The Chaldean Empire

1. The Chaldean Empire 612 B.C.- 539 B.C.

3. Government • Absolute monarchy • Capital Babylon • Conquered Assyrians in early 600s B.C. • Well known king Nebuchadnezzar • Dominated entire fertile crescent • Lasted less then 100 years • Persians conquered in 539 B.C.

4. Chaldean Economy

5. Resources • They were low on natural resources. • But they did have grain, oils, and textiles.

6. Trading • The Chaldean Empire relied completely on the barter system. • They would trade for timber, • wine and precious stones.

7. They traded either on foot or up the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. • The farmers irrigated their crops so they had a surplus of food to trade. • Business contracts were sealed with a cylinder wheel.

8. Chaldean Astronomy • Babylon was a center of science. • Chaldeans studied the stars, plants, and the moon. • Chaldeans laid the foundation for the science of astronomy. • Chaldeans believed that the changes in the sky revealed the plans of the Gods.

9. Chaldean Astronomy • Recorded their observations of the stars and made maps that showed the positions of the plants and the phases of the moon. • Chaldeans were the first to have a seven day week.

10. Chaldeans built of the first sundials.

11. Decline of Chaldean Empire

12. A Great king’s Death • Nebuchadnezzer death in 562 B.C. lead to weak rulers to take over the kingdome • The next ruler would be Nabonidus who ruled from 555 B.C to 539 B.C. • Wasn’t a weak ruler, but more of a strange ruler • Instead of paying attention to affairs of the state he devoted to studying the Sumerian past and its religion

13. Who needs to worry about the kingdom when you got Sumerian knowledge! biblesearchers.com

14. Last King to the Throne • left Nabonidus the throne to his son Belshazzar • He would later be one of the most terrible rulers ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire • The empire was destroyed by the mighty Medo-Persian Empire in 539 B.C. galleries.fototagger.com

15. Chaldeans (Neo-Babylonians)

16. King Nebuchadnezzar was one of the most recognized kings in the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He is the son of Nebopolassar. He ruled from 605-562 BCE. In 586 BCE- he destroyed Jewish temple in city of Jerusalem. During Babylonian Captivity, he made a lot of Jews to move to Babylon. Chaldeans Religion:

17. The Hebrews and Chaldeans are two groups that their histories were interwined. Behind the king is the Ishtar Gate, the northern entrance into the city with its blue, baked tiles. The wall represents the goddess Ishtar, which is the goddess of love and war. Cont. Chaldean Religion:

18. Cont. Chaldean Religion: • It’s an Ancient Assyrian religion, which is considered Eastern Roman Catholics. • They worshiped under the Chaldean rites. • There are small groups of them around the world. • Church was originated in 1551. Which is because of the argument between the Assyrian “Church of the East” and people from different Church then called Roman Catholic Church.

19. Cont. Chaldean Religion: • Language: Chaldeo-Aramaic, from the language of Christ. • Difference between Roman Catholics and Chaldeans is they baptize by immersion. • Eshara- Goddess of war and productive fields. • Elohim of Genesis- created Heaven and Earth. • Became Polytheistic- worshipping sun, moon, and planets. Called “Sun worship” • Bel-nimrod- Mother Goddess • Their church was Assyrian Denomination.

20. Nebuchadnezzar II Military Accomplishments Nebuchadnezzar started his military role when he was a young man. He was a military administrator. Helped command an army with his father in Assyria.

21. Nebuchadnezzar II Military Accomplishments • He was granted commander in chief in 606/605 B.C in place of his father and destroyed the Egyptian army at Carchemish and Hamath, plus taking control of all Syria.

22. Nebuchadnezzar II Military Accomplishments • August 16, 605 B.C Nebuchadnezzar father died. Three weeks later Nebuchadnezzar took the throne. Later on he builds a great moat and a defense wall, paved the ceremonial procession way with limestone, remade and embellished the principal temples and cut canals. He build this not for just glorification but for honor for the gods. His main role was a military commander.

23. Nebuchadnezzar • Died in 561 B.C

24. Works Cited • http://www.penfield.edu/webpages/jgiotto/onlinetextbook.cfm?subpage=1501694 • http://www.religious-information.com/chaldean-religion.html

25. Work Cited http://www.angelfire.com/tn3/philnate/downfall.html http://www.essayempire.com/customessay/history-research-papers/ancient-mesopotamia/5254.html

26. Works Cited • http://library.thinkquest.org/J002807/Time%20and%20Time%20Again/Time%20and%20Time%20Again/mesochald.html • http://www.smith.edu/hsc/museum/ancient_inventions/hsc13b.htm

27. http://www.emersonkent.com/map_archive/oriental_empires_600_bc.htm • Historyword.org/chaldeansneb.HTM • Http://chaldea.wikispaces.com/trading

28. Nebuchadnezzar II • Nebuchadnezzar was the second ruler of Neo-Babylon • He was the son of Nabopolassar, the first ruler of Neo-Babylon • Nebuchadnezzar is considered the most important king of the New-Babylonian Empire

29. Nebuchadnezzar II • Nebuchadnezzar controlled a large empire that extended to Lydia • He defeated the Egyptian Pharaoh, Necho II at Carchemish in 605B.C. • In 597 the Neo-Babylonians captured Jerusalem • In 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar Conquered Western Syria and destroyed Jerusalem, including the Temple of Solomon

30. Nebuchadnezzar II • Nebuchadnezzar restored Babylon and old religious monuments • He improved structures such as canals • The most famous structure built by Nebuchadnezzar II was the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which is considered to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world

31. Works Cited • http://www.livius.org/ba-bd/babylon/babylonian_empire.html • http://ancienthistory.about.com/CS/people/nebuchadnezzar.htm • Picture Sources: • http://2eyeswatching.com/2011/11/29/hanging-gardens-of-babylon/ • http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/m/mesopotamian.html • http://annoyzview.wordpress.com/tag/nebuchadnezzar-ii/