One of the most enduring and intriguing topics from the Ancient Near East is, without a shadow of a doubt, that of the Chaldaean people. In Classical Antiquity and Medieval Europe, the Chaldaeans became synonymous with astrologers. Indeed, they contributed significantly to the study of the stars and their perceived influence on the world and daily life. Many medieval and early modern scholars found themselves captivated by their mysterious teachings, convinced that the Chaldaean writings contained deeper, hidden wisdom worth uncovering. However, the Chaldaeans’ narrow characterization as astrologers has obscured their true identity. This article aims to set the record straight: who were the Chaldaeans? Where did they come from? And what is their place in Mesopotamian history?
Origins
The earliest known attestation of the Chaldaeans appears in the 9th-century annals of the Neo-Assyrian King Shalmaneser III (859–824 BCE). In Akkadian, the language of ancient Mesopotamia, they were called kaldu, which was later adapted into the Greek Chaldaioi, the basis of our “Chaldaeans.” They probably arrived in Mesopotamia from the northwest in the 11th or 10th century and settled along the banks of the lower Euphrates and in the Sealand marshlands at the head of the Persian Gulf. They were a nomadic people organized in tribes or houses (bitu), each headed by a shaikh. There were five major tribes among the Chaldaeans, of which the three most important were the Bit-Dakuri, Bit-Amukani, and Bit-Yakin. The largest house was the Bit-Dakuri, settled south of Borsippa and Babylon. Further south was the Bit-Amukani, and in the east along the Tigris close to Elam was the Bit-Yakin. Their borders, however, were anything but fixed, and the political strength and territorial expansion of each house basically depended on the personal ability and charisma of their shaikh.
Economy and culture
Over time, they became the dominant power in southern Babylonia and accumulated vast riches, dominating the trade routes coming from Elam and the Persian Gulf. Valuable goods such as ebony, ivory, sissoo, gold, and elephant hides passed through Chaldaean territory. Their wealth is evidenced by the enormous tribute exacted from them by Shalmaneser III (cf. Nimrud throne and Balawat gates). The Chaldaean economy was also largely based on livestock, with large herds of horses and cattle roaming the plains of Mesopotamia under their watchful eye.
Since their arrival, the Chaldaeans treasured a profound respect for Babylonian civilisation and gradually assimilated into its culture. Many Chaldaeans adopted Akkadian names and swapped their nomadic way of life for an urban lifestyle, dwelling in cities and towns sometimes founded by themselves. Before long, they started playing a central role in the politics of Babylonian cities and secured elevated positions in society. This relatively swift integration makes it difficult for us to uncover the Chaldaeans’ original culture. The appearance of Aramean names among Chaldaeans has given rise to the theory that they were related to this people and spoke a West Semitic language. Our sources, however, clearly did not regard the Chaldaeans as Arameans, as they incessantly make a clear distinction between these two groups of people.
Rise to Power
They appear to have fully taken advantage of the political turmoil in northern Babylonia that ensued after the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III (r. 859–824 BCE) laid waste to these lands. The destruction caused by the Assyrians resulted in a power shift toward the south, where the Chaldaeans ruled supreme. It didn’t take long before the tribes reached Babylon and assumed power over the crown jewel of southern Mesopotamia.
After forty years of political chaos, we see the first Chaldaean monarchs assume power in Babylon. Little is known about the first one, but he was succeeded by Eriba-Marduk of the Bit-Yakin (r. 769–761). He seems to have had some success in driving away the menacing Arameans from the region around Babylon and Borsippa during his decade-long reign. After his death, another king of Chaldaean stock received the Babylonian crown: Nabu-shuma-ishkun of the Bit-Dakuri (r. 760–748). These early Chaldaean kings were unable, however, to restore peace in Babylonia, with civil strife still running rife in the ancient lands of Sumer and Akkad.
When Nabu-nasir, also known as Nabonassar (r. 747–734), took over the reins in Babylon, he was determined to thwart any future attempt by the Chaldaeans to reestablish control in the city. He therefore invited the military support of the mighty Tiglath-Pileser III (r. 744–727). Tiglath-Pileser took full advantage of this political blunder by Nabonassar, establishing direct Assyrian control over the eastern Tigris region bordering Elam and keeping the rest of Babylonia firmly in his grip. Tiglath-Pileser did keep his side of the bargain, deporting massive numbers of the troublesome Chaldaeans and Aramaeans. When Nabonassar’s son succeeded his father, Babylonia descended into chaos again. Another Chaldaean king even sat on the throne of Babylon for a brief spell: Nabu-mukin-zeri (r. 731–729) of the Bit-Amukkani. This Chaldaean comeback prompted Tiglath-Pileser to intervene once more, defeating this new king and then proclaiming himself King of Babylon. This annexation was a momentous occasion, as it signalled the start of Assyrian domination in Babylon up until the rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nabopolassar (r. 626–605 BCE).
Interestingly, the group that resisted Assyrian domination the most were the Chaldaeans, who never truly accepted them in the south of Babylonia. The Chaldaeans therefore became the central pillar of Babylonian nationalism in the decades to come. The founder of the Neo-Babylonian Kingdom, Nabopolassar, might even have been a Chaldaean himself. In any case, in historical literature, the dynasty established by him became known as the Chaldaean Dynasty.
Olivier Goossens
alongthesilkroad.com 
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