Nebuchadnezzar II was the king of Babylon and one of the most important historical figures in Mesopotamia, just as Zeus was in Olympus. He is known as the king who rebuilt and ruled ancient Babylon to glory, both through his military conquests and his enormous construction projects.
As a controversial military ruler, he had a fairly long, bloody, and wealthy reign. Here are the most important things you need to know about the life, creations, and conquests of Nebuchadnezzar II.
Origin
When it comes to kings and rulers, Nebuchadnezzar II is said to be one of the most dominant and influential rulers of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He was the son of Nebuchadnezzar, another Babylonian king and a central figure in the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
Nebuchadnezzar II’s father was actually the reason he became so popular and revered. Nabopolassar led a massive revolt against Assyrian rule at the time, overthrowing the huge Assyrian empire in 612 BC, thus paving the way for him to take the throne.
He was born in 634 BC and died in 562 BC. The name ‘Nebuchadnezzar’ has its origins in several different languages, mainly Tibrian, Akkadian, and Hebrew. The name itself means “Oh God Nabu, defend my firstborn.”
Family
The reason he was so popular and revered in the Babylonian world was because he was the most powerful and longest-reigning king, sitting on the throne for almost 50 years. His reign lasted from 605 BC to 562 BC, the year of his death.
Nebuchadnezzar II married a woman named Amytis of Media in 630 BC, a marriage that lasted until 565 BC. This was extremely beneficial to him, as it created a strong alliance between the Babylonians and the Medes.
Amytis was the daughter of Cyaxerxes, the king of the Medes. It is said that Nebuchadnezzar II built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to console Amytis and remind her of the Persian homeland she came from.
Construction projects
One of the things for which Nebuchadnezzar II is widely recognized is the creation and construction of various monuments that helped solidify his rule and his image as a very powerful man.
He is credited with bringing Babylon out of ruin and building it up to power by the end of his reign. Nebuchadnezzar II participated in several massive construction projects that served to increase the size, wealth, and power of Babylon.
The Great Gate of Ishtar
Among the most prominent creations of Nebuchadnezzar II is the Great Ishtar Gate. The Great Ishtar Gate was an absolutely monumental feat of engineering and construction in the ancient world. It was built with glazed bricks and adorned with lapis lazuli and lots of gold.
The Great Gate of Ishtar was revered for its sheer size and colorfulness, and for the fact that it was covered in jewels. In other words, when people thought of “the Great Gate of Ishtar,” they were reminded of how rich and powerful Babylon was. The act of building the Great Gate of Ishtar was political and defensive in nature.
On the one hand, it showed how rich and powerful the king and Babylon had become, while on the other hand, it was a truly imposing defensive structure that kept the inner circle of the city safe from invaders and attackers.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The other famous creation was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. These terraced gardens formed a huge oasis in the center of the city with different types of plants, vines, flowers, and more.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were seen as one of the most marvelous constructions of the ancient world, and as mentioned earlier, they were built for the wife of Nebuchadnezzar II.
The conquests of Nebuchadnezzar II
King II’s warlike nature made him a controversial historical figure, but there is no denying that he was the man behind Babylon’s growth into a wealthy country that flourished as a military power.
Nebuchadnezzar II had one of his greatest military achievements with the help of his Medes and Persian allies. Together, the Medes and the Persian people led an army against the Egyptians and Assyrians. They were occupying Syria, which Nebuchadnezzar II saw as an integral area required for security, protection, and wealth.
His Babylonian army and allies managed to defeat the Egyptians and Assyrians in the Battle of Carchemish, thus bringing Syria under Babylonian rule. At the same time, through this conquest, Phoenicia was also brought under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar II and Babylon.
He was also responsible for the exile of the Jews from Judah and Jerusalem. The king of Judah had organized a rebellion against him and the Babylonians, but Nebuchadnezzar II quickly quelled this rebellion. This led directly to the total destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of all the Jews living there.
Nebuchadnezzar II also subdued the massive threats from Palestine and Syria, two countries that were major threats to the Babylonian empire.
He also consolidated and took all trade routes through Mesopotamia under his control, allowing him to manage all the wealth flowing through his borders. Although he may be a very controversial figure, he had a massive impact on the Mesopotamian world.
