WONDERS OF THE WORLD
THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON
Iraq
An Elusive Labor of Love
The Hanging Gardens probably never existed.
Babylon was one of the great cities in antiquity, and under Nebuchadnezzar, its walls and gardens were famous throughout the ancient world, noted by Greek and Roman historians. But no sign exists of the gardens, supposedly built for his queen.
In this episode, we review the history of Mesopotamia and consider an alternate location for where the gardens might actually have been.
While exploring the ruins of Babylon, we also try masguf and tepsi, Iraqi specialties which have been enjoyed for centuries.
Sources:
Fattah, Hala, A Brief History of Iraq
Hann, Geoff et al, Bradt guide to Iraq: The ancient sites and Iraqi Kurdistan
Kennedy, Hugh, When Baghdad Ruled the Muslim World: the Rise and Fall of Islam’s Greatest Dynasty
Kriwaczek, Paul, Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization
Reynolds et al, The Seventy Wonders of the Ancient World: the Great Monuments and How They Were Built
Romer, John and Elizabeth, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: a History of the Modern Imagination
Valley, Stephanie, The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon: an Elusive World Wonder Traced
Painting by Maarten van Heemskerck