Changes

'''Belshazzar''', (Greek: Βαλτασάρ, Baltasár, Aramaic בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר, from Akkadian: 𒂗𒈗𒋀, Bēl-šar-uṣur, meaning "[[Bel]] protect the king"), oldest son of [[Nabonidus]], was named as co-regent by his father Nabonidus (556-539 BC) in Nabonidus's third year, 553 BC.<ref>James Pritchard, ed., ''Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament'' (Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1969), 313b.</ref> He reigned in Babylon while his father spent his time in the Arabian desert worwhipping the moon-god Sin, and/or possibly subjugating the Arab tribes. Belshazzar's reign, and his life, came to an end when he was killed on the night that Babylon fell to the combined armies of the Medes and Persians and their allies under the command of [[Cyrus II the Great|Cyrus]].<ref>Daniel 5:30</ref><ref>Xenophon, ''Cyropaedia'' 7.5.30.</ref> The Nabonidus Chronicle dates his death, and thus the end of the [[Neo-Bablyonian Empire]], to the 16th of Tashritu/Tishri, i.e. October 12, 539 BC.<ref>Pritchard,''Ancient Near Eastern Texts'', p. 306b.</ref>  

'''Belshazzar''', (Greek: Βαλτασάρ, Baltasár, Aramaic בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר, from Akkadian: 𒂗𒈗𒋀, Bēl-šar-uṣur, meaning "[[Bel]] protect the king"), oldest son of [[Nabonidus]], was named as co-regent by his father Nabonidus (556-539 BC) in Nabonidus's third year, 553 BC.<ref>Pritchard, ''Ancient Near Eastern Texts'', 313b.</ref><ref>''Verse Account'' ii.5.</ref> He reigned in Babylon while his father spent his time in the Arabian desert worshipping the moon-god Sin, and/or possibly subjugating the Arab tribes. Belshazzar's reign, and his life, came to an end when he was killed on the night that Babylon fell to the combined armies of the Medes and Persians and their allies under the command of [[Cyrus II the Great|Cyrus]].<ref>Daniel 5:30</ref><ref>Xenophon, ''Cyropaedia'' 7.5.30.</ref> The [[Nabonidus Chronicle]] dates the end of the [[Neo-Bablyonian Empire]], and thus the death of Belshazzar, to the 16th of Tashritu/Tishri, i.e. October 12, 539 BC.<ref>Pritchard,''Ancient Near Eastern Texts'', p. 306b.</ref><ref>''Nabonidus Chronicle'' iii.5.</ref>  

According to the [[Nabonidus Chronicle]], [[Nabonidus]] allocated the government of the city of Babylon to Belshazzar for 10 years, giving him the kingship over the city, while he dwelt at the Arabian oasis of Tema (possibly in an effort to control lucrative Arabian trade routes). This means that the people, government and army officials saw Belshazzar more than Nabonidus. Likewise the [[Nabonidus Chronicle]] states that [[Nabonidus]] fled from the area of Babylon before the city fell to [[Cyrus II the Great|Cyrus's]] forces.

According to the ''Verse Account of Nabonidus'', [[Nabonidus]] allocated the government of the city of Babylon to Belshazzar for 10 years, giving him the kingship over the city, while he dwelt at the Arabian oasis of Tema (possibly in an effort to control lucrative Arabian trade routes).<ref>Verse Account, ii.5; Pritchard, ''Ancient Near Eastern Texts'', 313b.</ref> This means that the people, government and army officials saw Belshazzar more than Nabonidus. Likewise the [[Nabonidus Chronicle]] states that [[Nabonidus]] fled from the area of Babylon before the city fell to [[Cyrus II the Great|Cyrus's]] forces.

Some note as evidence of Belshazzar's subordinate role in his co-regency, that Belshazzar offered the prophet Daniel to be third ruler in the kingdom<ref>Daniel 5:7</ref> because he didn't have authority to promote Daniel any higher.

Some note as evidence of Belshazzar's subordinate role in his co-regency, that Belshazzar offered the prophet Daniel to be third ruler in the kingdom<ref>Daniel 5:7</ref> because he didn't have authority to promote Daniel any higher.

=== Debated Points ===

=== Debated Points ===

Some suggest that scenes recorded in the [[Book of Daniel]]'s lavish party as a coronation festival as Belshazzar seized the throne.<ref>Beacher, Dave, ''The Tripartite Helmet of Hope and Salvation, https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Hd9BDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT199&dq=%22there+is+scholarly+speculation+that+after+Cyrus+had+defeated+Nabonidas%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiroYWB74LpAhXkjeYKHbLRDgoQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=%22there%20is%20scholarly%20speculation%20that%20after%20Cyrus%20had%20defeated%20Nabonidas%22&f=false </ref>  This point is negated by some claiming that the festival was the annual drunken and debauched fertility festival celebrating the union of Nimrod & Semarimis. Meanwhile others{{citation needed}} working from the ancient custom of 'apprentice kings' (thus creating a clear line of succession), note that Belshazzar offers the Prophet Daniel to be third in the kingdom: as [[Nabonidus]] was the first, ''Belshazzar'' was the second and Daniel was made the third ruler in the kingdom.<ref>Daniel 5:7</ref>

Some suggest that scenes recorded in the [[Book of Daniel]]'s lavish party as a coronation festival as Belshazzar seized the throne.<ref>Beacher, Dave, ''The Tripartite Helmet of Hope and Salvation, https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Hd9BDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT199&dq=%22there+is+scholarly+speculation+that+after+Cyrus+had+defeated+Nabonidas%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiroYWB74LpAhXkjeYKHbLRDgoQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=%22there%20is%20scholarly%20speculation%20that%20after%20Cyrus%20had%20defeated%20Nabonidas%22&f=false </ref>  This point is negated by some claiming that the festival was the annual drunken and debauched fertility festival celebrating the union of Nimrod & Semarimis. Meanwhile others{{citation needed}} working from the ancient custom of 'apprentice kings' (thus creating a clear line of succession), note that Belshazzar offers the Prophet Daniel to be third in the kingdom: as [[Nabonidus]] was the first, ''Belshazzar'' was the second and Daniel was made the third ruler in the kingdom.<ref>Daniel 5:7</ref>

==Resources==

==Resources==

*[https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/abc-7-nabonidus-chronicle/]The Nabonidus Chronicle  

*[https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/abc-7-nabonidus-chronicle/]The Nabonidus Chronicle  

*[http://artflsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/perseus/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekSept18&getid=1&query=Xen.%20Cyr.%201]Xenophon, ''Cyropaedia: the education of Cyrus'', translated by Henry Graham Dakyns and revised by F.M. Stawell

*[http://artflsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/perseus/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekSept18&getid=1&query=Xen.%20Cyr.%201]Xenophon, ''Cyropaedia: the education of Cyrus'', translated by Henry Graham Dakyns and revised by F.M. Stawell

== References ==

== References ==