"I am Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, lawful son of Nabopolassar...and as a devout worshipper, have rebuilt their [the gods'] temples, E-saggil and E-zida." The text directly refers to Nebuchadnezzar's reconstruction of the "Temple of the Lofty Head," or E-saggila to the god Merodach at Babylon and that of the "everlasting dwelling," or E-zida to Nebu at Borsippa, sister city of Babylon. The name Nebuchadnezzar is an incorrect English interpretation of the King's actual name. A more suitable pronunciation would read Nabukudurrusur; this is the manner in which historians believe Nebuchadnezzar's name was actually pronounced in sixth century Babylon. In this way, one can interpret the prefix 'Nabu' to mean 'prophet or 'prophecy.' This was not uncommon for the time as we see this prefix, or a variation of it, appearing quite ubiquitously in Babylonian texts. For example, Nebuchadnezzar's father, Nabopolassar, and his successor, Nabonidus, both bear similar prefixes in their names. Furthermore, 'kudurru' can be translated from the Babylonian as 'crown' and 'usur' quite literally means 'protect.' Thus, Nebuchadnezzar's name can be taken to mean 'prophet, protect my crown.' In this way, Nebuchadnezzar's name explicitly confirms his position as King of Babylon. It is interesting to note further that this custom was not uncommon in Mesopotamia as one's throne was never altogether secure at this time. After all, who is to repute the legitimacy of a king whose throne has been ordained by divine prophecy? Examples of this date back to Shamshi-Adad's contrived king list and the Egyptian King Hatshepsut's funerary monument. And so, adding to his position as true heir to the Babylonian dynasty, Nebuchadnezzar writes, "My great Lord Merodach singled me out as the restorer of the city and the rebuilder of its temples." Thus, it can be said that as the spiritual zealot that he was, Nebuchadnezzar's motivations for creating the greatest city in the ancient world, at least publicly, were not purely egocentrical.

Finally, 1987 marked the first time in history that an unpublished original cylinder seal was brought from Babylonia to New York City. It was found in the temple of King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon and dates to his reign. The cylinder was used to adorn the temple and is written in Archaic Babylonian. Unlike most other Semitic languages, Archaic Babylonian, like our English, is read from left to right. The text was first translated into Assyrian so as to better understand the meanings and etymologies of various words and phrases in both languages. The text covering the nine and a half inch long cylinder was written by Nebuchadnezzar and discusses his efforts at restoring and replenishing several temples to the gods of the Babylonian pantheon. In fact, unlike his Assyrian counterparts who relished in their military conquests and ambitious quests for supremacy, Nebuchadnezzar's pride was derived from his monumental architectural achievements and religious contributions. As the cylinder's text itself reads,

In the Talmud, Nebuchadnezar is presented as "Nebuchadnezzar the Dwarf." And yet, there was nothing small about his military exploits. Nebuchadnezzar would be tested time and again on the battlefield, and he performed in spectacular fashion every time. It is amazing to consider that Nebuchadnezzar was still a young man when his father, Nabopolassar, gave him commission of the Babylonian army. As Berosus tells us, "...still in the prime of life, and sent him against the rebel, Nebuchadnezzar engaged and defeated the latter in a pitched battle, and placed the district under Babylonian rule." This battle refers to one of many fought between the young Babylonian prince and the city-states of northern Syria in the years 607-605 BC. These victories were essential for Babylonian control of the eastern Mediterranean coast. Like the Assyrian empire before them, the Babylonians needed to command this region for several reasons. First, the

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