BABYLON

(Heb. Babel, ‘gate of the god’), anc. tn., Me so pot am i a (32° 35’ N., 44° 40’ E.), on E. bank of Euphrates, cap. of Babylonian Empire; most important between 19th and 6th cents. B.C.; was ruined by Sennacherib of Ripsnenty under Nabopola ar and ebuchadrezzar; conquered by Cyrus, 539; by Alexander the Great, 331; began to decline under Seleucidz, of whose kingdom Seleucia (near by) became cap. The remains of the Great Babylon show it to have been smaller than described; traces of three walls still to be seen; Ger. excavations, 1899 onwards, have revealed sites of places, etc. Adjoining that of Nebuchadrezzar II. traces of frrigation works probably mark ‘site of ‘Hanging Gardens’ of Semi ram is, who represents fabulous luxury of Babylon; built in terrace form and supported on arches resting upon other arches, they were one of seven wonders of the world. The traditional worldline , luxury, and vice of Babylon furnished Puritans of 16th and (still more) 17th cents. with an epithet to describe Rome, symbolism of Book of Revelation being transferred to current events; the ‘Great Babylon’ is a common figure of speech applied to large cities.