The founding of Nineveh
The heart of the old city of Mosul first developed on the right bank of the Tigris River, opposite the site of Nineveh. Now fully integrated into the urban fabric of Mosul, Nineveh, whose foundation dates to prehistoric times (ca. 7th millennium BC), reached its peak during the Neo-Assyrian period (10th‒7th centuries BC).
The fall of Nineveh
Mosul began to develop after the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC. The exact date of its foundation remains uncertain but could be as early as in the Achaemenid period (6th‒4th century BC). In any case, the existence of the city is well attested in the Sassanian period (AD 224‒651). It was during this period that Christianity was established in the region, as evidenced by the convent of St. Elijah in Mosul, built between AD 582 and 590.
