A TIMELINE OF THE BABYLONIAN
AND MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRES

By Alan C. Wade

USE AND PURPOSE OF THIS CHART

This chart was prepared with one main goal in mind: To give to the reader of the Bible a visual timeline, aiding the process of bringing certain biblical events, which took place during the Babylonian and Persian empires, into an understandable harmony.

Religious and secular Historians and commentators are not in agreement in regards to a number of historical facts. Some of these are:

1. Dates

(1) When kings came into power.
(2) When certain biblical events took place during the Babylonian and Persian empires. For example, there is disagreement dating the seventy year period of desolation of Jerusalem and captivity of the Jews.

I do not view the dates given on this chart as being accurate beyond question.

2. Names and titles of kings.

Many believe that the Persian kings may have had more than one name. A second name being more accurately a royal title. For example the names Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes are considered to be by some merely titles of the ruler. Some believe that Cambyses and Gaumata had second names as Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes respectively. Some scholars believe there is sufficient evidence that show that the Persian kings did not have a second name. Whatever conclusions we arrive at, they must not come into conflict with the rest of scripture.

Bibliography:
Biblical Texts used: 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel, Jeremiah, Haggai.
Other Texts used: The Ancient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Mede, and Persians, by Charles Rollin; Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The New Ungers Bible Dictionary; Hastings Dictionary of the Bible; Peloubet's Bible Dictionary; Nelson's Bible Dictionary; Anchor Bible Dictionary; Strong's Concordance; Bible Commentary on Old Testament, by F.C. Cook; Clarke's Commentary; Irwin's Bible Commentary; Halley's Bible Handbook; Encarta 98 Encyclopedia; Bible Difficulties Solved, by Larry Richards.

 Babylonian and Medo-Persian Empires