A BRIEF HISTORY
The history of Babylonia began c. 2000 B.C. when a Semitic speaking people known as the Amorites migrated to Mesopotamia. Two cities emerged as the chief powers on the Babylonian plain: Isin and Larsa.
Larsa eventually gained control over much of the region and held this control for about 30 years. Then c. 1763 control shifted to Babylon when Hammurabi of Babylon conquered Larsa. Before he died Hammurabi expanded his empire over much of the Babylonian plain.
The first dynasty established by Hammurabi came to an end when the Hittites sacked Babylon. The Hittites did not occupy Babylon, however. In their stead came an obscure people known as the Kassites who established a dynasty c. 1595 B.C. Practically nothing is known of the Kassites. They were first mentioned during the reign of Hammurabi's successor, Samsuiluna, c. 1749 B.C. The Kassite dynasty would see 36 kings claim the crown.
Babylonia was usually at odds with two chief rivals: the Elamites and the Assyrians. During the reign of the Assyrian king, Tukulti-Ninurta I (c. 1243-1207 B.C.), Babylon was sacked by the Assyrians. As a spoil of their victory the Assyrians carried back with them the statue of the Babylonian god, Marduk. The Assyrian rule proved to be short and the Kassites soon regained control and managed to return their statue. The end of the Kassite dynasty came c. 1155 B.C. when Assyria and Elam attacked Babylon. Babylon fell and the Elamites carried off the statue of Marduk.
The next well-known ruler of Babylonia was Nebuchadnezzar I (c. 1125-1104 B.C.). Nebuchadnezzar I warred against Elam and retrieved the statue of Marduk.
The Aramaeans, semitic nomads, entered Babylonia during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar's successor. Although they caused a tremendous upheaval initially, the Aramaeans eventually blended into the mainstream Babylonian society. They did, however, leave a lasting effect upon Babylonian culture as their language, Aramaic, replaced the older Akkadian dialect as the common tongue of Babylonia.
In the 8th century B.C. a Semitic people known as Chaldaeans entered Babylonia. Twice the Chaldaean tribe, Yakin, managed to seat their king, Merodach-baladan II, on the Babylonian throne. The first time was from 721 B.C. to 710 B.C. The second instance was in 703 B.C.
During the Chaldaean upheaval the Assyrians took the opportunity to compete for control of Babylonia. The Assyrian king, Tiglath-pileser III (744-727 B.C.), wrested control of Babylonia from the Chaldaeans. The Assyrians would remain in control for about the next 100 years with some interruptions.
When Sennacherib (704-681 B.C.) came to the Assyrian throne he placed his son in rule over Babylon. The Babylonians rebelled and handed Sennacherib's son to the Elamites. In retalliation Sennacherib warred against the Elamites and the Babylonians. The result was the destruction of Babylon in 689 B.C. Rebellion again erupted in 652 B.C. and lasted until 648 B.C. The Babylonian king, Shamash-shumar-ukin, warred against the Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal, who was also his brother. Ashurbanipal was the victor.
About twenty years later the Chaldaeans again pushed for the crown and were successful in placing Nabopolassar (625-605 B.C.) on the Babylonian throne. With the help of the Medes Nabopolassar struck at Assyria conquering its cities. Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, fell in 612 B.C. Assyria eventually fell and Babylonia and the Medes divided the spoils.
Nabopolassar was succedded by Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 B.C.). Nebuchadnezzar II continued the campaigns of Nabopolassar. He twice warred against Judea and in 587 B.C. transported many Judeans to Babylon and they were not to return to Judea until 539 B.C. when Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon and allowed them to return.
The reign of Nebuchadnezzar II ended in 556 B.C. in a palace coup. He was succedded by Nabonidus (555-539 B.C.)
The end of Babylonia came in 539 B.C. when Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon. This was seen as a joyous occassion by many Babylonians who grew tired of their pompous king, Nabonidus.
CULTURE Babylonia was a collection of city-states ruled by a series of dynasties. There were several levels of the social hierarchy. Babylonia was a monarchy ruled by a king. The king answered only to the chief god. Following the king were nobles, free citizens who made up the majority of the population, military, and then slaves.
Slavery was an accepted class in Babylonia. Slaves came from war, punishment, debt, the child of a slave, or an individual could sell themselves into slavery. Owners were allowed to sell their slaves, punish them, or free them, but they could not kill them.
Religion was an important part of the Babylonian society. Religion was practiced as a state institution and individually. Each city had a chief god and the importance of a god depended upon the political power of its patron city. The main gods were Marduk, An, Enki and Enlil. The people also had their personal gods to whom they prayed, gave offerings and made requests.
It was believed that the gods communicated with their followers. This was done with signs which could be interpreted with careful observation and study. This practice is known as divination. The two most popular forms of divination were astrology, the study of the heavens, and by studying the entrails of sacrificial animals.
The science of the Babylonians was advanced and many of the achievements once attributed to the Romans and the Greeks are now known to have discovered by the Babylonians first. They possessed an excellent knowledge of astronomy. Their achievements in astronomy gained recognition through the Mediterranean by 1200 B.C. The lunar and solar years were correctly calculated. By 800 B.C. they mapped the stars and logged them in their many volumes concerning the observations of the heavens. Surgery was known and they possessed an understanding of human and animal anatomy. The Babylonians were also accomplished mathemeticians and knew the theories of Pythagora and Euclid.
Hammurabi of the Babylonians is famous for a series of laws he enacted known as "The Code of Hammurabi" c. 1758 B.C. He claimed to have received the laws from his god. The codes were based upon the well-known "eye for an eye" principle. While this set of laws was not the first of its kind, they are probably the most well-known.
Much of Babylonian literature was borrowed from the Sumerians. These older Sumerian works were translated into Babylonian. Eventually the works were rewritten again, this time divided into volumes and cataloged.
The early language of the Babylonians was a dialect of Akkadian. When the Aramaeans entered Babylonia the common language slowly changed to Aramaic, although the Akkadian dialect was still used by the upper class. Cuneiform was used for writing.
The economy was based upon trade, animal farming, agriculture and textiles. Their trading vessels reached the lands of Arabia and India carrying fabrics, barley and wool.