Short Chronology Timeline - Iron Age

Iron Age

Further information: Neo-Hittite

The Early Iron Age (12th to 7th centuries BC). While not subject to the long versus short dating issue, chronology in the Ancient Near East is not on a firm footing until the rise of the Neo-Babylonian and Neo-Assyrian rulers in their respective regions. The dates, regnal lengths, and even the names of a number of rulers from that interim period are still unknown. To make matters worse, the few surviving records, such as the Synchronistic Chronicle, give conflicting data.

Second Dynasty of Isin

Further information: Kings of Babylon

After the fall of the Kassite dynasty of Babylon to Elam, power in the region, and control of Babylon, swung to the city-state of Isin. Assyria at this time was extremely weak, except during the reign of the powerful Assyrian ruler Tiglath-Pileser I. Other polities in the area had yet to recover from the Bronze Age collapse.

Ruler	Reign	Notes
Marduk-kabit-aḫḫēšu	1157 - 1140 BC
Itti-Marduk-balāṭu	1139 - 1132 BC
Ninurta-nādin-šumi	1131 - 1126 BC	Contemporary of Ashur-resh-ishi I of Assyria
Nebuchadnezzar I	1125 - 1104 BC	Orig. Nabu-kudurri-usur, Contemporary of Ashur-resh-ishi I
Enlil-nadin-apli	1103 - 1100 BC	Son of Nebuchadnezzar I
Marduk-nadin-ahhe	1099 - 1082 BC	Contemporary of Tiglath-Pileser I of Assyria
Marduk-šāpik-zēri	1081 - 1069 BC	Contemporary of Ashur-bel-kala of Assyria
Adad-apla-iddina	1168 - 1147 BC	Contemporary of Ashur-bel-kala
Marduk-aḫḫē-erība	1046 BC
Marduk-zer-X	1045 - 1034 BC
Nabû-šuma-libūr	1033 - 1026 BC

Middle-Assyrian period

Further information: Assyria

After the Middle Assyrian Kingdom there is an uncertain period in Assyrian history. The current cornerstone of chronology for this time is the Assyrian King List which, unfortuneately, conflicts with other records such as the Synchronised King List and the Babylonian King List. In any event, the rulers of Assyria in this time were all fairly weak, except for Tiglath-Pileser I. Note too that this chronology is based on assumed synchronisms with Egypt in the previous period.

Ruler	Reign	Notes
Ashur-Dan I	1179–1133 BC	Son of Ninurta-apal-Ekur
Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur	1133 BC
Mutakkil-nusku	1133 BC
Ashur-resh-ishi I	1133–1115 BC
Tiglath-Pileser I	1115–1076 BC
Asharid-apal-Ekur	1076–1074 BC
Ashur-bel-kala	1074–1056 BC
Eriba-Adad II	1056–1054 BC
Shamshi-Adad IV	1054–1050 BC
Ashur-nasir-pal I	1050–1031 BC
Shalmaneser II	1031–1019 BC
Ashur-nirari IV	1019–1013 BC
Ashur-rabi II	1013 – 972 BC
Ashur-resh-ishi II	972 – 967 BC
Tiglath-Pileser II	967 – 935 BC
Ashur-Dan II	935 – 912 BC

Babylon

Further information: Kings of Babylon

Dynasties V to IX of Babylon (post-Kassite):

Ruler	Reign	Notes
Simbar-šipak	1025 - 1008 BC	Dynasty V - Second Sealand Dynasty
Ea-mukin-zēri	1008 BC
Kaššu-nādin-aḫi	1008 - 1004 BC
Eulmaš-šākin-šumi	1004 - 987 BC	Dynasty VI - Bῑt-Bazi Dynasty
Ninurta-kudurrῑ-uṣur I	987 - 985 BC
Širikti-šuqamuna	985 BC
Mâr-bîti-apla-uṣur	985 - 979 BC	Dynasty VII - Dynasty of "Elam"
Nabû-mukin-apli	979 - 943 BC	Dynasty VIII - Dynasty of E
Ninurta-kudurri-usur II	943 BC	Dynasty IX
Mar-biti-ahhe-iddina	943 - 920 BC
Šamaš-mudammiq	circa 900 BC
Nabû-šuma-ukin I
Nabu-apla-iddina
Marduk-zakir-šumi I
Marduk-balassu-iqbi
Baba-aha-iddina
5 unnamed kings	circa 800 BC
Ninurta-apla-X
Marduk-bel-zeri
Marduk-apla-usur
Eriba-Marduk	769 - 761 BC
Nabu-šuma-iškun	761 - 748 BC
Nabonassar (Nabu-nasir)	748 - 734 BC	Contemporary of Tiglath-Pileser III
Nabu-nadin-zeri	734 - 732 BC
Nabu-šuma-ukin II	732 BC

Neo-Assyrian Empire

The Assyrian empire rises to become the dominant power in the ancient Near East for over two centuries. This occurs despite the efforts of various other strong groups that existed in this period, including Babylon, Urartu, Damascus, Elam, and Egypt.

Ruler	Reign	Notes
Adad-nirari II	912 – 891 BC
Tukulti-Ninurta II	890 – 884 BC	Son of Adad-nirari II
Assur-nasir-pal II	883 – 859 BC	Son of Tukulti-Ninurta II
Shalmaneser III	858 – 824 BC	Battle of Qarqar
Shamshi-Adad V	823 – 811 BC	Treaty with Marduk-zakir-sumi I of Babylon
Adad-nirari III	810 – 783 BC	Regent Shammu-ramat
Shalmaneser IV	782 – 773 BC	Son of Adad-nirari III
Ashur-Dan III	772 – 755 BC	Eclipse on June 15 763 BC
Ashur-nirari V	754 – 745 BC
Tiglath-Pileser III	744 – 727 BC	Contemporary of Nabonassar of Babylon
Shalmaneser V	726 – 722 BC	Contemporary of Rusas I of Urartu
Sargon II	721 – 705 BC	Contemporary of Marduk-apla-iddina II of Babylon
Sennacherib	704 – 681 BC	Contemporary of Shutruk-Nahhunte II of Elam
Esarhaddon	680 – 669 BC	Contemporary of Pharaoh Taharqa of Egypt
Assurbanipal	668 – 631 BC

Babylon

Further information: Kings of Babylon

Dynasties X of Babylon (Assyrian):

Babylon was under the direct control of Neo-Assyrian rulers or their appointed governors for much of this period.

Ruler	Reign	Notes
Nabu-mukin-zeri of Assyria	732 - 729 BC
Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria	729 - 727 BC
Shalmaneser V of Assyria	727 - 722 BC
Marduk-apla-iddina II	722 - 710 BC
Sargon II of Assyria	710 - 705 BC
Sennacherib of Assyria	705 - 703 BC
Marduk-zakir-shumi II	703 BC
Marduk-apla-iddina II	703 BC
Bel-ibni	703 - 700 BC	Assyrian appointed governor
Ashur-nadin-shumi	700 - 694 BC	Son of Sennacherib of Assyria
Nergal-ushezib	694 - 693 BC
Mushezib-Marduk	693 - 689 BC
Sennacherib of Assyria	689 - 681 BC
Esarhaddon of Assyria	681 - 669 BC
Shamash-shum-ukin	668 - 648 BC	Son of Esarhaddon of Assyria
Kandalanu	648 - 627 BC
Sin-shumu-lishir	626 BC
Sinsharishkun	ca. 627 - 620 BC	Son of Assurbanipal of Assyria

Classical Antiquity

For times after Assurbanipal (died 627 BC), see:

• Median Empire (728 – 549 BC), see List of Kings of the Medes
• Neo-Babylonian Empire (626 – 539 BC)
• Achaemenid Empire (550 – 330 BC)

The Hellenistic period begins with the conquests of Alexander the Great in 330 BC.