Nabonidus Chronicle

Description

The Nabonidus Chronicle (Also called Annalistic Tablet of Cyrus; Cyrus-Nabonidus Chronicle) this is a clay tablet fragment now kept in the British Museum. It primarily depicts the main events of the reign of Nabonidus, including a terse account of the fall of Babylon to the troops of Cyrus. Though it was no doubt originally from Babylon and written in Babylonian cuneiform script, scholars who have examined its script style say it may date from some time in the Seleucid period (312-65 B.C.E.), hence two centuries or more after Nabonidus’ day. In spite of the brevity of the Nabonidus Chronicle—the tablet measures about 14 cm (5.5 in.) in breadth at the widest point and about the same in length​—it remains the most complete cuneiform record of the fall of Babylon available. On the remaining text secular chronologers calculate the 16th day of Tashritu (Tishri) as falling on October 11, Julian calendar, and October 5, Gregorian calendar, in the year 539 B.C.E. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200003156