The Middle East: 585–574 BCE

Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian Renaissance

Following the devastation of Babylon through repeated rebellions and conflicts with Assyrian rulers like Sennacherib and Ashurbanipal, Nebuchadnezzar II (r. ca. 605–562 BCE), one of the most renowned rulers of the Chaldean Dynasty, continues extensive restoration and reconstruction efforts begun by his father, Nabopolassar. Nebuchadnezzar seeks to transform Babylon into a city of unparalleled magnificence, surpassing even the grandeur of his military achievements. The city is fortified by a triple line of walls and divided by the Euphrates River, crossed by a robust bridge supported by streamlined, asphalt-covered brick piers designed to resist erosion.

Among his grand architectural projects are numerous temples dedicated to the Babylonian pantheon, the lavish royal palace finished with cedar-wood, bronze, gold, silver, and precious stones, and the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon, reputedly built for his Median wife, Queen Amytis, to ease her homesickness. Babylon's splendor is further adorned by the famed Ishtar Gate, part of a museum housing the trophies of Nebuchadnezzar’s conquests.

Prophetic Voices and Literary Developments

This era also witnesses significant developments in religious and literary traditions. The Hebrew prophet Jeremiah, active during this tumultuous period, preaches from Anathoth, near Jerusalem. Jeremiah advocates for moral reform, repentance, and a renewed relationship between humanity and God amid the Babylonian conquest of Judah. His deeply personal reflections, known as the "confessions of Jeremiah," appear in the first 25 chapters of the Biblical Book of Jeremiah, revealing the prophet's inner spiritual struggles. Jeremiah's prophecies and historical accounts significantly influence later biblical literature, notably the composition of the Deuteronomistic History found in the Hebrew scriptures.

Median-Lydian Rivalry and Diplomacy

In the same period, tension escalates between the Median Empire, under Cyaxares, and Lydia, under King Alyattes, triggered by territorial ambitions and personal animosity. The conflict culminates at the Battle of the Halys River (also called the Battle of the Eclipse) on May 28, 585 BCE. This encounter abruptly ends when a solar eclipse frightens both armies into believing it to be an omen from the gods. Negotiations, mediated by Babylonia and the Cilician kings, result in peace: the Halys River becomes the official boundary, and Alyattes’s daughter, Aryenis, marries Cyaxares's son, Astyages, sealing the treaty through marriage.

Astyages and the Median-Persian Dynamics

Astyages ascends the Median throne in 585 BCE upon his father Cyaxares's death. He inherits a vast empire stretching from western Iran into Anatolia, managing it alongside his two powerful brothers-in-law—Croesus of Lydia and Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Astyages strengthens Median control over Persia by subjugating various Iranian tribes. To further secure political alliances, Astyages arranges for his daughter, Mandane, to marry the Persian prince Cambyses I, a notable but politically unambitious figure from the minor Persian kingdom of Anshan.

This era, from 585 to 574 BCE, thus marks a period of significant political realignments, extensive cultural achievements, and religious introspection, shaping the historical trajectory of the Middle East profoundly.