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How did the Euphrates River divide the eastern and western parts of Babylon?
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Babylon
A reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate at the ruins of Babylon, near modern Al-Ḥillah, Iraq.
The Euphrates flowed directly through the ancient city of Babylon, effectively dividing it into eastern and western sections.
The eastern bank contained the older part of the city, which served as its central hub. This area featured the Esagila—the great temple of Marduk—and the Etemenanki ziggurat. The eastern side also housed the Processional Way, the Ishtar Gate, and extensive residential districts. In contrast, the western half of the city was connected to the east by a bridge constructed on brick piles with stone capping. A massive double wall, protected by a ditch, enclosed the city on both sides of the river, integrating both banks into a unified defensive system.1