The Tower of Babel

The Tower of Babel (Babel and Babylon come from the same Hebrew word, babel or bavel, meaning "gate of God") is the subject of a story in the Old Testament of the Bible. According to this story, found in Genesis 11:1-9, the people of Babel built the tower in order to climb to heaven. Angered at their idea that they could reach heaven without God's help, God punished the builders by causing them to speak different languages. Being unable to communicate with each other, they were unable to complete the tower.

Many scholars believe this story may be an attempt by the ancient Hebrews to explain how different languages came into being. Some biblical scholars believe the story is a metaphor about ambition. However, it is likely that the so-called Tower of Babel itself did exist in ancient Babylon, as an actual tower, or ziggurat, built for use as a temple.

The Babylonian ziggurats were traditionally built in the shapes of pyramids, with each layer smaller than the one below it. Often these terraced towers were built to honor particular gods, and some cities had several ziggurats. The top story, which was used both as a temple and as an astronomical observatory, often contained a sanctuary.

Historians dispute the date the Tower of Babel was built. It may have been around 2200 B. C.E. It is believed that King Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 B. C.E.) later rebuilt the Tower of Babel to a height of about 300 feet.

Archaeologists have found the ruins of several Babylonian ziggurats. They are not certain which of these, if any, is the Tower of Babel referred to in the Bible. Many believe it is the seven-story tower of Etemenaki, built to honor the Babylonian god Marduk, and whose ruins lie near the Euphrates River.

Called the Hanging Gardens, were known far and wide. Among the Persian treasures was a large quantity of bullion (bars of silver and gold). Alexander is said to have used some of it to give the soldiers nearly a whole year’s extra pay.

Alexander began a practice of appointing local Persian officials to leading positions. In Babylon, he allowed the local satrap to remain in that position. Although his soldiers resented this, it was a wise policy. It meant that uprisings would be less likely, and other Persian satraps would be more willing to surrender if they knew they were likely to be reappointed. Alexander also separated the civil government from the military. Leaving a military force under Macedonian command in Babylon, he pushed farther east.