Babylon

The capital city of Babylonia, built near the Euphrates River, was probably the largest and richest city in the ancient world. Babylon reached its full glory when Nebuchadnezzar was king (605–562 BC). The people of Judah were captured and taken to live in Babylon during this time. Babylon was attacked, destroyed, and rebuilt again and again throughout its history. Now Babylon is only a series of mounds near the Euphrates River. In the New Testament, Babylon is used as a word picture for a government that is an enemy of God. When Babylon is used in 1 Peter and Revelation, it probably refers to the city of Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire.