An Oasis in the Sky
Exploring the Hanging Gardens of Babylon
We’ve all heard about Babylon’s Hanging Gardens in one way or another. From its flowing aqueducts to its exotic flora, this ancient wonder of the world needs no introduction.
Despite all the records of it, there is no physical evidence of these gardens ever existing. While we may never know the truth behind this lost Eden, that doesn’t mean we can’t look into it.
Birth of an Empire
While many are familiar with the Babylon of Biblical times, it is certainly not the first civilization of its kind.
Deep in West Asia, in the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates, the land of Mesopotamia had been occupied long before the time of the gardens. First by the Sumerians, then the Amorite Dynasty, both originating and dissolving millennia before the Hanging Gardens were even an idea.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire came into power around 620 BCE, marking the start of the Chaldean Empire. King Nebuchadnezzar II rose to power soon after.
He swiftly reinvigorated the stagnating Empire through military expansion, including sacking Jerusalem and expanding Babylonian rule across the Levant.
Military conquest didn’t stop the king from his domestic pursuits. Nebuchadnezzar famously built the large, sandstone walls surrounding Babylon along with the blue-tiled Ishtar Gate, welcoming all visitors to the capital city.
However, his most famous accomplishment was motivated by his love for his wife. Queen Amytis had grown homesick; tired of the sand and dust of Babylon, she longed for the green and luscious nature of her home.
Wanting to be a good husband, Nebuchadnezzar began construction on what would be one of history’s most mythologized achievements.
The Gardens
We don’t have any archaeological evidence to determine how the gardens were built or what they looked like. However, descriptions go into detail about the appearance of this wonder of the ancient world.
It is said that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon consisted of a tiered structure overflowing with exotic palms and blooming flowers. Descriptions vary on whether the structure was built from stone, brick, or a combination of the two.
The use of the word “hanging” is believed to have been derived from its Greek name which roughly translates to “overhanging”. What hanging meant is often disputed; from vegetation spilling off the multiple tiers to plant life physically growing over the walkways, theories are endless on what “hanging” really meant.
Ancient Perspectives
There is no shortage of accounts of what the gardens looked like from the classical world. Varied both in description and perspective, we have a detailed idea of what seeing the gardens must have been like.
In a quote of a quote, Roman historian Josephus cites Babylonian priest Berossus’ description of the gardens.
In this palace he erected very high walls, supported by stone pillars; and by planting what was called a pensile paradise, and replenishing it with all sorts of trees, he rendered the prospect an exact resemblance of a mountainous country.
The engenuity of the gardens cannot be understated. Greek Historian Strabo describes the engineering of the gardens as he experienced them first hand.
The ascent to the uppermost terrace-roofs is made by a stairway; and alongside these stairs there were screws, through which the water was continually conducted up into the garden from the Euphrates by those appointed for this purpose…. the garden is on the bank of the river.
Lost to Time
As mentioned before, it is not known what happened to the Gardens of Babylon. Out of all the Wonders of the Ancient World, it is the only one to not have any evidence for existing.
While we don’t know what happened to it, that certainly hasn’t stopped theories about it. There are three credible theories to the existence of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Theory 1: The gardens never existed
I know, pretty anti-climatic. As much as I would hate for all this build up just for it not to exist, it still is a possibility. Perhaps the gardens were nothing but an idealism created from the Greek and Roman admiration for the eastern empires. Writing about an exotic tower of gardens certainly makes for a captivating story.
Theory 2: They existed…and then got destroyed
There’s a possibility that they existed in Babylonia and that all the descriptions were accurate. However, given the historical context, it is likely that it would have been destroyed by about 100 BCE. The main possibilities here are either from an earthquake or invasion. Both would make sense given the time period.
Theory 3: The true location is in Nineveh
Lastly, there is the potential that the gardens claimed to have been built by Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon were actually built by King Sennacherib in Nineveh. He was an Assyrian king who had built the well-documented gardens of Ashurbanipal. There is a possibility that the gardens in Babylon were derived from those in Nineveh as both are described as tiered gardens on the side of rivers.
Final Thoughts
Whether the Hanging Gardens of Babylon existed or not, there is no denying the magnificent idea of them. As research and archaeology improve, we will hopefully have a more definite answer to what the gardens were.
I hope you enjoyed this quick look at one of the great Wonders of the Ancient World. As always, I encourage you to further research this topic if it interests you as the world of antiquity is constantly changing.
Until next time…
