Madness of King Nebuchadnezzar. Although by his ability and military prowess Nebuchadnezzar restored Babylonia to the position of first empire in the world, his mind gave way, and for a time he became a beast of the field. Fancying himself to be an animal, he spent his days in the grounds of the palace and tried to feed upon grass. The prophet Daniel, who tells us of this madness, says: "He was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, til his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon 605-562 B.C. He determined to make his capital city of Babylon the finest in the world. Nebuchadnezzar is also known for constructing what were called the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.