The Secrets of Babylon in Ancient Mesopotamia (Present-Day Iraq)
How would you feel if you resided in the center of human civilization, even in ancient times?
The people of ancient Mesopotamia, bearing the title of the “Cradle of Civilization,” knew how the ancient world was built. The area features significant advances in civilization and culture in the middle of today’s Iraq, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
And it was all embodied in one great city – Babylon, a place whose name is forever inscribed in the annals of history. But Babylon was more than a mere city; it was an engine of expansion and an idea that dominated the entire region.
Millions of voices have been tantalized for ages by the particulars of Babylonian ziggurats, the magic of the hanging gardens, or Hammurabi’s code. But it is not the whole story, there is more concerning ancient history in this city.
In this presentation, I will attempt to answer the mysteries, the myths, and the marvels that made Babylon the pearl of the Ancient Near east.
The Rise of Babylon
The great city of Babylon had a humble beginning and didn’t begin as all people think it was. So, in the early second millennium BCE, it was just a little town on the banks of the Euphrates river.
But that was a game-changer since its position was central. Because it is located at the center of Mesopotamia, Babylon became a hub for trade and culture that reached out in all directions.
Fertile lands surrounding it made it easy to farm, while the rivers were a source of transport as well as water, basically, it was a good place to be. Things really took off when King Hammurabi came to the power around 1792 BCE. This man was no ordinary king.
He was a man of vision. King Hammurabi extended the borders of Babylon, bringing almost the entirety of Mesopotamia under its control.
But it was not all about the arms, he made a name for himself by instituting one of the first legal codes known as Hammurabi’s code. From a small town, he rapidly developed Babylon into the hub center of an Empire due to his leadership. It was a city of development and administration that laid a solid foundation for the wrists of history that was to come.
The Code of Hammurabi: Justice in Stone
Hammurabi’s Code is simply one of the best things about Babylonia – and not just because it is ancient. Raisin from history, it was among the very first legal codes to be recorded in writing as it was carved on a large stone pillar.
Try to visualize walking around the city, with a large stone pillar depicting the laws of the land conveniently positioned wherever one goes. The legal code ranged from rights involving trade and properties to issues such as marriage and law and order.
What was innovative about it was the principle emphasis on justice – albeit rather relative justice. This code included the phrase “eye for an eye”, which ensured that the punishment fits the offense committed, or at least in principle it did.
But there was more to it. Hammurabi believed that these laws he considered to be given to him by the gods.
Explaining the culture of gods was not merely ornamental; it offered the laws a mystical aura of sanctity that cemented his power over the society and created a politically stable, orderly – well, most of the time, Babylon.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Fact or Fiction?
The name of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon conjures up visions of deep green vines and colorful flowers hanging from a terraced structure somewhere in the middle of the desert. Many would include these spectacular landscapes one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
As legend goes, they were constructed by Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife who missed the hills and valleys of her native land. This is, however, where the twist comes in.
Regardless of countless stories, however, there is no solid archaeological substance to validate their occurrence in Babylon. Certain historians are of the opinion that the gardens were, in fact, a fiction, perhaps enhanced by the pen of Greek authors, or even that they were placed in some other city such as Nineveh.
Even so, if they did exist they would have been engineered works of art. Ancient engineers might have employed some distinctive irrigation system, perhaps using pulleys and pumps to raise water from the Euphrates River in order to sustain the gardens. True or not, the mystery only enhances the appeal of the beautiful story of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar II and the Golden Age of Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar II was one such king who maintained his reign while marking an elite presence in the ancient kingdoms and civilizations. He ruled. Babylon, over the period of 605-562 BCE, reached its golden age during his leadership reign.
However, it is not only the kings who are powerful since one’s power can also be depicted. In this case, one city’s greatness can be demonstrated by the structures that encompass it. For this reason, he initiated building a lot of structures.
Can one suggest that these structures built in the time frame of antiquity resemble the depth of an ocean? You would likely argue yes. And why not because the majestic Ishtar Gate with deep blue tile finery and gold embellishments is prominent.
The gate is also one of the 7 ancient wonders having described the former entryway of Babylon being an economically rich one. However, this building frenzy for which the people of Babylon knew their king by his name was, at most, a political strategy. He made it his objective to create such grandeur of temples, walls, and palaces that he would be around for many years to come.
His vision came true as he managed to establish the very fact that Babylon was the primary force of its region and, with that, to demand complete assurance and admiration. To him these achievements weren’t simple accomplishments; they were solely political in reason purpose.
The Fall of Babylon: End of an Era
After its incorporation through the Persian Empire formed by Cyrus the Great, Babylon’s development started to go down. He’s the one who had ideas on how to dominate the city with little to no destruction.
More specifically, he created an ingenious plan that took the city with little violence. As opposed to attacking the city directly, he made a decision that was even better: he changed the course of the Euphrates River so that the water level would drop and his soldiers could move through the river without difficulties.
This unexpected strategy worked, and Babylon fell into the hands of its invaders without bloodshed. While the city gradually lost its political power, its cultural memory and intellectual achievements did not disappear.
It was rich not only in its stunning masterpiece called the Hanging Gardens but also in its development of astronomy and law. In its downfall, Babylon still served as an example of human achievements, which, time and time again, had withstood the test as one of the great advances of civilization.
There you have it, you just learn some valuable information on Babylon and it’s secret. Now you have some interesting topics to talk about this weekend, haha!