Page "Belshazzar" Paragraph 9

The available information concerning Belshazzar's regency goes silent after Nabonidus ' fourteenth year.

According to the Nabonidus Chronicle, Nabonidus was back from Temâ by his seventeenth year and celebrated the New Year's Festival ( Akk.

Akitu ).

Whether or not Belshazzar continued his regency under his father's authority after his return cannot be demonstrated from the available documents.

Some scholars have argued that the non-observance of the Akitu during Nabonidus ' absence demonstrates that Belshazzar was not the " king " since it shows that he could not officiate over the festival.

However, The Verse Account of Nabonidus says, " Nabonidus said: ' I shall build a temple for him ( the Moon god Sin )... till I have achieved this, till I have obtained what is my desire, I shall omit all festivals, I shall order even the New Year's festival to cease!

'" Thus, the halting of the Akitu may have been done by the king's command rather an inability on the part of Belshazzar.

This stated, the fact that Belshazzar did not disobey his father's command is evidence that Nabonidus remained the official ( and actual ) king of Babylon.