The Battle for Babylon

First broadcast May 2006

The city of Babylon, once the centre of ancient civilisation, has fallen victim to the ravages of modern warfare.

Occupied by US troops since 2003, what was once home to one of the seven wonders of the world has been severely damaged and neglected.

What is the scale of the destruction, and why is it so important that this site be protected?

Part One: Ancient Babylon

Sixty miles south of the capital, Babylon became the centre of civilisation and the home of an extremely advanced society.

It was here that the wheel was invented, the first laws were conceived, and the Hanging Gardens were created by King Nebuchadnezzar.

Jonathan Charles looks back over Babylon's thousands of years of glorious achievements, and explains why it is a symbol of the extraordinary and prosperous history of Iraq.

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