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)

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