Titel
The Neo-Babylonian Empire: The Imperial Periphery as Seen from the Centre
Autor*in
Abstract
The paper examines the cuneiform evidence from sixth-century Babylonia (and beyond) for information on the form and aims of Neo-Babylonian imperial rule over its western provinces. While new texts, which hitherto have not been considered in this context, can be brought to bear on the issue, direct evidence from these provinces is still scarce. These documents will thus be supplemented by drawing on the rich information concerning state institutions and resource extraction in the imperial centre. It is argued that in the first half of the Neo-Babylonian period, until ca. 585 BCE, Babylonian imperial rule in the western periphery can be conceptualized primarily as a straightforward exploitative tributary regime. From about the mid-reign of Nebuchadnezzar onwards, however, there is a shift towards a more sustainable resource extraction through the creation of stable pockets of Babylonian presence in the periphery. This diachronic shift was meant to steady and organize the initial ad hoc Babylonian approach. These measures, however, did not prevail, and the chaotic years which followed the 43 years reign of Nebuchadnezzar illustrate the fragility of the relatively short-lived Babylonian imperial age.
Stichwort
Babylonian EmpireBabylonian templesHaburNeo-imperial ruleTyre
Objekt-Typ
Sprache
Englisch [eng]
Persistent identifier
Erschienen in
Titel
Journal of Ancient Near Eastern History
Band
7
Ausgabe
1
ISSN
2328-9562
Erscheinungsdatum
2020
Seitenanfang
59
Seitenende
84
Publication
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Erscheinungsdatum
2020
Zugänglichkeit
Rechte
Rechteangabe
© 2020 Yuval Levavi
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