Nabonidus was the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reigning from 556-539 BC. He took the throne after the assassination of the boy-king Labashi-Marduk, who was murdered in a conspiracy only nine months after his inauguration. It is not known whether Nabonidus played a role in his death, but he was chosen as the new king soon after. During many years of his kingship, Nabonidus was absent at the Arabian oasis of Tayma. The reasons for his long absence remain a matter of controversy, with theories ranging from illness to madness, to an interest in religious archaeology.
Nabonidus: An Enigmatic Royal Figure
In most ancient accounts, Nabonidus is depicted as a royal anomaly. His mother is believed to have been a priestess of the moon god Sîn to whom Nabonidus was unusually and obsessively devoted. As king, Nabonidus was maligned by the priests of the Babylonian chief god, Marduk. It is believed this was caused by Nabonidus overt devotion to Sîn and his lack of attention to the city’s important New Year’s festival.
Seal of the high priest of the moon god Sin, dating to 2100 BC. Nabonidus’ devotion to Sin was highly unusual, in that Marduk had been the chief god of Babylon for several centuries. (Hjaltland Collection/CC BY-SA 3.0)
It was after Nabonidus launched successful campaigns in Edom and Cilicia (modern Turkey) that he left Babylon, residing at the rich desert oasis of Tayma, (Temâ) in Arabia, returning only after many…
