Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1893 — Babylon. [ARTICLE]

Babylon.

According to Herodotus the ancient city of Babylon stood on a broad, level plain, and was an exact square of fourteen miles each way, making the entire circuit of the city fifty-six miles. It waa protected by both a wall and a moat, tho latter being broad and deep and kept constantly filled with water. But thowall was the wonder of wonders, being 93i feet in width and an even 200 feet in height. This monster barrier was provided with 100 gates, all of solid brass, the lintels and side pieces being in bronze. Cross walls ran along the banka of the Euphrates, each provided with twenty-five gates, whioh corresponded to the number of streets running in each direction from the river. The most remarkable edifice inside the wall was the Temple of Bel, a pyramid of eight square stadia. On the summit of this pyramid stood a pure gold image of Bel 40 feet high, two other small figures of the same precious metal, and a golden table 40 feet and 15 feet wide. This wonderful city first came prominently into the history of the world in the year 747 B. C., hut since the time of Alexander the Great it has been a ruin, the site having atone time been entirely lost.—[St. Louis Republic.