Battle of Carchemish

Part of the Egyptian–Babylonian wars

Date	c. 605 BC
Location	Carchemish
Result	Decisive Babylonian victory. End of Egyptian intervention in the Near East.

Belligerents

Egypt
part of the army of the former Assyria

Babylonia

Commanders and leaders

Necho II

Nebuchadnezzar II

Strength

40,000

18,000

Casualties and losses

large

minimal

The Battle of Carchemish was fought about 605 BC between the allied armies of Egypt and Assyria against the armies of Babylonia, allied with the Medes, Persians and Scythians.

When the Assyrian capital Nineveh was overrun by the Medes, Scythians, Babylonians and their allies in 612 BC, the Assyrians moved their capital to Harran. When Harran was captured by the alliance in 609 BC, the capital was once again moved, this time to Carchemish, on the Euphrates river. Egypt (a former vassal of Assyria) was allied with the Assyrian king Ashur-uballit II, and marched in 609 BC to his aid against the Babylonians.

The Egyptian army of Pharaoh Necho II was delayed at Megiddo by the forces of King Josiah of Judah. Josiah was killed, and his army was defeated at the Battle of Megiddo (609 BC).

The Egyptians and Assyrians together crossed the Euphrates and laid siege to Harran, which they failed to retake. They then retreated to north western Assyria (in what is today north eastern Syria).

The Egyptians met the full might of the Babylonian and Median army led by Nebuchadnezzar II at Carchemish where the combined Egyptian and Assyrian forces were destroyed. Assyria ceased to exist as an independent power, and Egypt retreated and was no longer a significant force in the Ancient Near East. Babylonia reached its economic peak after 605 BC.

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