Page:Herodotus and the Empires of the East.djvu/46

40 most important temple of Borsippa. If Herodotus mentioned any edifices of Babylon, he surely must have referred to that temple, whose ruins, even at this day, remind us of the splendors of the old metropolis. Later investigations point to the identification of the ruins at Birs Nimroud with this temple.

When we consider the system of building at Birs Nimroud, we find the same arrangements in stories that Herodotus describes. Of the first four stories we can get somewhat accurate dimensions. Moreover the relative size of the present ruins agrees with the statement of Herodotus, according to which the circumference of the terrace-tower at the base amounts to four stades (seven hundred and forty meters), and the length of either side of the quadrangle one stade (one hundred and eighty-five meters). Rich, who examined Birs Nimroud, estimated the circumference of the ruins, near the base, at about six hundred and ninety meters; Oppert, seven hundred or seven hundred and ten meters. H. Rawlinson differs from these estimates, but the difference may be explained on the supposition that Herodotus (followed by Rich, Oppert, Ker Porter, Layard) based his figures on the terracestructure, while the smaller estimate of Rawlinson was based on the dimensions of the first story.

Some have urged as an objection against identifying the Nebo temple at Borsippa with the "temple of Zeus Belos " that the god to whom Ezida was dedicated was called Nebo. The name "temple of Zeus Belos" seems to apply to Esagila, since Merodach, to whom that temple was dedicated, was generally called Bel par excellence e. g., Imgur-Bêl and Nimitti-Bêl. But we must remember that the word Bel, in a general