Editing Sennacherib (section)

=== The Elamite campaign and revenge ===
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In preparation for his attack on Elam, Sennacherib assembled two great fleets on the Euphrates and the Tigris. The latter fleet was then used to transport the Assyrian army to the city of [[Opis]], where the ships were then pulled ashore and transported overland to a canal that linked to the Euphrates. The two fleets then combined into one and continued down to the Persian Gulf. At the head of the Persian Gulf, a storm flooded the Assyrian camp and the Assyrian soldiers had to take refuge on their ships.{{Sfn|Levine|1982|p=|pp=42–43}} They then sailed across the Persian Gulf, a journey which Sennacherib's inscriptions indicate was difficult since repeated sacrifices were made to [[Ea (god)|Ea]], the god of the deep.{{Sfn|Luckenbill|1924|p=15}}

Successfully landing on the Elamite coast, the Assyrians then hunted and attacked the Chaldean refugees, something that both Babylonian and Assyrian sources hold went well for the Assyrians.{{Sfn|Levine|1982|p=43}} Sennacherib's account of the campaign describe the affair as a "great victory" and list several cities taken and sacked by the Assyrian army. Although Sennacherib at last got his revenge on Marduk-apla-iddina, his arch-enemy had not lived to see it, having died of natural causes before the Assyrians landed in Elam.{{Sfn|Luckenbill|1924|p=15}} The war then took an unexpected turn as the king of Elam, [[Hallutash-Inshushinak I]], took advantage of the Assyrian army being so far away from home to invade Babylonia. With the aid of surviving Chaldean troops, Hallutash-Inshushinak took the city of [[Sippar]], where he also managed to capture Ashur-nadin-shumi and take him back to Elam.{{Sfn|Levine|1982|p=43}} Ashur-nadin-shumi was then never heard from again, probably having been executed.{{Sfn|Brinkman|1973|p=92}}{{Sfn|Bertman|2005|p=79}} In Ashur-nadin-shumi's place, a native Babylonian, [[Nergal-ushezib]], became Babylon's king.{{Sfn|Brinkman|1973|p=92}} Babylonian records ascribe Nergal-ushezib's rise to power to being appointed by Hallutash-Inshushinak, whereas Assyrian records state that he was chosen by the Babylonians themselves.{{Sfn|Levine|1982|p=43}}

The Assyrian army, by now surrounded by the Elamites in southern Babylonia, managed to kill the son of Hallutash-Inshushinak in a skirmish but remained trapped for at least nine months. Wishing to consolidate his position as king, Nergal-ushezib took advantage of the situation and captured and plundered the city of Nippur. Some months later, the Assyrians attacked and captured the southern city of Uruk. Nergal-ushezib was frightened by this development and called on the Elamites for aid. Just seven days after taking Uruk, the Assyrians and Babylonians met in battle at Nippur, where the Assyrians won a decisive victory; routing the Elamite-Babylonian army and capturing Nergal-ushezib, finally free from their entrapped position in the south. Through some unknown means, Sennacherib had managed to slip by the Babylonian and Elamite forces undetected some months prior and was not present at the final battle, instead probably being on his way from Assyria with additional troops. Once he rejoined his southern army, the war with Babylonia was already won.{{Sfn|Levine|1982|p=|pp=43–45}}

Soon thereafter, a revolt broke out in Elam which saw the deposition of Hallutash-Inshushinak and the rise of [[Kutur-Nahhunte]] to the throne. Determined to end the threat of Elam, Sennacherib retook the city of Der, occupied by Elam during the previous conflict, and advanced into northern Elam. Kutur-Nahhunte could not organize an efficient defense against the Assyrians and refused to fight them, instead fleeing to the mountain city of [[Haidalu]]. Shortly thereafter, the severe weather forced Sennacherib to retreat and return home.{{Sfn|Levine|1982|p=45}}