【帝国时代一】巴比伦文明在官方说明文件中的描述
注：英语原文取自最古老版本的帝国时代一的帮助文件中，关于历史的文本量相当巨大，但在win7系统更新后，以win95为基础的hlp文件被淘汰，如今已经很难找到打开hlp文件的方法。如有大佬能提供支援就好了。
注：因为原hlp文件并未随着罗马复兴资料片的更新而更新，所以这个系列不包含新增的罗马、迦太基、马其顿和巴尔米拉文明。
注：因为年代久远（1996年左右），很多记述可能已经与最新的考古发现有着显著的差异。
注：蹩脚英语，翻译腔，懒得润色的语句。
注：英语原文放在前面，汉语翻译放在后面。
更多资料：
世界地理历史小常识25——伊拉克（CV4993425）
Babylonian culture (1900 to 539 BC)
The Mesopotamian city-state of Babylon twice expanded to become an important world empire before being absorbed by Persia. Its two great expansions were sufficiently remarkable to earn it a place in history beside the two other great Mesopotamian cultures, the Sumerians and Assyrians. Between its Old and New Empire periods, Babylonia devolved back into a small but rich city-state that was captured occasionally by its neighbors.The predominate inhabitants of Babylon changed several times over its existence, although the culture remained relatively constant and distinct. The Amorites, the Kassites, and the Chaldeans were all Babylonians at least once.
Location
The Babylonians took their name from their capital and only major city, Babylon, located on the Euphrates River west of Sumeria and south of Assyria. It was well-placed on the river for agriculture and for trade, but had no natural defenses. A strong leader and strong army were needed to defend it. Determined attackers were able to sack the city on numerous occasions during its history when such a leader or army was not available.
Rise to power
Babylonia was founded as a kingdom around 1900 BC by Semitic Amorite barbarians who overran much of Canaan, Akkad, and Sumer one hundred years earlier. In 1792 BC the small kingdom was inherited by Hammurabi who ruled until 1750. During those 42 years, Hammurabi extended the kingdom to encompass all of Sumer to the east and Akkad to the north. He also defeated the barbarian Gutians in the Zagros Mountains to the northeast who had previously sacked Akkad. He also pushed back the Elamites (east of Sumer) and the Assyrians (north of Akkad). This was the first great Babylonian empire.Following Hammurabi's death, the empire fell into gradual decline. In 1595 BC Hittites drove down the Euphrates and sacked Babylon, plundering the city and deposing the Amorite kings. This ended the first empire. Within 20 years, new invaders called the Kassites had settled around Babylon, establishing a new dynasty. The Kassites were neither Semitic nor Indo-European, and probably came from east of the Zagros Mountains.The Kassites ruled Babylon for several centuries before being conquered by the Assyrians in 1158 BC. Descendants of the Amorites had restored control by 1027 BC.During the Eighth and Seventh Centuries, the Chaldeans, new Semitic immigrants to the area, and the Assyrians fought for control of Babylon. The Assyrians claimed sovereignty for a while but sacked the city once as punishment for rebellion.A Chaldean sheik seized the Babylonian throne and then destroyed the Assyrians with the help of the Medes. The Chaldean Dynasty and the New Empire lasted from 626 to 539 BC. The revived Babylonians overran most of the Assyrian Empire from the Persian Gulf to the borders of Egypt.In 597 BC Nebuchadrezzar II captured Jerusalem and forced its king and nobles into exile. When the puppet ruler of Jerusalem rebelled, the city was taken again in 586 BC after an eighteen-month siege. This time much of the population was deported to Babylon and their descendants remained there until released by the Persians. This period of Hebrew history was called the Babylonian Captivity.
Economy
The basic economy of Babylonia was typical for Mesopotamia at the time. Irrigation and dikes controlled the waters of the Euphrates River, providing bountiful harvests of grain, vegetables, and fruit in normal years. These foods were supplemented by herds of sheep and some cattle.The Babylonians traded food surpluses for raw materials like copper, gold, and wood, which they used to manufacture weapons, household objects, jewelry, and other items that could be traded.The fabulous wealth of the New Empire (626 to 539 BC) derived from controlling the east-west and north-south trade, primarily thanks to control of Phoenicia, Syria, and the other Levant ports. This area had been the nexus of civilized trade for over a thousand years, and, for that reason, the prize for every empire and pseudo-empire of the age. Not long after the end of the Babylonian New Empire, the shift of much trade to the central and western Mediterranean reduced the importance of this area.
Religion and culture
The Babylonians worshipped many gods, but chief of these was Marduk, god of the city of Babylon. Marduk was represented by a dragon in the artwork that decorated the city. Festivals were held throughout the year in honor of specific gods to assure their favor. The New Year festival for Marduk assured fertility in the fields.For a brief time the New Empire was among the richest in the world. The city reflected that wealth in its extensive and highly decorated monuments. The interior of the Temple of Marduk was reportedly covered with gold.At the center of a great and rich trading empire, the people of Babylon had access to exotic goods and manufactured items from throughout the world.
Government
The New Empire government of Babylon adopted many of the Assyrian imperial practices, which probably contributed to its own short life. The king had overall administrative power, in addition to his central role in important religious rituals. Governors ruled important provinces on behalf of the king, but most of these were Babylonians appointed from outside the local area. Local puppets were often left in place to rule local kingdoms, but this occasionally led to revolt, as in the case of Jerusalem.
Architecture
The city of Babylon was destroyed and rebuilt several times, usually on top of the old ruins. Buildings and walls were constructed of mud bricks, first sun-baked, and then baked with fire.The Babylon of the New Empire period was one of the wealthiest cities in the world. The Chaldean kings rebuilt the city and established its reputation for splendor for all time. The Euphrates River passed through the middle of the city and was directed around its four sides through a moat. Inside the moat were double walls. The Greek historian Herodotus claimed that the outer wall was so wide that a chariot with four horses could drive along it. There were several city gates, each named after an important god. The Ishtar gate opened on the sacred Processional Way that led to the ziggurat and Temple of Marduk. The gate, sacred way, and temples were decorated with bright blue glazed tiles depicting real and fantasy animals in relief.The two sides of the city were connected by a bridge. The east side contained the palace and temples, including many ziggurats. The greatest of these, built by Nebuchanezzar II, had seven levels with a small temple to Marduk at the top. This ziggurat was probably the Tower of Babel mentioned in the Bible. Nebuchanezzar also built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a multistoried ziggurat decorated with trees and plants to resemble a mountain. According to legend, the gardens were built to remind one of his wives of her mountain homeland. The Hanging Gardens were one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Military
Little is known of the Babylonian military from either the Old or New Empires, although Hammurabi's army of the Old Empire may have made important use of chariots when these were first coming into use.The New Empire armies probably copied much from the Assyrians. This would suggest that Babylonians made extensive use of cavalry, especially mounted bowmen. Foot troops probably used iron weapons and wore iron helmets and some chain mail armor. The Babylonians and their less advanced allies, the Medes, took three heavily fortified Assyrian cities in short succession, suggesting they had mastered the Assyrian techniques for storming cities.
Decline and fall
Following seven turbulent years that saw three new kings in succession and two rebellions, in 556 BC the last of the Chaldean Dynasty, Nabonidus, took the throne of Babylon. He worshipped the moon god, Sin, but neglected local affairs and important religious rituals associated with other gods. For several years he did not perform the important New Year festival in the name of Marduk, the deity of Babylon, that renewed the fertility of the land. He also introduced reforms that gave effective control of temple finances to himself.The unrest and dissatisfaction these events fostered came at a time when a new power to the east, Persia, had been gradually expanding and spreading its influence. Under Cyrus I, the Persians had first overthrown their masters, the Medes, and then expanded to the northwest into Anatolia. During these conquests, Cyrus demonstrated a high degree of tolerance and clemency that encouraged others not to resist.When Cyrus turned against the Babylonians, he was welcomed by a large segment of the population, including the influential priests. Cyrus first defeated Nabonidus in battle at Opis. Nabonidus fled to Babylon but the city surrendered without a fight on October 12, 539 BC, and the last Babylonian king went into captivity. The Jews and other peoples held in Babylonian captivity were freed. The entire New Empire of Babylon became part of the Persian Empire and Babylonia ceased to exist as a separate entity and culture.
Legacy
The first Babylonian empire is best known for the Law Code of King Hammurabi, circa 1750 BC, purportedly handed down by the god Shamah. The laws of Moses derive from Hammurabi's code. The laws themselves are preserved on a 90-inch stone stele that was uncovered in Susa in modern times. It had been carted off by the Elamites following their sack of Babylon in 1158 BC.The New Empire of Babylon was noted especially for its wealth and grandeur. This was reported in Old Testament accounts from the period of the Hebrew Babylonian Captivity and by the Greek historian Herodotus who visited the city. The most impressive features of the city were its walls, the Ishtar Gate, the ziggurat and temple to Marduk, the Processional Way, and the Hanging Gardens.
巴比伦文明（公元前1900至公元前539年）
美索不达米亚的巴比伦城邦两次扩大，成为一个重要的世界帝国，后来被波斯吞并。他的两次巨大扩张是非常显著的，使得它在其他两大文明——苏美尔和亚述——之间获得了独特的美索不达米亚文明。在新旧帝国时期之间，巴比伦沦为一个小而富有的城邦，偶尔被其邻国俘虏，巴比伦的主要居民在此过程中变化多次，但是文化却保持得相对恒定而鲜明。阿摩利人、库塞特人、迦勒底人都曾经被称为巴比伦人。
位置
巴比伦的首都和唯一主要城市就是巴比伦，位于幼发拉底河，在苏美尔西边，在亚述南边。从农业和商业上来看，河流上的城市很棒，但是其缺乏自然的防御，这需要强大的领导和军队来守卫。坚定的进攻者能够在巴比伦失去强大领导和军队时，多次攻克这座城市。
发展强盛
巴比伦是在公元前1900年由闪米特的阿摩利野蛮人建立的小王国，并在一百年后超越了类似迦南、阿卡德、苏美尔这些国家。公元前1792年，小王国由汉莫拉比继承，统治直到1750年，42年间，汉莫拉比将王国扩展到东部的苏美尔和北部的阿卡德。他还击败了东北边扎格罗斯山脉的古蒂安野蛮人，后者在不久前刚刚吞并阿卡德的东北部。他还将苏美尔以东的埃兰人和阿卡德北部的亚述人赶了回去。这是第一个伟大的巴比伦帝国。汉莫拉比死后，帝国逐渐衰落。公元前1595年，赫梯人沿幼发拉底河而下吞并了巴比伦，掠夺了城市，还拆除了阿摩利王座，结束了第一帝国。二十年之内，名叫库塞特的新入侵者定居在巴比伦附近，建立了新的王朝。库塞特人既不是犹太人，也不是印欧人，可能来自扎格罗斯山脉的东边。库塞特人统治了巴比伦人几个世纪，直到公元前1158年被亚述征服。阿摩利人的后代在公元前1027年恢复了对巴比伦的控制，在后来两个世纪，迦勒底人、犹太人移民到这一地区。亚述则为了维持对巴比伦的控制战斗。亚述人主张主权一段时间，后来又一度将这座城市攻克来惩罚叛乱。迦勒底人的酋长抓住了巴比伦的王位，并在米底人的帮助下摧毁了亚述人。迦勒底王朝和新帝国始于公元前626年，终于公元前539年，复活的巴比伦人将大部分亚述帝国收入囊中，从波斯湾直到埃及的边界。公元前597年，尼布甲尼撒二世攻克耶路撒冷，迫使其国王和贵族流亡，当耶路撒冷的傀儡统治者反抗时，这个城市在公元前586年再次遭到了十八个月的围攻，最终，大部分人口被迁至巴比伦，他们的后代留在那里，直到被波斯人解放之前作为奴隶生活。这段历史被犹太人称为“巴比伦之囚”。
经济
巴比伦的基本经济是当时美索不达米亚的典型，灌溉和堤坝控制幼发拉底河的水，在正常年份提供了丰富的粮食、蔬菜和水果收成。其他食物由一些绵羊和牛来补充。巴比伦人使用铜、金子和木头等原材料交易食物，这些原材料用于生产武器、家具、珠宝和其他可交易的物品。新王国（公元前626至公元前539年）的神话般的富裕来自于控制东南西北的贸易，主要得益于对腓尼基、叙利亚和其他黎凡特港口的控制。这个地区千年来一直是文明贸易的纽带，因此，这个时代每个帝国或伪帝国都获得了丰厚的利益。在巴比伦新帝国结束后不久，许多贸易向中西部地中海转移，减少了这一地区的重要性。
宗教和文化
巴比伦人崇拜很多神，最主要的是巴比伦城的守护神马杜克。马杜克在城市装饰中以一条龙代表。一年中会举行例行的节日庆典来确保相应的神的青睐。马杜克的新年庆典确保了这片土地的生育能力。在很短时间内，新帝国成为世界上最富有的区域之一。据说，马杜克神庙中覆盖着黄金。在一个伟大而又富裕的贸易帝国的中心，巴比伦人民可以从世界各地获得异国情调的商品和工艺品。
政府
巴比伦新帝国的征服采取了许多亚述帝国的做法，这可能导致其短命，国王除了在重要的宗教仪式中发挥中心作用，还有整体的行政权力。总督代表国王，统治重要省份，但其中大多数人是从当地人之外任命的巴比伦人。当地的傀儡有时也被留在地方统治当地，但这偶尔引起叛乱，比如耶路撒冷。
建筑
巴比伦城市被摧毁和重建几次，通常在旧废墟之上重建。建筑物和墙壁由泥砖制成，首先被晒黑，然后用火烤制。新帝国时期的巴比伦是世界上最富有的城市之一，迦勒底国王重建了这座城市，并一直以其辉煌而闻名。幼发拉底河穿过城市中央，并通过护城河围绕四周，护城河内有双层城墙，希腊历史学家希罗多德说，外墙是如此之宽，一辆驷马战车都可以在上面行驶。城墙上有许多城门，每个都一一个重要的神命名。伊斯塔尔门打开后是通往曲折的马杜克神庙的专用道路。门、神圣之路以及神庙都用明亮的蓝色琉璃瓦装饰，描绘了真正的、幻妙的动物。城市两侧各连接了一座桥梁，东面连接着宫殿和神庙，包括许多庙塔。其中最大的由尼布甲尼撒二世建造，有七个级别，一个小的马杜克神庙在最上面，这应该就是圣经提过的传说中的巴别塔。尼布甲尼撒还建造了巴比伦的空中花园，是一个装饰着树木和植物的多层次的庙塔，就像一座山。据说，这些花园是为他一个思乡的妻子建造的，空中花园是古代世界七大奇迹之一。
衰落与灭亡
经过了七年动荡的岁月，连续三次出现了新国王和两次叛乱，公元前556年，迦勒底王朝最后一个国王，那波尼杜斯夺取了王位，他崇拜月亮神，但忽视了与其他神相关的地方事务和重要的宗教仪式。几年来，她没有以巴比伦神马杜克的名义进行重要的新年庆典来更新土地的生育能力。他还提出了有效控制寺庙财政的改革措施，这些事件的兴起和不满正与东边波斯新力量逐渐扩大同时，在居鲁士一世的带领下，波斯人推翻了米底主人，然后扩大到西北的安纳托利亚。在这些征服中，居鲁士表现出高度的宽容与饶恕，鼓励他人不要抗拒。当居鲁士调头攻打巴比伦时，受到了很多人的欢迎，包括有影响力的牧师。居鲁士在奥皮斯战役中首先击败了那波尼杜斯，那波尼杜斯逃到巴比伦，但在公元前539年的10月12日，巴比伦在战斗前投降，并俘虏了最后的巴比伦国王，在巴比伦关押的犹太人和其他人民被释放了。巴比伦的整个新帝国成为了波斯帝国的一部分，而巴比伦此后不再是独立的实体或文化。
遗产
第一个巴比伦帝国因为公元前1750年的汉谟拉比法典而闻名，据称是由夏马尔神传下来的，摩西的戒律来自于汉谟拉比法典，法律原文现在被发现在苏萨的90寸石碑上，是由埃兰人被巴比伦吞并后在公元前1158年雕刻成的。巴比伦的新帝国被称为富裕而华丽，这是由希伯来语的巴比伦之囚传承的旧约圣经和希腊历史学家希罗多德访问这座城市后记载的。城市最令人印象深刻的是城墙、伊斯塔尔门、马杜克庙塔和神庙、专用大道，以及空中花园。
