Reputation and legacy

The Neo-Babylonian Empire or Second Babylonian Empire, historically known as the Chaldean Empire, was the last polity ruled by monarchs native to Mesopotamia. Beginning with the coronation of Nabopolassar as the King of Babylon in 626 BC and being firmly established through the fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire in 612 BC, the Neo-Babylonian Empire was conquered by Cyrus and the Achaemenid Persian Empire in 539 BC, marking the collapse of the Chaldean dynasty less than a century after its founding.  

The Neo-Babylonians used a numbering system based on sixty, a sexagesimal system. This system simplified the calculating and recording of unusually great and small numbers. The modern practices of dividing a circle into 360 degrees, of 60 minutes each, began with the Neo-Babylonians. Babylonian astronomers developed a new empirical approach to astronomy. They began studying and recording their belief system and philosophies dealing with an ideal nature of the universe and began employing an internal logic within their predictive planetary systems. 

In this podcast Professor Eleanor Robson (University College London) provides an introduction to the Neo-Babylonian Empire from its battle for independence to its emergence as a major world power able to defeat both Assyria and Egypt. Professor Robson discusses Nebuchadnezzar II and the Neo-Babylonian Golden age with its monumental architecture, its biblical reputation and the lasting significance of innovations Neo-Babylonians made in the fields of mathematics, science and astronomy.

1. Neo-Babylonian Empire – What had been the position of Babylon under the Assyrians?
2. How did Nabopolassar restore the independence of Babylon? How did he manage to defeat both Assyria and Egypt?
3. How different was the Neo-Babylonian empire from earlier Babylonian civilisations? What were the changes and continuities?
4. What do we know about Nebuchadnezzar II? To what extent did he bring about a Neo-Babylonian golden age?
5. Can you tell us about the monumental art and architecture of the Neo-Babylonians? What does it tell us about their culture?
6. How influential was Babylon in the Near East during this period?
7. What led to the eventual fall of the empire?
8. Can you tell us about some of the innovations of Neo-Babylonian culture? Babylonian astronomy reaches Ptolemy. 60 minutes in the day/360 degrees.
9. An early example of the observational empirical approach.
10. A history that is constantly being updated through newly discovered sources.

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