There is only one main character in this short book, the prophet Jonah. He probably ministered as a prophet sometime between 800 and 750 B.C., during a time of relative strength for Israel and great disdain for the surrounding powers, like Assyria, whose capital is Nineveh.
Nineveh, the great city to which Jonah was sent, is northeast of Israel on the banks of the Tigris River. Tarshish, the city to which Jonah tried to flee, is probably in present-day Spain. Nineveh and Tarshish were about as far apart as any two cities in the known world, and that was to Jonah's liking!
