Babylon

Quick Facts: Who was Babylon?

Subject:

Babylon

Known for:

Ancient Mesopotamian metropolis, center of empires like the Old and Neo-Babylonian.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Babylon ( BAB-il-on) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about 85 kilometres (53 miles) south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-speaking region of Babylonia. Its rulers established two important empires in antiquity, the 19th–16th century BC Old Babylonian Empire, and the 7th–6th century BC Neo-Babylonian Empire. Babylon also served as a regional capital of other empires, such as the Achaemenid Empire. Babylon was one of the most important urban centres of the ancient Near East until its decline during the Hellenistic period.

Career & Major Achievements

Nearby ancient sites include Kish, Borsippa, Dilbat, and Kutha. Both the Hanging Gardens and Walls of Babylon were ranked among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The gardens purportedly existed between approximately 600 BC and AD 1, but some scholars question their historical reality, as they are not mentioned in any extant Babylonian text. The earliest known mention of Babylon as a small town appears on a clay tablet from the reign of Shar-Kali-Sharri (2217–2193 BC), of the Akkadian Empire. Babylon was a religious and cultural centre at this point but was neither an independent state nor a large city, merely a town of the Akkadian Empire.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The collapse of the Akkadian Empire was followed by a few decades under the south Mesopotamian Gutian Dynasty, then the Third Dynasty of Ur ruling the whole of Mesopotamia, including the town of Babylon. The town became part of a small independent city-state in the early second millennium BC. The Amorite king Hammurabi founded the Old Babylonian Empire in the 18th century BC. He built Babylon into a major city and declared himself its king. Southern Mesopotamia became known as Babylonia, and Babylon eclipsed Nippur as the region's holy city.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Babylon

True or False: “The Hanging Gardens were definitively mentioned in extant Babylonian texts detailing their construction.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Scholars question the historical reality of the gardens because they are not mentioned in any existing Babylonian text.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Babylonia — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Ancient Akkadian-speaking state centered on Babylon in Mesopotamia.
• Babylonian captivity — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The period of forced relocation of Judeans from Jerusalem to Babylonia by the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
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• Bacchylides — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A celebrated Greek lyric poet, noted for the elegance and clarity of his style.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Babylon