Babylon

Babylon was an ancient city on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, in modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about 85 kilometres (53 miles) south of Baghdad. It was the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-speaking region of Babylonia.

Babylon was important in history. It was home to two large empires: the Old Babylonian Empire from the 19th to 16th century BC, and the Neo-Babylonian Empire from the 7th to 6th century BC. At its height, Babylon was one of the largest and most important cities of the ancient world.

The city started as a small town and grew under the rule of Hammurabi. Babylon was famous for its grand buildings, like the Walls of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Over time, many empires ruled the city, including the Achaemenid Empire. Today, the ruins of Babylon are a World Heritage Site and many people visit each year.

Names

The name Babylon means "gate of the god(s)". Ancient people wrote it in cuneiform. Over time, the name was understood in new ways.

Babylon’s name appears in many languages. In the Hebrew Bible, it is called Babel, meaning "confusion". The word "babble" comes from this idea.

Archaeology

The ancient city of Babylon was very big, covering about 1,000 hectares (nearly 4 square miles). Long city walls enclosed about 450 hectares (about 1.75 square miles). The site has several important mounds, such as Kasr, Merkes, Homera, Ishin-Aswad, Sahn, Amran, and Babil. The Euphrates river runs nearby, though its path has changed a little over time.

People started digging at Babylon in the early 1800s. Many explorers and archaeologists have studied the site and found important structures and objects. Some early digging led to the loss of many valuable items. Later, better scientific methods were used to protect what was left of this ancient city.