The city of Babylon on the River Euphrates in southern Iraq first came to prominence as the royal city of King Hammurabi, and then again during the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
c. 1850 B.C.E.–539 B.C.E.
Beginner's Guide
What is Babylon?
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Map of the world
A tablet from ancient Iraq contains both a cuneiform inscription and a unique map of the Mesopotamian world.
Babylonia, an introduction
For two thousand years, Babylon’s lost Tower and Hanging Gardens have haunted European imagination.
Towers of Babel
Artists have depicted the Tower of Babel throughout the ages, a symbol of the extraordinary—but it did exist.
The Babylonian mind
What do the 60-minute clock and the zodiac have in common? The answer lies in ancient Babylon.
Visiting Babylon
Even today with international tourism waning in the face of military threats, Iraqis regularly visit this famous site.
The Ishtar Gate and Neo-Babylonian art and architecture
“I, Nebuchadnezzar … magnificently adorned them with luxurious splendor for all mankind to behold in awe.”
Kassite art: Unfinished Kudurru
The Kassites controlled Babylonia for 400 years—now all that remains are these carved boundary stones.
Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi
Law is at the heart of modern civilization, and is often based on principles listed here nearly 4,000 years ago.
