Nebuchadrezzar II, also called Nebuchadnezzar, made a legend of himself as Babylon's emperor in the sixth and late seventh centuries B.C.E. Claiming the special favor of the god Marduk, he was renowned for completing massive building projects in his own city, including the famous hanging gardens, and for his aggressive expansionism abroad. The brutal conquest of Judah and Jerusalem earned Nebuchadnezzar infamy in the Hebrew scriptures, where his destruction of the Temple represents both idolatrous abomination and the hand of divine justice.
Though of questionable historicity, the Book of Daniel offers a poignant portrayal of the great king, dependent on the Israelite Daniel to interpret his dreams. In the fourth chapter, Nebuchadnezzar is temporarily struck by madness from heaven after boasting about his splendor, causing him to abdicate worldly greatness, run from civilization, and eat grass like the oxen.