Babylon

Babylon is the Greek variant of Akkadian Babilu, an ancient city in Mesopotamia (Location: {{coor dms|32|32|11|N|44|25|15|E|}}, modern Al Hillah, Iraq). It was the capital of the Babylonian empire from ca. 600 BC. In the Hebrew Bible, the name appears as ??? (Babel), interpreted by popular etymology to mean "confusion". Akkadian bāb-ilû means "Gate of God", translating Sumerian Kadingirra.

Archaeology of Babylon

Historical knowledge of Babylon's topography is derived from the classical writers, the inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar, and the excavations of the Deutsche Orientgesellschaft, which were begun in 1899. The topography is necessarily that of the Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar; the older Babylon which was destroyed by Sennacherib having left few, if any, traces behind.

Related Topics:
Deutsche Orientgesellschaft - 1899 - Topography - Sennacherib

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Most of the existing remains lie on the east bank of the Euphrates, the principal being three vast mounds, the Babil to the north, the Qasr or "Palace" (also known as the Mujelliba) in the centre, and the Ishgn "Amran ibn" All, with the outlying spur of the Jumjuma, to the south. Eastward of these come the Ishgn el-Aswador "Black Mound" and three lines of rampart, one of which encloses the Babil mound on the N. and E. sides, while a third forms a triangle with the S.E. angle of the other two. W. of the Euphrates are other ramparts and the remains of the ancient Borsippa.

Related Topics:
Babil - Mujelliba - Ishgn el-Aswad - Euphrates - Borsippa

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We learn from Herodotus and Ctesias that the city was built on both sides of the river in the form of a square, and enclosed within a double row of lofty walls to which Ctesias adds a third. Ctesias makes the outermost wall 360 stades (42 miles/68 km) in circumference, while according to Herodotus it measured 480 stades (56 miles/90 km), which would include an area of about 520 km² (approx. 200 square miles).

Related Topics:
Herodotus - Ctesias

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The estimate of Ctesias is essentially the same as that of Q. Curtius (v. I. 26), 368 stades, and Clitarchus (ap. Diod. Sic. ii. 7), 365 stades; Strabo (xvi. 1. 5) makes it 385 stades. But even the estimate of Ctesias, assuming the stade to be its usual length, would imply an area of about 260 km² (100 square miles). According to Herodotus the width of the walls was 24 m (80 ft).

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Saddam Hussein installed a huge portrait of himself and Nebuchadnezzar at the entrance to the ruins. He also had part of the ruins rebuilt, to the dismay of archaeologists, with his name inscribed in an imitation of Nebuchadnezzar, on many bricks used. One frequent inscription reads, "This was built by Saddam Hussein, son of Nebuchadnezzar, to glorify Iraq". This was in relation to the ziggurat at Ur with its each individual brick stamped with the name of, " Ur-Nammu, king of Ur, who built the temple of Nanna". The bricks became sought after as collectors' items after the fall of Saddam, and the ruins are being restored to their original state.

Related Topics:
Saddam Hussein - Ziggurat - Ur - Nanna

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However, there is speculation about the city's eventual rebulding, as noted in BibleProphecy. According to many scholars, Babylon can (and many believe will) one day become New Babylon, a major world city.

Related Topics:
Bible - Prophecy - Babylon - New Babylon

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