Located in Iraq, Babylon surged to prominence as the capital of Hammurabi's short-lived Babylonian Empire.

The city achieved glory again in the sixth century B.C. with the construction of the Hanging Gardens — one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The city is known from the Bible as a center of materialism and sin, home to the supposedly blasphemous Tower of Babel, which may have been inspired by a 300-foot ziggurat in the city.

Babylon remained a major city under various rulers until the seventh century.