THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON

King Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of the city of Babylon in what is now the modern nation of Iraq. The king was married to queen Amyitis who
had grown up in the mountains of northern Iraq. In contrast, Babylon was build on a flat and dusty plain which left the queen feeling homesick.
Nebuchadnezzar decided to build his queen a large palace which would try to recreate the lush and fertile gardens which she had experienced as
a child.

According to several ancient Greek historians, the gardens were made up of many large terraces on which different plants were placed alongside
water features like fountains and pools. There were also large open spaces which were planted with trees to provide shade and fruits. Special
chain pumps were used to bring water up from the Euphrates River to the top of the gardens from where it would flow through a series of pipes
and channels.

Unlike most of the other Seven Wonders of the World, there is no current evidence to prove that the gardens definitely existed. However this
may be because most of the gardens were build from mud brick which has crumbled to dust over the past 3,000 years. The course of the
Euphrates River has also moved over time so the location of where the gardens may have stood is unknown. However, archeologists have
discovered many different aqueducts and canals which were used in the past to bring water into Babylon, including machines which would be
able to raise water to different levels.
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
 The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

1. Why were the Hanging Gardens built?

2. What materials were used in their construction?

3. Why has evidence of the Gardens been hard to find?

4. What evidence for the Gardens has been found?

 The Hanging
Gardens of Babylon
THE LIGHTHOUSE OF ALEXANDRIA
The city of Alexandria had been founded in northern Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. The city quickly grew into a major port and trading
center as it linked the Mediterranean Sea with the Nile River. After Alexander’s death, Egypt was taken over by one of his generals named
Ptolemy I. Ptolemy decided to build a large lighthouse which would guide ships safely into the harbor from many miles away using special
mirrors to cast a beam of light across the sea. Construction began in 290 BC and was completed 20 years later under the rule of Ptolemy II.

The lighthouse was built in three different stages with a large rectangular base, and octagonal midsections, and a cylindrical upper section which
housed the light. As the tower rose, each level was smaller and lighter in order to reduce the amount of weight on the base. A staircase inside
the building allowed workers to access the light and mirrors. During the day, when the light could not be seen, a large column of smoke was
produced which could be seen from over 100 miles away. By the end of construction, the lighthouse was over 120 meters high, making it the 2nd
highest building in the world behind the Great Pyramid of Giza. Statues of Triton, the Messenger of the Sea, were placed on each corner of the
lowest level while a large statue of Poseidon, God of the Sea, was placed at the very top.

After standing for over 1,000 years, the lighthouse was badly damaged in two large earthquakes in 1303 and 1323 which demolished the upper
and middle levels. In 1480 the ruler of Egypt decided to use the remaining stones to build a large fort to protect the entrance to Alexandria’s
harbor.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
 The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

1. Why was the lighthouse built?

2. How was the beam of light created?

3. What features were used to decorate the lighthouse?

4. What eventually happened to the lighthouse?

The Lighthouse of
Alexandria