A History of Babylon, from the Foundation of the Monarchy to the Persian ConquestKing, L. W. (Leonard William)
History
A History of Babylon, from the Foundation of the Monarchy to the Persian Conquest
King, L. W. (Leonard William)
Babylonia -- History
[Footnote 22: Some traces of walls still remain near the village of
Sinjar (see Fig. 3, 4), and Weissbach has attempted to use them for
a reconstruction of the city plan. As a result he makes the western
portion of the city considerably smaller than that on the eastern bank,
his north-west wall meeting the Euphrates opposite the Ḳaṣr, and
being continued by the elaborate fortification-walls to the north of
the Southern Citadel; cf. "Das Stadtbild von Babylon," in "Der alte
Orient," V., Heft 4. This represents quite a possible arrangement.
We shall see that these remains of western walls may possibly date
from a still earlier period, and may also have defended the western
extension of the earlier city-area (see below, p. 35). But even so
they may have remained the only fortifications on the western bank;
for the tendency to expansion would have been more marked to the east
where the main citadel offered increased possibilities of defence.
The fact that Nebuchadnezzar's northern citadel should also have been
built on the left bank points in the same direction. But the question
can only be settled definitely when the traces of these western walls
have been examined by excavation and their relationship to the eastern
fortifications determined.]
[Footnote 23: The line of mounds now marking in places the position of
the city-wall is formed, oddly enough, by the core of the mud-brick
portion, which still stands above the level of the surrounding soil.
The far stronger outer wall has completely disappeared, for its fine
burnt-bricks have tempted plunderers in search of building material. It
is only after excavation that the lower courses of its foundation are
detected when still in place. It is possible that deep excavation may
settle the position of the whole line of walls, even where no trace of
them now remains upon the surface.]
[Footnote 24: This has been deduced from the fact that a ditch, or
moat, once ran immediately in front of it, of which traces only
have been found. The old ditch was filled in when Nebuchadnezzar's
burnt-brick wall broadened and strengthened the whole line of
fortification.]
[Footnote 25: It has been reckoned that there were not less than ninety
towers along the north-east wall of the city, though only fifteen of
these have as yet been completely excavated.]
[Footnote 26: I., 179.]
[Footnote 27: Cf. Koldewey, "Babylon," p. 2.]
[Footnote 28: He tells us that in the circuit of the wall there were a
hundred gates, all of brass, with brazen lintels and side-posts; cf.
I., 179. As yet the excavations have not determined the site of any
of the gates in the outer wall; but the manner in which bronze may
have been used to strengthen and decorate the doors and gateways is
illustrated by the bronze lintel, or step, from E-zida, the temple of
Nabû at Borsippa, now in the British Museum: cf. Plate XXVI., opposite
p. 278, and see further, p. 77, n. 4.]
[Footnote 29: See Fig. 3, A.]
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