Mod. 3 - Babylonian Art, an Introduction

Babylon

An ancient city located on the River Euphrates in southern Iraq, known for its rich history, particularly during the reign of King Hammurabi.

Hammurabi

A key ruler of Babylon around 1790-1750 B.C.E. who established control over a vast area and is famous for his code of laws.

Queen of the Night

An iconic artwork from Old Babylonian period (1800-1750 B.C.E.), housed in the British Museum, made of baked straw-tempered clay.

Kassite dynasty

A ruling dynasty in Babylon starting around 1500 B.C.E. that unified southern Iraq and contributed to scribal learning.

Babylonia

The kingdom that emerged under the Kassite kings, known for its advancements in divination, astrology, medicine, and mathematics.

Assyria

A neighboring empire to Babylonia, known for its military expansion which led to conflicts with Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar II

A prominent Babylonian king (6th century B.C.E.) known for extensive rebuilding of Babylon and the construction of the Hanging Gardens.

Hanging Gardens

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, attributed to Nebuchadnezzar II, though its historical existence is debated.

Cyrus II

The Persian king who defeated the last Babylonian king Nabonidus and incorporated Babylon into the Achaemenid Persian Empire.

Seleucia-on-the-Tigris

A city founded in the third century B.C.E. which became the official Royal City, leading to the decline of Babylon as a center.

Map of the World

An Akkadian cuneiform tablet produced in Babylon (c. 700-500 B.C.E.), representing geographical knowledge of the time.

Robert Koldewey

An archaeologist who conducted excavations of Babylon from 1899 to 1917.

Antiochus I

A ruler under whose reign Seleucia-on-the-Tigris became the official Royal City, displacing Babylon's prominence.