Belshazzars

Belshazzar is the name of a figure in the Hebrew Bible who is traditionally identified as the crown prince and co-regent of Babylon during the empire’s final years, the son of Nabonidus. The name is of Akkadian origin and is commonly understood to mean “Bel protects the king” or “Bel, the king’s protector.”

In the biblical account, found in the Book of Daniel, Belshazzar hosts a great feast in a time of political weakness for Babylon. A mysterious hand writes on the wall a message: Mene, Tekel, Parsin. The prophet Daniel interprets this as a judgment against the king and predicts the fall of Babylon, which occurs that night when Cyrus the Great’s forces capture the city. The narrative has made Belshazzar a prominent symbol of sudden political downfall in popular culture.

Historically, Nabonidus was the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, and cuneiform sources identify Belshazzar as his son who acted as coregent or crown prince rather than as king. The Cyrus Cylinder and the Nabonidus Chronicle provide independent attestations of the final years of Babylon and the conquest by Cyrus in 539 BCE. These sources have led scholars to treat Belshazzar as a historical figure in some capacity, though the biblical portrayal is regarded by many historians as a literary and theological reconstruction rather than a precise historical record.

Belshazzar’s story has influenced religious interpretation, art, and literature, and contributed the phrase “the writing on the wall” to describe impending doom. The figure remains a focal point in discussions of biblical historicity and Babylonian chronology.