History

The region that came to be known as Babylonia was occupied at a very early date. Little is known about the area, however, until after the arrival of the Sumerians, sometime before 3500 B.C. Along with the Akkadians, a Semitic people, the Sumerians dominated southern Mesopotamia until about 2000 B.C., when the region was overwhelmed by invaders. The Elamites came from the east, while the Amorites, a Semitic people, invaded from the west.

Babylon, virtually unknown during the earliest history of the region, began to rise to prominence in the 19th century B.C., when the Amorites founded a dynasty there. The kings of Babylon waged a long struggle with other city-states for dominance. In the 18th century B.C., the supremacy of Babylon was established under King Hammurabi (1792–1750 B.C.), and the city became the capital of an empire covering most of Mesopotamia. Following Hammurabi's death, portions of the empire broke away. In 1595 B.C. Babylon was raided by the Hittites, and the Amorite dynasty came to an end. When the Hittites withdrew, the Kassites gained control and ruled for more than 400 years. Meanwhile, to the north, Assyria was growing in power.

In the 12th century B.C., the Kassites were overthrown by Elamite invaders. A new native dynasty then regained power, and the kingdom survived until it was conquered by Assyria in 729 B.C. Babylonia gradually revived under the Chaldean Semites who had come several centuries earlier. They made several unsuccessful attempts to regain independence from Assyria.

Finally, in 612 B.C., the Chaldeans and the Medes toppled Assyria. The Chaldeans became the masters of Mesopotamia and also of most of the western part of the Assyrian empire. Under Nebuchadnezzar (605–562 B.C.), the Neo-Babylonian empire reached its high point of prosperity and power. During his reign, revolts broke out in Jerusalem. He destroyed the city and most of the Jewish leaders were taken to Babylon as captives. A troubled period under weak rule followed Nebuchadnezzar's death.

Babylonia's economy had been weakened by lavish spending and by foreign encroachment. Nabonidus (556–539 B.C.), the last king, aided a Persian revolt against the Medes, who had cut Babylonian trade routes to the east. The Persians, however, turned against Babylonia and further damaged trade by thrusting across the north into Cilicia. Meanwhile, Nabonidus had caused internal dissension by attempting to replace Marduk with another supreme god. When a Persian army attacked Babylon in 539 B.C., the city fell with little resistance. Babylonia was then incorporated into the vast realm of Cyrus the Great of Persia. Babylonia retained its cultural importance for several centuries, but never regained political independence.