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Germany in Babylon

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Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 19, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 37.

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Germany in Babylon

AMONG the latest interesting news items is the proposition that Germans reconstruct the palace of Nebuchadnezzar on its former site in ancient Babylon. The German Oriental Society (Dr. Robert Koldewey, director) has made some wonderful excavations and discoveries in the ruins of the ancient mistress of the nations. Among these are extensive ruins of the great palace of Nebuchadnezzar, the temple of Bel, and the Gate of Ishtar, and other remarkable structures. We quote from the San Francisco "Examiner" of August 27:
As a monument to German enterprise and influence in this region it is now proposed to reconstruct the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, exactly as it was at the height of its glory. To do this all the implements of modern engineering science will be employed. Huge steel cranes will be used to swing back into position great winged lions and blocks of stones, that were once raised with almost inconceivable labor by means of wooden beams.
The German Emperor is keenly interested in this project, and so are many influential German capitalists and scientists. Babylon lies within the German sphere of influence in Asia Minor. It is a few hours from Bagdad, the objective point of the new Bagdad railway, which is a German enterprise. The reconstruction of the ancient palace will be a brilliant advertisement for Teutonic enterprise in this important section of the earth.
Nebuchadnezzar, whose name is made familiar to us by the Bible, was the greatest king of Babylon. He built the finest buildings, and raised the city to the height of its glory. In the midst of his greatness, as the Bible tells us, he was stricken with madness for his wickedness in imagining himself a god. He behaved like a wild beast, and "did eat grass as the oxen" (Dan. 4:31-33). Subsequently he recovered his reason and resumed his successful career.
It was under his successor, Belshazzar, that Babylon finally came to ruin, a doom announced by the miraculous writing on the wall.
Nebuchadnezzar's principal palace, now to be restored, stood upon an elevated platform, and was of majestic proportions. A winding approach led upward for chariots, while pedestrians made their way up by stairs. The lower part of the wall was of stone, and the upper of burned brick.
All around the outside of the walls ran artistic sculptures of men hunting animals, decorated with fanciful borders in red, yellow, and blue. The huge bronze doors swung inward between winged bulls.
In his great audience hall the terrible monarch who flayed his enemies alive sat upon a throne raised thirty feet above the floor and approached by a stairway. The hall was one hundred and forty feet long and forty feet wide, space for such a banquet as Belshazzar gave to all his officers and his dancing women.
No less than two hundred rooms and halls made up the huge palace, which covered acres of ground. Many of these were devoted to the harem, which contained choice specimens of femininity from every part of the known world. The palace held untold treasures of carved furniture and embroidered hangings and works of sculpture which excite admiration when they are found to-day.
All through the interior of the palace ran splendid friezes depicting the glorious triumphs of Nebuchadnezzar; for he had routed the Egyptians, destroyed Jerusalem and carried the Jews into captivity, and reduced the great city of Tyre to subjection.
The other remains of Babylon are equally interesting. The walls of the city have been traced, and have proved that the account of Herodotus was substantially accurate. They were eighty-six feet thick, and strengthened at intervals by towers two hundred and forty-eight feet high.
Most interesting is the Gate of Ishtar, or Venus Astarte, the chief goddess of the luxurious Babylonians, with its brilliant decorations of blue and yellowbulls and dragons. The explorers have now found the site of the celebrated hanging gardens, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, reputed to have been built by Queen Semiramis.
If only the palace of Nebuchadnezzar is restored, it will prove a great attraction to travelers. Babylon is agreeably situated on the Euphrates River, and tourists will flock to visit the mightiest city of Biblical times restored to prosperity and to a semblance of its pristine glory by modern science and enterprise.
All this will be in fulfilment of Biblical prophecy. Just now it strongly looks as if the power which would control the great Euphrates Valley in a most magnificent and dominant way is Germany. The great, ambitious military nation of Europe will bear watching. Just now shrewd observers are saying that the next occupant of the papal chair will be a German.