Moab falls in 582 BCE to the Babylonians and disappears from history.

The five Philistine cities—Ashdod, …

…Ashqelon, …

…Ghazzah (Gaza), …

…Ekron, and …

…Gath—having first become Egyptian vassals during the second half of the sixth century, become part of the Neo-Babylonian empire with the conquests of Nebuchadrezzar in Syria and Palestine.

The island of Lesbos prospers after Pittacus, who lives from about 650 BCE to 570 BCE, ends civil strife as aisymnetes (“dictator”).

The lyric poetry of Greece owes much to the seventh-century Lesbos-born musician Terpander and the dithyrambist Arion as well as Alcaeus, who flourishes from about 620 BCE to about 580 BCE), and the poet Sappho, who flourishes from about 610 BCE to about 580 BCE.

Activities long attributed (if not proven) to Sappho and her circle give the name of her island to female homosexuality, lesbianism.

Alcaeus and Sappho use their vernacular Asiatic Aeolic dialect, whereas the later Boeotian poet Corinna, who is thought to have flourished around 500 BCE, will employ her vernacular Boeotian.

The initial plan of the cult room, or cella, of Greek temples—a long, dark space with a row of columns down the center—obscures the statue, so the temple builders gradually adopt a shorter cella with two rows of columns, one on either side of the statue.

The Ionic order begins to appear in Greek colonies in Anatolia, particularly at Samos in its Temple of Hera, constructed around 575.

The Middle East: 573–562 BCE

Nebuchadnezzar’s Final Campaigns and Legacy

Following the destruction of Jerusalem and the Judahite exile of 586 BCE, the dispersed community begins emphasizing religious rituals and laws to preserve their identity outside their homeland. Practices such as circumcision, Sabbath observance, dietary restrictions, and cleanliness laws become vital for maintaining cohesion among the scattered Judahites.

After concluding a prolonged thirteen-year siege of Tyre (585–572 BCE) in a negotiated compromise, Nebuchadnezzar II turns his attention toward Egypt. A cuneiform tablet records Nebuchadnezzar’s campaign against Pharaoh Amasis, although the outcome appears indecisive.

The Architectural Grandeur of Babylon

In the twilight of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar focuses extensively on the architectural revival of Babylon. His construction projects are monumental and lavish, including temples, canals, reservoirs, aqueducts, and a remarkable triple line of defensive walls. He also restores Sippar’s Lake and builds a strategic port on the Persian Gulf, significantly enhancing Babylon’s infrastructure and defenses.

Notable among his grand constructions is the legendary Ishtar Gate, which, along with various trophies of war, adorns Babylon. The famed Hanging Gardens, built for his Median queen Amytis, stand as a testament to the opulence of Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, designed specifically to evoke the lush landscapes of her Median homeland.

Prophecy and Historical Literature

This period witnesses the flourishing of Hebrew prophetic literature. The prophet Jeremiah, residing near Jerusalem, continues to advocate moral reform, repentance, and a profound renewal of spiritual commitment amid ongoing crises. His introspective and deeply spiritual "confessions" influence significantly the Hebrew scriptures. During these years, a significant portion of the Deuteronomistic History, including the narrative found in the Book of Kings, is likely finalized, embedding Jeremiah’s theological perspectives into the historical narrative of Israel and Judah.

Diplomatic Realignments in Media and Lydia

Following the Battle of Halys and the subsequent peace treaty mediated by Babylon and Cilicia, Astyages ascends the Median throne in 585 BCE. His reign solidifies Median dominance in the Iranian plateau, including Persian territories. To reinforce political stability, Astyages arranges the marriage of his daughter Mandane to Cambyses I, a Persian noble from the kingdom of Anshan. Cambyses, known for his peaceful and diplomatic demeanor, strengthens Median-Persian ties significantly.

Thus, the era from 573 to 562 BCE consolidates significant religious, cultural, and political developments, marking the apex of Nebuchadnezzar’s architectural legacy and signaling pivotal shifts in the geopolitical and religious landscapes of the Middle East.

The majority of Judahites live outside the Holy Land following the destruction of the Temple in 586.

Lacking a state and scattered among the peoples of the Near East, the Judahites need to find alternative methods to preserve their special identity.

They turn to the laws and rituals of their faith, which become unifying elements holding the community together.

Thus, circumcision, sabbath observance, festivals, dietary laws and laws of cleanliness become especially important.

After the destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar had engaged in a thirteen year siege of Tyre (585–572 BCE), which ends in a compromise, with the Tyrians accepting Babylonian authority.

Following the pacification of Tyre, Nebuchadnezzar turns again to Egypt.

A clay tablet, now in the British Museum, states: "In the 37th year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the country of Babylon, he went to Mitzraim (Egypt) to wage war.

Amasis, king of Egypt, collected [his army], and marched and spread abroad."

Having completed the subjugation of Phoenicia, and campaigned against Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar sets himself to rebuild and adorn the city of Babylon, and constructs canals, aqueducts, temples and reservoirs.

Outside Babylon, he is credited with the restoration of the Lake of Sippar, the opening of a port on the Persian Gulf, and the building of the famous Median wall between the Tigris and the Euphrates to protect the country against incursions from the North.

The inscription of the great temple of Marduk implies most probably that captives brought from various parts of Western Asia made up a large part of the labor force used in all his public works.

Events of the last years of Nebuchadnezzar are obscure.

The king figures prominently in the biblical Book of Daniel, which describes Nebuchadnezzar as eating grass and undergoing a physical transformation near the end of his life.

(Conversely, the Dead Sea Scrolls suggest that it was not Nebuchadnezzar, but the last Chaldean king, Nabonidus, who suffered from some such affliction.)

According to Babylonian tradition, towards the end of his life, Nebuchadnezzar prophesied the impending ruin of the Chaldean Empire (Berossus and Abydenus in Eusebius, Praeparatio Evangelica, 9.41).

Old, even senile, perhaps dethroned by his own son, Amel-Marduk, Nebuchadnezzar dies in 562 BCE in Babylon between the second and sixth months of the forty-third year of his reign.