The City of Babylon, whose ruins differ from those of earlier cities largely because of the use of burnt brick, was rebuilt by Nebuchadnezzar II (605-563BC), for it hab been thoroughly destroyed by Sennacheris (689 BC). It had inner and outer part, each heavily fortified. The inner town was approximately square in plan, of about 1300m (4350 ft) sides, containg the principal buildings, the Euphrates river forming the west side. The principal sites lined the river front, and behind them ran a grand procssional way, its vista closd on the north by the Ishtar Gate (p.79A), glowing in colured glazed bricks, patterned with yellow and white bulls and dragons in relief upon a blue ground. Hereabouts there were palace-citadels, and connected with Nebuchadnezzar's great palace complex on the water side was that marvel of the ancient world, the Hanging Garden. The central sites on the river front were occupied by the chief temple of the god of sive precinct where rose the associated ziggurat, the `Tower of Babel'.

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