The Greatness that was Babylon

Book excerpt: Excavations in Mesopotamia have revealed a large amount of new information relevant to the study of Babylonian civilization. The roots of much of western civilization lie in Babylonia the ancient civilization of south Iraq. Alexander the Great recognized the importance of its heritage and planned to make Babylon his world capital. The splendours and supposed wickedness of Babylon lived on in a tradition transmitted through the Bible and classical writers. The author aims here to reconstruct all aspects of this lost culture, presenting the Babylonians as living people -- showing their eating and drinking habits, their worship, their relationships and lifestyle and so present an integrated picture.