Ancient Babylon

Capital of ancient Mesopotamia on the Euphrates, about 85 km south of Baghdad, Iraq. First mentioned in the 23rd century BC, it rose to prominence under Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC) who unified southern Mesopotamia. Under Nebuchadnezzar II (605-561 BC), the city was rebuilt with the famous Ishtar Gate adorned with glazed brick reliefs. It fell to Cyrus the Great in 539 BC and later to Alexander the Great, who died there in 323 BC. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.