Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Ancient History - Part 26: New Babylonia


Elam soon began to encroach and conquer all of Babylonia's lands. Many small rebellions took place as Babylonia's bravest souls made attempts to reclaim their stolen birthrights, but many such instances failed to garner any significant victory. The Babylonia that remained was ruled by the Pashe Dynasty that hoped one day to stand up to Elam, but in practice instead chose to focus internally, on taming the conflict between the old guard and the new.

The first notable king of this New Babylonia, Nebuchadrezzar I, declared himself as the "spoiler of the Kassites", as evidenced that the kingdom would accept no redemption from the very people it deemed to collect an array of dooming failures.

Whilst the Kassites were ousted from possessing any governmental power under the Pashe Dynasty, many of its peoples still remained within Babylonia. This era of Babylonia that continued throughout the 12th century offered little in the way of the arts (literature, art, poetry, social innovation) and even less in the conquests of war. The lone exceptions were modifications made to their yearly dating calendars and utilization of the horse, but the change of regime was largely felt in a stunted development for this once booming super power of the Near East.

The first four kings of the Pashe Dynasty concerned themselves (perhaps, rightfully) with pleasing their citizens, granting large estates to those who'd given long-service to the kingdom, as well as offering smaller parcels of land to the working class, and tax benefits to those who were already land-owners. They were concerned with maintaining loyalty, and much like the Hittites, upon a collapse of its great armies, no longer held the hungry spirit to return to external battlefield conflicts.

Time heals all wounds, and eventually the Kassites openly began to worship the Pashe deity of Nippur, whose priests were provided land and a central place for its temple.


[PLAQUE OF THOSE DEVOTED TO NIPPUR]


No comments:

Post a Comment