Under the vast sky, Babylon was once a great and powerful empire of the ancient civilization. It was magnificent, but why did Babylon decline overnight?
More than 2,600 years ago, in the Mesopotamian basin, there existed a formidable empire. It ushered in a glorious and splendid era of civilization, witnessing the heights of opulence and prosperity, and was the birthplace of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. This was the powerhouse that the Greek historian Herodotus exclaimed was, in terms of size, far surpassing the splendor of any city in the world. This was the Neo-Babylonian Empire (626-539 BC).
The Babylonian Empire.
The Legend of the Holy Land of Babylon
The greatness of Neo-Babylon was created by none other than King Nebuchadnezzar II, an extraordinary figure of the Mesopotamian region. For him, no enemy was unbeatable, no wish unfulfilled, and no land unconquerable.
Indeed, history records Nebuchadnezzar II as the most outstanding king of ancient Babylon. He transformed Babylon into a wonder of the ancient civilization, constructing grand temples and magnificent architectural works, and turning Neo-Babylon into a powerful and invincible empire, renowned throughout the ages. He was not only a brilliant warrior and a skilled general but also a romantic king. To comfort his beloved wife Amyitis’s homesickness, King Nebuchadnezzar II commissioned the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, forever etching the story of a legendary wonder.
Just by looking at the wealth of Babylon, one can see the pinnacle of power King Nebuchadnezzar II wielded. Due to this opulence, the Bible referred to Babylon as the “Garden of Eden” of the Mesopotamian basin. Nestled between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, Babylon became a cultural center and the cradle of ancient civilization. The entire city was surrounded by two massive, formidable walls. Due to its proximity to the Euphrates River, water could easily be channeled from the river to create a vast moat encircling the city, providing an incredibly strong protective barrier for Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar II undertook large-scale construction, turning this area into the richest and most powerful land in the Middle East and the most important trading city.
The main streets in the city center were paved with white and rose-colored stones, and there was a tall tower, 91 meters high, with each side measuring 91.4 meters, comprising a total of 7 stories, each adorned with different colored glazed bricks. The top of the tower was constructed with glazed bricks, resembling a temple dedicated to a golden statue. It is said that this was the Tower of Babel, which challenged the divine in the “Bible.” The palaces within the city were magnificently decorated, especially the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the world. Babylon was built grandly and magnificently, and even 100 years after the Greek historian Herodotus visited, he still called Babylon the most wonderful city in the world.
King Nebuchadnezzar II elevated the country’s power to its zenith, and he also led military campaigns to conquer new frontiers. All nations that the Babylonian army invaded were systematically defeated, until under the vast sky, there was no one left who could rival Babylon.
Such was its glory, but why did the Babylonian empire fall overnight?
A part of the ruins of Babylon viewed from Saddam Hussein’s Summer Palace. (photo: Wikimedia Commons).
When Glory Turns to Decadence
At the height of power and might, Nebuchadnezzar II’s elite army became increasingly aggressive and warlike. Relying on the immense strength of the state, Nebuchadnezzar II repeatedly waged wars against external foes, destroying the kingdoms of the Jews, devastating the holy city of Jerusalem, and thoroughly pillaging and destroying the sacred temples of the Jewish people. The surviving residents mostly became slaves to Babylon, enduring various humiliations and persecutions due to their cultural and religious differences. For the Jews, this was a painful and tormenting experience; thus, this period is referred to as the “Babylonian Captivity.”
Babylon was vast and prosperous, but to the captives, particularly the Jews, it was no different from a hell on earth, a place full of temptations and where they suffered brutal persecution. For example, the “Bible” records that King Nebuchadnezzar built a golden statue, and all officials, great and small, were required to attend the inauguration ceremony, where everyone present was ordered to bow down before the golden statue, or face execution. The Jews present refused to bow down to the statue due to their religious beliefs, worshipping no other gods but Jehovah. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered them to be thrown into a fiery furnace.
Not only was Babylon a “hell on earth” for the Jewish faithful, but it was also a place of chaos and moral decay. Being the capital of the kingdom and the commercial center of the Middle East, the decline of Babylon affected many countries and regions. The “Bible – Revelation” states:
“Great Babylon is the root of evil, the ‘mother of harlots, and the mother of abominations on the earth.’ This is the ‘dwelling place of demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean and abominable bird.’ ‘For all nations have drunk the wine of the wrath of her fornication; the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her; the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.’
The Jewish prophet, while being persecuted, preached ethics and the true faith, but the Babylonians completely rejected him, leading the prophet to lament: “We wish to save Babylon, but we cannot save them – perhaps this is the main reason for the demise of this civilization, just as ‘Revelation’ states: ‘It has fallen! Great Babylon has fallen! It has become a dwelling place for demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean and abominable bird.’
A Century of Glory, Crumbled in an Instant
The painting ‘Tower of Babel’ by Pieter Bruegel the Elder painted in 1563, preserved in Vienna, depicting the prosperity of Babylon. (photo: Wikimedia Commons).
In 538 BC, it was the reign of Belshazzar, the last king of the Babylonian Empire and the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. On the last day of the Babylonian Empire’s demise, a war broke out between Persia and Babylon, with the Persian king Cyrus leading his army closer to Babylon. With the enemy at the gates, King Belshazzar believed the thick walls of Babylon were impenetrable, so he summoned nearly a thousand officials to the palace for a grand feast.
Due to arrogance and underestimation of the enemy, all officials participated in the lavish banquet, with no one considering the situation outside the city walls. King Cyrus noticed a branch of the river flowing into Babylon had dried up. Under the cover of darkness, Cyrus led his troops through this path, easily crossing the moat and entering the city of Babylon. He discovered the gates were left open, and thus he led his army into the city without encountering any resistance. Without spending any effort, the Persian forces captured the city of Babylon. The history of the Babylonian kingdom ended here. The once prosperous and thriving place gradually turned into a wasteland, ultimately becoming a heap of ruins.
After Cyrus conquered Babylon, he treated the Jewish people very well and respected their religion, ceasing oppression, freeing all captives, allowing the Jews to return to their homeland, restoring plundered properties, and permitting the reconstruction of the Jewish temple. The Persian Empire founded by Cyrus lasted over two hundred years, and to this day, the Iranians refer to Cyrus as “Father of the Nation.”
The Babylonian kingdom, a once unmatched and mighty kingdom, fell dramatically and instantaneously on a fateful day filled with drama. This chapter of history leaves a profound lesson for posterity. A tyrannical ruler, underestimating the enemy, while the Persian army approached amidst a revelry of drinking and dancing… how could they not fall?
