The Day Before Cyrus Entered Babylon

De Gruyter eBooks, pp. 79–88

Abstract

The Day Before Cyrus Entered Babylon BM 60916 was written in Sippar one day before Cyrus entered Babylon as its new king.Together with BM 101100, also edited here, this text can be added to a very small group of cuneiform tablets that informs us about the situation on the ground during Cyrus's attack on Babylonia in 539 BCE.The historical significance of this group of texts is, at least, twofold.On the one hand, the documents bear witness to the fractured nature of the Babylonian kingdom during its final moments, as inhabitants of Sippar, Babylon and Uruk experienced the takeover very differently.On the other hand, they show the quick adoption of new rhetoric in the exercise of power over Babylonia, as the defunct royal title of the Assyrians -"king of the lands" -was re-introduced for Cyrus, even before he had entered Babylon.

Authors 1

1. Caroline Waerzeggers corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University