Nabonidus
Nabonidus, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
Governor of Babylon seventy years, he came to power in -556 by the party of conspirators priests, presumably favorable to the god Sin after killing the legitimate king Labash-Marduk , son of Nriglissar.
Very religious, he is the son of a governor probably Aramaic and a priestess of the shrine of Sin in Harran. He worships any particular Sin, the moon god, worship him will be criticized by his enemies after the fall of Babylon (which the priests of Marduk , god of the previously favored by the kings). He restored the temple of the god at Ur , and aims to restore the Harran was destroyed by the Medes.
Early in his reign Nabonidus seems to continue the old traditions. It goes south to solve administrative problems and led several expeditions in the Levant.
Following a dream received -556 which foretold the future, and in opposition to the clergy of Marduk, Nabonidus decides to rebuild the temple of Sin at Harran. He enlists the help of Cyrus II the Great, king of Anshan , the Medes cons to take the city. Cyrus accepts. His lord and grandfather Astyages king of the Medes, a wind of the plot and to convene Ecbatana. Cyrus refuses, causing a war that will end in victory for the Persians ( -550 ).
Disorders aggravated no doubt by a bad economic situation in Babylonia and then explode in the southern cities. Nabonidus installs his son Balthazar on the throne of Babylon and then goes into the oasis of Taima in the Hejaz , he conquers -552 , and a whole series of cities. It is ten years in Saudi , in his absence by preventing the big New Year festival in Babylon, but we give a satisfactory explanation: conquest, devotion to the moon god of Arabs to Taima, surrender of Babylon in prey famine and civil war ...
In -539 , Nabonidus left Saudi to inaugurate the great temple of Sin at Harran, and then returns to Babylon on the eve of the action against the capital of Cyrus. Nabonidus seems not to have understood the danger that threatens the empire. All his work seems wholly out of step with the situation. To strengthen his spiritual power, he carried to Babylon all the images of gods of southern Mesopotamia. People are demoralized.
Cyrus II took Babylon without fighting, a feast day on Oct. 23 -539. It kills the governor Balthazar , imprisons Nabonidus (or appointed governor of Carmania, Iran), and arises as a liberator, and gaining recognition for his son Cambyses II as king by the will of Marduk without annexing the country by force.
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