Nebuchadnezzar II

Nebuchadnezzar in Akkadian

Detail. Fire mudbrick, stamped. The cuneiform inscription mentions the name and titles of Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, r. 604-561 BCE. From Babylon, Iraq. British Museum

Error creating thumbnail:

Part of front of Inanna temple of Kara Indasch from Uruk Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin

Error creating thumbnail:

Battle of Carchemish

The so-called "Chronicle of Nabopolassar". The cuneiform inscriptions on this clay tablet narrate the chronicle of the years 608-605 BCE. 550-400 BCE. From Iraq

Error creating thumbnail:

Cylinder of Nabopolassar from Babylon, Mesopotamia.

Nebuchadnezzar II (c. 634 – 562 BC) was the longest-reigning and most famous king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ascending to the throne in 605 BC and ruling until his death. He is known for his military conquests, architectural projects, and the significant role he plays in the Hebrew Bible, where he is mentioned as Nebuchadrezzar in reference to his destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon, leading to the Babylonian Captivity of the Jews.

Reign

Nebuchadnezzar II's reign marked the peak of the Neo-Babylonian Empire's power. He succeeded his father, Nabopolassar, who had declared independence from the Assyrian Empire and defeated it with the help of the Medes. Nebuchadnezzar II expanded the empire through military campaigns, most notably against Egypt and the Levant, securing Babylon's dominance in the region.

Military Campaigns

His most famous military campaign was the siege of Jerusalem in 587/586 BC, which ended with the city's destruction and the exile of a significant portion of its population to Babylon, an event that had a profound impact on Jewish history and religion.

Construction Projects

Nebuchadnezzar II is also celebrated for his vast construction projects within Babylon, including the restoration of the Temple of Marduk, the construction of the Ishtar Gate, one of the original Seven Wonders of the World, and the reputed building of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, although the existence of the gardens is disputed and they may have been an invention of later writers.

Legacy

Nebuchadnezzar's legacy is a complex one, blending historical achievements with biblical narratives. In the Hebrew Bible, he is both a conqueror and an instrument of divine will, reflecting the ambivalent relationship between the exiled Jews and their captor. His achievements in architecture and urban development left a lasting mark on the ancient Near East, and his name has become synonymous with the might and splendor of the Babylonian Empire.

Death and Succession

Nebuchadnezzar II died in 562 BC and was succeeded by his son, Amel-Marduk (also known as Evil-Merodach in the Bible), who released Jehoiachin, the captive king of Judah, from prison. However, the empire began to decline after Nebuchadnezzar's death, eventually falling to the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great in 539 BC.