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Kalhu (Nimrud)

Q237614

Kalhu or, Biblical, Kalah (Hebrew כלח): capital of ancient Assyria, modern Nimrud.

The ziggurat of Nimrud

This city, called Kalhu by the Assyrians and called Kalah (or Calah) in the Bible, was a capital of Assyria. Like so many ruins, it is often called "Nimrud", after the legendary king who is often associated with antiquities in the Near East.
Kalhu was founded by king Šalmaneser I (r.1263-1234)
King Aššurnasirpal II (r.883-859) chose Kalhu, until then a small town, as his residence. A labor force of no less than 47,000 people built the city, which was six times larger than the old capital, Aššur.
If the city - as king Aššurnasirpal claims in one of his inscriptions - counted 16,000 inhabitants, food must have been imported from upstream along the Tigris
Nimrud, Throne platform of Šalmaneser III, Relief of tribute bearers

745-727: Reign of Tiglath-Pileser III: great splendor
The town remained capital of Assyria until 706 BCE, when king Sargon II founded Dur-Šarukkin (Khorsabad), which would be replaced by Nineveh (Mosul).
In 401, the Greek mercenary Xenophon stayed in this town, which was now called Larissa. He mentions how the inhabitants had fled to the ziggurat.^note[Xenophon, Anabasis 3.4.6-9.]

Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Foundation Inscription	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Facade	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Entrance to Main Court	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Lamassu
Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Inscription	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Genie	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Genie	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Genie

Nimrud, Temple of Ištar

Nimrud, Temple of Nabu

Nimrud, Tomb

Nimrud, Ziggurat (demolished by terrorists in 2016)

Nimrud, Figurine of a Nubian tribute bearer	Nimrud, Relief of the god Aššur	Nimrud, Temple of Ninurta, Aššurnasirpal II	Nimrud, Relief of Tiglath-Pileser III
Nimrud, Relief of an Anatolian fort	Nimrud, Black obelisk of Šalmaneser III: tribute of king Jehu of Israel	Nimrud, Black obelisk of Šalmaneser III: camels	Nimrud, Inscription with king
Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Vulture	Nimrud, Relief of a Mesopotamian chariot	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Genie	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Two genies
Nimrud, Bowl	Nimrud, Figurine of a Syrian-style bull	Nimrud, Decoration of a chariot, made of shell	Nimrud, Cup
Nimrud, Ivory	Nimrud, Handle of a fly whisk	Nimrud, Relief with soldiers	Nimrud, Ivory
Nimrud, Relief of Tiglath-Pileser III	Nimrud, Lion-shaped weight of three mina	Nimrud, Relief of the statue of deported deity	Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Two lamassus