History

Nebuchadnezzar II: Facts About the Legendary Babylonian King

The name Nebuchadnezzar II is well-known due to its association with the Biblical exile of the Jewish people and Giuseppe Verdi's opera Nabucco. However, the historical reality of his 43-year reign (605–562 BCE) is far less understood.

By Hrothsige Frithowulf
Figure of Nebuchadnezzar II on the west facade of Notre-Dame la Grande church in Poitiers.
Figure of Nebuchadnezzar II on the west facade of Notre-Dame la Grande church in Poitiers. Image: Wikimedia.