Anticipating aggression from the Medes and Persians under Cyrus the Great, Nabonidus had entered into an alliance with the Lydian Empire and Egypt. The Nabonidus Chronicle shows Nabonidus back in Babylon in the year of the Medo-Persian assault, with the New Year’s festival being celebrated and the various gods of Babylonia being brought into the city. Regarding Cyrus’ advance, the Chronicle states that, following a victory at Opis, he captured Sippar (c. 60 km [37 mi] N of Babylon) and “Nabonidus fled.” Then follows the account of the Medo-Persian conquest of Babylon, and it is stated that upon Nabonidus’ return there he was taken prisoner. (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 306) The writings of Berossus, Babylonian priest of the third century B.C.E., relate that Nabonidus had gone out to engage Cyrus’ forces in battle but was defeated. They further tell that Nabonidus took refuge in Borsippa (SSW of Babylon) and that, after Babylon fell, Nabonidus surrendered to Cyrus and was thereafter deported to Carmania (in southern Persia). This account would coincide with the Biblical record at Daniel chapter 5, which shows that Belshazzar was the acting king in Babylon at the time of its overthrow.

The Nabonidus Chronicle shows Nabonidus back in Babylon in the year of the Medo-Persian assault, with the New Year’s festival being celebrated and the various gods of Babylonia being brought into the city. Regarding Cyrus’ advance, the Chronicle states that, following a victory at Opis, he captured Sippar (c. 60 km [37 mi] N of Babylon) and “Nabonidus fled.” Then follows the account of the Medo-Persian conquest of Babylon, and it is stated that upon Nabonidus’ return there he was taken prisoner. (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, p. 306)