# 648 BC

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The year **648 BC** was a year of the [pre-Julian Roman calendar](/source/Roman_calendar). In the [Roman Empire](/source/Roman_Empire), it was known as **year 106 *[Ab urbe condita](/source/Ab_urbe_condita)***. The denomination 648 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [Anno Domini](/source/Anno_Domini) [calendar era](/source/Calendar_era) became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

## Events

### Middle East

- [Babylon](/source/Babylon) falls to [Assyrian](/source/Assyria) forces after a 3-year [siege](/source/Siege) (see [651 BC](/source/651_BC)); starved out by his half brother [Ashurbanipal](/source/Ashurbanipal), king [Shamash-shum-ukin](/source/Shamash-shum-ukin) commits [suicide](/source/Suicide) in his burning palace, allegedly having built a [pyre](/source/Pyre) of his [concubines](/source/Concubinage) and royal [treasure](/source/Treasure) as the Assyrians slaughter his city's [garrison](/source/Garrison) and much of its population.

### Greece

- [Messenians](/source/Messenia) in the [Peloponnese](/source/Peloponnese_(region)) revolt against [Sparta](/source/Sparta) under the leadership of king [Aristomenes](/source/Aristomenes), beginning a struggle that will continue until [631 BC](/source/631_BC).
- [April 6](/source/April_6) - The earliest [solar eclipse](/source/Solar_eclipse) to be chronicled by the Greeks is observed.[1]

## Sports

- Greece's 33rd games of the [Olympiad](/source/Olympiad) is held at [Olympia](/source/Olympia,_Greece) with a new event: the [pankration](/source/Pankration) is a no-holds-barred contest that combines [boxing](/source/Boxing) and [wrestling](/source/Wrestling).

## Births

- [Josiah](/source/Josiah), king of [Judah](/source/Kingdom_of_Judah) (d. [609 BC](/source/609_BC))

## Deaths

- [Shamash-shum-ukin](/source/Shamash-shum-ukin), Assyrian king of [Babylonia](/source/Babylonia)

## References

1. E.J. Bickerman, *Chronology of the Ancient World* (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1968), p. 198

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