The Ancient City of Babylon: History of the Babylonian Empire

The ancient city of Babylon was a city in Mesopotamia which is now modernday Iraq. The city of Babylon is so well known to many due to the many references to it in the Bible, although none of them are particularly glowing comments. The history of Babylon and the Babylonian Empire dates back thousands of years, and apart from its mentions in the Bible, Babylon is known for many things including its impressive Ishtar Gate, magnificent walls and buildings, the belief that it was a great seat of culture and learning and the, potentially fantastical, Hanging Gardens of Babylon built by Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife. Although some ancient sources say that Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great founded the city of Babylon, it is widely believed that Babylon was already founded prior to the reign of Sargon. Unfortunately, the ruins of Old Babylon have been lost to us since the water level has steadily risen over the years, and the ruins which are visible today date to over one thousand years after the cit