Babylon is a city that received the title of one of the first megacities of human civilization. The exact time of the foundation of this city is unknown, but it is assumed that Babylon appeared in the XIX century BC. The favorable geographical location allowed the city to become the capital of the Babylonian kingdom - it is located on the territory of Southern Mesopotamia and is known as a semi-mystical place.
The city often appears on the pages of the Holy Scriptures, which is why its mystical nature is explainable. For Christianity, this city has a special significance and importance, because, according to what is said in the Bible, it was here that people wanted to build a tower to heaven to perpetuate their names. However, God was angry with these people for their pride, mixed their tongues so that they would no longer understand each other and could not complete the construction. So, according to legend, prototypes of modern languages of the world appeared.
The artist Piotr Bruegel the Elder, who lived during the Renaissance, created a painting called "Tower of Babel", which showed how this huge structure could look. Babylon is also mentioned by John the Evangelist in the last parts of the New Testament. The down-to-earth history of the city without mysticism and religious legends suggests that Babylon was loved by great rulers who went down in history thanks to their actions.
According to the documents, the Babylonian state in the period from 1793 to 1750 BC was ruled by King Hammurabi - a man who made many military campaigns against neighbors, thanks to which the lands of Babylon expanded many times. The tsar did not forget about justice and the economy, devoting a lot of time to the development of the internal power of the country. Hammurabi became the man who created the first collection of laws in the history of mankind. Under his sensitive and wise government, the Babylonian kingdom reached the peak of its power.
When the legendary king died, his successors went to war with Assyria and conquered the territories of the Sumerian state. Babylon gained political power and spread its importance to neighboring territories, becoming a key city in southern Mesopotamia in both religion and politics.
The heyday of the Babylonian state lasted presumably until the period of the X-V century BC - at this time the country's influence on the world weakened, and the troubled years in the life of Babylon began. The state had to face a serious crisis of power, which led Babylon to anarchy and anarchy. The borders of the kingdom were regularly raided by nomadic tribes, and in 729 BC all of Mesopotamia was conquered by the Assyrian king Tiglathpalasar III. After these events, only kings of Assyrian origin were at the helm of Babylon. The citizens of the city tried to regain sovereignty and greatness, but all attempts were suppressed.
Rays of Light in the Dark Realm
During the five-century turmoil in Babylon, there were periods of "light", when there was hope for the revival of the great city. In 605 BC, Babylon began to be ruled by Nebuchadnezzar II - one of the most powerful and powerful kings of the country. He came to power after the fall of the Assyrian state and began to conquer the territories that broke away from the fallen country. In 585 BC, Nebuchadnezzar captured the main city of Judea, Jerusalem, and subjugated all its people. Jerusalem turned into an impregnable fortress, and Babylon entered the Renaissance period of its cultural and economic life. Nebuchadnezzar erected the legendary wonder of the world - the hanging gardens of Babylon.
In October 539 BC, Babylon was captured by the Persian king Cyrus II the Great. The city became part of the Achaemenid Empire. After that, the city was captured by both the Romans and the Parthians, but they were no longer part of the mighty Babylon as it was centuries ago, but in its worst version. The city repeatedly plunged into troubled periods, but could always get out of them.
As a result, the Persian state took away its name from Babylon, gave it to another large polis, and the legendary city itself began to turn into ruins.
After 2 centuries, the legendary place was captured by the commander and tsar Alexander the Great. Under him, Babylon again acquired the status of the capital in Asia. The solemn entry into the city dates back to October 331 BC. Before these events, the city was devastated by the Achaemenids, and many cultural monuments were destroyed. The Greek king ordered the restoration of the lost heritage of Babylon and the restoration of pagan temples. Alexander the Great loved this city very much and spent the last days of his life in it.
When the legendary king passed away, his vast empire quickly began to fall apart. Babylon was again captured by the Parthians and created new capital cities in the country. Babylon itself by the beginning of our era turned into an abandoned city without importance and former power.
Now it is part of the territory of Iraq, and it is inhabited by about 155 thousand citizens. The territory of the oldest city on Earth is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
