Neo-Babylonia

Worksheet Description

King Hammurabi of the Babylonian Empire was succeeded by his sons, but they did not have their father’s leadership skills. The Babylonian Empire began to falter and was eventually conquered by the Kassites in 1595. The Kassites ruled for 400 years, and then the Assyrians took over. When the Assyrian Empire fell around 616 BC, King Nabopolassar brought the seat of the empire back to Babylon.

His son, Nebuchadnezzar II, restored the city to its former glory, and expanded the empire to include most of the Middle East. As told in the Bible, Nebuchadnezzar conquered the Hebrews and enslaved them for 70 years. This second Babylonian Empire is called the neo-Babylonian Empire.

Under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule, Babylon once again became a hub for trade and culture. It was Nebuchadnezzar II who built the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon. These large terraces covered with trees, plants, and flowers rose to about 75 feet high, and was considered one of the great wonders of the ancient world.