HISTORY 26

Lecture Twenty-Four:

The Neo-Babylonian Empire

(626 - 539 BC)

HISTORY 26

Lecture Twenty-Four:

The Neo-Babylonian Empire

(626 - 539 BC)

“Sacred Places’ Wordy Walls” The Material of Early Christian

Devotional Graffiti

Ann Marie Yasin Professor of History, USC

Wednesday, December 1st 4:00 p.m.

HMNSS 1500

This paper examines what early Christian graffitican tell us about the lived experience of Christiansacred spaces in the late third to seventh centuries.

Babylonia, the Medes, andthe Fall of Assyria

Babylonia, the Medes, andthe Fall of Assyria

• 627: The disappearance of Kandalanu

• 626 - 605: The reign of Nabopolassar• 616: The invasion of

Assyria• 615: Alliance with

the Medes

• 610: The fall of Assyria

• 627: The disappearance of Kandalanu

• 626 - 605: The reign of Nabopolassar• 616: The invasion of

Assyria• 615: Alliance with

the Medes

• 610: The fall of Assyria

Herodotus and the Median Empire

Herodotus and the Median Empire

The Flight of the Prisoners (c. 1896 -1902)

James Jacques Joseph Tissot

The Flight of the Prisoners (c. 1896 -1902)

James Jacques Joseph Tissot

The Babylonian Captivity• 597: Nebuchadnezzer replaces the king of Judah with a puppet

ruler and deports a large part of the population.• 587: The rebellion of the Babylonian-appointed king Zedekiah

and the destruction of Jerusalem; more Judeans deported.• 582: The Babylonian governor is assassinated during another

rebellion; more deportations.

The Babylonian Captivity• 597: Nebuchadnezzer replaces the king of Judah with a puppet

ruler and deports a large part of the population.• 587: The rebellion of the Babylonian-appointed king Zedekiah

and the destruction of Jerusalem; more Judeans deported.• 582: The Babylonian governor is assassinated during another

rebellion; more deportations.

Nebuchadnezzer II and Babylon

Nebuchadnezzer II and Babylon

• The epitome of wealth and majesty

• The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

• The Ishtar Gate

• The epitome of wealth and majesty

• The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

• The Ishtar Gate

Ishtar Gate (restoration)Pergamon Museum, Berlin

Ishtar Gate (restoration)Pergamon Museum, Berlin

Ishtar Gate (model)Pergamon Museum, BerlinIshtar Gate (model)Pergamon Museum, Berlin

Ishtar GateIshtar Gate

Ishtar GateIshtar Gate

Ishtar Gate and Procession Street

Ishtar Gate and Procession Street

Etemenanki, ‘House of the Frontier

between Heaven and Earth’

Etemenanki, ‘House of the Frontier

between Heaven and Earth’

Marduk and his mushussuMarduk and his mushussu

The Tower of Babel (1563)Pieter Brueghel the Elder

The Tower of Babel (1563)Pieter Brueghel the Elder

Nabonidus (555 - 539 BC)Nabonidus (555 - 539 BC)

• A devotee of the moon god, Sin, the patron deity of Harran (north Syria)

• Restored the ziggurat of Ur and made his daughter high priestess of the moon god, Nanna

• A devotee of the moon god, Sin, the patron deity of Harran (north Syria)

• Restored the ziggurat of Ur and made his daughter high priestess of the moon god, Nanna

The Ziggurat of Ur andthe Moon God, Nanna

The Ziggurat of Ur andthe Moon God, Nanna

The Ziggurat of Ur andthe Moon God, Nanna

The Ziggurat of Ur andthe Moon God, Nanna

Nabonidus (555 - 539 BC)Nabonidus (555 - 539 BC)• 552: Moves to the oasis

of Teima; leaves his son, Belshazzar in Babylon

• Revival of some of the oldest cults of Babylonia• Ex: Anu and Ishtar at

Uruk• A general interest in

ancient Babylonian culture and traditions• Restoration of a statue

of Sargon of Akkad

• 552: Moves to the oasis of Teima; leaves his son, Belshazzar in Babylon

• Revival of some of the oldest cults of Babylonia• Ex: Anu and Ishtar at

Uruk• A general interest in

ancient Babylonian culture and traditions• Restoration of a statue

of Sargon of Akkad

Cyrus the Great of Persia(559 - 530 BC)

Cyrus the Great of Persia(559 - 530 BC)

• October 12, 539: Babylon falls and native rule ends

• Babylonian culture survives• Cyrus, Savior of

Babylon, chosen by Marduk to restore order and justice

• October 12, 539: Babylon falls and native rule ends

• Babylonian culture survives• Cyrus, Savior of

Babylon, chosen by Marduk to restore order and justice