Atlas of Battles

battle, major, medieval

Battle of Nineveh

Battle of Nineveh was a battle fought on 12 December AD 627 at Nineveh, in what is now Iraq. It was part of the Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628, which ran from AD 602 to AD 628. The recorded result: Byzantine victory. Recorded strength: 25,000–50,000 against 12,000.

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map detailing maneuvers of byzantine and persian forces before and after the battle of nineveh.
map detailing maneuvers of byzantine and persian forces before and after the battle of nineveh.. Mohammad Adil (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought12 December AD 627
WhereNineveh, Iraq36.359N, 43.153E
OutcomeByzantine victory
BelligerentsByzantine EmpireagainstSasanian Empire
Casualties and losses50 killed (Theophanes)and6,000 killed
Part ofByzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628AD 602 to AD 628

Where it sits in the Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628

Battle of Arzamon, AD 605Siege of Edessa, AD 610Siege of Caesarea, AD 611Battle of Antioch, AD 613Siege of Caesarea Maritima, AD 614Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem, AD 614Battle of Ganzak, AD 624Battle of Aghdam, AD 625Battle of Archesh, AD 625Battle of Sarus, AD 625Siege of Constantinople, AD 626Battle of the Lycus, AD 626Battle of Nineveh, AD 627AD 605AD 627Battle of Nineveh, AD 627
13 placed engagements of the Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628 in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date12 December AD 627
PlaceNineveh, Iraq
36.359N, 43.153E
KindBattle, medieval
Strength25,000–50,00012,000
Casualties and losses50 killed (Theophanes)6,000 killed
Commanders
  • Rahzadh
Battle of NinevehBattle of NinevehFall of NinevehSiege of MosulSiege of MosulSiege of MosulBattle of GaugamelaFall of NinevehSiege of MosulKirkukIrbilZakhoUrmiaNusaybinDuhok100 km36.359N, 43.153E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Nineveh
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Nineveh today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2024-07-29. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024.

The recorded site stands at about 246 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 204 to 287 m, 83 m of relief, gently rolling country and today it is 62% built-up, 17% grassland, 8% tree cover.

built-up: 62%grassland: 17%tree cover: 8%cropland: 6%bare ground: 4%water: 3%built-up 62%grassland 17%tree cover 8%cropland 6%bare ground 4%
west to east, 10.0 km212 to 261 mnorth to south, 10.0 km210 to 282 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 5 times between 612 BC and 1743.

In the same war

Elsewhere in AD 627

Battle of Nineveh is one of 179 engagements of the 7th century in the atlas and one of 173 in present-day Iraq.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q755966, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Nineveh (627), revision 1379512677, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.