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The two queens of Babylon (1)

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07 Crafts and economy


07 Crafts and economy



Keywords
Babylon
Nitocris
Semiramis
Period
5th century BCE
Greek Classical Age
Channel
Greek philosophers and scholars


Text
Herodotus 1.184-185:
Now among the many rulers of this city of Babylon … there were two that were women. The first of these lived five generation earlier than the second, and her name was Semiramis: it was she who built dykes on the plain, a notable work; before that the whole plain was wont to be flooded by the river. The second queen, whose name was Nitocris, was a wiser woman than the first. … she took such care as she could for her protection. … Her purpose in making the river to wind and turning the basin into a marsh was this - that the current might be slower by reason of the many windings that broke its force, and that the passages to Babylon might be crooked, and that next after them should come also the long circuit of the lake. All this work was done in that part of the country where are the passes and the shortest road from Media, that the Medes might not mix with her people and learn of her affairs.


Source (list of abbreviations) (source links will open in a new browser window)
Herodotus 1.184-185

Bibliography

Godley 1960, I 228-231Godley, A. D. Herodotus. 4 Vols. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, London: Heinemann 1960.

Links (external links will open in a new browser window)
Cf. Assyrians (= Babylonians) in the Persian army (1)
Cf. Babylonia = Assyria (2)
Cf. Babylonia = Assyria (3)
Cf. A custom relating to healing (1)
Cf. Herodotus on the Babylonian burial customs (1)
Cf. Herodotus on the Babylonian cult of Ištar (1)
Cf. Herodotus on the Babylonian customs (1)
Cf. Herodotus on a Babylonian marriage custom (1)
Cf. Herodotus on the Babylonian population (1)
Cf. Herodotus’ description of Babylon (1)
Cf. Herodotus’ description of Babylon (2)
Cf. Herodotus quoted a Babylonian omen (1)
Cf. Herodotus on the walling of Babylon (1)
Cf. The temple of Bel in Babylon (1)

Amar Annus


URL for this entry: http://www.aakkl.helsinki.fi/melammu/database/gen_html/a0000231.php


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