Neo-Babylonian
Rule returned to Babylon in 626 BC, when Nabopolassar seized the throne. The empire fell in 539 BC when king Cyrus II of Persia overthrew Nabonidus, the last native ruler of Babylon.
Description:
After the collapse of the Assyrian Empire, led by a coalition of Babylonians, Medes, Scythians, and Cimmerians, the Neo-Babylonian Empire flourished. The seat of the empire was transferred from Nineveh to Babylonia, and economics, agriculture, building projects, arts, and sciences flourished. The period was a renaissance of Sumerian/Akkadian traditions. Temples dominated the urban social structure, legal system, and social hierarchy. The period ended during the reign of Nabonidus, when Babylon was captured by Cyrus the Great.
Ultra-Low Chronology:
Short/Low Chronology:
Middle Chronology: 625-539 BCE
Long/High Chronology:
Objects: Neo-Babylonian Export: JSON - XML - CSV
Object | U Number | Museum Number (UPM Date Reg Number) | Museum Number (BM Registration Number) | Museum Number (UPM B-number) | Description (Catalog Card) |
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![]() | 76A | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-BQ] 64 tablets and fragments of tablets, numbering in all 15-20 tablets of the contract type, Persian period, mostly dated in the reign of Ataxerxes. A single hoard in burnt stratum near surface, near a large pot. [BR-BX]+7 tablets and fragments of the same hoard in the small box. [BY]+1 fragment from the same hoard placed in the small box |
![]() | 93 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay cone. fr. of = Inscribed [Annotated] TTB Neo-Babylonian |
![]() | 134 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fr. of Clay Tablet. Inscribed [Annotated] Account tablet of Persian or New Babylonian period. [Annotated] Placed in 1N/No. 2. |
![]() | 135A | (none) | (none) | (none) | [A-N] Frs. of tablets. 14 frs. in all. Inscribed. Persian date. |
![]() | 599 | 52-30-38 | (none) | (none) | Tablet, complete. New Babylonian letter from Shamash-dur to a lady concerning certain birds. |
![]() | 1111 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment (711) of New Babylonian Clay cylinder with inscription for Nabonidus (cf. Langdon, Neubab.Konigsinscar. P.250ff.) Duplicate of U.1131, U.1132 and other fragments unnumbered making up part of the complete cylinder. |
![]() | 1131 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment from middle of a baked clay cylinder of Nabonidus (cf. U.1132, U.1111) in 2 columns 2 3/8 [60.325mm] by 1 3/4 [44.45mm] inscription concerning the building of E-lugal-galga-si-sa, the Ziggurat of Ur. Joins U.1132, and another fragment unnumbered making up part of complete cylinder. |
![]() | 1151 | (none) | (none) | B15617 | Portion (about half) of small baked clay cylinder of Nabonidus, duplicate of U.1111 etc. Found in 2 pieces and joined. P. |
![]() | 1154 | (none) | (none) | B15618 | Fragment from right side of small baked clay barrel-cylinder of Nabonidus. 17 lines from 2nd column. Inscription duplicate of U.1111, U.1131, etc. P. |
![]() | 1155 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment from small baked clay barrel-cylinder of Nabonidus. Fragments of 4 lines, from Column I. Inscription of duplicate of U.1111, U.1113, etc. Probably part of same object as U.1154 but does not join. |
![]() | 1156 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of baked clay barrel-cylinder of nabonidus, inscription duplicate of that upon U.1111, U.1113, etc. Fragments of 15 lines, from column I. |
![]() | 1157 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Portion of baked clay barrel-cylinder of Nabonidus, inscribed as U.1111, U.1131, etc. 16 lines, column I and 5 column II. |
![]() | 1180 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Small fragment of baked clay tablet, with parts of 6 lines, from a New Babylonian copy of a syllabary. |
![]() | 1207 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of New Babylonian baked clay tablet, obverse only preserved. Parts of 12 lines of an astronomical omen-text, in 4 sections. |
![]() | 1625A | (none) | (none) | B15620, B15620, B15620 | Three (3) fragments of a black diorite monument, originally in shape of 4-sided pyramid, surmounted by a smaller body of the same shape. Around all sides of the lower pyramid runs a long inscription of New Babylonian date, concerning contracts for the building of a bit apti and the acquisition of the site for it, in the city of Ur. Found on New Babylonian floor level in N. corner between Nabonidus platform and the old wall. |
![]() | 2557 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet. Letter Unto Nabu-sag-ga, so speaks?. x his brother: Na-dug son of Ma-kam(?) ?unto the 5 brothers, ?son of Makam, ? ki-ma son of the calker (Ad-kib), he has brought Neo-Babylonian Period? 10 lines writing. H.C. |
2816 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet. Fragment. Neo-Babylonian syllabary - list of signs Zi and of short sentences ki-na -- | |
![]() | 2834 | (none) | (none) | B16212 | Royal inscription - in limestone. Small fragment. Probably (Nabonidus?) king of all the world, king? H.C. |
![]() | 2926 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet. Neo-Babylonian. Small fragments missing. 3 incantations formulae laid in the boxes of the pavement at the entrance of the door. H.C. |
![]() | 3011 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet. Neo-Babylonian Syllabary. |
3018 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet. Fragment: Religious Omina. Neo-Babylonian/Persian. | |
![]() | 3354 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Fragment of limestone tablet. Inscribed both sides. Historical inscription? About BC 700? H.C. |
6309 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet - Fragment unbaked. List of officials, among them (---) son of A-mu-ru. Time Ist Babylonian Dynasty. | |
6320 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet. Hymn. Late Sumerian. About BC 1900(?). | |
6321 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet. Hymn. Late Sumerian. About BC 1900(?). |
Related Terms
Ubaid - Uruk - Jemdat Nasr - Early Dynastic / Sumerian - Akkadian Dynasty - Guti/Post Akkadian - Ur III - Old Babylonian - Middle Assyrian - Kassite - Neo-Assyrian - Achaemenid Empire (Persian) - Seleucid - Parthian