The Babylonian Chronicle

Mesopotamian literature

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June 18, 2026

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The Babylonian Chronicle is a historical text crucial for understanding Mesopotamian chronology, particularly from 747 to 539 BC. This period covers Babylonian and Assyrian history, including the Persian and Seleucid eras.1

The text's importance is highlighted by its alignment with Ptolemy's Canon, a king list compiled by a Greek astronomer in Egypt during the Roman Empire. Cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia, including those detailing astronomical events like lunar eclipses, have corroborated the accuracy of Ptolemy's Canon and, by extension, the Babylonian Chronicle.1

The discovery of the Babylonian Chronicle, along with King List A, significantly advanced the reconstruction of Mesopotamian chronology, filling in gaps and providing a more detailed picture of historical events.1

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Ashurbanipal
Ashurbanipal’s reign
…warfare than through direct action; the Babylonian Chronicle records that for three years “the war went on and there were perpetual clashes.” Elam, suffering from internal dissension, was unable to help the rebels; and gradually, through starvation, the Arabs who had retreated into Babylon deserted as the famine became intense.…
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…warfare than through direct action; the Babylonian Chronicle records that for three years “the war went on and there were perpetual clashes.” Elam, suffering from internal dissension, was unable to help the rebels; and gradually, through starvation, the Arabs who had retreated into Babylon deserted as the famine became intense.…
Read More

chronology
Mesopotamian chronology, 747 to 539 bc
The other text, The Babylonian Chronicle, also coincides with the beginning of the canon, though it breaks off earlier than King List A. With the publication of these texts, the first phase in the reconstruction of Mesopotamian chronology was over. For the period after 747 bc, there remained…
Read More
The other text, The Babylonian Chronicle, also coincides with the beginning of the canon, though it breaks off earlier than King List A. With the publication of these texts, the first phase in the reconstruction of Mesopotamian chronology was over. For the period after 747 bc, there remained…
Read More