How Did They Do That?
By the rivers of the Euphrates and Tigris rose up one of the ancient world’s greatest civilisations
Babylon was founded as small administrative centre in the third millennia BC by Akaadian king Sargon the Great, around 50 miles south of modern-day Baghdad. Over the next few centuries, it flourished into a cultural Mecca and capital of the Babylonian Empire. Though many of its ruins are now inaccessible due to rising water levels, the mentions in the Bible provide an invaluable insight into life in this legendary city.
BABYLON’S GOLDEN AGE
The Babylonian Empire was at its most powerful under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar II, who reigned from 605-562 BC. His empire stretched from the Persian Gulf to the borders of Egypt, with Babylon as its capital. He began a major reconstruction of the city, building some of its most recognisable and beautiful landmarks.
Sir Francis Drake brought the potato back from the Americas
HOW HAS WHAT WE EAT CHANGED OVER THE CENTURIES?