<!-- factbase:c1f224 -->
# Babylonia

# Babylonia

## Overview
Babylonia was a major Mesopotamian civilization centered on the city of Babylon, with two principal periods of dominance: the Old Babylonian period under Hammurabi (~1792–1750 BCE) and the Neo-Babylonian Empire (626–539 BCE) under Nebuchadnezzar II. @t[1792 BCE..1750 BCE]

## Key Facts
- Region: Central-southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq)
- Old Babylonian period: ~1894–1595 BCE @t[1894 BCE..1595 BCE]
- Neo-Babylonian period: 626–539 BCE @t[626 BCE..539 BCE]
- Capital: Babylon
- Language: Akkadian (Babylonian dialect)

## Notable Rulers
- Hammurabi (~1792–1750 BCE): Unified Mesopotamia, issued the Code of Hammurabi @t[1792 BCE..1750 BCE] [^1]
- Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BCE): Built the Ishtar Gate, destroyed the Temple of Jerusalem (586 BCE) @t[605 BCE..562 BCE]
- Nabonidus (556–539 BCE): Last native king, defeated by Cyrus the Great @t[556 BCE..539 BCE]

## Achievements
- Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest comprehensive legal codes (~1754 BCE) @t[~1754 BCE]
- Advanced astronomy and mathematics (predicted eclipses, developed algebra)
- Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the Seven Wonders, existence debated) [^2]
- Ishtar Gate and Processional Way

## Decline
The Neo-Babylonian Empire fell to Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 BCE. @t[=539 BCE]

---
[^1]: Roth, M.T. *Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor* (1997)
[^2]: Dalley, S. *The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon* (2013)
---

## Review Queue

<!-- factbase:review -->
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 10: "Region: Central-southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 11: "Old Babylonian period: ~1894–1595 BCE" - when was this true?
> 1595 BCE event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 12: "Neo-Babylonian period: 626–539 BCE" - when was this true?
> 539 BCE event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 13: "Capital: Babylon" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 14: "Language: Akkadian (Babylonian dialect)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 17: "Hammurabi (~1792–1750 BCE): Unified Mesopotamia, issued the Code of Hammura..." - when was this true?
> 1750 BCE event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 18: "Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BCE): Built the Ishtar Gate, destroyed the Templ..." - when was this true?
> 562 BCE event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 19: "Nabonidus (556–539 BCE): Last native king, defeated by Cyrus the Great" - when was this true?
> 539 BCE event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 22: "Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest comprehensive legal codes (~1754 BCE)" - when was this true?
> 1754 BCE event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 23: "Advanced astronomy and mathematics (predicted eclipses, developed algebra)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 24: "Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the Seven Wonders, existence debated) [^2]" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 25: "Ishtar Gate and Processional Way" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Roth (1997) [^1]; Dalley (2013) [^2].
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 10: "Region: Central-southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq)" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 11: "Old Babylonian period: ~1894–1595 BCE" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 12: "Neo-Babylonian period: 626–539 BCE" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 13: "Capital: Babylon" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 14: "Language: Akkadian (Babylonian dialect)" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 18: "Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BCE): Built the Ishtar Gate, destroyed the Templ..." - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 19: "Nabonidus (556–539 BCE): Last native king, defeated by Cyrus the Great" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 22: "Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest comprehensive legal codes (~1754 BCE)" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 23: "Advanced astronomy and mathematics (predicted eclipses, developed algebra)" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 25: "Ishtar Gate and Processional Way" - what is the source?
> Roth (1997) [^1]
- [x] `@q[ambiguous]` Line 18: "Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BCE): Built the Ishtar Gate, destroyed the Templ..." - what does "II" mean in this context?
> Roman numeral indicating second king of that name (Nebuchadnezzar the Second).
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 17: "Hammurabi (~1792–1750 BCE): Unified Mesopotamia, issued the Code of Hammura..." - Roth source from 1997 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Hammurabi chronology is well-established.
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 24: "Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the Seven Wonders, existence debated) [^2]" - Dalley source from 2013 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Hanging Gardens debate continues in modern research.