A Day in Ancient Babylon | What Life Was Really Like in 570 BC

What was everyday life like in ancient Babylon? Travel back to 570 BC and follow Bel-eter through bustling markets, courtyard homes, busy workshops and the river quays of this extraordinary Mesopotamian city. In this animated historical reconstruction, we explore the work behind Babylon’s monumental buildings and ordinary routines: making bricks, baking bread, brewing beer, weaving cloth, weighing silver and recording transactions on clay tablets. Our journey takes us past the blue Ishtar Gate, into the world of scribes and merchants, and onto rooftops where observers study the night sky. We also explore the stories surrounding the Hanging Gardens and distinguish speculative reconstructions from surviving evidence. Bel-eter is a fictional guide. The animation brings historical subjects to life through reconstructed scenes; buildings, costumes and individual events should not be treated as exact records. Modern archaeological and museum views help connect the imagined living city with what survives today. Where—and when—would you like to travel next? Tell me in the comments! If you enjoyed this journey, please subscribe to Time Traveller Tales. Your support helps me bring more journeys through history to the channel. Thank you for watching and travelling with me.