Major Empires
Many other discoveries have attested to the existence of the Assyrian Empire which was followed by the Akkadian Empire. It lasted for about 1,400 years, and controlled Mesopotamia. Excavations in Azekah and Lachish have uncovered about 1,500 skulls and hundreds of Assyrian arrowheads. Clay tablets listing the names of Assyrian Kings have been discovered in Iraq. These lists establish a chronology consistent with the line of Davidic Kings from the Biblical narratives.
The United Kingdom of David and Solomon has been attested to by the discovery of Hezekiah’s Tunnel (Jerusalem's source of water while under attack from the Assyrians) discovered in 1837 by Edward Robinson and by the discovery of the Stepped Stone Structure and Large-Stone Structure which archaeologists think is the Palace of David. Evidence of building projects of Solomon has been discovered in Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer, where each building has 6 chambered gates. Other evidence of the Davidic line of kings includes: the Tel Dan Stele which is a 9th century basalt slab that mentioins the “House of David”, the Mesha Stele (Moabite Stone) which the King of Moab claims to have wiped out Israel, the Kurkh Stele which is an Assyrian monolith that mentions King Ahab, and a gated fortress and an ostracon mentioning a king found in the Elah Valley. The Wall Relief of Shoshenq I may contain David’s name translated from “Hadabiyat-Dawit”. The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III (825 B.C.) contains an image of the king of Israel bowing and inscription mentioning Jehu, son of Omri.
The existence of Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar has been attested to by archaeologists who have uncovered fragments of the Ishtar Gate containing an inscription of Nebuchadnezzar II. A bronze statue of Pharaoh Necho II was discovered attesting to Nebuchadnezzar defeating Necho at the Battle of Carchemish.
The conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587 B.C. has been attested to by Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews.
The Cyrus Cylinder contains a policy that King Cyrus instituted throughout his kingdom that the Jews should be able to return to Jerusalem.
According to the Bible, Israel and Judah each experienced attacks from the Assyrians. Later Judah experienced an attack from the Babylonians. There is plenty of archeological evidence that corroborates the Biblical accounts of the events.
The Taylor Prism records the annals of Sennacherib and his triumph over 46 fortified cities of Judah. It contains this inscription: “As for the king of Judah, Hezekiah, who had not submitted to my authority, I besieged and captured 46 of his fortified cities, along with many smaller towns, taken in battle with my battering rams … I took as plunder 200,150 people, both small and great, male and female, along with a great number of animals including horses, mules, donkeys, camels, oxen and sheep.”
The Babylonian Chronicles are clay tablets that record events from 605-594 B.C. They record 3 main events: the Battle of Carchemish, the accession of the throne to Nebuchadnezzar II and the capture of Jerusalem on March 16th, 598 B.C. The following is text regarding the capture of Jerusalem: “In the seventh month (of Nebuchadnezzar-599 B.C.) in the month Chislev (Nov/Dec) the king of Babylon assembled his army, and after he had invaded the land of Hatti (Syria/Palestine) he laid siege to the city of Judah. On the second day of the month of Adara (16th of March) he conquered the city and took the king (Johoiachin) prisoner. He installed in his place a king (Zedekiah) of his own choice, and after he had received rich tribute, he sent (them) forth to Babylon”.
These artifacts directly corroborate events documented in books of the Bible by Biblical prophets and attested to by extra-biblical authors such as Josephus and Tacitus.