Location:
Iraq
Coordinates:
32.5428, 44.4209
Events at Babylon (25)
1792 BC
ID: 3647
Hammurabi becomes king of Babylon - begins 42-year reign that will transform city-state into empire
ID: 3647
1761 BC
ID: 3648
Hammurabi conquers Mari - unifies most of Mesopotamia under Babylonian rule
ID: 3648
1754 BC
ID: 3649
Code of Hammurabi promulgated - 282 laws carved on stele, 'eye for an eye,' first complete legal code
ID: 3649
689 BC
ID: 4639
Sennacherib destroys Babylon completely - floods the city, shocking the ancient world
ID: 4639
652 BC
ID: 4642
Shamash-shum-ukin rebels against brother Ashurbanipal - beginning of destructive Assyrian civil war
ID: 4642
648 BC
ID: 4643
Ashurbanipal defeats and kills brother Shamash-shum-ukin - Babylon destroyed again after 4-year siege
ID: 4643
626 BC
ID: 3669
Nabopolassar founds Neo-Babylonian Empire - rebels against Assyria, establishes Chaldean dynasty
ID: 3669
612 BC
ID: 3670
Babylon and Medes destroy Nineveh - end of Assyrian Empire, Babylon inherits southern territories
ID: 3670
605 BC
ID: 2768
First deportation to Babylon - Nebuchadnezzar takes Daniel and Judean nobles after Jehoiakim submits
ID: 2768
603 BC
ID: 2778
Nebuchadnezzar's dream of statue - Daniel interprets dream of four kingdoms, predicts eternal kingdom of God
ID: 2778
600 BC
ID: 3671
Hanging Gardens of Babylon built - Nebuchadnezzar creates wonder for homesick Median wife (traditional date)
ID: 3671
600 BC
ID: 4209
Sirrush dragon depicted on Ishtar Gate - scaly dragon-like creature with snake head, lion body, bird feet carved in relief
ID: 4209
597 BC
ID: 2769
Second deportation to Babylon - Jehoiachin surrenders, 10,000 exiled including Ezekiel (Babylonian Chronicle confirms March 16, 597 BC)
ID: 2769
580 BC
ID: 2777
By the rivers of Babylon - exiled Judeans weep remembering Zion, refuse to sing songs in foreign land
ID: 2777
580 BC
ID: 2779
Fiery furnace - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship golden image, delivered from fire
ID: 2779
575 BC
ID: 3672
Ishtar Gate completed - magnificent blue glazed brick gate with dragons and bulls, processional way
ID: 3672
570 BC
ID: 2780
Nebuchadnezzar's madness - lives like animal for seven years until acknowledging God's sovereignty
ID: 2780
562 BC
ID: 2781
Death of Nebuchadnezzar - after 43-year reign, Babylon begins decline under weak successors
ID: 2781
550 BC
ID: 4166
Daniel destroys the dragon of Babylon - feeds it cakes of pitch, fat and hair causing it to burst, proving it was not a god (Book of Daniel)
ID: 4166
539 BC
ID: 2782
Belshazzar's feast - mysterious hand writes on wall, Daniel interprets 'Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin' - kingdom divided
ID: 2782
539 BC
ID: 2783
Fall of Babylon - Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon without battle, diverts Euphrates, enters under walls
ID: 2783
539 BC
ID: 2805
Cyrus Cylinder inscribed - proclaims religious tolerance, confirms biblical account of allowing exiles to return
ID: 2805
538 BC
ID: 2784
Cyrus Decree - allows Jews to return and rebuild Temple (Cyrus Cylinder confirms policy of repatriation)
ID: 2784
538 BC
ID: 2806
Daniel's prophecy of seventy weeks - predicts coming of Messiah and destruction of city and sanctuary
ID: 2806
323 BC
ID: 298
Death of Alexander in Babylon at 32 - fever or poison, empire fragments, body preserved in honey
ID: 298