Babylon: Why did the great city decline?

In 323 BCE, Alexander the Great died in Babylon. The city was not yet a forgotten ruin: it remained an important center of government, religion, and learning. How did it subsequently lose its place among the great cities of the ancient world? From the rise of Hammurabi to the constructions of Nebuchadnezzar II, from the conquest of Cyrus to the new cities of the Seleucid rulers, this documentary explores the transformations that gradually diminished Babylon's importance. Why didn't the Persian conquest destroy the city? What role did Seleucia on the Tigris play in the shift of activities and power? How did Babylonian scholars continue their observations long after the end of political independence? We also examine the connections between the Etemenanki and the Tower of Babel, the uncertainties surrounding the Hanging Gardens, and the archaeological discoveries that allow us to move beyond the legends. An investigation into a crucial idea: a city can outlive its conquerors, but gradually lose the functions that made it powerful. Subscribe to Empires of Time to understand the rise and fall of civilizations, cities, and dynasties. #Babylon #Mesopotamia #History #Archaeology #Documentary