Sargon II

Lore & Background

Sargon II is sometimes associated with Tiglath-Pileser III and Shalmaneser V, but his exact parentage and relationship to them remain uncertain and are not widely accepted as fact. He modelled his reign on the legends of Sargon of Akkad and Gilgamesh, aspiring to conquer the known world. Over seventeen years, he substantially expanded Assyrian territory, enacted important political and military reforms, and personally led his troops into battle. Among his greatest accomplishments were continued control over the Levant, weakening the kingdom of Urartu, and reconquest of Babylonia. From 717 to 707 BC, he constructed a new capital named Dur-Sharrukin ('Fort Sargon'), which became his official residence in 706 BC.

Reader's Guide

Sargon II's significance lies in his military expansion, administrative reforms, and the founding of a new dynastic line. He worked to assimilate conquered peoples and extended them rights similar to native Assyrians. He forgave defeated enemies on several occasions and increased the influence of women and scribes at court. His death in battle in 705 BC, with his body unrecovered, was a major psychological blow to Assyria and damaged his legacy. His son Sennacherib was deeply disturbed and distanced himself from Sargon. Sargon was barely mentioned in later ancient literature and was nearly forgotten until the ruins of Dur-Sharrukin were discovered in the 19th century. He was not fully accepted as a real king in Assyriology until the 1860s. Today, due to his conquests and reforms, he is considered one of the most important Assyrian kings.

Did You Know?

• Sargon II was the first king in more than a thousand years to bear the name Sargon.
• He constructed a new Assyrian capital named Dur-Sharrukin ('Fort Sargon') from 717 to 707 BC.
• His body was not recovered after his death in battle, preventing a traditional burial and, according to ancient Mesopotamian religion, cursing him to remain a restless ghost for eternity.