Babylon
Babylon
"babilu" (gate of god). An ancient city in the plain of shinar on the
Euphrates River, about 50 miles south of Modern Baghdad. Babylon was founded by Nimrod
of Gen. 10, who developed the world's first organized system of idolatry which
God condemned, ie. Gen. 11. It later became the capital of Babylonia and the
Babylonian Empire. It was of overwhelming size and appearance.
Nebuchadnezzar (Nabu-kudurri-usur II) was the real genius and builder of
Babylon. Of its 70 years in existence he ruled 43 years. As the commander of
Nabopalassar’s armies he was unstoppable. He broke the power of Egypt at the battle of
Carcemish and proved to be one of the mightiest monarchs of all time. Among
the cities he invaded and plundered were Tyre, Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Jerusalem.
Inscriptions, documents and letters written during the 43 years of his reign
(604-562 BC.) give an idea of the power and wealth of Babylon. Here are some
interesting facts according to the historian Herodotus (Bk 1, 178-186) about
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon:
- The city was in the form of a square, 14 miles on each side, and of enormous
magnitude.
- The brick wall was 56 miles long, 300 feet high, 25 feet thick with another
wall 75 feet behind the first wall, and the wall extended 35 feet below the
ground.
- There were 250 towers that were 450 feet high.
- A wide and deep moat encircled the city.
- The Euphrates River also flowed through the middle of the city. Ferry boats
and a 1/2 mi. long bridge with drawbridges closed at night.
- The "Hanging Gardens" built by Nebuchadnezzar for his Median queen were considered one of the
wonders of the ancient world. Water was raised from the river by hydraulic pumps.
- There were 8 massive gates that led to the inner city and 100 brass gates.
- The streets were paved with stone slabs 3 feet square.
- There was "the great Tower" (Ziggurat) and 53 temples including the "GreatTemple of Marduk," and 180 altars to Ishtar.
-In Nebuchadnezzar's palace were the Golden image of Baal together with the
Golden Table (both weighing over 50,000 lbs of solid gold), also 2 golden lions
and a solid gold human figure (18 feet high).
-Nebuchadnezzar’s palace was considered to be the most magnificant building
ever erected on earth.
In 539 B.C. Cyrus led the Persian army into victory over Babylon by diverting
the Euphrates River during a Feast. Nothing remains today of Babylon except a
series of widely scattered mounds to study. (See Isaiah 13-14)
Back
The Story of the Bible