Babylon was the capital of the ancient Chaldean empire in Asia, and is now a ruined city in Iraq. Babylon was located on both sides of the Euphrates, and formed one of the largest and most splendid cities of the ancient world.
Babylon was a royal city sixteen hundred years before the Christian era; but the old city was almost entirely destroyed in 683 BC. A new city was built by Nebuchadnezzar nearly a century later. This was in the form of a square, each side 15 miles long, with walls of such immense height and thickness as to constitute one of the wonders of the world. It contained splendid edifices, large gardens and pleasure-grounds, especially the 'hanging-gardens,' a sort of lofty terraced structure supporting earth enough for trees to grow, and the celebrated tower of Babel or temple of Belus, rising by stages to the height of 625 feet. After the city was taken by Cyrus in 538 BC, and Babylonia made a Persian province, it began to decline, and had suffered severely by the time of Alexander the Great. He intended to restore it, but was prevented by his death, which took place here in 323 BC, from which time its decay was rapid. Interesting discoveries have been made on its site in comparatively recent times, more especially of numerous and valuable inscriptions in the cuneiform or arrow-head character. The modern town of Hillah is believed to represent the ancient city, and the plain here for milesround is studded with vast mounds of earth and brick and imposing ruins. The greatest mound is Birs Nimrud, about 6 miles from Hillah. It rises nearly 200 feet, is crowned by a ruined tower, and is commonly believed to be the remains of the ancient temple of Belus. Another great ruin-mound, called Mujellibeh, has also been assigned as its site.
Abbreviations
Gazetteer
Research Babylon