A new dynasty—­the Dynasty of Pashe—­had arisen at the ancient Sumerian city of Isin.  Its early kings were contemporary with some of the last Kassite monarchs, and they engaged in conflicts with the Elamites, who were encroaching steadily upon Babylonian territory, and were ultimately able to seize the province of Namar, famous for its horses, which was situated to the east of Akkad.  The Assyrians, under Ashur-dan I, were not only reconquering lost territory, but invading Babylonia and carrying off rich plunder.  Ashur-dan inflicted a crushing defeat upon the second-last Kassite ruler.

There years later Nebuchadrezzar I, of the Dynasty of Pashe, seized the Babylonian throne.  He was the most powerful and distinguished monarch of his line—­an accomplished general and a wise statesman.  His name signifies:  “May the god Nebo protect my boundary”.  His first duty was to drive the Elamites from the land, and win back from them the statue of Merodach which they had carried off from E-sagila.  At first he suffered a reverse, but although the season was midsummer, and the heat overpowering, he persisted in his campaign.  The Elamites were forced to retreat, and following up their main force he inflicted upon them a shattering defeat on the banks of the Ula, a tributary of the Tigris.  He then invaded Elam and returned with rich booty.  The province of Namar was recovered, and its governor, Ritti Merodach, who was Nebuchadrezzar’s battle companion, was restored to his family possessions and exempted from taxation.  A second raid to Elam resulted in the recovery of the statue of Merodach.  The Kassite and Lullume mountaineers also received attention, and were taught to respect the power of the new monarch.

Having freed his country from the yoke of the Elamites, and driven the Assyrians over the frontier, Nebuchadrezzar came into conflict with the Hittites, who appear to have overrun Mesopotamia.  Probably the invaders were operating in conjunction with the Muski, who were extending their sway over part of northern Assyria.  They were not content with securing control of the trade route, but endeavoured also to establish themselves permanently in Babylon, the commercial metropolis, which they besieged and captured.  This happened in the third year of Nebuchadrezzar, when he was still reigning at Isin.  Assembling a strong force, he hastened northward and defeated the Hittites, and apparently followed up his victory.  Probably it was at this time that he conquered the “West Land” (the land of the Amorites) and penetrated to the Mediterranean coast.  Egyptian power had been long extinguished in that region.