Neo-Babylonian

As with other Mesopotamian civilizations, the Assyrian empire disintegrated during the last years of Ashurbanipal’s reign.  The Babylonians reemerged from the south and reigned over the former Assyrian empire until the Persian conquest.

 Ishtar Gate, Babylon, Iraq, ca. 575 B.C.

Babylon was restored as one of the great cities of antiquity — its ziggurat was the famous “Tower of Babel.”  Likewise, the city was famous for its hanging gardens.

Although most of the structures of Babylon were built as mud-brick structures, some of these were covered with blue-glazed bricks.  Here, on the Ishtar Gate, we see alternating profile figures of the dragon, Marduk, and the bull of Adad.  The processional way is covered with lions.