The great Assyrian capital on the Tigris River, destroyed in 612 BC but living on in biblical memory as a byword for both wickedness and divine mercy. Jesus references Nineveh's repentance at Jonah's preaching in Luke 11:32 (Received Text). The city's massive walls and cultural sophistication made it legendary throughout the ancient Near East. Archaeological excavation has confirmed its grandeur and the extensive library of Ashurbanipal found there.