Neriglissar facts for kids

Neriglissar (in Babylonian cuneiform:   Nergal-šar-uṣur or Nergal-šarra-uṣur, meaning "Nergal, protect the king") was the fourth king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He ruled from 560 BC until his death in 556 BC.

Neriglissar was not related to the previous kings of Babylon. He might have been from an Aramean family. Before becoming king, Neriglissar was an important official and general under King Nebuchadnezzar II (who ruled from 605–562 BC). He became even more powerful by marrying one of Nebuchadnezzar's daughters, possibly a woman named Kashshaya.

Nebuchadnezzar's son, Amel-Marduk, became king after him. But Amel-Marduk ruled for only two years. Then, Neriglissar took the throne and Amel-Marduk died. Because Neriglissar married Nebuchadnezzar's daughter, he might have represented a powerful and rich group within the royal family. This was true even if he himself was not directly part of the royal family.

The most famous event of Neriglissar's rule was his successful military trip in 557–556 BC. He went to Anatolia to fight against Appuwashu, the king of a small area called Cilicia. Neriglissar captured Appuwashu's main city, Ura, and another city called Kirshu. He then launched an attack from both land and sea against a nearby island. After that, he destroyed mountain paths on the western border near Lydia.

Soon after returning to Babylonia as a winner, Neriglissar died in April 556 BC. His son, Labashi-Marduk, became the next king. However, Labashi-Marduk ruled for only two or three months. He was then removed from power and killed, and Nabonidus became king instead.

Background

Nebuchadnezzar's Rule

The Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II

The Neo-Babylonian Empire was strongest during the time of its second king, Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BC). During his rule, the empire became very powerful. Its army grew strong, and it took control of lands that once belonged to the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Nebuchadnezzar's father, Nabopolassar (626–605 BC), had defeated and destroyed the Neo-Assyrian Empire.

Nebuchadnezzar spent a lot of time and money on building projects across Babylonia. He focused mostly on his capital city, Babylon. As the royal treasury spent more and more, local business people became richer. This also made them more important in political matters.

Neriglissar's own writings say his father was named Bel-shum-ishkun. This person was likely the same Bel-shum-ishkun who was the son of Nabu-epir-la'a. This Bel-shum-ishkun's income is listed in a Babylonian record. It is listed alongside the incomes of King Nebuchadnezzar and one of his daughters, Kashshaya.

Both Neriglissar and Bel-shum-ishkun are also mentioned in another royal document. This document lists different officials of the empire. Neriglissar is listed as a Simmagir official. Bel-shum-ishkun is listed as being from the province of Puqudu. Neriglissar and his father might have been from the Aramean group called the Puqudu. This group had the same name as the province where Bel-shum-ishkun was from.

Neriglissar was a busy businessman and landowner during Nebuchadnezzar's rule. Records show he bought land from a bankrupt man named Nabu-ahhe-iddina. He also bought land from a rich banker named Iddina-Marduk, both in Sippar. Besides Sippar, Neriglissar also owned large properties in Uruk.

Because he was in Sippar and at Opis in 565/564 BC, Neriglissar might have helped build Nebuchadnezzar's Median Wall. This wall was built to protect Babylon from attacks from the north. Neriglissar was also one of Nebuchadnezzar's top officials, holding the rank of Simmagir. During Nebuchadnezzar's military trips, Neriglissar served as an army officer. He might be the "Nergalšareṣer" mentioned in the Bible. The Bible says this person was at Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem in 597 BC (Jeremiah 39:13).

Becoming King

17th-century portraits of Neriglissar ('Nerigolossor') and his predecessor Amel-Marduk ('Evilmerodach')

Neriglissar became even more powerful by marrying one of Nebuchadnezzar's daughters. In 1974, historian David B. Weisberg suggested that the daughter was Kashshaya. Her name appears with Nebuchadnezzar, Neriglissar, and Bel-shum-ishkun in old economic papers.

There is no clear proof that Kashshaya was Neriglissar's wife. But later historians, like Donald Wiseman and Jona Lendering, have accepted this idea.

According to Berossus, a Babylonian writer from the later Hellenistic period, Nebuchadnezzar died after ruling for 43 years. His son, Amel-Marduk, became king. Berossus wrote that Amel-Marduk "ruled unfairly and ignored the laws." After two years, Neriglissar plotted against Amel-Marduk. He had Amel-Marduk removed from power and killed. If Berossus is correct, Neriglissar led this plan. It seems the conflict between Amel-Marduk and Neriglissar was a family disagreement.

Neriglissar's marriage to Kashshaya (or another of Nebuchadnezzar's daughters) likely made it possible for him to take the throne. Kashshaya might have been the oldest of all Nebuchadnezzar's children. She is mentioned in records much earlier in her father's rule (his 5th year) than most of his sons (who are mostly mentioned in his 39th–41st years).

This big time gap could mean that the sons were from a second marriage. So, it's possible that Neriglissar taking the throne was due to a fight within the royal family. One side was older, richer, and more powerful (like Nebuchadnezzar's daughters, especially Kashshaya). The other side was younger and less established, but more directly in line for the throne (like Nebuchadnezzar's sons, such as Amel-Marduk). Kashshaya, like Neriglissar, was a wealthy landowner in Uruk during her father's rule.

Reign

Early Actions as King

There are not many ancient clay tablets from 594 BC to 557 BC. This period covers much of Nebuchadnezzar's later rule, and the reigns of Amel-Marduk, Neriglissar, and Neriglissar's son Labashi-Marduk. So, historians often use other old writings in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin to understand what happened then. They also use contract tablets from Babylonia.

The last document from Amel-Marduk's rule is a contract from August 7, 560 BC, written in Babylon. Just four days later, documents from both Babylon and Uruk are dated to Neriglissar's rule. This suggests Neriglissar was in Babylon when he took the throne. He also increased his economic activities in the capital city.

After becoming king, Neriglissar made his rule stronger. He married his daughter, Gigitum, to Nabu-shuma-ukin. Nabu-shuma-ukin was the manager of the Ezida temple in Borsippa and an important religious leader. Not much else is known about Neriglissar's first two years as king. We know he continued building and repairing the Esagila, the main temple in Babylon. He also fixed the royal palace and the eastern bank of the Euphrates river after its yearly floods.

Military Trip to Anatolia

In Neriglissar's third year as king, 557 BC, he led a successful military trip into Anatolia. This journey is recorded in ancient writings (mainly the 'ABC 6' chronicle). The trip was because of rumors that Appuwashu, king of Piriddu or Pirindu, was planning to raid Syria.

To stop this, Neriglissar marched his army into Hume (eastern Cilicia). This area had been under Babylonian control since the fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Appuwashu had set up traps and attacks to stop the Babylonian army. But he was defeated. Neriglissar chased him for more than 25 kilometers through mountains along the Cilician coast. He chased him until Appuwashu reached his capital, Ura. Neriglissar captured and looted Ura. We don't know exactly where Ura was located today, but it was likely near the modern city of Silifke.

After this win, Neriglissar continued his campaign. He marched another 65 kilometers north along the Göksu river. He attacked and destroyed the city of Kirshu. This city was rebuilt centuries later as Claudiopolis.

After taking Kirshu, Neriglissar launched an attack from both land and sea against the island of Pitusu. This island was two miles offshore. Then he destroyed the mountain passes that led to the settlement of Sallune, near the border of Lydia. Appuwashu escaped Neriglissar's attack. But the campaign successfully showed Babylonian control over Piriddu. It made the small kingdom a buffer zone between the Babylonian, Lydian, and Median empires.

The story of the campaign from the ABC 6 chronicle says:

Appuašu, the king of Pirindu, gathered a large army and planned to attack Syria. Neriglissar gathered his army and marched to Hume to stop him.
Before Neriglissar arrived, Appuašu hid his army and cavalry in a mountain valley. When Neriglissar reached them, he defeated them and captured many soldiers and horses. He chased Appuašu for fifteen double-hours through difficult mountains, where men must walk in single file, all the way to Ura, the royal city.
He captured Ura and looted it. He then marched for six double hours through rough mountains and difficult paths, from Ura to Kirši – his ancestor's royal city. He captured Kirši, the mighty city, his royal capital. He burned its wall, its palace, and its people.
Pitusu, an island in the middle of the ocean, and six thousand soldiers stationed there were captured by boats. He destroyed their city and captured their people.
In that same year, he started fires from the pass of Sallune to the border of Lydia. Appuašu escaped, so he was not captured.

In February 556 BC, Neriglissar returned home. This journey likely took him about fifty days. The fact that his campaign was so far from Babylonia's main territory could mean that the Median Empire helped him. Or, it could mean the campaign was partly meant to stop the Medes from gaining too much power in Anatolia.

Death and What Happened Next

Neriglissar did not rule for a long time. The last known documents from his reign are a contract from April 12, 556 BC, in Babylon. Another contract is from April 16 of the same year in Uruk. The Uruk King List (IM 65066), which lists the rulers of Babylon, says Neriglissar ruled for three years and eight months. This matches the idea that he died in April.

Berossus wrote that Neriglissar ruled for four years before he died. His son, Labashi-Marduk, then became king. Berossus wrongly says Labashi-Marduk ruled for nine months (this might be a mistake in the writing). He also says that Labashi-Marduk's "bad ways" led his friends to plot against him. This resulted in the young king being beaten to death. The plotters then decided that Nabonidus, one of them, should rule.

The Uruk King List says Labashi-Marduk ruled for only three months. Contract tablets from Babylonia suggest he might have ruled for as little as two months. Even though Berossus calls Labashi-Marduk a child, he might have been an adult when he became king. Business records from two years earlier show that Labashi-Marduk was managing his own affairs then.

It is not clear why Labashi-Marduk was removed from power and killed in a coup. This coup was led by Nabonidus's son, Belshazzar. It's possible that even though Labashi-Marduk and his father were rich and well-connected, they were seen as commoners. They might have lacked royal blood. Also, Neriglissar was seen as a rightful king because of his wife's connection to Nebuchadnezzar. But Labashi-Marduk might have been the son of another wife of Neriglissar. This would mean he had no connection to the royal family.

Despite this, and despite his short rule, later Babylonians remembered Neriglissar well. In his own writings, Nabonidus specifically mentioned Nebuchadnezzar and Neriglissar as good kings he had been connected with.

Titles

Neriglissar used several important titles. Here are some examples from his inscriptions:

• "Neriglissar, king of Babylon, a good prince, loved by the god Marduk. He is humble and respects the lord of lords. He is wise and good, always looking for the shrines of the god Nabû—his lord. He is the ruler who provides, bringing many gifts to Esagil and Ezida. He makes sure their offerings are plentiful and their purification rituals are done correctly. He is the son of Bēl-šum-iškun, a wise prince and a perfect warrior. He protects Esagil and Babylon, blocking the way into the country like a strong wall."

• "Neriglissar, king of Babylon, who rebuilds Esagil and Ezida. He does good deeds. The great gods decided he would rule forever. The god Marduk, the most important god, decided he would rule over the lands. The god Nabû, the rightful heir, let him hold a just scepter to lead the people. The god Erra, the majestic god, gave him weapons to save the people and protect the land. He is the son of Bēl-šum-iškun, king of Babylon."