Recently I provided a chart of the ancient Kings who ruled in Israel and Judah. I did this to make it easier to read and understand scriptures that mention these kings. However, the Bible in the book of Daniel and elsewhere refers to non-Jewish Kings. Here is a chart that lists those kings and the years that they reigned beginning almost 1000 years before Christ. Out of this list, several kings stand out as important. Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Cyrus are just some examples. These three were used by God and may have been God’s servants used in important ways.
ASSYERIA
Assur-nasipal II 885 – 860
Shalmaneser II 860-825
Shamsi-adad 825 – 808
Adad-nirari 808 – 783
Shamaneser III 783 – 771
Assur-dayan 771 – 753
Assur-lush 753 – 747
Tiglath-pileser III (Pul) 747 – 727
Shalmaneser IV 727 – 722
Sargon II 722 – 705
Sennacherib 705 – 681
Esar-haddon 681 – 668
Assur-banipal (Sardanopalus, Osnapper) 668 – 626
Assur-etil-iliani and Sin-sar-iskun (Saracos) 626 – 607
BABYLON
Nabopalassar 625 – 604
Nebuchadbessar 606 – 561
Evil-merodach 561 – 560
Neriglissar 559 – 556
Labash-marduk 556
Nabonidus/Belshazzar 555 – 536
Jewish captivity 70 years – as prophesized
PERSIA
Cyrus 538 – 529 permitted Jews to return home Isaiah prophecy fulfilled
Cambyses (Artaxerxes) 529 – 522
Darius I (Hystaspes) 521 – 485 authorized completion of the previously sacked Temple
Xerxes (Ahasuerus) 485 – 465
Artaxexes I (Longimanus) 465 – 425 authorized Nehemiah to re-build Jerusalem
Xerxes II 424
Darius II (Nothius) 423 – 405
Artaxerxes II (Mnemon) 405 – 358
Artaxerxes III (Ochus) 358 – 338
Arses 338 – 335
Darius III (Codomanus) 335 – 331 (defeated by Alexander the Great)
