Nabonidus

Relief showing Nabonidus, praying to the moon, sun, and Venus (British Museum, London)

Nabonidus (Nabû-na'id): last king of Babylonia, ruled 556-539.

Relatives:

Father: Nabû-balâssi-iqbi
Mother: Adad-Guppi
Son: Belshazzar

Main deeds:

556: Becomes king after a coup d'état by his son Belshazzar, who dethrones Nerigilissar and/or his son Labaši-Marduk
555: Campaign to Cilicia
Religious reforms: the Mesopotamian triad Sin, Šamaš, and Ištar (Moon, Sun, and Venus) is propagated; conflict with the Babylonian religious establishment
553: Another campaign to Cilicia and Edom
549: Nabonidus is in Têma
547: Nabonidus is in Têma; death of his mother; Cyrus near Arbela
546: Nabonidus is in Têma
545: Nabonidus is in Têma
542: Repairs to the temple of Šamaš in Sippar
c.540: Repairs to the ziggurat of Ur
539:
- 12 October: Nabonidus defeated by Cyrus near Opis
- 29 October: Cyrus enters Babylon; Nabonidus is arrested
In 522, the Babylonian usurpers Nindintu-Bêl and Arakha claimed to be a son of Nabonidus.

Sources:

Nabonidus Cylinder (from Sippar)
Nabonidus Cylinder (from Ur)
Chronicle of Nabonidus (ABC 7)
Verse account of Nabonidus
Cyrus Cylinder
Chronographic document concerning Nabonidus (CM 53)

This page was prepared to offer background information to the real articles on Livius.Org. One day, it will be improved. A list of completed articles can be found here.