What (Or WHO) Caused The Fall Of Babylon? | The Ancients

Video Description

Ancient Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, and the Persian Empire clash in this deep dive into the 539 BC conquest. Tristan Hughes and Reverend Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones discuss the unexpected fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the rise of Cyrus the Great's Achaemenid Persia. They explore the pivotal moment when the ancient world's largest, most magnificent city, Babylon, capitulated without bloodshed, examining the critical role of its final king, Nabonidus, his son Belshazzar, and the political/religious machinations that paved the way for the new Persian overlords. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones sheds light on Nabonidus's controversial devotion to the moon god Sin over Babylon's chief deity Marduk, the political manoeuvring of his mother Adad-Gupi, and the devastating, yet strategic, sack of the nearby city of Opis. They also address the Bible's account of the 'writing on the wall' in the Book of Daniel, highlighting how historical sources like the Cyrus Cylinder paint a pragmatic picture of a bloodless takeover that saw Babylon retain its prestige as the 'jewel in the Persian crown' for centuries to come. 0:00 Introduction to the fall of Babylon 1:14 From the Babylonian Empire to the Persian Empire 3:37 Babylon: the greatest city in the mid-6th century BC 6:55 Nebuchadnezzar's golden age and Nabonidus's accession 8:37 Adad-Gupi: the mother who engineered her son's rise 14:09 Nabonidus's neglect of Marduk and voluntary religious exile 16:52 Belshazzar: regent king, son of Nabonidus 21:05 Cyrus the Great's army advances on Babylon 24:49 The brutal sack of Opis and Belshazzar's death 26:59 The bloodless takeover of Babylon by Cyrus 28:15 The Cyrus Cylinder: propaganda and the new king of Babylon 39:09 The writing on the wall: Belshazzar's demise in the Bible 43:55 Babylon's continued power in the Persian Empire Presented by Tristan Hughes. Producers are Joseph Knight & McKenna Fernandez, and the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Editor is Matthew Wilson. Channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #HistoryHitPodcast #TheAncients #Babylon