Chaldean Empire Middle-Eastern empires

while median kingdom controlled highland region, chaldeans, capital @ babylon, masters of fertile crescent. nebuchadnezzar, becoming king of chaldeans in 604 bc, raised babylonia epoch of brilliance after more thousand years of eclipse. defeating egyptians in syria, nebuchadnezzar ended hopes of re-creating empire. destroyed jerusalem in 586 bc , carried thousands of jews captive babylonia.

nebuchadnezzar reconstructed babylon, making largest , impressive city of day. tremendous city walls wide enough @ top have rows of small houses on either side. in center of babylon ran famous procession street, passed through ishtar gate. arch, adorned brilliant tile animals, best remaining example of babylonian architecture.

the immense palace of nebuchadnezzar towered terrace upon terrace, each resplendent masses of ferns, flowers, , trees. these roof gardens, famous hanging gardens of babylon, beautiful regarded greeks 1 of 7 wonders of world.

nebuchadnezzar rebuilt great temple-tower or ziggurat, biblical tower of babel, greek historian herodotus viewed century later , described tower of solid masonry, 220 yards in length , breadth, upon raised second tower, , on third, , on eight. nebuchadnezzar last great mesopotamian ruler, , chaldean power crumbled after death in 562 bc.

the chaldean priests, interest in astrology added fund of babylonian astronomical knowledge word chaldean came mean astronomer, continually undermined monarchy. finally, in 539 bc, opened gates of babylon cyrus persian, fulfilling daniel s message of doom upon notorious belshazzar, last chaldean ruler: have been weighed in balances , found wanting (dan. 5:27).