Babylon

Departmento Cartographicae pict-file of Babylon, Adeptus Astartes Chapter home world of the Lions of Babylon.

## Planet

### Class

Desert World/Adeptus Astartes Chapter Home World

### Military Forces

Lions of Babylon
Local Planetary Defence Forces

## Location

### System

Unknown

**Babylon** is an Imperial desert world and Adeptus Astartes Chapter home world of the Lions of Babylon, a 10th Founding Successor Chapter of the ferocious and unforgiving Sable Lions - both of which are descended from proud lineage of the stoic Imperial Fists.

## Background

Following their inception, the Lions of Babylon were primarily a Crusading Chapter. Highly active in the prosecution of their duties, the Chapter eventually stumbled upon the isolated Arkkadian Sector, located near the southernmost borders of the Segmentum Pacificus. This isolated region was home to several inhabited worlds, including the feudal paradise world of **Babylon**. Their šar Bābili (Chapter Master), Hammurabi, greatly admired the planet's beauty as well as the proud and fierce nature of the planet's inhabitants. The people of Babylon were also notable for their zealous and devout worship of *Anu* (the God-Emperor). Claiming this world on behalf of the Imperium, they settled the newly discovered planet and made it their own. Since that bygone era, they have steadfastly defended their Chapter homeworld from encroaching invasions by both Chaos forces and raiding xenos.

### *Etemenanki*

*Etemenanki* (Akkadian for "temple of the foundation of heaven and earth") is the massive fortress-monastery of the Lions of Babylon. This immense tower was built by the people of Babylon as a way of reaching the "Heavens" to join *Anu* (the God-Emperor). The Lions of Babylon were so impressed by the ingenuity and zealous dedication of the Babylonian people that they took this monument as their own, making it the foundation of their fortress-monastery.

### Climate

Babylon has about 10 inches of rain per year and very hot temperatures – in summer average temperatures reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit (About 43.3°c).But due to the presence of the two mains rivers Tigris and Euphrate the soils are really fertile.

### Culture

Babylonian culture is known for being extremely zealous towards the Imperial Cult but they also place themselves as some sort of higher entities often looking down at other humans for being not as pure,an example of where they tried to prove their superiority is with the tower named *Etemenanki* where the Babylonians tried to go the "Heavens" which in their culture is the realm of the Emperor to be his equal. Babylonians want to achieve perfection in every domain they aspire to achieve in - from art to warfare. Priest and Priestess are equally as powerful as kings since they serve as links between the people and the gods. To become a priest one must be from a wealthy and powerful family. On Babylon every city has a patron god, for example the capital has Marduk, which represent Rogal Dorn.

### Monuments

#### Hanging Gardens

In their long history the Babylonians have built numerous monuments to show their superiority. One notable example is are the fabled suspended garden located in their planet's capital city. It is a remarkable feat of engineering with an ascending series of tiered gardens containing a variety of trees, shrubs and vines, hanging from a massive ziggurat (pyramid structure), resembling a large green mountain, consisting of vaulted terraces raised one above another, and resting upon massive cube-shaped pillars. These are hollow and filled with earth to allow trees of the largest size to be planted. The pillars, vaults and terraces are constructed of baked brick and ferrocrete. The hanging gardens possess an impressive irrigation system which is fed by a steady flow of water from the nearby river. This means the water is lifted high into the air utilised a series of massive pumps which feeds into a large pool that sits on the top terrace. The pool at the top of the gardens is released by gates into channels which act as artificial streams which then flows down through the terraces, watering the plants at each level. The gardens are not just about displaying flowers and plants, however, as architectural, sculptural and water features have also been added.

#### Ziggurats

For religious purposes Babylonians construct Ziggurats - massive pyramid structures that are built in the form of a terraced compound of successively receding stories or levels. Utilised as a giant temple, where Babylonians go to pray to the God-Emperor, each Ziggurat is part of a temple complex which includes other buildings. The central shrine is the scene of sacred marriage rituals and the central rite of the great new year festival. In times past, it was believed by the native Babylonians that these shrines were the dwelling places for the gods and each city had its own patron god. The purpose of such structures was to get the temple closer to the heavens, and provided access from the ground via a series of terraced stairs, which ascended to the highest point of the Ziggurat. The ancient Babylonians believed that these pyramid temples connected heaven and earth.

### Science

Babylonians are known to be great scientist, their main domain is Astronomy. They are also very talented in divination and astrology.

### Wildlife

Wildlife on Babylon ressemble the one of ancient Mesopotamia this includes gazelles, camels, antelopes, deer, and onagers. There are also plenty of predators like lions, wolves, panthers, foxes, boars, jackals and even hyenas. There are also birds of prey, such as vultures, owls, crows and falcons.There are also blackbirds, thrushes, sparrows and larks and even elephants but the most known species is the massive Babylonian lion which stand at twice the size of an Astartes,they are often used as pets or warbeasts one example is with Shalmaneser the personal lion of Sargon. For transportation Babylonian merchants use camels to transport their furniture.