Who were the Babylonians?

Babylon, on the Euphrates River, was founded about 2000 BC by the Amorites from Syria. By the 18th century BC Babylon controlled a large empire in the heartland of early civilisation, but in 1595 BC it was invaded and destroyed. 

Hundreds of years later, in the 7th century BC, Nabopolassar became king. He and his son Nebuchadnezzar made Babylon rich, powerful, and famous again.

Image: The Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, attended by his queen and servants. They are sitting in the beautiful Hanging Gardens of Babylon, part of his massive rebuilding program.