Ancient Babylon, founded in 2300 BC as a small village between two rivers in modern-day Iraq, rose to become the most powerful city in history under King Hammurabi, who built it into a city of 200,000 people and established one of the first law codes with 282 laws carved in stone. At its peak, Babylon featured massive city walls wide enough for four chariots to race across, the 38-foot-tall Ishtar Gate covered in blue tiles, and the Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. However, subsequent kings became lazy, corrupt, and distracted, leading to the city's fall in 539 BC when Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered it by redirecting the Euphrates River, allowing his soldiers to walk through the dry riverbed while the king was eating at a banquet.
Babylon Fell Because Its King Was Eating | Rise and Fall of Ancient Babylon #history #shortsAdded:
The most powerful city in history fell, while its king was throwing a party. And honestly, respect for the commitment.
Babylon started as a tiny irrelevant village in 2300 BC, sitting between two rivers in modern-day Iraq. Nobody cared.
It was basically the middle of nowhere, which to be fair, it literally was. Then Hammurabi showed up and said, "No." He built it into the largest city on Earth, 200,000 people. And he wrote one of the first law codes in history, 282 laws carved in stone so you couldn't argue you didn't know. You steal, you lose your hand. You kill, you die. Hammurabi did not do warnings. At its peak, the city walls were so thick four chariots could race across the top. The Ishtar Gate was 38 [music] feet tall, covered in blue tiles. Basically ancient flex culture. They also built the Hanging Gardens, one of the seven wonders, reportedly because Nebuchadnezzar's queen was homesick. The man built a wonder of the world because his wife missed home. Relationship goals, honestly. Uh, then the next kings just stopped trying. Lazy, [music] corrupt, distracted. In 539 BC, Cyrus the Great of Persia saw the opening. He didn't attack the walls, he redirected the Euphrates River. His soldiers walked in under the city through the dry riverbed.
The guards didn't notice. The king didn't notice. The king was inside at a banquet, eating.
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