Siege of Babylon

The Siege of Babylon took place after Sennacherib's victory over the Elamites at the Battle of River Diyala. Although the Assyrians had suffered heavy casualties at the river, they had beaten the Elamites such that the Babylonians now stood alone.

Assault
Sennacherib had lost his eldest son in the revolt and had also suffered heavy losses. Prior to this, most Assyrian attempts at punishing Babylon were lenient, due to a strong pro-Babylon presence in Assyrian governmental ranks. However, Sennacherib, now an old man with nothing to lose found no pity in his heart and utterly wasted Babylon. An act of desecration of such high-proportions for an Assyrian that he was subsequently murdered by two of his sons. Another of his sons, Esarhaddon succeeded him and endeavored to compensate Babylonia for his father's sacrilege by releasing Babylonian exiles and rebuilding Babylon.