BABYLON. 



169 



Babylon. 



Temple of 



Belus. 



river by some species of engine, and kept there 

 ready to be distributed to any part of the gardens. 



Near to the old palace stood the temple of Belus ; 

 and in the middle of the temple was an immense tower, 

 about 600 feet in height, and the same number square 

 at the foundation. This huge pile of building con- 

 sisted of eight towers, each 75 feet high, placed one 

 above the other, and gradually decreasing towards the 

 top like a pyramid. The ascent to the summit was 

 accomplished by Stairs on the outside, in a sloping 

 direction, and of a spiral form; and these, winding 

 eight times round the whole, produced the appearance 

 of as mar.y towers, regularly contracting their diame- 

 ter. In the different stories were many lofty apart- 

 ments, supported by pillars, and used as chapels or 

 temples in the worship of Baal ; and on the top of 

 all was erected a complete observatory for astronomi- 

 cal purposes. What has been described is understood 

 to have been the old tower of Babel, but it was great- 

 ly enlarged by Nebuchadnezzar, who built around its 

 base a number of other sacred edifices, forming a 

 square nearly three miles in compass. The whole 

 was inclosed by a strong wall, and the various en- 

 trances secured by solid gates of brass, which are con- 

 jectured to have been formed out of the spoils of the 

 temple at Jerusalem. [Dan. i. 2.; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 

 7.) In this temple of Belus, or, as some say, on its 

 summit, was a golden image 40 feet in height, and 

 equal in value to 3\ millions sterling. There was, 

 besides, such a multitude of other statues and sacred 

 utensils, that the whole of the treasures contained in 

 this single edifice, have been estimated at 42 millions. 



Many of the above statements recorded in ancient 

 authors respecting the wonders of Babylon, are un- 

 questionably greatly exaggerated ; but, after every 

 abatement that can fairly be made, this city is under- 

 stood to have comprehended a regular square, 48 

 miles in circuit, and to have been eight times larger 

 than London and its appendages. (See Gillies' 

 Hitt. of the World, vol, i. p. 16b', and Rennel's Geog. 

 of Herodotus, p. 341.) The city of Babylon seems 

 to have excelled in rich and ingenious manufactures, 

 at a very early period in the history of the world; and 

 its " goodly garments" are mentioned 1450 years 

 before Christ. (Joshua, vii. 21. and 2 Sam. xiii. 

 18.) For the space of 26 years after the death of 

 Nebuchadnezzar, it continued to retain its glory ; 

 and was at once the seat of an imperial court, the sta- 

 tion of a numerous garrison, and the scene of a most 

 extensive commerce. It was at length invested about 

 510 years before Christ, by the victorious armies of 

 Cyrus the Great. Crowded with troops for their 

 defence, surrounded with such lofty walls, and fur- 

 nished with provisions for 20 years, the citizens of 

 Babylon derided the efforts of their besieger, and 

 boasted of their impregnable situation. On the other 

 hand, the conqueror of Asia, determined to subdue 

 his only remaining rival in the empire of the eastern 

 world, left no expedient untried for the reduction of 

 the city. By means of the palm trees, which abound- 

 ed in that country, he erected a number of towers 

 higher than the walls ; and made many desperate at- 

 tempts to carry the place by assault. He next drew 

 a line of circumvallation around the city ; divided his 

 army into 12 parts ; appointed each of these to guard 



VOL. III. PART I. 



the trenches for a month ; and resolved to starve his Babylon 

 enemy to a surrender. After spending two years in v -~~v 

 this blockade, he was presented with an opportunity 

 of effecting his purpose by stratagem. Having learn- 

 ed that a great festival was to be celebrated in the 

 city, and that it was customary with the Babylonians, 

 on that occasion, to spend the night in drunkenness 

 and debauchery ; he posted a part of his troops close 

 by the spot where the river Euphrates entered the 

 city, and another at the place where it went out, with 

 orders to march along the channel, whenever they 

 should find it fordable. He then detached a third 

 party to open the head of the canal, which led to the 

 great lake already described ; and, at the same time, 

 to admit the river into the trenches, which he had 

 drawn around the city. By these means the river was 

 so completely drained by midnight, that his troops 

 easily found their way along its bed ; and the gates, 

 which used to shut up the passages from its banks, 

 having been left open in consequence of the general 

 disorder, they encountered no obstacle whatever in 

 their progress. Having thus penetrated into the 

 heart of the city, and met, according to agreement, 

 at the gates of the palace, they easily overpowered the 

 guards ; cut to pieces all who opposed them ; slew 

 the king Belshazzar, while attempting to make re- 

 sistance ; and received the submission of the whole 

 city within a few hours. From this period Babylon 

 ceased to be the metropolis of a kingdom ; and its 

 grandeur very rapidly decayed. Its citizens were 

 very impatient under the Persian yoke ; and their 

 pride was particularly provoked by the removal of 

 the imperial seat to Susa. Taking advantage of the 

 disorders in Persia, in consequence of the sudden death 

 of Cambyses, and of the massacre of the Magians, 

 they continued, during the space of four years, to 

 make secret preparations for a revolt. At length, in 

 the fifth year of Darius Hystaspes, about 518 years 

 before Christ, they openly raised the standard of re- 

 bellion ; and thus drew upon themselves the whole 

 force of the Persian empire. Determined upon a des- 

 perate defence, and desirous to make their provisions 

 last as long as possible, they adopted the barbarous 

 resolution of destroying all such persons in the city 

 as could be of no service during the siege. Having 

 sacrificed the lives of their friends, and resolutely re- 

 gardless of their own, they resisted successfully all the 

 strength and stratagems of the Persians, for the space 

 of 18 months ; and fell at length into the hands of 

 Darius by the following extraordinary instance of 

 fortitude in one of his officers. Zopyi us, one of the 

 principal noblemen in the Persian court, appeared in 

 the presence of his prince, covered with blood, de- 

 prived of his nose and ears, torn with stripes, and 

 wounded in various parts of his body ; unfolded to the 

 astonished monarch his design of deserting to the 

 enemy, and arranged his future plan of operations. 

 Approaching the walls of the city, he was carried 

 before the governor, detailed the cruel treatment 

 which he professed to have received from Darius ; 

 offered his services to the Babylonians, who were 

 well acquainted with his rank and abilities ; acquired 

 their confidence by several successful sallies ; obtain- 

 ed at length the chief command of their forces, and 

 thus easily found means to betray the city to his mas- 



