All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

Babylonians

The Babylonians, known for their rich cultural heritage and significant contributions to various fields, flourished in Mesopotamia during the second and first millennia BC.

In this section of our website, we invite you to discover the intriguing personalities and accomplishments of Babylonian figures who left an indelible mark on history. From visionary rulers and influential scholars to skilled astronomers and accomplished artisans, these individuals embody the spirit and achievements of the Babylonian civilization.

Whether you are a history enthusiast, a student of ancient civilizations, or simply intrigued by the wonders of Babylon, this section will serve as your gateway to an enchanting world.

The National Museum of Iraq. Many of the pieces discovered at the ruins of Ur, arranged and labelled by Ennigaldi-Nanna, can be found here. Source: Jdx / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Hidden Women of History: Ennigaldi-Nanna, Curator of the World’s First Museum

“It belongs in a museum.” With these words, Indiana Jones , the world’s best-known fictional archaeologist , articulated an association between archaeologists, antiquities , and museums that has a...
Inscription on one of the basalt rocks depicting the Babylonian king Nabonidus holding a scepter in his hand.  Source: Saudi Heritage Commission

Archaeologists Find Inscribed Stone Honoring Babylonian King Nabonidus

Archaeologists from the Saudi Heritage Commission discovered a remarkable ancient artifact while exploring a fertile archaeological site in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the Commission has announced ...
 “The Victory of Joshua over the Amorites”

The Fierce Amorites and the First King of the Babylonian Empire

The Amorites, also called Amurru or Martu, were an ancient Semitic-speaking people who dominated the history of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine from about 2000 to 1600 BC. Tribal nomads who forced...
Babylonian/Assyrian king by Angus McBride. (Public Domain) Background: Detail of a relief reconstruction from the processional way that lead to the Ishtar Gate.

Nabopolassar: The Rebel Ruler of Babylonia Who Had the Gods on His Side

Nabopolassar was the founder of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which existed between the 7th and 6th centuries BC. But the Neo-Assyrians that were losing power at the time didn’t make his rise easy. If...
The three Jews brought before Nebuchadnezzar (1565), Philip Galle

The Posterity of Neo-Babylonia: The Dramatic Reign of Nebuchadnezzar II

Born in 634 BC in what is now called Neo-Babylonia, Nebuchadnezzar II would one day become one of the greatest ancient Babylonian kings. The first-born son of his predecessor Nabopolassar, from a...
Assyrian soldiers carry beheaded heads of their prisoners as depicted on a wall in the South-West Palace at Nineveh, during the “First” Fall of Neneveh.          Source: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin / CC BY-SA 4.0

August 10 612 BC: Nineveh, the Largest City in the World, Fell

On this day, 2,632 years ago, the ancient metropolis of Nineveh fell. “ ABC 3 ” is a historiographical text from ancient Babylonia which records August 10th 612 BC as the date of this dramatic...
Left: Archaeologists at the Canaanite temple excavation site in Lachish, Israel. Source: The Fourth Expedition To Lachish / Southern Adventist University. Right: (top) Two tiny figurines depicting 'smiting gods' (could be Baal and Resheph) that were found by the altar of the temple and (bottom) weapons and jewelry found at the site. Source: Tal Rogovski / Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Artifact Packed 3,000-Year-Old Canaanite Temple Unearthed In Israel

A rare 3,000-year-old Canaanite temple full of ancient religious artifacts has been unearthed in southern Israel. Built around the time of the ancient Israelite invasion described in the Bible , the...
Medieval stargazers. People have been fascinated by the stars and their possible influence over our lives, long before and after the time of Babylonian astrology.

Complex Astronomical and Astrological Systems Detailed on Ancient Assyrian Tablets

Archaeologists studying a group of five unique stone tablets dating to the first millennium in Babylonia and Assyria have announced that they reveal a hitherto unknown level of astronomical...
The Burning of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar’s Army (1630-1660)

By the Rivers of Babylon: Life in Ancient Babylon’s Thriving Jewish Community

In the 6th-century BC, the armies of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah. They tore down the city walls, burned the temples, and ran down every person who tried to escape. The few...
The Garden of Eden with the Fall of Man by Jan Brueghel the Elder and Pieter Paul Rubens

Do the Four Rivers Lead Us to the Garden of Eden?

In the Biblical Book of Genesis, chapter 2, the description of the Four Rivers of Eden provides clues for locating the lost garden of paradise. Following these clues leads to a connection between the...
The Powerful Assyrians, Rulers of Empires

The Powerful Assyrians, Rulers of Empires

Much of Assyria's history is closely tied to its southern neighbor, Babylonia. The two Mesopotamian empires spoke similar languages and worshipped most of the same gods. They were often rivals on the...
Hand-colored engraving of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (19th Century)

The Magnificent Constructions of King Nebuchadnezzar II

Neo-Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II remains known as the leader of one of the most powerful ancient empires to have preceded that of the Athenians in Greek's Classical period. However, aside from...
A text describing omens based on eclipses, Assyria

Omens in the Ancient World

In the ancient world, omens, especially bad omens, were not to be taken lightly. In ancient civilisations, the world was thought to be inhabited by supernatural forces. These forces were capable of...
Marseille Tarot

The Ancient Origins of the Marseille Tarot

The Marseille Tarot is the result of one or more attempts to copy imagery in Sumerian and Babylonian cylinder seals and other artefacts from that civilization. Theosophical Society founder Helena...
Brain Surgery during Ancient Times

Brain Surgery in Ancient Times

Hippocrates describes many operations of the brain during ancient Greek times. However, it is one thing to have something written and another thing to find concrete evidence that proves that such...