List of kings of Babylon

The king of Babylon (Akkadian: šakkanakki Bābili, later also šar Bābili) was the ruler of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon and its kingdom, Babylonia. Babylon was an independent kingdom from the 19th century BC until the 6th century BC. For much of this time, Babylon ruled most of southern Mesopotamia, including the lands of Sumer and Akkad. The city had two great periods when its kings ruled large parts of the Ancient Near East: the First Babylonian Empire (or Old Babylonian Empire, around 1894/1880–1595 BC) and the Second Babylonian Empire (or Neo-Babylonian Empire, 626–539 BC).

Babylon was famous for its king Hammurabi, who created the Code of Hammurabi, a set of important laws. Many kings of Babylon came from different places. Over nearly two thousand years, Babylon was ruled by people from many backgrounds, including native Babylonian (Akkadian), Amorite, Armenian, Kassite, Elamite, Aramean, Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, Greek, and Parthian groups. What mattered most to the people of Babylon was whether a king could keep peace, uphold justice, respect rights, follow religious traditions, build temples, and care for the gods.

The last king born in Babylon was Nabonidus, who ruled from 556 to 539 BC. During his time, Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid Empire took control of Babylon. Even after that, early rulers of the Achaemenid Empire still used the title "king of Babylon." Babylonian scribes kept recognizing the rulers of empires that controlled their land as their kings until the time of the Parthian Empire. Even after losing independence, the people of Babylon tried several times to drive out foreign rulers and restore their kingdom, possibly as late as around 336/335 BC under a leader named Nidin-Bel.

Introduction

See also: Akkadian royal titulary

Throughout the long history of Babylon, rulers used different titles to show their power. Common titles included 'viceroy of Babylon', 'king of Karduniash', and 'king of Sumer and Akkad'.

The title 'viceroy of Babylon' was often used because Babylonians believed their true king was the city's god, Marduk. By using this title, rulers showed respect to the god.

The title 'king of Karduniash' referred to ruling all of southern Mesopotamia, and 'king of Sumer and Akkad' meant ruling both the southern and northern parts of the land. These titles helped kings connect to ancient traditions and show their authority.

Babylonian kings believed they ruled with the support of Marduk, the city's main god. During special ceremonies, the king would receive symbols of power from Marduk's statue, showing that the god approved of their rule. Kings were expected to keep peace, uphold justice, and respect traditions, no matter where they came from.