I was sitting at a computer in Iraq looking for Web sites on ancient Babylon and found your site with the rebuilt ancient gate of Ishtar, at Babylon. We had just received a tour from an Iraqi archaeologist who worked at the ruins. The Marine Public Affairs office coordinated our tour.
Most of the rebuilt ruins were from the time of King Nebuchadnezzar II, approximately 600+ through 586 B.C. Saddam's workforce rebuilt over the actual ruins. The archaeologists were against this, but were powerless from stopping Saddam.
Older ruins were from the time of King Hammurabi, approximately 1,750 B.C. King Hammurabi was the one who came up with many of the notions we have for a civilized mankind.
Marines live in the palace.
~ Daniel O'Connell, Gunnery Sergeant, USMC
