Sack of Babylon by Sennacherib

After years of Babylonian revolts, Sennacherib of Assyria lost patience and ordered the complete destruction of Babylon, one of the most ancient and revered cities in Mesopotamia. His army razed the city's walls, temples, and palaces, then diverted canals to flood the ruins. The destruction of Babylon, especially its sacred temples, shocked the ancient world and was considered an act of supreme sacrilege. Many Assyrians believed that the subsequent murder of Sennacherib by his own sons was divine punishment for destroying the holy city. His successor Esarhaddon would later rebuild Babylon to atone for the crime.