Nabopolassar: History, Accomplishments and Facts
Nabopolassar – history and facts | Image: Clay cylinder of Nabopolassar, founder of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
Founder and first king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, Nabopolassar was responsible for some very great conquests in ancient Mesopotamia. He enriched his royal coffers and that of his empire after sacking numerous Assyrian cities in the region, most famously Nineveh, the jewel of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
With the aid of the Medes (under the rule of King Cyaxares), Nabopolassar’s chief ally, several women and children were slaughtered before the city was razed to the ground. It has been stated that the Assyrian king Sinsharishkun most likely died during the sack of Nineveh.
In addition to being the founder of Neo-Babylonian Empire, Nabopolassar fathered many children; the most famous of them was Nebuchadnezzar II.
The article below explores the history of Nabopolassar. It includes a succinct summary of how a minor Chaldean chieftain toppled Neo-Assyrian rulers on his way to founding the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
Birth and ancestry
It remains a bit clear as to where this great ruler was born, considering the fact that he once described himself as “son of a nobody” (mâr lā mammâna). The records that exist of Nabopolassar in some way tried to portray him as one who rose from a humble beginning to become king of the Babylonians.
However, historians beg to differ, stating that it was highly unlikely that a common folk could have risen to such lofty heights in ancient Mesopotamia. As a result, some historians prefer associating Nabopolassar with very influential Chaldean rulers of the era. This explains why he is sometimes credited with the founding the Chaldean dynasty, also known as the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
