The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II: photo, brief biography

The ancient king Nebuchadnezzar II is known to us from the biblical stories. His real name for a long time was hidden behind the ancient Judean transcription, his palaces and cities were carried by the sands of oblivion. For a long time it was considered only a myth, an invention, a horror story for adults. But in the XIX century the first archaeological excavations shook the foundations of history, and the world learned about the forgotten civilizations and ancient rulers.

What became famous for Nebuchadnezzar II, photo portraits of which decorate school textbooks in many countries of the world? How did he become king of Babylonia, what was remembered by his enemies and allies, why his name got into the Bible? You will learn all this from the article.

Prehistory

The Babylonian kingdom was born in the 20th century BC. Having united Upper and Lower Mesopotamia, it was one of the greatest states in the Middle East region for more than 5 thousand years. This was the time of appearance of the first cities and the first systems of government. Then came the judicial and bureaucratic system. At this time, the very first in the history of the code of laws - the laws of Hammurabi.

In 1595 BC. The power in Babylon was captured by the nomadic tribes of the Hittites. Under their rule, Babylon stayed more than 400 years. In the following time, the kingdom formally remained independent, while gradually falling under the influence of a powerful and aggressive northern neighbor - Assyria.

But the Babylonian king Nabopalasar conquered Assyria, got rid of age-old dependence and began to build his own empire. His reign gave impetus to the new development of the ancient state. And Babylon reached its greatest flourishing under the reign of the son of Nabopalasar, whose name was Nebuchadnezzar II.

short biography

Akkadian name of the famous king was recorded as "Nabu-kudourri-uzur". Like all royal names, it was significant and was deciphered as "the first-born, dedicated to the god of Naboo." He was the first son of the famous conqueror of Assyria and very soon showed that it is worthy to continue the work of his father.

Being very young, Nebuchadnezzar II commanded the army of Nabopalasar in the Battle of Karkemish, and then led a military operation in Zarechye, a land that unites small states in the territory of modern Syria, Jordan and Israel. Numerous victories brought the prince well-deserved fame both in his own country and abroad. In August 605 BC, when the Babylonian king died, Nebuchadnezzar II hurried to the capital, fearing that in his absence the throne of Babylonia would be occupied by another heir. And in early September 605 BC. He became the legitimate heir of the great Babylonian state.

Jewish wars

The first military achievement of Nebuchadnezzar as the new king of Babylonia is the capture of the Philistine city of Ascalon. The Philistines, long-time enemies of the Jews, hoped for the support of the army of Egypt. But for a number of reasons, Pharaoh Neho did not come to the aid of his allies, and the city fell under the onslaught of the Babylonian army.

This time can be considered the beginning of the anti-Judaic campaign of Nebuchadnezzar. The first time he punished the Jewish king Jehoiakim for infidelity, because it was the will of the Babylonian king that the ruler of Judea maintained his throne. The second time, the inhabitants of Palestine were able to pay Nebuchadnezzar a huge ransom. In addition to money, precious materials, gold and silver, the Babylonian king takes 10,000 Jews and imprisons them in Babylon as slaves.

The Fall of Jerusalem

The third campaign against Judea ended fatal for the Jewish people. In 587 BC Nebuchadnezzar II is surrounded by Jerusalem. King Zedekiah offered the townspeople to surrender, but the Jews continued to defend their city - and after a long siege, it was taken and destroyed. Zedekiah was captured with his family and household.

Nebuchadnezzar severely punished the king - he killed all his sons, household members, and blinded Zedekiah himself and sent him to Babylon as a simple slave. Thus ended the era of kings from the tribe of David. The survivors were not happy, but rather envied the dead.

The devastation was complete and final. Burned the main Jewish shrine - the temple of Solomon. The walls of the city fell, houses, crops and vineyards were burned to the ground. Judea ceased to exist as an independent state. Not surprisingly, one of the most negative characters described in the Bible was King Nebuchadnezzar II. He defeated the Jews' dreams of independence, desecrated their sacred objects, made them slaves.

Wars against Egypt

His authority over one of the largest powers of the old world was held by the king of Babel for more than forty years. During this time, he several times went on campaigns against Egypt and significantly reduced the influence of this state in the Middle East region.

Instant military operations have made the entire western border of Egypt under the control of the Babylonian army. This could not help but worry Pharaoh Neho. In the year 601 BC. E. He set up against Nebuchadnezzar a great army. The battle lasted for several days - the fields were strewn with the bodies of the fallen.

Nebuchadnezzar went back to Babylon to save the remnants of his army. But Pharaoh Neho was no better. He was able to stand on his own borders, but there was not any strength for the offensive. Between the two powers there was an armed neutrality, sometimes interrupted by small skirmishes. This continued throughout the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

In the biblical books, the Jews described this war from the point of view of the vanquished. The Egyptians did not lag behind them - they described Nebuchadnezzar as a beast from the North. Perhaps, there is a great deal of truth in this - the ancient winners did not spare the losers. But another point of view should be considered: how did Nebuchadnezzar II manage his riches? What became of this powerful king of the country?

Revival of the Empire

Military campaigns against the district, Egypt and Judea in most cases ended in victory. In Babylon there were caravans with a rich booty, precious metals, slaves from those countries and peoples, who with their iron will enslaved Nebuchadnezzar II.

The economy of Babylon flourished - entire nations became tributaries of the new Babylonian Empire. A huge influx of wealth created all conditions for the capital of the great kingdom to become the most amazing and luxurious place in the world.

The New Babylon

It is interesting that in history the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II became the first ruler, who in his memoirs was proud not of wars and conquered powers, but of rebuilt cities, sowed with fields and good roads.

The new king managed to turn Babylon into the largest economic and political center of the Ancient World. It was thanks to his decrees and orders that the city became not only an impregnable fortress, but also one of the most beautiful capitals.

Revival of the city

Nebuchadnezzar II put a lot of effort into decorating his native city. The streets of Babylon were tiled and bricks, which were carved from outlandish rocks imported from afar. The pink breccia was brought from Arabia, and white limestone - from Lebanon.

Houses of officials, courtiers and priests were decorated with huge bas-reliefs, walls of temples and palaces were shaken with images of real and mythical animals.

Continuing to strengthen and decorate his own city, Nebuchadnezzar II commanded to erect a bridge across the Euphrates, which would connect the Eastern and Western regions. The built bridge became one of the great engineering creations of that time: its length reached 115 meters, it was about 6 meters wide, in addition, it had a removable part for passing ships.

Defense

The neighboring state of Media was an ally of Babylon, until the threat from Assyria was tangible. But after a series of victories over the northern state, Media quickly evolved from an ally into the likely enemy of Babylon. Therefore, the defense of the capital in the empire was a paramount task for Nebuchadnezzar.

His architects in the shortest time completed the alteration of the outer walls of the city - now they are wider and higher. A deep ditch was dug around the walls of Babylon, filled with water from the Euphrates. On the inner perimeter of the ditch was built another wall - an additional line of defense. At some distance from the capital, a network of defensive structures was created, designed to obstruct the enemy's way to the capital at the distant approaches to the city.

Walls and temples

Nebuchadnezzar II paid much attention to his own gods, which brought him fame and victory. With him, several ziggurats were built and the largest of them dedicated to Etemenanka was completed. It was he who became the basis for the legend of the Tower of Babel. In addition, the architects and builders of Nebuchadnezzar II completed the temple of Esagila, the erection of which was begun under Nabopalasar. The loftiness of the cult constructions and personal possessions of the tsar emphasized the glory and invincibility of the eternal Babylon.

Marriage

To consolidate the treaty with the Medes, Nebuchadnezzar II married the daughter of the Median ruler of Kitaksar. Thus the union between the two belligerent states was consolidated, and the probability of the invasion of the Medes into Babylon decreased.

The royal residence, in which Nebuchadnezzar II and his wife Amanis settled, was decorated pompously and pretentiously, and the princess was very bored in the green gardens and the cool streams of Media. Then, instead of taking the princess to the green oases, the king ordered to transfer the oasis to the royal palace.

Hanging Gardens

Perhaps the orders of another ruler would not have been fulfilled, but it was the king of the great empire - Nebuchadnezzar II himself. The gardens were located on several tiers above the ground, occupying an area of several dozen square meters. On their construction was thrown all the acquired experience of architects and builders, all the resources of ancient Babylon, which could assemble Nebuchadnezzar II.

Management and logistics of that time already allowed to conduct valuable cargo from all corners of the Babylonian kingdom. Therefore, in the beautiful gardens were presented and fertile valleys of the Nile, and unique flowers of Arabia, and giant trees and shrubs of the northern outskirts of the country.

The result of the work amazed the imagination of even the Babylonians, accustomed to luxury. Wide hundred-meter walls of the capital were decorated with trees and shrubs, strange flowers and murmuring streams. And over the whole city rose gardens, floating in the air. A complex irrigation system allowed the Euphrates waters to irrigate the green oasis constantly.

Hundreds of slaves day and night rocked heavy pumps, allowing water to move up. Hundreds of gardeners looked after the green plantations, preventing them from withering and falling ill in the unfriendly hot climate of Babylon. The constant delivery of trees and the change of plants allowed the green oasis to be in full bloom at any time of the year. And the queen could enjoy the trees and flowers to which she was so used since childhood.

Symbol of love

Perhaps this was the first symbol of love, erected in the name of the woman that Nebuchadnezzar II loved. The ruler's wife, the Median princess Amanis, remained in the memory of the ages as a woman who induced her husband and master to make a great gift that survived his own time.

In historical chronicles, the gardens were associated with the name of Semiramis, the Assyrian queen, who lived two centuries earlier, and did not have a relationship with Babylon. Perhaps the reason for this error was the similarity of the names of both princesses - after all, the grammar was far from perfect, and the same signs could be read in different ways. The fact remains that the gardens, which became a symbol of love for one woman, remained in history inextricably linked with the name of another.

History of gardens

Even ten centuries later, hanging gardens amazed the imagination of travelers, and Herodotus gave them the honorable name of the second miracle of the world. It was from his notes in the chronicles of the Oikoumen that knowledge of an amazing structure came to him. Much later, already in the middle of the XIX century, archaeologists will find material evidence of the existence of the hanging gardens of Babylon.

Unfortunately, an amazing work of architectural and engineering art did not survive until the beginning of the new century. Gardens survived and flourished, and the decline of the Babylonian Empire. In the 1st century BC. The strongest earthquake led to a full-scale flood of the Euphrates, and the gardens, which stood for half a millennium, were forever buried under sedimentary river rocks. They were swept up by the mud and washed away by the waters. And from the great structure there is one legend about great love.