Nabopolassar Research Paper

The city of Babylon was the capital of Babylonia in southern Mesopotamia. Babylon was a weak city which seeked independence from its neighbor, Assyria. Although the Babylonians were ruled by the Kassites in 1595 B.C., in 626 B.C., it was under the reign of the Assyrians. In the year 626 B.C., the Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal, passed away. It was then after that word had spread hastily throughout the land and Nabopolassar appeared to declare himself the first king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Nabopolassar was a member of the Chaldean tribe which had migrated from the Levant to south eastern Babylonia. Nabopolassar did not have full control of Mesopotamia so in attempt to have all-power he allied his forces with the Medes and targeted the Neo-Assyrian Empire with the knowledge that they were weak. Nabopolassar succeeded by killing the reigning king, Sinsharishkun, but due to the involvement of the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho II, he was not able to

He was victorious in his conquest and banished them from all of the Middle East. His father was pleased but shortly after his victory he died. Nabopolassar II then returned home to ascend the throne. He ruled all of Mesopotamia and part of the Middle East. In 601 B.C. Nabopolassar II had invaded Egypt but was defeated in his attempt which resulted into Judah dividing them from the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Nabopolassar II did not plan to rest upon this lose and therefore he reforged his army and took the land back forcibly. He then declared Zedekiah as Judah's new king. When he returned to Babylon, he brought along thousands of Jews, enslaving them for decades. They were not set free until after Evil-Merodach, Nabopolassar II son and successor, ascended the throne. Nabopolassar II died in 562 B.C., but the Neo-Babylonian Empire began to fall. The empire had seen four kings come and go, none capable of continuing Nabopolassar's II