http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/abc5/jerusalem.html Chronicle Concerning the Early Years of Nebuchadnezzar II. Retrieved July 18, 2010.]</ref>
The battle is also mentioned and described in the [[Bible]], in the [[Book of Jeremiah]].<ref>The Bible, Jeremiah 46:3–12</ref> The battle mentioned in 2 Chronicles 35:20-27 is not the same; the event referred to there is the [[Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)]], which occurred four years earlier, also near Carchemish (2 Chronicles 35:20).
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{coord|36.8297|N|38.0150|E|source:wikidata|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carchemish 605 BC}}
[[Category:605 BC]]
[[Category:7th-century BC conflicts]]
[[Category:Battles involving Babylonia]]
[[Category:Battles involving ancient Egypt]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible battles]]
[[Category:Battles involving Assyria]]
[[Category:7th century BC]]
|image=
|caption=
|conflict=Battle of Carchemish
|partof=the Egyptian–Babylonian wars
|date=c. 605 BC
|place=[[Carchemish]]
|result=Decisive [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonian]] and Median victory.
*End of Egyptian intervention in the [[Near East]].
|combatant1=[[Late Period of ancient Egypt|Egypt]] <br /> Remnants of the army of the former [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyria]]
|combatant2=[[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonia]]<br>[[Medes]] (?)<ref>[http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/media/ Encyclopedia Iranica] "After the fall of Ḥarran, the strategic center of Assyrian resistance was moved to Carchemish, a city on the Upper Euphrates, which at that time belonged to Egypt. Carchemish was captured by the [Chaldean | Chaldean People] Babylonians in 605 BCE. This is the final defeat of the ancient Assyrians where there was no more assyrian army"</ref>
|commander1=[[Necho II]]
|commander2=[[Nebuchadnezzar II]]<br>[[Cyaxares]](?)
|strength1=40,000
|strength2=18,000
|casualties1=large
|casualties2=minimal}}
[[File:Battle of Carchemish, Syria.jpg|thumb|Battle of Carchemish, Syria between Chaldean Babylonians and the enemy Egyptians and Assyrians]]
The '''Battle of Carchemish''' was fought about 605 BC<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Horn|first1=Siegfried H|title=THE BABYLONIAN CHRONICLE AND THE ANCIENT CALENDAR OF THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH|journal=Andrews University Seminary Studies|date=1967|issue=5/1967|page=20|url=http://www.auss.info/auss_publication_file.php?pub_id=411&journal=1&type=pdf|accessdate=4 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923180227/http://www.auss.info/auss_publication_file.php?pub_id=411&journal=1&type=pdf|archive-date=2015-09-23|dead-url=yes|df=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Wiseman |first1=D. J.|title=Chronicles of Chaldean Kings (626-556 B.C.)|date=1956|publisher=British Museum Publications, Ltd.|location=British Museum|page=99}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=British Museum|title=Cuneiform tablet with part of the Babylonian Chronicle (605-594 BC)|website=britishmuseum.org|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/c/cuneiform_nebuchadnezzar_ii.aspx|accessdate=4 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030154541/https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/c/cuneiform_nebuchadnezzar_ii.aspx|archive-date=2014-10-30|dead-url=yes|df=}}</ref> between the armies of [[Late Period of ancient Egypt|Egypt]] allied with the remnants of the army of the former [[Neo-Assyrian Empire|Assyrian Empire]] against the armies of [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonia]], allied with the Medes, and Scythians.
==Background==
When the [[Assyria]]n capital [[Nineveh]] was [[Battle of Nineveh (612 BC)|overrun]] by the Medes, Chaldean Babylonians and their allies in 612 BC, the ancient Assyrians moved their capital to [[Harran]]. When Harran was [[Fall of Harran|captured]] by the Chaldean Babylonian alliance in 609 BC,<ref name="Grant1">{{cite book|last=Grant|first=R.G.|title=Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5,000 Years of Combat |location=London |publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2005|pages=18}}</ref> ending the Assyrian Empire, remnants of the Assyrian army joined [[Carchemish]], a city under Egyptian rule, on the [[Euphrates]] river. Egypt (a former vassal of Assyria) was allied with the Assyrian king [[Ashur-uballit II]], and marched in 609 BC to his aid against the Babylonians.<ref>Georges Roux, ''Ancient Iraq''</ref>
The Egyptian army of Pharaoh [[Necho II]] was delayed at [[Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)|Megiddo]] by the forces of King [[Josiah]] of [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]]. Josiah was killed, and his army was defeated at the [[Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)]].
The Egyptians and Assyrians together crossed the Euphrates and laid siege to Harran, which they failed to retake. They then retreated to north western Assyria (in what is today north eastern [[Syria]]).
==Battle==
The Egyptians met the full might of the [Chaldean | Chaldean people] Babylonian and Median army led by Chaldean King [[Nebuchadnezzar II]] at Carchemish, where the combined Egyptian and Assyrian forces were destroyed. Assyria ceased to exist as an independent power, and Egypt retreated and was no longer a significant force in the [[Ancient Near East]]. Babylonia reached its economic peak after 605 BC.<ref>King, Philip J., 1993 ''Jeremiah: An Archaeological Companion'', Westminster/John Knox Press p.22 [https://books.google.com/books?id=7xZ-HUcAEP8C&pg=PA22&dq=carchemish+battle+605&ei=0rNzSI6TIJXEigG_6_zpBw&client=firefox-a&sig=ACfU3U1Wzw_pgL4_ZsnOWUInugnu63dVpA]</ref>
==Records of the battle==
The [[Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle]], now housed in the [[British Museum]], claims that Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar "crossed the river to go against the Egyptian army which lay in Karchemiš. They fought with each other and the Egyptian army withdrew before him. He accomplished their defeat, decisively. As for the rest of the Egyptian army which had escaped from the defeat so quickly that no weapon had reached them, in the district of [[Hamath]], the Chaldean Babylonian troops [[Battle of Hamath|overtook and defeated them]] so that not a single man escaped to his own country. At that time, Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar conquered the whole area of Hamath."<ref>[http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/abc5/jerusalem.html Chronicle Concerning the Early Years of Nebuchadnezzar II. Retrieved July 18, 2010.]</ref>
The battle is also mentioned and described in the [[Bible]], in the [[Book of Jeremiah]].<ref>The Bible, Jeremiah 46:3–12</ref> The battle mentioned in 2 Chronicles 35:20-27 is not the same; the event referred to there is the [[Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)]], which occurred four years earlier, also near Carchemish (2 Chronicles 35:20).
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{coord|36.8297|N|38.0150|E|source:wikidata|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carchemish 605 BC}}
[[Category:605 BC]]
[[Category:7th-century BC conflicts]]
[[Category:Battles involving Babylonia]]
[[Category:Battles involving ancient Egypt]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible battles]]
[[Category:Battles involving Assyria]]
[[Category:7th century BC]]
