Visiting Ancient Babylon Ruins Today: What Still Remains
Babylon experienced glory as the imperial seat of empires twice: first in the 18th century BC during the Old Babylonian period, characterized by Hammurabi’s era; and a second time during the Neo-Babylonian period, when Nebuchadnezzar II’s father rose against the Assyrians, with the aid of his Median allies, and freed the city from centuries of intermittent Assyrian domination.
The Babylonians inherited the culture and civilization of their southern neighbors, the Sumerians, who are credited with founding urban civilization and pioneering inventions like writing and the wheel.
Babylon and its kings are famous for many things—some portrayed negatively in the Old Testament, and others marveled at in the writings of early Greek historians like Herodotus. The truth is, they were normal ancient people: they waged war as invaders, defended themselves from enemies, and proudly bragged about their achievements.
Their true distinction lies in the latter: accomplishments that had no rival in their time. One of the earliest codes of law is Babylonian; the greatest city on earth was their capital at its peak between 605–539 BC; their literature, mythology, and epic tales influenced the entire civilized world; and their contributions to knowledge remain immense. That is what made Babylon great.
Here are Five Sites that you can see today in ancient Babylon:
Lion of Babylon
A basalt statue of a lion trampling over a man, symbolizing power and the overcoming of adversaries. The lion is traditionally associated with Ishtar, the goddess of love and warfare.
Nebuchadnezzar II’s Palaces
There are two main palaces among the ancient ruins of Babylon: the Main Palace, which consists mostly of sprawling ruins, and the Southern Palace, which underwent extensive restoration work in the 1980s.
The Original Ishtar Gate
The lower part of the Ishtar Gate remains standing in its original location. The carvings of mythical creatures are still visible on the walls, but unlike the famous reassembled section housed in Berlin, these bricks are unglazed.
Procession Street
The magnificent main thoroughfare of the inner city. The Babylonians called it in their Akkadian language, "The Enemy Shall Not Pass." The ancient paving tiles and the original bitumen mortar are still visible today.
What Remains of the Tower of Babel
What is commonly called the Tower of Babel was an Etemenanki—a massive, multi-staged ziggurat dedicated to the city's patron god, Marduk. Renowned for its immense grandeur, the original structure stood seven stages and 90 meters tall. Today, visitors can see little remnants of its immense footprint.
