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Darius the Mede

(Encyclopedia)Darius the Mede, in the Bible, a king of the Medes who succeeded to the throne of Babylonia after Belshazzar. Otherwise unknown outside biblical tradition, it is likely that this Darius has been confu...

Akkad

(Encyclopedia)Akkad ăˈkăd, äˈkäd [key], ancient region of Mesopotamia, occupying the northern part of later Babylonia. The southern part was Sumer. In both regions city-states had begun to appear in the 4th m...

Babylon, ancient city, Mesopotamia

(Encyclopedia)Babylon băbˈəlŏn [key], ancient city of Mesopotamia. One of the most important cities of the ancient Middle East, it was on the Euphrates River and was north of the cities that flourished in S Mes...

Immer

(Encyclopedia)Immer ĭmˈər [key], in the Bible. 1 Priestly family. This is probably the same as Amariah (8.) 2 Priest. 3 Unidentified place in Babylonia. ...

Calneh

(Encyclopedia)Calneh kălˈnē [key], in the Bible. 1 Place, in S Babylonia, founded by Nimrod with other cities; the word may mean “all of them.” 2 Unidentified city, possibly in N Syria. It is perhaps the sam...

Shamash

(Encyclopedia)Shamash shäˈmäsh [key], sun god of Semitic origin, worshiped in Babylonia and Assyria. He was one of the great deities of ancient Middle Eastern religions, god of law, order, and justice. The chief...

Sippar

(Encyclopedia)Sippar sĭpärˈ [key], ancient city of N Babylonia, on the Euphrates in present Iraq, 20 mi (32 km) SW of Baghdad. It was one of the capitals of Sargon and had a great temple to the sungod Shamash. E...

Tiglathpileser I

(Encyclopedia)Tiglathpileser I tĭgˌlăthpĭlēˈzər [key], d. c.1074 b.c., king of ancient Assyria. An able administrator, he was especially renowned for his military ability and invaded Asia Minor, N Syria, Arm...

Nergal

(Encyclopedia)Nergal nŭrˈgäl, –gəl [key], ancient deity worshiped in Babylonia and Assyria. He was a god of the midsummer sun, of war, of the chase, and of the dead. He could be beneficent, but he was primari...

Marduk

(Encyclopedia)Marduk märˈdo͝ok [key], ancient god of Babylonia and chief god of the city of Babylon. His cult rose to prominence in the reign of Hammurabi, and Marduk became the omniscient king of the pantheon...

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