4 Peter Dubovsk´ y by Sargon II against the Levant (ARAB II.30) is not mentioned in 2 Kgs (7). The last Assyrian campaign, described in 2 Kgs 18–20, can be identified with Sennacherib’s invasion in 701 B.C. The written sources and archaeological excavations confirm the destruction of several Judean cities and the Assyrians admit that Jerusalem was not captured (ARAB II.239-240, 309-312) (8). However, the result of the campaign was satisfactory enough for Sennacherib to turn his attention towards the east. He captured Babylon and conquered part of Elam. These grandiose victories help the Assyrians to get a steadfast foothold in the east (ARAB II.241-254). The campaigns of Sennacherib’s successor Esarhaddon are not mentioned in the Bible. He captured the city of Arzani “on the brook of Egypt” in 679 B.C., organized a punitive campaign to quell the upheaval led by the king of Sidon in 675 B.C. (ARAB II.511-512, 527), and settle the problems with the Arabs (ARAB II.518). His expansion reached its climax when he conquered Egypt in 671 B.C. marching through Philistia (ARAB II.580-581). Ashurbanipal continued the expansionist policy of his father Esarhaddon, however, his campaigns are not mentioned in the Bible either. He managed to eliminate the last nests of Egyptian resistance and thus Assyrian control extended from Elam to Egypt (ARAB II.875) (9). During this period Judah was for most of the time a loyal vassal paying tribute and complying with the Assyrian demands (10). Archaeological excavations have demonstrated Assyrian presence in Israel in the form of typical Assyrian buildings, fortresses, pottery and other artifacts that suggest strong Assyrian control over Judah (11). The Assyrian empire started declining at the end (7) J.J.M. ROBERTS, “Egypt, Assyria, Isaiah, and the Ashdod Affair: An Alternative Proposal”, Jerusalem in Bible and Archaeology. The First Temple Period (ed. A.E. KILLEBREW) (Atlanta, GA 2003) 265-283. (8) L.L. GRABBE, “Like a Bird in a Cage”. The Invasion of Sennacherib in 701 B.C.E. (London – New York 2003) 2-43. (9) Assyrian control over Egypt did not last too long. In 653 B.C. the Assyrians had already been expelled from Egypt. (10) According to 2 Chr 33,10-13 Manasseh was deported by the captains of the Assyrian army to Babylon; see S. JAPHET, I & II Chronicles. A Commentary (London 1993) 1000-1004. (11) For a short summary see E. STERN – A. MAZAR, Archaeology of the Land of the Bible. The Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian Periods, 732-332 BCE (New York 2001) II, 14-57.