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====Nabonidus' stay in Tayma====
It is not clear yet why Nabonidus stayed in Tayma for so long. His reason for going there seems clear: Tayma was an important oasis, from where lucrative [[Arabian Peninsula|Arabian]] [[trade route]]s could be controlled. The Chaldeans before him had already attempted to do the same.<ref>Beaulieu 1989:149-205. On Tayma's importance for trade: C. Edens and G. Bawden, "History of Tayma' and Hejazi trade during the first millennium B.C.", ''Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient'' 32 (1989:48-103).</ref> However, why Nabonidus stayed for so long (probably about ten years, perhaps from 553-543 BC) and why he returned when he did remain unresolved questions. It has been proposed that this was because he did not feel at home in Babylon, which was opposed to his emphasis on Sîn. Regarding his return, this may have had to do with the mounting threat of Cyrus and growing disagreements with Belshazzar, who was relieved of his command directly after Nabonidus had come back, along with a number of administrators.<ref>Beaulieu 1989:149-205.</ref> During his stay, Nabonidus adorned Tayma with a complex of royal buildings, most of which have come to light during recent excavations.<ref>An overview of the history of Tayma, current archaeological work, as well as bibliographical references, are given in {{cite web | title=Deutsches Archäologisches Institut: Tayma | url=http://www.dainst.org/index_3258_en.html | accessdate=2007-10-16}} Also: H. Hayajneh, "First evidence of Nabonidus in the Ancient North Arabian inscriptions from the region of Tayma", ''Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies'' 31 (2001:81-95).</ref>
It is not clear yet why Nabonidus stayed in Tayma for so long. His reason for going there seems clear: Tayma was an important oasis, from where lucrative [[Arabian Peninsula|Arabian]] [[trade route]]s could be controlled. The Chaldeans before him had already attempted to do the same.<ref>Beaulieu 1989:149-205. On Tayma's importance for trade: C. Edens and G. Bawden, "History of Tayma' and Hejazi trade during the first millennium B.C.", ''Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient'' 32 (1989:48-103).</ref> However, why Nabonidus stayed for so long (probably about ten years, perhaps from 553-543 BC) and why he returned when he did remain unresolved questions. It has been proposed that this was because he did not feel at home in Babylon, which was opposed to his emphasis on Sîn. Regarding his return, this may have had to do with the mounting threat of Cyrus and growing disagreements with Belshazzar, who was relieved of his command directly after Nabonidus had come back, along with a number of administrators.<ref>Beaulieu 1989:149-205.</ref> During his stay, Nabonidus adorned Tayma with a complex of royal buildings, most of which have come to light during recent excavations.<ref>An overview of the history of Tayma, current archaeological work, as well as bibliographical references, are given in {{cite web | title=Deutsches Archäologisches Institut: Tayma | url=http://www.dainst.org/index_3258_en.html | accessdate=2007-10-16}} Also: H. Hayajneh, "First evidence of Nabonidus in the Ancient North Arabian inscriptions from the region of Tayma", ''Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies'' 31 (2001:81-95).</ref>
