When compiling a list of wonders of the ancient world, an honorable second place was given to the Hanging Gardens in Babylon. This construction of a truly grandiose scale was perceived as a real miracle. According to legend, the gardens were called hanging gardens because when approaching the city standing in the middle of the desert, blooming green terraces stretched above it. It seemed that the gardens really hung in the air, and many travelers initially mistook them for a mirage.

History of the building

According to legend, the structure was erected by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II, who wanted to please his wife Amytis. The queen was from a mountainous, flowering country and was very homesick in dusty and deserted Babylon. Since the king was very powerful, he not only created a corner of nature that reproduced the queen’s area, he decided to build a monumental structure that not only contemporaries, but also descendants should admire.

The building is mistakenly associated with the name of another ruler - Semiramis. Historians believe that this notorious woman could in no way be related to the Hanging Gardens, since she died two centuries before their construction.

The date of construction of the gardens is attributed to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (approximately 605-562 BC). Of course, such a structure could not be built in one year, and it was necessary to solve not only the problem of “greening” by delivering seedlings from distant countries. It was also necessary to water, perhaps protect some plants from the scorching sun, so it was not only an architectural, but also an engineering structure.

Design Features

Hanging Gardens Semiramis - interesting facts about the design features. The technologies indicated in the description of the structure were many years ahead of their time. These facts still excite and give rise to numerous disputes. Many experts generally question the very existence of the second wonder of the world, because in their opinion, it was simply impossible.

It is believed that the legendary building had the shape of a four-tiered pyramid, each side of which was about 1300 meters long. Each tier was supported by 25-meter hollow columns. The terraces were strengthened with baked bricks and covered with special lead plates. Fertile soil brought from distant places was poured on top. The lower tiers were filled with lowland plants, and mountain species grew on the uppermost ones. The presence of ponds and reservoirs is mentioned throughout the area.

The garden irrigation system deserves special attention. According to the description, water from the Euphrates River was scooped up with buckets attached to a lift. The lift itself looked like two wheels with chains stretched across them. The wheels rotated with the help of the labor of numerous slaves, buckets on chains scooped up water and delivered it to a special reservoir built at the top. From there the water flowed into numerous canals. The slaves turned the wheel continuously, only this made it possible to do the incredible: to ensure the growth of plants that were not typical for the area.

Destruction of the second wonder of the world

After the death of Queen Amytis beautiful gardens without proper care they fell into disrepair. This continued until the conquest of Babylon by Alexander the Great. The famous commander was fascinated by the Hanging Gardens. There is evidence that he even refused military campaigns, not wanting to leave the shadows beautiful garden. After an illness received during a campaign in India, Alexander returned to Babylon. Here, in the coolness and shade of the trees, he spent his last days. When Alexander went to another world, the gardens fell into desolation, like Babylon itself. During the next flood, the water washed away the foundation and the structure collapsed.

Various facts about the Hanging Gardens are currently being questioned. Disputes continue about who built them, for whom and when. Koldewey, a researcher of ancient Babylon, believes that he found them in Iraq near Baghdad. Another scientist working on unraveling the secrets of the Gardens of Babylon from Oxford, named Dalli, claims that the structure was located near another Iraqi city - Mosul.

While there is uncertainty and new theories are being put forward regarding the gardens in Babylon, they can safely be called one of the most mysterious structures of that time.

People have been fascinated by creating “best of” lists for thousands of years. The most famous of the ancient tops that have come down to us is the list of seven wonders of the world. There are different variations of this list, but without exception, all ancient authors considered it their duty to mention the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in it.

This is the legendary queen of Assyria, few reliable facts about which have been preserved, but in Akkadian mythology she plays a fairly prominent role. Some ancient authors attribute to Semiramis the founding of Babylon and dominion over all of Asia.

Despite the abundance of legends associated with the name of the legendary queen, historians managed to establish her historical prototype. He is considered to be Queen Shammuramat, who single-handedly ruled Assyria at the beginning of the 9th century BC. However, most researchers are confident that the named ruler had nothing to do with the Hanging Gardens that bear her name.

Who initiated the creation of the Hanging Gardens?

Until recently, it was generally accepted that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built by Nebuchadnezzar II (605–562 BC). He actually built many of the towers and gardens of Babylon. According to a widespread hypothesis, the Babylonian king ordered the creation of a garden of unprecedented beauty for his wife Amytis, daughter of the Median king Cyaxares. The grandiose gift should be to help the queen cope with longing for her mountainous homeland.

There is another version. So, according to Oxford University doctor Stephanie Delli, famous miracle light was built in Nineveh by order of the Assyrian king Sennacherib (705–680 BC). Indirect evidence of this version is the absence of mention of miraculous gardens in sources from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

Where were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

Scientists have repeatedly made attempts to determine the location of this wonder of the world. The first person to take this task seriously was the German historian Robert Koldewey. The research he carried out at the end of the 19th century provided a very comprehensive idea of ​​what Babylon was like in the 6th century BC. e.

And most importantly, to the north of Nebuchadnezzar’s palace, Koldewey discovered a structure that was very atypical for the area, equipped with a water supply system from three mines. The scientist believed that these were the famous Hanging Gardens. Not everyone agreed with him. Some researchers believed that the location was on the banks of the Euphrates, others argued that they were created on a wide bridge spanning the river.

In the 90s of the last century, the above-mentioned Stephanie Delli proposed a version about the location of the gardens on the territory of Nineveh. One piece of evidence supporting her theory is a bas-relief from the palace of Sennacherib with an image similar to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Stephanie Delli suggests that the ruins of the buildings are located in a massive mound near Mosul (northern Iraq). This is where Nineveh was once located.

In addition, a text was found that stated that the palace of Sennacherib, together with its garden, was “a miracle for all people.” It is worth noting that in many ancient sources Nineveh is often referred to as “Ancient Babylon,” which could well lead to misconceptions about the location of the wonder of the world.

What they looked like

Description Hanging Gardens Babylon has come down to us thanks to the efforts of ancient authors, who with great pleasure described various wonders in their works. According to their testimonies, wonderful gardens were laid out on a 4-tier tower. The structure resembled a flowering hill. Its construction required an engineering approach.

Massive stone platforms were supported by strong vaults supported by columns. The terraces were tiled and filled with asphalt. Lead plates protected the lower tiers from water penetration. Thick layer land allowed to grow a variety of plants, from flowers to large trees.

The tiers were connected to each other by wide staircases. Water was supplied to the top and then flowed through numerous channels to the lower tiers. The terraces also had small ponds and waterfalls. The sources mention that from a distance the gardens seemed to float in the air.

• According to legend, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were the favorite vacation spot of Alexander the Great. According to some contemporaries, the death of the great commander occurred here.
• A number of researchers believe that the buildings should actually be called “protruding”. The Greek word kremastos, used by ancient authors, can be translated not only as “hanging”, but also as “protruding beyond.”
• Researchers suggest that wonderful gardens existed in ancient Babylon no more than two centuries. At first they stopped caring for them, and then the gradual destruction was accelerated by floods.
• What is the meaning of the phraseological unit “Gardens of Babylon”? The meaning of the expression indicates something wonderful, beautiful, magnificent.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, also known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, are one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Unfortunately, this marvelous architectural creation has not survived to this day, but the memory of it still lives on.

Tourists coming to Iraq are offered by guides to explore the ruins of once beautiful gardens located near Al-Hilla (90 km from Baghdad), but stone fragments in the middle of the desert cannot impress the average person, and perhaps inspire archeology lovers. The Gardens of Babylon were discovered in 1989 during excavations carried out by archaeologist Robert Koldewey, who discovered a network of intersecting trenches. The sections reveal ruins that are vaguely similar in description to the legendary Gardens.

This masterpiece was built at the behest of the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar II, who lived in the 6th century BC. He gave the order to the best engineers, mathematicians and inventors to create a marvelous wonder to the delight of his wife Amytis. The ruler's wife was from Media, a land filled with the aroma of flowering gardens and green hills. In the stuffy, dusty and stinking Babylon, she was suffocating and longing for her native land. Nebuchadnezzar, out of love for his wife and, let’s face it, because of his own vanity, decided to build not an ordinary park, but a fabulous one that would glorify Babylon throughout the world. Herodotus wrote about the capital of the world: “Babylon surpasses in splendor any other city on Earth.”

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were described by many ancient historians, including the Greek ones - Strabo and Diodorus. This suggests that this miracle really existed and was not a fantasy or fiction. But on the other hand, Herodotus, who traveled through Mesopotamia in the 5th century before the Birth of Christ, mentions many of the sights of Babylon, but does not say a word about the main miracle - the Gardens of Babylon. It's quite strange, isn't it? Maybe this is why skeptics are opposed to the real existence of this masterpiece of engineering?

It is noteworthy that the chronicles of Babylon also do not mention the Gardens, while the Chaldean priest Berossus, who lived at the end of the 4th century BC, described this structure in detail and clearly. True, further evidence from Greek historians is very reminiscent of the stories of Berossus. In general, the mystery of the Gardens of Babylon continues to excite the minds of scientists and ordinary people even now, more than 2000 years later.

A number of scientists suggest that perhaps the Gardens of Babylon were confused with similar parks in Ninivea, which was located on the eastern bank of the Tiber in Ancient Assyria. The lush Ninivean gardens, laid out near the entrance to the palace, were located next to the river and were irrigated like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon using a system of Archimedean screws. However, this device was invented only in the 3rd century BC, while the Gardens of Babylon were similarly supplied with water already in the 6th century BC.

Direct evidence of the real existence of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were the stories about Alexander the Great, who conquered Babylon without a fight. He was so in love with the luxurious city that he preferred to for many years forget his native land, and put off military campaigns for the sake of the beauty of the fragrant Gardens. They say that he loved to relax in their shade, remembering the forests of his dear Macedonia. According to legend, the death of the great conqueror occurred here.

The date of the destruction of the Gardens of Babylon coincides with the time of the decline of Babylon. After the death of Alexander the Great, the fairy-tale city fell into disrepair, irrigation of the gardens ceased, as a result of a series of earthquakes the vaults collapsed, and rainwater eroded the foundation. But we will still try to tell about the history of this grandiose structure and describe all its charms.

The beautiful garden was erected during the 43-year reign of King Nebuchadnezzar, who lived in the 6th-7th centuries BC. The miracle was located in the northwestern part of the palace. Interestingly, there is also alternative version about the history of the gardens. Some scientists believe that they were created during the reign of the Assyrian queen Semiramis, the founder of Babylon (it’s not for nothing that the Gardens bear her name) around the 8th century BC. However, we will build on the generally accepted version.

So, Nebuchadnezzar decided to build wonderful gardens out of love for his wife Amytis, whom he married in order to conclude an alliance with the Median state. Recreating picturesque green hills in the middle of an arid plain seemed like a fantasy. Moreover, artificial mountains covered gardens of paradise, had to be built in a short period of time.

One should not think that the Hanging Gardens were actually in the air - this is far from the case. Previously it was assumed that they were supported by ropes, but in reality everything is much simpler. Historians have been misinterpreted Greek word“kremastos”, which can be translated not only as “hanging”, but also as “protrudes beyond (the limits of the terrace, balcony)”. Thus, it would be more legitimate to say “Protruding Gardens of Babylon,” but in pursuit of sensation, it was the first version of the name “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” that stuck. Who can argue with the fact that it is more sonorous?

According to some historical sources, the height of the hill on which the Gardens of Babylon were laid out exceeded several hundred feet and the climb to the highest terrace was like climbing a mountain. However, archaeological research has shown that the size of this masterpiece was much more modest, although it looked impressive for that time. Now most scientists agree that the height of the hill was 30-40 meters.

This is how the Greek historian Strabo, who lived in the first century BC, described Babylon and its main miracle - the Gardens:

Babylon is located on a plain and its area is 385 stadiums (approx. 1 stadium = 196 m). The walls surrounding it are 32 feet thick, which is the width of a chariot drawn by four horses. The height of the walls between the towers is 50 cubits, the towers themselves are 60 cubits high. The Gardens of Babylon were quadrangular in shape, each side four plethra long (approx. 1 plethra = 100 Greek feet). The gardens are formed from arched vaults, laid out in a checkerboard pattern in several rows, and resting on cube-shaped supports. Each level is separated from the previous one by a layer of asphalt and baked brick (in order to prevent water seepage). Inside, the vaults are hollow, and the voids are filled with fertile soil, and its layer was such that even a branched root system giant trees freely found a place for itself. Wide, gentle stairs, lined with expensive tiles, lead to the upper terrace, and on the sides of them there is a constantly working chain of lifts, through which water from the Euphrates is supplied to the trees and bushes.

From a distance, the Hanging Gardens resembled an amphitheater, since the terraces were formed by ledges and their area decreased towards the top. All ledges, as well as semblances of balconies, were planted with exotic plants (trees, palms, flowers), which were brought to Babylon from all over the world. Not only seeds were delivered, but also seedlings, which were wrapped in matting soaked in water in order to avoid drying out.

For the people of that time, the most surprising thing was not only the design of the gardens itself, but also the sophisticated irrigation system, probably represented by a chain of pumps. The water was brought up by slaves who pumped it from the river day and night. To let you down life-giving moisture the very last fourth tier required the use of not only strength, but also ingenuity.

The irrigation system worked something like this. There were two large wheels on which buckets moved, attached to a cable. There was a pool under the lower wheel; water was scooped from it in buckets. Then, along a chain of lifts, they were transferred to the upper wheel, where the buckets were tipped over and the water was drained into the upper pool. From there, through a network of canals, water flowed in streams into different sides along the tiers of the hill to the very foot, irrigating the plants along the way. The empty buckets sank back down and the cycle repeated again and again.

Another problem that the builders had to solve was strengthening the foundation, since flowing water could easily wash it away and lead to collapse. The stone was not initially considered as a building material, since it simply wasn’t available in the area, and delivering it to the plains of Mesopotamia from afar was too expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, most of the houses, including the fortress wall, were built of brick. Bricks were made from a mixture of clay and straw. The mass was kneaded, laid out in molds, then dried in the sun. The bricks were connected to each other using bitumen - the result was quite strong and beautiful masonry. However, such blocks were quickly destroyed by water. For most buildings in Babylon this was not a problem, since it rarely rained in this arid area. Gardens that are subject to constant irrigation must have a protected foundation and vaults. Accordingly, it was necessary to somehow isolate the brick from moisture or use stone.

The Greek historian Diodorus stated that the platforms of the Gardens were composed of stone slabs (unheard of in Babylon), then covered with layers of reeds impregnated with resin (asphalt) and two-layer brick tiles held together with gypsum mortar. The top of this “pie” was covered with sheets of lead, so that not even a drop of moisture would seep into the foundation. How was Nebuchadnezzar able to deliver so many stone slabs from afar? This still remains a mystery.

Was the German scientist and archaeologist Robert Koldewey able to lift the veil of secrecy during the excavations of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? For many centuries (just think, two millennia have passed!) the ruins of Babylon were hidden under a layer of sand, debris and debris that formed the mound. People could not even imagine that it was in this place that the once luxurious and wonderful city of Vivilon was buried. Not a trace remained of the marvelous buildings or even of the high wall - merciless time and desert winds did a good job of hiding the traces. After lengthy excavations, the outer and inner walls, the foundation of the famous Tower of Babel, the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, as well as the wide main road passing through the center of the city were discovered.

During archaeological research of the southern part of the Citadel, Koldewey discovered many ruins in the form of tiers with arched vaults made of stone slabs. And since stone was used only in two places in Babylon - in the Northern part of the Citadel and in the Hanging Gardens, this gave reason to be convinced of the truth of the find. A German archaeologist has found nothing less than the basements of one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The scientist continued to study the layers and discovered great similarities with the description of the Gardens given by Diadorus. Finally, a room was found that had three large holes in the floor of unknown purpose. It turns out that this place served as a “pumping station” for supplying water to the upper tiers.

The ruins that Coldway discovered were approximately 100 - 150 feet in height, this, of course, is much smaller than those described earlier, but still very impressive, because most of the structure was destroyed by time.

Although the scientist fiercely argued that the ruins were the Gardens of Babylon, skeptics argued the opposite. Doubts were raised by the place itself, which is located far from Euphrates and, accordingly, irrigation in sufficient quantities would be difficult. In addition, according to the description in clay tablets found nearby, these ruins were once used as warehouses and had nothing to do with the Gardens.

Controversies and discussions around the Hanging Gardens of Babylon continue to this day. Archaeologists and historians have been unable to come to a consensus for many years. One thing is clear: this Wonder of the World really existed.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon. One of the seven wonders of the world. From school we know everything and nothing about them. What did they look like? Who was their brilliant creator? What idea did you want to convey to your descendants with your immortal creation?

JUST A LEGEND

The ancient historian Ctesias told the world the following legend: in ancient times, the city of Ascalon stood in Syria, not far from it there was a beautiful lake, on the shore of which stood the temple of the goddess Derketo. Derketo's beloved was a beautiful young shepherd. Derketo bore him a daughter, and they lived in peace and harmony. But one day, in anger, the goddess killed her husband, and she herself, unconscious from grief, disappeared into the waters of the lake.

Baby. left an orphan and was saved by birds. They warmed her with their warmth and brought milk in their beaks. When the baby grew up, they began to feed her cheese.

One day, the shepherds, suspecting something was wrong, followed the trail of the pigeons and soon found a beautiful child. They took the girl to the caretaker of the royal herds named Simmas. He raised her as his own daughter and named her Semiramis, which means “dove.” With her beauty, the girl eclipsed everyone in the great kingdom of the formidable Assyrians! which determined her future fate.

First, Semiramis became the wife of the royal adviser Onnes. But when the ruler saw her, he fell madly in love and took her away from her unfortunate husband. Onnes, unable to bear the separation from his beloved, lost his mind. But the royal husband of Semiramis did not live long. Died after 3 months. It was then that Semiramis ascended the throne.

This amazing woman became the inspiration and organizer of the construction of many brilliant architectural structures and above all the hanging gardens. But while the queen was busy building grandiose palaces and temples, her son Niny was also making... plans to seize power. Realizing that she would face death at the hands of her own son, or rather, his mercenaries, the queen turned into a dove and flew away.

Here's the story. However, she is nothing more than a legend. The historian Ctesias himself emphasized this more than once.

SACRED Z LESSONS ABOUT THE SEVEN WORLDS

In fact, the famous Hanging Gardens were built by King Nebuchadnezzar for his beloved wife Amytis, who was suffocating in dusty and stuffy Babylon. It was he who destroyed Jerusalem, captivating almost all the inhabitants of Judea, it was he who captured the territory of Syria and Palestine, and conquered the Assyrian state.

However, Nebuchadnezzar was not only a warrior, but also a creator. Having brought order to his vast empire, he set about building magnificent palaces, temples and canals. The Gardens of Babylon became the crowning achievement of the architectural structures created during his reign.

But when erecting them, Nebuchadnezzar thought not only about pleasing Amytis with the murmuring streams and lush greenery that were dear to her heart.

belonged to him greatest city Ancient world, famous for his sages. And the main mystery of Babylon was associated with the names of Tammuz and Ishtar. Tammuz. being the sun god, he was both the son and husband of the goddess Ishtar. The essence of the mysteries was this. that Ishtar resurrected Tammuz, who was killed by evil forces. Esoterically, this meant the immortality of the soul, its exit from dead body, a journey through another existence and a new incarnation.

The myth of Ishtar symbolizes the journey of the soul through the seven worlds, seven heavens, and seven sacred planets. After which she falls into physical body, in which her ordeal begins. And then again take off and strive towards your divine beginning.

Naturally, the king of Babylon was familiar with these mysteries. That is why, when starting to build the gardens, he decided to embody in them sacred knowledge about the seven worlds and the ascent of the soul.

GARDEN OF EDEN

The Hanging Gardens were laid out in the north-eastern part of the palace, on seven earthen terraces that rested on huge vaults. The vaults were supported by massive columns located inside each floor. Special lead plates were designed to retain water.

The terraces were covered with a thick layer of the most fertile soil, in which even very large trees could take root. The floors of the gardens rose in ledges and were connected by gentle stairs covered with pink and white stone. The height of the floors reached 28 meters and provided enough light for plants.

Each of the seven terraces was an independent garden, but together they formed a single whole. In the summer, when the air temperature in Babylon exceeded 50 degrees, slaves continuously pumped water from wells and fed it into canals through which it flowed down from the upper terrace, forming systems of miniature waterfalls and streams.

From all parts Babylonian kingdom carts pulled by oxen were pulled towards the capital. They contained trees, seeds of rare herbs, flowers and shrubs...

IN SEARCH OF BABYLON

For a long, long time, serious researchers doubted the existence of the Gardens of Babylon. They were considered just a continuation of the legend. And so it was before late XIX century.

In 1898, on the banks of the ancient Euphrates, about 100 kilometers from Baghdad, the German archaeologist Robert Koldewey began his search for Babylon. And imagine - I found it! And the remains of the Tower of Babel, and the ruins of powerful fortress walls surrounding the city, and... the hanging gardens.

It was these three structures that the German Oriental Society commissioned Koldewey to find. The scientist spent 18 years completing this task. In order to remove mountains of garbage and rubble from the excavation site, he even ordered a portable railway. It was impossible to do without her.

He dug up the Tower of Babel and the fortress walls relatively quickly. The scientist spent most of his time searching for the legendary gardens. And he was completely desperate to find them, when suddenly one day, in the northeastern corner of the vast palace complex, he came across a structure that was unlike any he had ever seen. The foundation consisted of 12 chambers, which were lined with hewn stones. The massive vaults of the chambers, made of baked brick, were designed to withstand heavy load. The thickness of the walls and supports reached 7 meters.

Along with this unusual structure for Babylon, Koldewey also came across a source, which he dug up at the very base of the vaulted structure. A scoop lift made of wood and thick ropes was connected to the source. The lift itself, of course, has not survived.

Koldewey thought for a long time about the purpose of this basement arcade, and came to the idea of ​​​​the reality of the hanging gardens. After all, both ancient sources and the cuneiform tablets of Mesopotamia said that in Babylon, hewn stones were used in the construction of two structures: the northern wall of the Babylonian palace and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. He discovered the stone wall earlier, which means that in front of him was a great monument from an ancient legend...

...Why are the gardens called the Gardens of Babylon? Yes, because human memory has one amazing property: it connects events of the distant past, separated in time. So the real Semiramis and the gardens of Nebuchadnezzar are separated by 200 years. The memory of them has survived thousands of years. Apparently, they really were a miracle.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon or the Hanging Gardens of Amitis (or Amanis according to other sources) is one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. According to legend, a huge artificial hill was built by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II.

Description of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus, describing the ancient capital of Babylon, claimed that the perimeter of its outer walls reached 56 miles (about 89 km) in length, the thickness of the walls reached 80 feet (30 meters), and the height was 320 feet (about 100 meters). The walls were wide enough for two chariots drawn by four horses to easily overtake each other.

The city also had internal walls, which were “not so thick, but like the first they were no less powerful.” Inside these double walls stood luxurious palaces and temples containing huge statues made of pure gold. Towering over the city was the famous Tower of Babel, the temple of the god Marduk, which seemed to reach to the heavens.

Archaeological excavations carried out in ancient Babylon dispute some of Herodotus's claims (the outer walls of the boule are 10 miles (16 km) long and not that high). However, his narration does give us a sense of how amazing city There was Babylon and what impression it made on ancient people.

Oddly enough, one of the city's most impressive sights was not even mentioned by Herodotus, namely the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Gift for the homesick wife

Historical accounts say that the garden was built by King Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled the city for 43 years starting in 605 BC. This was the height of the city's power and influence and King Nebuchadnezzar himself is known to have built amazing variety temples, streets, palaces and walls.

He particularly distinguished himself in the history of Babylon because he defeated the Assyrian Empire, which twice took Babylon and destroyed it. Together with Cyaxares, king of Media (modern-day Iraq, Iran and parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan), they divided the Assyrian empire among themselves, and to maintain the alliance, Nebuchadnezzar II married Cyaxares' daughter, Amytis.

It is believed that Nebuchadnezzar built these luxurious gardens for his homesick wife, Amytis. Amytis, the daughter of the king of Media, married Nebuchadnezzar to create an alliance between the two countries. Her homeland was covered with green hills and mountains, and the area of ​​​​Mesopotamia, of course, does not have any hills. The king decided to cure her depression by recreating part of her homeland by creating an artificial mountain with a garden.

Exists alternative history that the gardens were built by the Assyrian queen Semiramis or Shammuramat (812-803 BC) during her five-year reign. Although she was the wife of the Assyrian king Shamshi-Adad V, she was Babylonian by blood.

Hanging gardens probably did not actually "hang" in the sense that cables and ropes were not used. The name comes from incorrect translation the Greek word "kremastos" or the Latin "pensilis". Both words can be translated as “overhangs,” as in the case of a terrace or balcony, rather than hanging in the literal sense of the word.

The Greek geographer Strabo, who described the gardens in the first century BC, wrote:

The garden had a quadrangular shape, and each side was four plethra in length. It consists of arched vaults, which are located one above the other, on checkered, cubic columns. The checkered collections that are hollowed out are covered with a layer of deep earth so that they tolerate the largest trees.

All this is supported by a series of vaults and arches. You can climb to the very top terrace by stairs; next to these stairs there are screws, with the help of which workers appointed specifically for this purpose constantly raised water from the Euphrates into the garden. And the garden is located on the river bank

Problem with Water and Irrigation

Strabo argued that it was the solution to the irrigation of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon that was truly the most amazing engineering problem that was solved by the ancients. Babylon is located in a dry region; rains are not very frequent here. In order for the garden to survive, the trees and bushes had to be irrigated with water from the Euphrates River, which flowed through the city, dividing it into two parts.

This meant that the water had to be raised to the very top, and from there it could flow through canals to the terraces below. This was a huge task given the lack of modern engines and pressure pumps in ancient times. We do not know exactly what these ancient devices described by Strabo looked like, but it is quite possible that they were some form of “chain pump”. For more details, you can watch a video showing the mechanism of its operation.

The pump chain was stretched between two large wheels, located one above the other. Buckets were hung from chains. Below the bottom wheel is a pool with a water source. As the wheel turned, the buckets dipped into the pool and lifted the water to the top. The chain then lifted them to the upper wheel, where buckets poured water into the upper basin. The chain then carried the empty buckets back down to repeat the cycle.

From the upper basin of the garden, water was drained through channels, creating artificial streams for watering the garden. The pool doors were attached to a shaft with a handle. By turning the handle, slaves could control the power of the flow.

An alternative way to obtain water in top part gardens may have been using a screw pump (shown in the video). This device looks quite simple. A long tube was taken with one end in the lower pool, from which water was pumped, and from the other end, hanging over the upper pool, water was poured out.

The water was raised using a long internal screw, which was fitted tightly into the tube. As the propeller turns, the water is pinched between the propeller blades and forced to the top. When the water reached the top, it fell into the upper pool.

Screw pumps are very effective ways movement of water and a number of engineers have suggested that they were used in hanging gardens. Strabo even makes references in his description of parts of the garden that can be taken as evidence that such hand pumps brought water to the top.

One problem with this theory, however, is that we have little evidence that the Babylonians had a screw pump. It is believed that the screw pump was invented by the Greek engineer Archimedes from the Sicilian city of Syracuse in 250 BC, more than 300 years after the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

However, let’s not forget that the Greeks are a proud people and could completely ignore the achievements of other peoples.

Construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

During the construction of the Gardens of Babylon, it was necessary to take into account not only the severity of the water supplied to the top, but also its destructive properties on the structure itself. Since stone was difficult to find on the Mesopotamian plain, most of the buildings in Babylon were built of brick.

The bricks were made from clay mixed with chopped straw and baked in the sun. They were then bonded together with bitumen, a slimy substance that acted as mortar. Unfortunately, water could quickly ruin such bricks and the garden itself could quickly sag under the influence of moisture. As has been said, rains are rare in Mesopotamia, but a structure that received so much water from the Euphrates could actually be destroyed in a few weeks and months.

Diodorus Siculus, a Greek historian, described the platforms on which the garden stood and claimed that they consisted of huge stone slabs (the only structure apparently made of stone in Babylon), covered with layers of reeds, asphalt and tiles. Above it was

“The covering was covered with sheets of lead, which retained moisture that was absorbed through the ground and allowed the foundation to be destroyed. The ground level was deep enough for the largest trees to grow. When the soil was laid and leveled, all kinds of trees were planted in it, both for grandeur and beauty, and perhaps for the admiration of the spectators.”

How big were the gardens? Diodorus tells us that they were about 400 feet wide by 400 feet (about 130 meters) long and over 80 feet (25 meters) high. Other calculations show that the height was equal to the height of the outer city wall given to us by Herodotus, which he stated was 320 feet (100 meters) high.

In any case, the gardens were an amazing sight: a green, artificial mountain clearly stood out against the background of the plain.

Description of the Hanging Gardens in the works of antiquity

In fact, everything we know about gardens comes to us from ancient works. As we will describe below, the location of the gardens itself has not yet been clarified. Let's start with who built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Josephus (37-100 AD) gives a description of the gardens, making reference to Berosus (or Berosus), a Babylonian priest of the god Marduk who lived c. 290 BC. Berossus described the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II and was the only source who claimed that it was Nebuchadnezzar II who built this miracle.

The park extends for four plethra on each side, and since the approach to the garden is inclined, like a hillside, and several parts of the structure grow one out of the other, tier upon tier, appearance Overall it was like a theatre. When the ascending terraces were built, galleries were built there, which bore the entire weight of the sown garden; and the upper gallery, which was fifty cubits high, bore the highest platform of the park, which was made on the same level as the battlements of the city walls. Moreover, the walls, which were built at great expense, were twenty-two feet thick, while the passage between each two walls was ten feet wide.

The bottom of the gardens was laid with a layer of reeds laid in large quantities bitumen, and above these two layers was placed a layer of baked brick bound with cement, and as the last layer there was a covering of lead, so that moisture from the soil could not penetrate down.

On top of all this earth was laid to a depth sufficient for the roots of the largest trees; the ground was level, densely planted with trees of all kinds, which, in their own way, large size or charm, could give pleasure to the viewer. Galleries, each of which projects one after the other, they all receive light, and contain many royal residences of all kinds; there was also one gallery that contained openings leading to top surface and machines for supplying water for the gardens, the machines raised water in great abundance from the river, although no one outside could see how it was done.

Now this park, as I said, was a late construction

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