Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1864-12-10
Ancient Babylon.

Very little is recorded of lie early history of
the city Of Babylon. lis foundations were llld.
it is snppo:ed,' by Nnrod, great grandson o.
NOAH not long aftey the dispersion of Babel. 1t
stood on hoih sides Of the river EHrsrateS, on
an ct en- and extensive pain. L was surrounded
by a wall. incredible As ii may seem, OF three
hundred and fifty feet IN height, crhty-scFcn in
thickness, and Sky miles in circumference,
forming AZ exact square. fifteen miles on e&ch
side This massive wall was made OF largc, hi
luminous brick, so firmly ccmcntett rs 70 render
il perfectly solid. IN cnornioaS ditch, Hncd-o2
both sides with brick aad fiiled with water, eli
Comprised the city-the size Of which may be
estimated from the fact that the walls OF the city
were composed entirely OF clay taken out OF IT,
The city was entered through the walls by one
hundred gates, twent y-iye Oh each side, composed
of solid brass. Between every two of the gates
were three towers feet in .!ight also on each
Of tie fear corncrs, and three between the several
corner towers and first gate making, in all.
three hundred and sixteen. From the gates on
one side OF the city to those the opposite side,
went streets, one hundred ana fifty feet in
width. These fifty streets, Guessing each other
at right angles, div;lcdthe city into six hundred
and seveEty-six squares. The houses stood on
these squares Il short distance from each other,
facing the streets. The central part Of these
numerous squares were laid out in gardens,
| walks and yards and occupied for many other
useful and ornamental purposes so that from
| the many many vacant spaces, not more than
half the ground was built upon. Next TO the
wall on each side of the city was street two
hundred feet wide and fifteen miles 1.-THE extent of
the citv) in length. The houses we're built only
on one side OF the strect-on the square fronting
the wall.
The river Euphrates. or rather branch of it,
ran directly across the city from north to south.
\ wall Of the same thickness and similar to that
which surrounded the city, was built on each
/ side of the river; in these walls, where the
river was iRtersected with the streets, were mas
sive brazen gates. From the several streets there
were gradual dcsccuts to the river, which was
crossed in boats. Through these gates, which
were iucautously left open, Cyrus and his army
entered, having turned the course of the river,
and took this splendid city. go.
Such are some of the particulars which have
been recorded relative to this once g golden
4 city" and ''glory of kingdoms While her
walls were cohoing SD re-echoing with the
sounds Of mirtt and festivity, and when to all
human appearance they destined TO. stand
to the latest generations, Jeremiah prophesied
that il should :. become GesOlate. that it should
not be inhabited, that the wild beasts of the
field should be there History has since con-
firmed the predictions of the prophet Long
before the Christian are told that II be-
came place of solitude, and that it was : lying
waste and neglected" In the fourth century
we are Informed that q its walls served as q
fence, and the city as a pVk, in which the King
of Persia kept wild beasts for hunting N the
1 twelfth century traveller fopnd 1t oVeTrun With
I serpents and scorpions. In ~, another traF-
cler states that its &" ruins were so efaced that
there were hardly any vastiges of them 70 point
ont the situation of the city By one who has
recently visited the spot are told that there
is not now a stone to tell where Babylon was
| situated" -