9. Id Nebuchadnezzer and Zedekiah

Nebuchadnezzer

During his reign, which lasted for over 40 years, Nebuchadnezzer conquered Judah and deported 1,000 members of the aristocracy. Later, when Judah rebelled, he completely destroyed Jerusalem and enslaved the people who lived there. Along with destruction, Nubuchadnezzer is also responsible for the Tower of Bable, a giant ziggurat built during his reign, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a luxurious sign of power that he had built for his wife.

Zedekiah

Zedekiah, sometimes known as the last king of Judah, ruled in a time when Judah was under the control of Nebuchadnezzer. Zedekiah was king when Judah attempted to revolt against Babylonia, the first time when it was stopped before it could be put into action, and the second time, when Jerusalem was razed and the population was enslaved. During the end of this second rebellion, Zedekiah and the other aristocracy tried to flee, but Nebuchadnezzer caught up to them, captured them, then brought them to Babylonia in chains.

"Nebuchadnezzar." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. World History in Context. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.[1]

Oded, Bustanay, and Aaron Rothkoff. "Zedekiah." Encyclopaedia Judaica. Ed. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik. 2nd ed. Vol. 21. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 487-489. World History in Context. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.

Class notes on The Kings from Babylon to Baghdad. AE Network.

-Sareena Marshall