Major Countries of the Ancient Near East

Ancient Babylonia

Ishtar Gate, Pergamon Museum, Berlin

CC RictorNorton/DavidAllen

Hammurabi, of the famous law code, established the Babylonian Empire -- with its center in Babylon -- in the 18th century B.C. This Mesopotamian empire declined at the start of the 16th century when Hittites came into power, but managed to survive until Babylonia fell to the Assyrians in the 8th century. It regained strength in the late 7th century after which it is referred to as the Neo-Babylonian or Chaldean Empire. The Chaldeans are the Babylonians who, under King Nebuchadnezzar (c. 630-562 B.C.), sent the Jews into the exile known as the Babylonian Captivity. Persia conquered the Babylonians in 538 B.C.

• Introduction to Babylonia

• Ancient Sumer
• Ancient Babylonia
• Ancient Assyria
• Ancient Judaea (Judah)
• Ancient Persia
• Ancient Lebanon
• Ancient Egypt
• Ancient Syria
• Ancient Anatolia
• Map of the Fertile Crescent