Death
The final fate of Nabonidus is uncertain. Cyrus was known to spare the lives of some kings he had defeated, for example King Croesus of Lydia, who, after his defeat, was allowed to live at King Cyrus's court as an advisor. This is according to Herodotus, who also states that Croesus was first sentenced to death by burning and was only allowed to live after showing his wisdom.[1] Bacchylides tells us that Apollo snatched up Croesus just before the flames were about to burn him, and took him to the Hyperboreans. In the reference in the Nabonidus Chronicle to a campaign by Cyrus in (possibly) 547 BC, during which a country was taken and its king killed, the text showing the name of the country is damaged, although it may be Urartu.[2] Accounts by Berossus and the retrospective Hellenistic Babylonian dynastic prophecies state that he was allowed to retire to live in Carmania.
- ↑ 1.86-88
- ↑ J. Oelsner, "Review of R. Rollinger, Herodots babylonischer logos: Eine kritische Untersuchung der Glaubwürdigkeitsdiskussion (Innsbruck: Institut für Sprachwissenschaft 1993)", Archiv für Orientforschung 46/47 (1999/2000:378-80); R. Rollinger, "The Median "empire", the end of Urartu and Cyrus' the Great campaign in 547 B.C. (Nabonidus Chronicle II 16)", Ancient West & East 7 (2008:49-63).