Atlas of Battles

siege, major, ancient

Siege of Jerusalem

Siege of Jerusalem was a siege conducted in 589 BC at Jerusalem, in what is now Israel; it lasted about 2 years. It was part of the Jewish–Babylonian War, which ran from 601 BC to 586 BC. The recorded result: Babylonian victory. Recorded strength: Unknown against Unknown.

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صورة پانوراميَّة لِبيت المقدس من جبل الزيتون.
صورة پانوراميَّة لِبيت المقدس من جبل الزيتون.. Bienchido, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought589 BClasted about 2 years
WhereJerusalem, Israel31.783N, 35.217E
OutcomeBabylonian victory
BelligerentsKingdom of JudahagainstNeo-Babylonian Empire
Casualties and lossesMany slain, 4,200 others taken to captivityandUnknown
Part ofJewish–Babylonian War601 BC to 586 BC

Record

Date589 BC (year precision)
to 587 BC
PlaceJerusalem, Israel
31.783N, 35.217E
KindSiege, ancient
Territorial changeJudah becomes a Babylonian province
StrengthUnknownUnknown
Casualties and lossesMany slain, 4,200 others taken to captivityUnknown
Commanders
  • Zedekiah
Siege of JerusalemSiege of JerusalemSiege of JerusalemConquest of JerusalemSiege of JerusalemSiege of JerusalemSiege of JerusalemSiege of JerusalemTel AvivAmmanGaza CityHaifaNablusEl ArishNazarethAl Karak100 km31.783N, 35.217E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Siege of Jerusalem
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 25 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Siege of Jerusalem today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-08-19. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 802 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 481 to 842 m, 362 m of relief, hilly country and today it is 76% built-up, 12% tree cover, 6% shrubland.

built-up: 76%tree cover: 12%shrubland: 6%grassland: 4%built-up 76%tree cover 12%shrubland 6%grassland 4%
west to east, 10.0 km555 to 819 mnorth to south, 10.0 km665 to 820 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 24 times between 1010 BC and 1967.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 589 BC

Siege of Jerusalem is one of 31 engagements of the 6th century BC in the atlas and one of 179 in present-day Israel.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1290590, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC), revision 1383815022, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.