Dur-Sharrukin

Dur-Sharrukin, present day Khorsabad, was the Assyrian capital in the time of Sargon II of Assyria [1]. The great city was entirely built in the decade preceding 706 BC, when the court moved to Dur-Sharrukin, although it was not completely finished yet [1]. The town was of rectangular layout and measured 1758.6 by 1635 metres [1]. The enclosed area comprised 3 square kilometres [1]. The city walls were massive and 157 towers protected its sides [1]. Seven gates entered the city from all directions [1]. A walled terrace contained temples and the royal palace [1]. The site of Khorsabad was excavated between 1928–1935 by American archaeologists from the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures in Chicago [1].