Ancient Babylonia - Nebuchadnezzar II
Nebuchadnezzar is the Hebrew equivalent of the Akkadian "Nabu-kudurriusur" which means "Nabu, protect my boundary." Recent Archaeological discoveries have confirmed many of the accounts
mentioned in the Biblical Text concerning Nebuchadnezzar II.
562 B.C., king of Babylonia (605-562 B.C.), son and successor of Nabopolassar.
In his father's reign he was sent to oppose the Egyptians, who were occupying
W Syria and Palestine. At Carchemish he met and defeated (605 B.C.) Pharaoh
Necho, thus becoming the undisputed master of Western Asia. The sudden death of
his father caused Nebuchadnezzar to return home to safeguard his inheritance,
permitting Necho to escape to Egypt with part of his army. Three years later (601
B.C.) Necho defeated Nebuchadnezzar in battle. This event may have encouraged
the Judaean revolt under Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim died shortly after the siege began
and was succeeded by his son, Jehoiachin. In Mar., 597 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar
crushed the revolt and carried off the young Jehoiachin and many of his nobles to
Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar then placed the puppet king Zedekiah on the throne of
Judaea. A new revolt occurred (588-587 B.C.) in Judaea. After a siege of about
a year, Jerusalem was finally destroyed in 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar was a
splendid builder, and Babylon with its hanging gardens was then the greatest city of
the ancient world. However, Babylon was shortly to fall under conquest when
Nabonidus was king. The book of Daniel depicts Nebuchadnezzar as a conceited and
domineering king and tells of his going mad and eating grass. He is also called
Nebuchadrezzar or Nebuchodonosor.
Ancient Babylonia
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