The Neo-Babyloian Empire by H.W.F. Saggs

In this article the author's main objective is to convey an overall portrait of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He begins his article with a quick summary of the first two-hundred and fifty years of the first millennium BCE. The author sees this time period as being a somewhat low point for Babylonia, a fact that he attributes largely to the Aramaean migration. During this time of Babylonian weakness, the author notes that Babylonia was occupied by various dominate Assyrian kings, and also Chaldeen tribal leaders such as Merodach-baladan. In fact, the larger part of the first few pages of the essay focuses on chronicling the power struggle between the Assyrian kings and the Chaldeen tribal leader Merodach-baladan. He then concludes with the reign of Sennacherib who effectually sacks Babylonia, burning everything that would burn and ultimately tearing down as much of the city as he could, dumping the rubble in the main canal.

The author then moves from the murder of Sennacherib to the rule of Esarhaddon. Under Esarhaddon the author records general prosperity and peace for Babylonia. He even remarks that Esarhaddon himself participated in the rebuilding effort of Babylonia and whenever possible he would restore rights to citizens who had suffered hardships.

According to the author, Esarhaddon, wishing to avoid the same situation that ensued after his father Sennacherib's death, installed a dynastic diarchy. His younger son Ashurbanipal was to rule Assyria as the senior partner in the arrangement and his older son Shamash-shum-ukin was to rule Babylonia. As Ashurbanipal becomes occupied with problems in Egypt his brother revolted in Babylonia. Ashuranipal puts down the rebellion and it is not until his death that trouble arises again.

With the death of Ashuranipal, the author shows how the Assyrian kingdom essentially splits into three parts. The Scythians established themselves in Asia Minor, the Medes took Anatolia, and Nabopolassar took central Assyria and the middle Euphrates area. At this time, Egypt, seeing an opportunity in the weakened Assyria advances made moves to invade Assyria. However, Egypt is stopped in their advance by Nebuchadnezzar, the son of Nabopolassar.

The remainder of the article is spent detailing the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and his successors. Saggs spends a good amount of time talking about the different city building projects that are planned and completed under Nebuchadnezzar's reign. For example mention is made of the Hanging Gardens, Istar Gate and various other restoration projects focused primarily on religious structures and roadways. Following Nebuchadnezzar's reign brief mention is made of Amel-Marduk and Nergal-shar-usur. Saggs then shifts to the reign of Nabonidus and the decline of the Neo-Babylonia Empire, ultimate arriving at the end of the Empire with the conquest of Babylonia by Cyprus II. The author then gives a brief summary of the history of Babylonia from the time of Cyprus II till its ultimate demise under the Greek general Seleucia. Saggs concludes his article with two last sections, one of which highlights the connections between Babylon, the Bible, and classical literature, and the other which focuses on the lasting legacy of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

Analysis

"The Neo-Babylonian Empire" by H.W.F. Saggs amply describes the conditions that lead to the creation of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, the empire in its height, and its ultimate decline. He is more detailed in his account of this time period than William H. Stiebing and provides more evidence and insights into the political and economical situations that surrounded and enveloped the time period under study. However, while Saggs is certainly more through in his account, Stienbing's is ultimately more enjoyable to read. This is because Saggs, in his effort to pay close attention to detail, at times becomes long winded and smothers his reader with unnecessary information. This is best evidenced in the lengthy and wordy introduction that Saggs gives leading up to the creation of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, his treatment of the history of Babylonia after the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and his inclusion of references to influences left by Babylonia, which Saggs does not make clear whether or not were linked to the Neo-Babylonian Empire period or simply Babylonia in general.

Saggs spends nearly ten pages of his twenty page article accounting for the history and events that preceded the creation of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He begins his account of the Neo-Babylonian Empire with the reign of the Assyrian King Tukulti-Ninurta who ruled from 890-884 BCE, almost 250 years before the establishment of the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 625 BCE (according to Stiebing). While there is certainly a place for a discussion about the succession of Assyrian kings and their dealings with Babylonia, perhaps it would be more appropriately found in a an article entitled "The Height of Assyrian Dominion" as it is found in Steinbing's book.

This is not to say that the information that Staggs presents is not well documented or well researched, quite the contrary. Rather, it simply suggests that his placement and inclusion of some information, no matter how brilliantly researched and supported, is unnecessarily distracting from the main topic of his article. This tendency to stray from his stated topic is evidenced again when Saggs spends the last four pages of his article delineating the state of Babylonia after the Neo-Babylonian Empire period and the influences that Babylonian culture, not specifically Neo-Babylonian culture, has had throughout the course of history. This, combined with his earlier lengthy discussion on the Assyrian Empire and its succession of kings, leaves only roughly five pages in which Saggs is actually talking about the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which is the title and supposedly main topic of his article.

It is obvious from the wealth of information and evidence that Saggs provides that he has investigated and researched his topic well. His information is interesting and factually based. Yet, his organization of those facts gives the overall article a tedious and overbearingly long winded ambience. He would do well to follow Stienbing's example and break his article into more manageable sections with more precise subsections so the reader may more easily and quickly find what they are looking for. Either that, or expand/change the title of his essay to allow for his explorations of topics outside the specific Neo-Babylonian Empire time period.

Sources:
Saggs, H.W.F. "The Neo-Babylonian Empire"