BABYLON, the capital of Babylonia, on both sides of the Euphrates, one of the largest and most splendid cities of the ancient world, now a scene of ruins, and earth-mounds containing them. Babylon was a royal city 1,600 years before the Christian era; but the old city was almost entirely destroyed in 683 B. C. A new city was built by Nebuchadnezzar nearly a century later. This was in the form of a square, each side 15 miles long, with walls of such immense height and thickness as to constitute one of the wonders of the world. It contained splendid edifices, large gardens and pleasure-grounds, es pecially the hanging gardens, a sort of lofty terraced structure. After the city was taken by Cyrus in 538 B. C., and Babylonia made a Persian province, it began to decline, and had suffered severely by the time of Alexander the Great. He intended to restore it, but was prevented by his death, which took place here in 323 B. c.
Interesting discoveries have been made on its site in recent times. The modern town of Hillah is near the ancient city, and the plain here for miles around is studded with vast mounds of earth and imposing ruins. The German Oriental Society has sent a number of expeditions to explore the ruins of storied Babylon, the city of Nebuchadnezzar. At Easter,
1899, the work was begun on the mound that covers ancient Babylon. It was the beginning of bringing to life the so-called "City of Life," which had been dead to the world for 3,000 years or more. Herodotus, who visited Babylon in the time of Artaxerxes I., said that the city was surrounded by a wall 50 royal ells (84 feet) wide, and 200 ells (336 feet) high, and that on top of this wall, on each edge, were one-story houses, leaving a space between the ro ATs of houses on which four chariots abreast could drive. As soon as Dr. Koldewey, the leader of the first expedition, made his first attack on the mound, he struck this wall, un doubtedly the one mentioned by Hero dotus. In April, 1900, Dr. Koldewey discovered a canal, built of Arainean brick, which is believed to be the long sought East Canal. A temple called Ernach, of the goddess Ninniach, was laid bare, and stones found inscribed from the time of Nebuchadnezzar. As a result of these and further discoveries many ancient references to Babylon have now assumed new meaning.