Why is Babylon famous?

Babylon was famous in its time as a great intellectual, cultural, and religious center. It is best known today for its depiction in the Bible as a city of sin and depravity.

Was the Tower of Babel really in Babylon?

The story of the Tower of Babel in the Bible (Genesis 11: 1-9) never mentions Babylon specifically but only references "the city and the tower". It is thought that the Hebrew scribes associated the tower with Babylon due to a misinterpretation of the Akkadian name for Babylon which meant "Gate of the Gods" with the Hebrew word for "confusion".

Where does the name Babylon come from and what does it mean?

The name Babylon comes from the Akkadian "bav-il" which means "Gate of the God" or "Gate of the Gods."

How did Babylon fall?

Babylon was attacked and destroyed by Sennacherib of Assyria and by Xerxes I of Persia but was rebuilt. It finally fell simply due to neglect. It was in poor repair by 651 CE when the Muslim Arabs swept the region and damaged the city, and it was abandoned sometime after.

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Article:	Babylon
Author:	Joshua J. Mark
Narrator:	James Lloyd

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James Lloyd

James' main area of research is ancient Greek music, but he has general interests in mythology, religion, and art & archaeology. A self-confessed philhellene, James keeps at least one eye on the Roman pie.

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Joshua J. Mark

Joshua J. Mark is World History Encyclopedia's co-founder and Content Director. He was previously a professor at Marist College (NY) where he taught history, philosophy, literature, and writing. He has traveled extensively and lived in Greece and Germany.

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