Nabonidus Chronicle
Babylonian chronicle recording the night Babylon fell to the army of Cyrus
Found 1879 — Acquired by the British Museum from the dealers Spartali & Co.; exact findspot unknown, presumed Babylon
Where Babylon (presumed) (Iraq)
Dates from Events 556–539 BCE; copy probably 4th–3rd c. BCE · Neo-Babylonian to early Persian · Fall of Babylon (Daniel 5) and the return from exile
Now at British Museum, London (BM 35382)
Names a biblical person Cyrus (Belshazzar only as unnamed 'crown prince')
How Nabonidus Chronicle was found
Bought on the antiquities market in 1879 and first published by T. G. Pinches in 1882. It may also appear in the exile-era list; it is included here because its climax is the Persian capture of Babylon.
What it is
A damaged clay tablet written in Akkadian cuneiform, part of the series of Babylonian Chronicles. It records year by year the reign of Nabonidus, the king's long stay in Arabia, the battle of Opis, and Cyrus's entry into Babylon.
Why it matters for the Bible
The chronicle says Persian troops under Ugbaru (Gobryas) entered Babylon 'without battle' in October 539 BCE, and that Cyrus arrived later and was welcomed. It also shows that Nabonidus was away for years and his son Belshazzar was left in charge, which explains why Daniel 5 calls Belshazzar 'king' and offers Daniel only the 'third' place in the kingdom. It does not describe a feast or a hand writing on a wall.
The Hebrew word: bel-shah-TSAR
בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר
בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר is pronounced bel-shah-TSAR and means Belshazzar, crown prince and co-regent of Babylon (Strong's H1113).
People this discovery connects to
- Belshazzar — בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (bel-shah-TSAR) — Akkadian Bel-shar-usur, 'Bel protect the king'
- Cyrus — כּוֹרֶשׁ (KO-resh) — Persian royal name
Places
- Babylon — בָּבֶל (bah-VEL) — gate of god
Events
Fall of Babylon, 12 October 539 BCE · End of the Neo-Babylonian empire
Nabonidus Chronicle in Scripture
Isaiah 44:28 First mention of Cyrus in Scripture.
Daniel 5:16 Daniel is offered 'third ruler' in the kingdom, which makes sense if Nabonidus was first and Belshazzar second.
Daniel 5:30-31 Belshazzar is killed and the kingdom passes to the Medes and Persians the same night; the chronicle dates the city's fall and shows Belshazzar's real role.
Questions people ask
What is Nabonidus Chronicle?
A damaged clay tablet written in Akkadian cuneiform, part of the series of Babylonian Chronicles. It records year by year the reign of Nabonidus, the king's long stay in Arabia, the battle of Opis, and Cyrus's entry into Babylon.
When was Nabonidus Chronicle discovered?
It was found in 1879 by Acquired by the British Museum from the dealers Spartali & Co.; exact findspot unknown, presumed Babylon, at Babylon (presumed).
Where is Nabonidus Chronicle today?
British Museum, London (BM 35382).
Which Bible verses does Nabonidus Chronicle relate to?
Isaiah 44:28, Daniel 5:16, Daniel 5:30-31.
Related discoveries
- כּוֹרֶשׁCyrus CylinderCyrus the Great's clay proclamation of his capture of Babylon and the return of exiled peoples and their gods
- מְנֵא מְנֵא תְּקֵל וּפַרְסִיןNabonidus Cylinders and the Nabonidus ChronicleThe texts that rescued Belshazzar from the charge of being a biblical invention
- בֵּלEast India House Inscription of NebuchadnezzarThe king's own account of rebuilding Babylon's temples, palaces and walls
- אֲרֻחָהJehoiachin Ration TabletsBabylonian palace records of oil for 'Yaukin, king of the land of Judah' and his sons
- בָּבֶלIshtar Gate and Processional Way of BabylonNebuchadnezzar's glazed-brick gateway, the Babylon the exiles walked into
- אַחְמְתָאEcbatana (Hamadan) and the Tomb of Esther and MordecaiThe Median capital where Cyrus's decree was found, and Iran's shrine to the heroes of Purim
Sources
- Wikipedia: Nabonidus Chronicle
- Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975), Chronicle 7