Ancient Babylonia - Nabonidus
Last king of the Chaldaean dynasty of Babylonia. He was not of
Nebuchadnezzar's family, and it is possible that he usurped the throne. He was absorbed in
antiquarian and religious speculations, and he built temples while the state was
left undefended. He was unpopular with both the priests and the people. When the
Persian threat of Cyrus the Great grew strong, Nabonidus allied himself with
Croesus of Lydia and Amasis II of Egypt, but to no avail. In 538? B.C. the
kingdom fell to Cyrus with no resistance. Nabonidus' scholars preserved information
valuable to modern archaeologists. Cuneiform records indicate that Belshazzar
was Nabonidus' son and his coregent during the last years of Babylon.
Ancient Babylonia
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