List of conflicts in the Near East
The limited, modern, archaeological, and historical context of the Near East.
The Middle and Near East.
Logotype for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
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This is a list of conflicts in the Near East arranged; first, chronologically from the epipaleolithic until the end of the late modern period (c. 20,000 years Before Present – c. AD 1945); second, geographically by sub-regions (starting from east to west; then, south to north). This list includes most present-day sovereign states (some of which may be disputed) beginning eastward from West and Central Asia (the Republic of Iraq, State of Kuwait, and Islamic republics of Iran and Afghanistan), Syria (the Syrian Arab Republic and Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan), Transcaucasia (the republics of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Abkhazia, Artsakh, and South Ossetia), Anatolia and Eastern Thrace (the Republic of Turkey), Arabian Peninsula (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, State of Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, and Republic of Yemen), Levant (the Lebanese Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and the states of Israel and Palestine), Northeast Africa (the Arab Republic of Egypt and Republic of the Sudan), and Northwest Africa (the State of Libya, Republic of Tunisia, People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Kingdom of Morocco, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and Islamic Republic of Mauritania).
Also listed might be any raid, strike, skirmish, siege, sacking, and/or battle (both land and naval) that occurred on the territories of a modern country occupying what may today be referred to as the "Middle East" (or the "Ancient Near East" when in reference to this region's military history during classical antiquity); however, was itself only part of an operation of a campaign in a theater of a greater, interregional war (e.g. any and/or all border, undeclared, colonial, proxy, liberation, world wars, etc.) There may also be periods of violent, civil unrest listed; such as, shootouts, spree killings, massacres, terrorist attacks, coups, assassinations, regicides, riots, rebellions, revolutions, and civil wars (as well as wars of succession and/or independence). The list might also contain episodes of human sacrifice, mass suicide, and ethnic cleansing/genocide.
Ancient times
[edit]Bronze Age
[edit]Egypt
[edit]- Early Dynastic Period of Egypt
- c. 3100 BC Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt
- Second Intermediate Period of Egypt
- 1580–1550 BC Hyksos-Seventeenth Dynasty of Egypt wars in Lower Egypt
- New Kingdom of Egypt
- 1550/1549–1531 BC Conquest of Hyksos-ruled Lower Egypt by Ahmose I of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt
- c.1537 BCE Ahmose I's campaigns to Syria and Nubia.
- 16 April 1457 BCE Battle of Megiddo – a battle between Ancient Egyptian forces under the pharaoh Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition.
- Battle of Kadesh, fought in May 1247 BCE between Ramses II and the Hittite Empire.
Mesopotamia
[edit]- Early Dynastic Period of Mesopotamia
- c. 2500 BC Enmebaragesi of Kish subdued Elam
- c. 2500 BC Aga of Kish, the son of Enmebaragesi of Kish, besieged Uruk
- c. 2500 BC Enmerkar of Uruk's year-long siege of Aratta
- c. 2500 BC Dumuzid of Uruk captured Enmebaragesi of Kish single-handed
- c. 2500 BC Enshakushanna of Uruk conquered Hamazi, Akkad, Kish, and Nippur, claiming hegemony over all of Sumer. Enshakushanna was succeeded in Uruk by Lugal-kinishe-dudu, but the hegemony seems to have passed to Eannatum of Lagash for a time
- c. 2500 BC Eannatum of Lagash conquered all of Sumer, including Ur, Nippur, Akshak, Larsa, and Uruk (controlled by Enshakushanna)
- c. 2500 BC En-anna-tum I of Lagash succeeded his brother Eannatum and defended Lagash against Ur-Lumma of Umma
- c. 2500 BC Entemena of Lagash succeeded his father En-anna-tum I and re-established Lagash as a power in Sumer. He defeated Illi of Umma, with the aid of Lugal-kinishe-dudu of Uruk (the successor to Enshakushanna)
- c. 2500 BC Lugal-Anne-Mundu of Adab subjected the "Four-Quarters" of the world – i.e., the entire Fertile Crescent region, from the Mediterranean to the Zagros Mountains
- c. 2355 BC – 2334 BC (middle chronology) Lugal-zage-si of Umma conquered several of the Sumerian city-states – including Kish, where he overthrew Ur-Zababa; Lagash, where he overthrew Urukagina; Ur, Nippur, and Larsa; as well as Uruk
- Akkadian Period
- c. 2334 – 2270 BC Sargon of Akkad established a vast empire which is thought to have included large parts of Mesopotamia, and included parts of modern-day Iran, Asia Minor and Syria
- Gutian period
- Ur III period
- c. 2112 BC – 2094 BC (Short chronology) Ur-Nammu of Ur conquered Lagash
- c. 2004 BC (Short chronology) Elamite Sack of Ur
- Isin-Larsa period
- c. 1830 BC – 1817 BC (Short chronology) The Amorite chieftain Sumu-abum won independence from the city-state Kazallu
- c. 1752 BC – 1730 BC (Short chronology) Damiq-ilishu of Isin, the last king mentioned in the Sumerian King List, is defeated by Sin-Muballit of Babylon
- Old Babylonian period
- c. 1792 BC – 1750 BC (Short chronology) Hammurabi of Babylon extended Babylon's control over Mesopotamia by winning a series of wars against neighboring kingdoms
- Kassite dynasty
- c. 1595 BC Fall of Babylon
- c. 1507 BC (Short chronology) Kassite attacks on Babylon
Levant
[edit]- c. 2492 BC Battle between Haik and Nimrod
- c. 2300 BC Mari-Ebla's Hundred Years War
- c. 2300 BC Battle of Terqa
- c. 2000 BC Battle of Siddim
- c. 1900 BC Qatna-Yamhad conflict
- c. 1770 BC Yamhad kingdom conquests
- c. 1650 BC - 1600 BC Hittite-Syrian Wars
- Israelite Campaigns
- Early Israelite campaigns
- 1400 BC Battle of Ai (legendary)
- Battle of Hazor (legendary)
- Battle of Jericho (legendary)
- Lachish
- Battle of the Waters of Merom (legendary)
- Early Israelite campaigns
- c. 14th century BC "Syrian Wars"
- c. 1247 BC Battle of Kadesh
Anatolia
[edit]- c. 1650 BC – 1600 BC Conquests of Hattusili I and Mursili I
- c. 1430 BC – 1350 BC Kaska invasions of Hatti
Early Iron Age
[edit]Note: This section is covering Iron Age I and II, Iron Age III is related as Classic Period
- Ancient Egypt conflicts
- 1279 BC – 1213 BC Ramesses II campaigns in the Near East
- Third Intermediate Period of Egypt
- 925 BC Sack of Jerusalem
- 727 BC Kushite Invasion to Egypt
- 609 BC Battle of Megiddo – a battle between the Kingdom of Egypt and the Kingdom of Judah
- Ancient Anatolia conflicts
- 1260 BC – 1240 BC Trojan War
- Ancient Mesopotamia conflicts
- Kassite period
- c. 1232 BC – 1225 BC (Short chronology) Tukulti-Ninurta I of Assyria defeated Kashtiliash IV, the Kassite king of Babylon and captured the city of Babylon to ensure full Assyrian supremacy over Mesopotamia
- c. 1157 BC – 1155 BC (Short chronology) Enlil-nadin-ahi, the final king of the Kassite dynasty that had ruled over Babylon, was defeated by Kutir-Nahhunte of Elam, the successor of Shutruk-Nakhunte
- Fourth Babylonian Dynasty
- c. 1125 BC – 1104 BC (Short chronology) Nebuchadnezzar I of Isin's War with Elam
- Kassite period
- Israelite Campaigns
- Later Israelite Campaigns
- 1000 BC Siege of Jebus
- Later Israelite Campaigns
- Assyrian campaigns
- 853 BC Battle of Qarqar
- 721 BC Assyrian conquest of Israel
- Second Assyrian invasion to Southern Levant
- 701 BC Siege of Lachish
- 701 BC Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib
- 693 BC Battle of Diyala River (Pyrrhic Assyrian victory)
- 693 BC Siege of Babylon
- 626 BC Revolt of Babylon (Decisive Babylonian victory; eviction of Assyrian troops)
- Neo-Babylonian campaigns
- 612 BC Battle of Nineveh
- 605 BC Battle of Carchemish – a battle between the Kingdom of Egypt and Assyrian allies against the Neo-Babylonian Empire
- Jewish–Babylonian war
- 597 BC Siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II
- 587 BC Siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II
- Median campaigns
- 28 May 585 BC Battle of Halys
- Achaemenid conquests of Cyrus the Great
- 552 BC Persian Revolt
- 552 BC Battle of Hyrba
- 551 BC Battle of the Persian Border
- 550 BC Battle of Pasargadae
- 547 BC Battle of Pteria
- 547 BC Battle of Thymbra
- 547 BC Siege of Sardis
- 539 BC Battle of Opis
Classical antiquity
[edit]Greco-Persian domination
[edit]- Ionian Revolt 499–493 BC
- First Persian invasion of Greece 492–490 BC
- Egyptian Revolt 486 BC
- Second Persian invasion of Greece 480–478 BC
- Wars of Delian League 477–449 BC
- Wars of Alexander the Great
- Wars of the Diadochi 322–275 BC
- Syrian Wars 274–168 BC
- Seleucid–Parthian wars 238–129 BC
- Roman–Syrian War 192–188 BC
- Maccabean Revolt 167–160 BC
Roman, Parthian and Sassanid domination
[edit]- Mithridatic Wars 88–63 BC
- First Mithridatic War 88–84 BC
- Second Mithridatic War 83–81 BC
- Third Mithridatic War 75–63 BC
- Roman–Parthian Wars
- Aelius Gallus campaign in Arabia 24 BC
- Alexandria pogroms 38 AD
- Jewish–Roman wars 66–136 AD
- Roman-Sassanid Wars
- Uprising of Syrian Legion 232 AD
- Palmyrene revolt 272
- Battle of Callinicum 296
- Jewish revolt against Gallus 351–352
- Isauria rebellion of 404
- Byzantine–Sasanian wars 421–628
- Roman–Sasanian War (421–422)
- Anastasian War (502–506)
- Iberian War (526–532)
- Roman–Persian War of 572–591
- Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628
- Samaritan Revolts 484–573
- Samaritan revolt against Zeno 484
- Revolt against Anastasius I
- Third Samaritan revolt 529–531
- Fourth Samaritan Revolt 555–572
- Mazdak revolt in Persia 524 (or 528)
- Nika riots in Constantinople 532
- Battle of Dhi Qar – tribal rebellion in Sasanian Persia
Medieval times
[edit]- Muslim conquests
- Abbasid Caliphate conflicts
- Abbasid revolt
- Arab–Byzantine wars 780–1180
- Battle of Krasos 804/5
- Battle of Anzen 838
- Sack of Amorium 838
- Sack of Damietta (853)
- Battle of Lalakaon 863
- John Kourkouas' campaigns
- Sayf al-Dawla campaigns
- Conquest of Aleppo 944
- Battle of Marash (953)
- Battle of Raban 958
- Battle of Andrasos 960
- Siege of Aleppo 962
- Siege of Aleppo 964
- Mudhar-Yamani conflict 793-96
- Byzantine-Paulician Wars
- Battle of Bathys Ryax 872 (878?)
- Persian Zoroastrian Revolts 8th–9th centuries
- Behavarid revolt in Persia 8th century
- Babak's revolt 816-37
- Ahmad ibn al Junayd's campaign 823-24
- Muhammad ibn Humayd Tusi's campaign 827-29
- Afshin's campaign 835-837/838
- Maziar revolt 839
- Byzantine–Seljuq wars 1048–1308
- Battle of Manzikert 1071
- Nizari Ismaili uprising in Persia and Syria
- Nizari–Seljuk conflicts 1090–1194
- Crusades
- People's Crusade 1095–96
- First Crusade 1099
- Second Crusade 1145–49
- Battle of Inab 1149
- Baldwin's campaigns
- Siege of Ascalon (1153)
- Crusader invasions of Egypt 1154–69
- Third Crusade 1189–92
- Livonian Crusade
- German Crusade
- Fourth Crusade
- Children's Crusade
- Fifth Crusade
- Sixth Crusade
- Seventh Crusade
- Shepherds' Crusade (1251)
- Eighth Crusade
- Ninth Crusade
- Shepherds' Crusade (1320)
- Saladin's campaigns
- Egyptian revolt 1169
- Darum Siege 1170
- Yemen conquest 1174
- Battle of Hama 1175
- Capture of Damascus 1174
- Battle of Jacob's Ford 1179
- Fight for Mosul 1182
- Battle of Al-Fule (1183)
- Siege of Kerak 1183
- Battle of Cresson 1187
- Battle of Hattin 1187
- Siege of Jerusalem (1187)
- Mongol invasions to Middle East 13th century.
- Battle of Köse Dağ 1243
- Siege of Baghdad (1258)
- Hulagu Khan's conquest of Syria 1260
- Battle of Albistan 1277
- Second Battle of Homs 1281
- Mongol raids into Bilad al-Sham 1299–1300
- Timur Conquests
- Battle of Ankara (Battle of Angora) 1402
- Ottoman Interregnum 1402–1413
- Sheikh Bedreddin revolt 1416
- Byzantine–Ottoman Wars 1265–1453
Modern times
[edit]Early modern period
[edit]Early Ottoman expansion
[edit]Ottoman era period conflicts 1453–1516
- Yazidi uprising against Safavids 1506–1510
- Şahkulu Rebellion 1511
Conflicts involving the Ottoman empire
[edit]- Ottoman–Persian Wars 16th–19th centuries
- Jelali revolts 1519–1659
- Conflicts between the Ottomans and the Druze of Mount Lebanon
- 1585 Ottoman expedition against the Druze
- Battle of Majdel Anjar 1622
- 1633 conflict
- 1642 conflict
- 1660 conflict
- 1683–1699 conflict
- Battle of Ain Dara 1711
- Cretan War (1645–69)
Late modern period
[edit]Conflicts involving the Ottoman empire
[edit]- Edirne revolt 1703
- 1717 Omani invasion of Bahrain
- Patrona Halil uprising 1730
- Zahir al-Umar Revolt (Galilee) 1742–1743
- Ali Bey Al-Kabir Revolt (Egypt) 1769–1772
- Bajalan uprising 1775
- French campaign in Egypt and Syria 1798–1801
- Baban uprising 1806–1808
- Ottoman coups of 1807–08
- Kabakçı Mustafa revolt
- Muhammad Ali's campaigns
- Russo-Persian War (1826–28)
- Cizre uprising 1829
- Atçalı Kel Mehmet revolt 1829–30
- Prince Mohammad of Soran uprising 1833
- Yezidi uprising 1837
- Sîncar uprising 1837
Ottoman Tanzimat period
[edit]- First Botan uprising 1843
- Bedr Khan Bey uprising 1843
- Culemerg uprising 1843
- Bedirhan Bey uprising 1847[1]
- Massacre of Aleppo (1850)
- Yezdan Sher uprising 1855[2]
- 1860 Druze–Maronite conflict
- French expedition in Syria 1860–61
- Qatari–Bahraini War 1867–68
- Russo-Turkish War (1877–78)
- Urabi Revolt (Egypt) 1879–82
- Shaykh 'Ubaydullah of Nehri and Shemdinan uprising 1880–1881[3]
- Royal Civil War in Arabia 1887–91
- Battle of Mulayda 1891
- 1892 Tobacco Rebellion (Iran)
- Hamidian massacres 1894–96
- Unification of Saudi Arabia
- Saudi–Rashidi War 1903–06
- Persian Constitutional Revolution 1908–09
- Young Turk Revolution 1908–09
- 31 March Incident 1909
- Adana massacre 1909
- Hauran Druze Rebellion 1909
- Zaraniq rebellion 1909–1910 (c. 830+ fatalities)
- 1913 Ottoman coup d'état
- Middle Eastern theatre of World War I 1914–1918
Post-Ottoman era conflicts
[edit]See also
[edit]- Conflicts in the Horn of Africa
- List of conflicts in Africa
- List of conflicts in Asia
- List of conflicts in Central America
- List of conflicts in Europe
- List of conflicts in North America
- List of conflicts in South America
- List of modern conflicts in North Africa
References
[edit]- ^ Ergil, Doğu, PKK: The Kurdistan Workers' Party, in Marianne Heiberg, Brendan O'Leary, John Tirman, eds., Terror, insurgency, and the state: ending protracted conflicts, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007, p.356
- ^ Chaliand, Gérard, The Kurdish tragedy, Palgrave Macmillan, 1994, p.25
- ^ Vanly, Ismet Chériff, The Kurds in the Soviet Union, in Philip G. Kreyenbroek, Stefan Sperl, eds., The Kurds: a contemporary overview, Routledge, 2000, p.196