"our fair and courageous king nebuchadnezzar, who has been looked upon favourably by the gods, will ensure that the babylonian people prosper and become the leading society of the world"
Neo-Babylonian Politics
The political structure of the Neo-Babylonian Empire was a Monarchy whereby the king ruled with absolute power. The King was supported by a number of government officials including governors who oversaw the day to day running of the Empire. Officials were appointed to look after their own specific portion of the empire. These officials were responsible for areas such as keeping law and order, collecting taxes and trade, however, the king could intervene in any of these matters personally and overrule his appointed officials. The King was the focal point of the society, and the prosperity of the people depended on his effective and strong leadership. This is evident in the rule of Nebuchadnezzar II whereby his leadership skills allowed Babylonia to prosper.
Religious Life |
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Babylonian religion is based upon the worship of many different gods. Each god was unique and was responsible for various aspects of life. For example the the god of the sun Shamash, ensured justice was carried out. The most important god in Babylonian mythology was Marduk, as he was considered the god of the gods. Temples were commonplace in the cities of Babylonia and were looked after by priests. Citizens would visit a priest to hear what they can expect in their future. Other duties of a priest included selling charms and ridding people of serious illnesses or evil spirits. Religion was the one aspect of Babylonian society whereby the king had no control.
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Resources
Suggested Activities
- Investigate how Nebuchadnezzar and other Neo-Babylonian leaders are described or depicted in ancient sources.
- Pick a Babylonian God and describe how that god is depicted, what aspect of life that god looks after and any other interesting facts about the particular god.
References:
The Epic of Gilgamesh: Speiser, E. A. (1969). Akkadian myths and epics. Ancient near eastern texts relating to the old testament, 3, 60-119. http://www.otgateway.com/articles/gilgamesh.pdf
Enuma Elish: California State University, Northridge. Enuma Elish. http://www.csun.edu/~rlc31920/documents/History%20110/Enuma_Elish.pdf
Table of Babylonian Gods: Mesopotamian Gods Table. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2015, from http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sitchin/mesopotamian_gods.htm
Enuma Elish: California State University, Northridge. Enuma Elish. http://www.csun.edu/~rlc31920/documents/History%20110/Enuma_Elish.pdf
Table of Babylonian Gods: Mesopotamian Gods Table. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2015, from http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sitchin/mesopotamian_gods.htm