612 BC
# 612 BC

The year 612 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as year 142 Ab urbe condita . The denomination 612 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

## Events

* Battle of Nineveh: An allied army of Babylonians, Medes, Scythians, and Susianians besieges and conquers Nineveh, capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Sinsharishkun, King of Assyria, is killed in the sacking.
* Babylon, capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, becomes the largest city in the world, taking the lead from Nineveh.
* Ashur-uballit II attempts to keep the Assyrian state alive by establishing himself as king at Harran.
* King Kuang of Zhou becomes king of the Zhou Dynasty of China.

## Deaths

* Sinsharishkun, Assyrian king
