a Babylonian king, the founder of the New Babylonian Empire. He was not of royal family, but rose to great power in Chaldea, to the south of Babylon, and succeeded in extending his power to Babylon in 626 B. C. Later, about 606 B.C., he took Nineveh, which he destroyed. The city of Babylon owed much to him. He died about 605 B.C.