Second Babylonian Empire - Brief Summary

The Second Babylonian Empire or also known as the Neo-Babylonian Empire, it was founded after the period of domination of the Assyrians by Nabopolassar in the year 625 BC. C. lasting until the year 539 a. C. when Babylon falls to the conquest of the Achaemenid Persian empire. Next, in this lesson from a TEACHER we offer you a brief summary of the Second Babylonian Empire so that you know improve this important period within ancient history.

The formation of this second Babylonian empire occurs around the year 625 BC. C. when the Chaldeans, a nomadic people of Semitic origin, tired of the domination of the Assyrians for many centuries, rebelled against them, counting also with the help of the Medes and Scythians, two different tribes under the command of the same person, Ciáxares. Ciáxares and Nabopolasar ended up signing an alliance years before that was marked by the marriage of the daughter of Ciáxares and the Chaldean king in 616 BC. C.

In this way, the Chaldeans from southern Mesopotamia and the Medes from the north

they jointly attacked the Assyrians, who also tried to agree and sign another alliance with those who had previously been their enemies, the Egyptians, but their help did not arrive in time in what way that the Medes and Chaldeans They ended up becoming owners of their capital, Nineveh, which among many other things and as a capital where the power of the Assyrians was centralized had one of the largest libraries in the world. moment.

After the conquest they dedicated themselves to rebuilding little by little the city of Babylon that, during the reign of the Assyrians, it was a city like any other and for the Babylonians it was something more, because during the current period and the rulership of the Pale Babylonian or Amorite empire was the capital.

We continue this brief summary of the Second Babylonian Empire speaking now of the heyday of the empire.

The founder and the first king of this Chaldean empire was, as we have already said, Nabopolassar, whose reign lasted until 605 BC. C. At the death of this his son Nebuchadnezzar (605 a. C. - 563 a. C.) who stood out for his militia work, because already during the reign of his father he stood out for obtaining great victories such as the Battle of Karkemish in a campaign to Egypt, which meant that the entire region of Canaan was under the control of the Babylonians.

Already being king, he was able to extend the borders of the empire defeating kingdoms like Syria and Palestine, from the Euphrates river basin to Egypt around 587 BC. C. That same year, he took the city of jerusalem completely devastating the famous Solomon's Temple and turning the inhabitants into prisoners to be transferred to Babylon in order to avoid rebellions, even so, he showed to be generous because it gave him the advantage of being able to stay together even respecting their identity cultural.

Tire, was another of the cities that he besieged, becoming the owner of Egyptian possessions, after thirteen years of war continuity. So much were the achievements achieved thanks to the territorial expansion achieved that it made possible the construction of great works in subsequent years for the city of Babylon, his capital.

Another of the outstanding monarchs and belonging to this second Babylonian empire was nothing more and nothing less than Nebuchadnezzar II, commissioned to give the city of Babylon unmatched splendor. This was defended and walled by several towers communicated to the outside through seven doors, and each of them had a representative name alluding to some divinity such as the famous Ishtar Gate, Today it can be visited after an enormous reconstruction work in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, being one of the main tourist attractions.

Inside its magnificent and grandiose temples such as the Babel Tower, the Ziggurat, as well as other no less important works such as Hanging Gardens considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

However, after his death in 562 BC. C. ended up unleashing several infighting that even ended with another death that of his son and his successor, Evil Merodac of Babylon, for which he had to go up to the the throne of his brother-in-law Neriglisar who also after only three years of power appeared assassinated along with his child.

And we end this brief summary of the Second Babylonian Empire to talk about the end of this period. On the death of Neriglisar, he was succeeded Nabonido back in the year 555 a. C., a man concerned more with the beautification of the city than with the militia tasks, leaving the position of said work to Belshazar, known especially for its cruelty when facing other peoples, however, this caused the majority discontent among the inhabitants of Babylon.

Faced with this situation of political, administrative and military instability, the Persians began their advance to the capital of the Babylonian empire seizing it in the year 539 a. C. in command of Cyrus II the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Empire.

After this conquest Babylon ceased to be an independent kingdom to be part of the new empire.