nship; as indeed
in these affairs the Chaldean History cannot but be the most credible.
Moreover, we meet with a confirmation of what Berosus says in the
archives of the Phoenicians, concerning this king Nabuchodonosor, that
he conquered all Syria and Phoenicia; in which case Philostratus agrees
with the others in that history which he composed, where he mentions
the siege of Tyre; as does Megasthenes also, in the fourth book of his
Indian History, wherein he pretends to prove that the forementioned
king of the Babylonians was superior to Hercules in strength and the
greatness of his exploits; for he says that he conquered a great part
of Libya, and conquered Iberia also. Now as to what I have said before
about the temple at Jerusalem, that it was fought against by the
Babylonians, and burnt by them, but was opened again when Cyrus had
taken the kingdom of Asia, shall now be demonstrated from what Berosus
adds further upon that head; for thus he says in his third book:
"Nabuchodonosor, after he had begun to build the forementioned wall,
fell sick, and departed this life, when he had reigned forty-three
years; whereupon his son Evilmerodach obtained the kingdom. He governed
public affairs after an illegal and impure manner, and had a plot laid
against him by Neriglissoor, his sister's husband, and was slain by him
when he had reigned but two years. After he was slain, Neriglissoor,
the person who plotted against him, succeeded him in the kingdom, and
reigned four years; his son Laborosoarchod obtained the kingdom, though
he was but a child, and kept it nine mouths; but by reason of the very
ill temper and ill practices he exhibited to the world, a plot was laid
against him also by his friends, and he was tormented to death. After
his death, the conspirators got together, and by common consent put
the crown upon the head of Nabonnedus, a man of Babylon, and one who
belonged to that insurrection. In his reign it was that the walls of the
city of Babylon were curiously built with burnt brick and bitumen; but
when he was come to the seventeenth year of his reign, Cyrus came out of
Persia with a great army; and having already conquered all the rest of
Asia, he came hastily to Babylonia. When Nabonnedus perceived he was
coming to attack him, he met him with his forces, and joining battle
with him was beaten, and fled away with a few of his troops with him,
and was shut up within the city Borsippus. Hereupon Cyrus took Babylon,