Babylon (Al Hilla)

Babylon Province It lies in the Middle Euphrates about 90 km south of Baghdad. It is the fifth biggest province in population. The word Babylon is derived from the name the gate of god. It became an empire after the fall of the Sumerian empire. It was founded by King Hammurabi at 101 B.C. whose authority extended from the Gulf at the south to River Tigris in the north. Hammurabi’s reign lasted for 43 years during which the Babylon Empire witnessed its great era. It was regarded as the golden era. It had the hanging Gardens which was considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The city had eight gates among which Ishtar Gate is the biggest. The important temple in the city is Murdoch’s which is situated at the square of great religious festival. Babylon had several names such as Babylonia, which means the land of Babil, and Mesopotamia. Another interpretation is mentioned in the Genesis which referred to the Babylonians’ attempt to make a name for themselves by building a mighty city and a tower “with its top in the heavens.” God disrupted the work by so confusing the language of the workers that they could no longer understand one another. The province has six districts, namely, Al-Hilla, Al-Mahawil, Kotha, Al-Musayab, West Hamza and Al-|Hashimiya. The city is known for its various types of dates in addition to important types crops produced in the city like corn, barley and wheat.