Battle of Halule

Battle of Halule
Date 691 BC Location Babylonia Result battle was indecisive, generally agreed that Assyrians suffered the greatest losses.
Belligerents
Babylonians Chaldeans Aramaeans Babylonia Elamites Zagros tribes Persians	Assyria
Commanders and leaders
Mushezib-Marduk Humban-nimena Khumban-umena III	Sennacherib

The Battle of Halule took place in 691 BC between the Assyrian empire and the rebelling forces of the Babylonians, Chaldeans, and Aramaic tribes.

Background

During the reign of king Sennacherib of Assyria Babylonia was in a constant state of revolt. Mushezib-Marduk the Chaldean prince chosen as King of Babylon led the Babylonian populace in revolt against Assyria and King Sennacherib.

Rebellion Forces

Khumma-Menanu recruited a new army to help the Babylonians against the Assyrians, under the leadership of Mushezib-Marduk. As well as the Babylonians, the Aramaic tribes, the Chaldeans and King Khumban-umena III of the Elamites, and all the Zagros tribes (Parsumash, Anzan, Ellipi, etc.) joined in rebellion against the Assyrians. The nucleus of the army consisted of Elamite and Iranian charioteers, infantry, and cavalrymen.

Result

Sennacherib during his Babylonian war

The battle was indecisive, or at least both sides claimed the victory in their annals and all rulers remained on their thrones, but it is generally agreed that the Assyrians suffered the greatest losses. Humban-numena, allied with the Aramaic tribes and Persians, claimed to have defeated Sennacherib at the battle.

Mushezib-Marduk lost his ally when the Elamite king Humban-nimena suffered a stroke later that same year, an opportunity King Sennacherib quickly seized by attacking Babylon, and eventually capturing it after a nine-month siege. Babylon was destroyed by Sennacherib. There was further fighting between Elam and Assyria over the next 40 years.