Nebuchadnezzar, Nabonidus, and the Tradition of the “Mad King”

Abstract This article examines the tradition of the “mad king” in ancient Babylonian history, with a specific focus on the biblical portrayal of Nebuchadnezzar II in Dan 4. The chapter describes Nebuchadnezzar’s descent into a state of madness as divine punishment for his hubris. Scholars have debated whether this tradition was originally associated with Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, based on archaeological evidence and textual parallels such as the Prayer of Nabonidus and the Verse Account of Nabonidus . This article critically analyzes historical, linguistic, and archaeological evidence, comparing contemporary cuneiform, classical sources, and biblical texts. It argues that the madness tradition cannot plausibly be traced to Nabonidus, whose historical profile and literary afterlife do not support such an association. Among the available options, Nebuchadnezzar remains the most plausible candidate, though absolute identification remains open to interpretation. The findings suggest that the association of the “mad king” motif with Nabonidus is weakened by the lack of corroborative evidence and the implausibility of transferring such a tradition between rulers in different historical contexts.