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. |
472 | (none) | 1923,1110.137 | (none) | Silver vase. Broken on one side, but most of the fragments found. The sides are intentionally indented. Very thin metal in fair condition. [drawing 1:5] | |
![]() | 599 | 52-30-38 | (none) | (none) | Tablet, complete. New Babylonian letter from Shamash-dur to a lady concerning certain birds. |
![]() | 806 | (none) | 1923,1110.2 | (none) | Basalt hinge-stone. Inscribed with name, etc., of NABONIDUS. The fragments of the iron shoe of the door-post are still fixed in the stone. |
![]() | 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. |
![]() | 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. |
![]() | 1560A | (none) | 1924,0920.243 | (none) | [A-B] Two fragments of large baked clay cylinder of Nabonidus: containing parts of column I & II of the inscription on cylinder K.1688 in the British Museum. These fragments possibly belong to that cylinder. |
![]() | 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. |
![]() | 2747 | (none) | 1927,1003.254 | (none) | Paste statuette. Blue glass paste, much worn. Servant in attitude of devotion. Head and trunk only. [drawing 1:1] |
2816 | (none) | (none) | (none) | Clay tablet. Fragment. Neo-Babylonian syllabary - list of signs Zi and of short sentences ki-na -- | |
![]() | 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. | |
![]() | 3187 | (none) | 1927,1003.257 | (none) | Fragment of blue glass paste. [drawing 1:1] |
![]() | 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(?). |
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