Nabopolassar, whose name means "O Nabû, protect the heir!" (Akk. Nabû-aplu-uṣur), was the founder and first king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, the last political "dynasty" of Babylon that was ruled by native Babylonians. Starting as an opponent against the Assyrians, he seized the throne and declared himself the "king of Babylon."As the founder of a new ruling house, he cemented his legacy by bringing an end to the once-great Assyrian Empire; this accomplishment was not achieved on his own, but in conjunction with Cyaxares (Umakištar), "the king of the Umman-manda" (Medes). During his twenty-one years on the throne, Nabopolassar proved himself as a successful military leader, a good administrator, and an active builder; his son and designated heir Nebuchadnezzar II assisted. Like the seventh-century Assyrian king Esarhaddon (r. 680–669), who took it upon himself to restore Babylon to its former glory after his father Sennacherib (r. 704–681) had wrought destruction upon it, Nabopolassar started rebuilding and expanding Babylon, the administrative capital of a newly-invigorated Babylonian Empire. Unfortunately, he died before seeing Babylon become a "wonder to behold." Nebuchadnezzar, however, was able to realize that dream because his father had made Babylonia politically and economically strong and stable. Some of his deeds are commemorated/recorded in royal inscriptions (his own and those of Nebuchadnezzar) and chronographic texts (the so-called "Babylonian Chronicles").
Jamie Novotny & Frauke Weiershäuser
Jamie Novotny & Frauke Weiershäuser, ' Nabopolassar', RIBo, Babylon 7: The Inscriptions of the Neo-Babylonian Dynasty, The RIBo Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2024 [/ribo/babylon7/RINBE11Introduction/Nabopolassar/]