Page:Herodotus and the Empires of the East.djvu/31

Rh Borsippa had its own city wall and could not have lain, as Oppert supposes, within the outer defense (Nimitti-Bêl) of Babylon, much less within the inner (Imgur-Bêl).

The climax of this period of building activity was reached when Nebuchadrezar completed a palace for himself in fifteen days. The old palace, where Nabopolassar had dwelt, lay within the inner city wall, touching it on one side. Nebuchadrezar practically rebuilt this palace, but behind it, beyond Imgur-Bêl, the king erected a great earth terrace which was surrounded on two sides by a wall 490 cubits long. It was on this terrace that the new palace was built.

Berossus mentions a peculiar creation of Nebuchadrezar, the so-called hanging gardens, which he erected to please his Median wife, Amytis. That this terrace structure originated with an Assyrian queen, Semiramis, Berossus regards as an invention of the Greeks. Herodotus does not speak of these gardens.

The accounts of Berossus have been recently confirmed by the excavations of Rassam, who found in the walls, which he recognized as the ruins of the "hanging gardens," bricks bearing the stamp of Nebuchadrezar. It was at this period that Babylon could claim the title of the handsomest and best fortified town of the East. Hence the author of the book of Daniel could justly put into the mouth of Nebuchadrezar the proud words: "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power?" (Dan. iv. 30.) The great king did not foresee that his memory would be so soon forgotten that Herodotus (c. 450) could not correctly state the name of the founder of these great buildings; still less could