注：英語(yǔ)原文取自最古老版本的帝國(guó)時(shí)代一的幫助文件中，關(guān)于歷史的文本量相當(dāng)巨大，但在win7系統(tǒng)更新后，以win95為基礎(chǔ)的hlp文件被淘汰，如今已經(jīng)很難找到打開(kāi)hlp文件的方法。如有大佬能提供支援就好了。

注：因?yàn)樵環(huán)lp文件并未隨著羅馬復(fù)興資料片的更新而更新，所以這個(gè)系列不包含新增的羅馬、迦太基、馬其頓和巴爾米拉文明。

注：因?yàn)槟甏眠h(yuǎn)（1996年左右），很多記述可能已經(jīng)與最新的考古發(fā)現(xiàn)有著顯著的差異。

注：蹩腳英語(yǔ)，翻譯腔，懶得潤(rùn)色的語(yǔ)句。

注：英語(yǔ)原文放在前面，漢語(yǔ)翻譯放在后面。

更多資料：

世界地理歷史小常識(shí)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.

巴比倫文明（公元前1900至公元前539年）

美索不達(dá)米亞的巴比倫城邦兩次擴(kuò)大，成為一個(gè)重要的世界帝國(guó)，后來(lái)被波斯吞并。他的兩次巨大擴(kuò)張是非常顯著的，使得它在其他兩大文明——蘇美爾和亞述——之間獲得了獨(dú)特的美索不達(dá)米亞文明。在新舊帝國(guó)時(shí)期之間，巴比倫淪為一個(gè)小而富有的城邦，偶爾被其鄰國(guó)俘虜，巴比倫的主要居民在此過(guò)程中變化多次，但是文化卻保持得相對(duì)恒定而鮮明。阿摩利人、庫(kù)塞特人、迦勒底人都曾經(jīng)被稱為巴比倫人。

位置

巴比倫的首都和唯一主要城市就是巴比倫，位于幼發(fā)拉底河，在蘇美爾西邊，在亞述南邊。從農(nóng)業(yè)和商業(yè)上來(lái)看，河流上的城市很棒，但是其缺乏自然的防御，這需要強(qiáng)大的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)和軍隊(duì)來(lái)守衛(wèi)。堅(jiān)定的進(jìn)攻者能夠在巴比倫失去強(qiáng)大領(lǐng)導(dǎo)和軍隊(duì)時(shí)，多次攻克這座城市。

發(fā)展強(qiáng)盛

巴比倫是在公元前1900年由閃米特的阿摩利野蠻人建立的小王國(guó)，并在一百年后超越了類似迦南、阿卡德、蘇美爾這些國(guó)家。公元前1792年，小王國(guó)由漢莫拉比繼承，統(tǒng)治直到1750年，42年間，漢莫拉比將王國(guó)擴(kuò)展到東部的蘇美爾和北部的阿卡德。他還擊敗了東北邊扎格羅斯山脈的古蒂安野蠻人，后者在不久前剛剛吞并阿卡德的東北部。他還將蘇美爾以東的埃蘭人和阿卡德北部的亞述人趕了回去。這是第一個(gè)偉大的巴比倫帝國(guó)。漢莫拉比死后，帝國(guó)逐漸衰落。公元前1595年，赫梯人沿幼發(fā)拉底河而下吞并了巴比倫，掠奪了城市，還拆除了阿摩利王座，結(jié)束了第一帝國(guó)。二十年之內(nèi)，名叫庫(kù)塞特的新入侵者定居在巴比倫附近，建立了新的王朝。庫(kù)塞特人既不是猶太人，也不是印歐人，可能來(lái)自扎格羅斯山脈的東邊。庫(kù)塞特人統(tǒng)治了巴比倫人幾個(gè)世紀(jì)，直到公元前1158年被亞述征服。阿摩利人的后代在公元前1027年恢復(fù)了對(duì)巴比倫的控制，在后來(lái)兩個(gè)世紀(jì)，迦勒底人、猶太人移民到這一地區(qū)。亞述則為了維持對(duì)巴比倫的控制戰(zhàn)斗。亞述人主張主權(quán)一段時(shí)間，后來(lái)又一度將這座城市攻克來(lái)懲罰叛亂。迦勒底人的酋長(zhǎng)抓住了巴比倫的王位，并在米底人的幫助下摧毀了亞述人。迦勒底王朝和新帝國(guó)始于公元前626年，終于公元前539年，復(fù)活的巴比倫人將大部分亞述帝國(guó)收入囊中，從波斯灣直到埃及的邊界。公元前597年，尼布甲尼撒二世攻克耶路撒冷，迫使其國(guó)王和貴族流亡，當(dāng)耶路撒冷的傀儡統(tǒng)治者反抗時(shí)，這個(gè)城市在公元前586年再次遭到了十八個(gè)月的圍攻，最終，大部分人口被遷至巴比倫，他們的后代留在那里，直到被波斯人解放之前作為奴隸生活。這段歷史被猶太人稱為“巴比倫之囚”。

經(jīng)濟(jì)

巴比倫的基本經(jīng)濟(jì)是當(dāng)時(shí)美索不達(dá)米亞的典型，灌溉和堤壩控制幼發(fā)拉底河的水，在正常年份提供了豐富的糧食、蔬菜和水果收成。其他食物由一些綿羊和牛來(lái)補(bǔ)充。巴比倫人使用銅、金子和木頭等原材料交易食物，這些原材料用于生產(chǎn)武器、家具、珠寶和其他可交易的物品。新王國(guó)（公元前626至公元前539年）的神話般的富裕來(lái)自于控制東南西北的貿(mào)易，主要得益于對(duì)腓尼基、敘利亞和其他黎凡特港口的控制。這個(gè)地區(qū)千年來(lái)一直是文明貿(mào)易的紐帶，因此，這個(gè)時(shí)代每個(gè)帝國(guó)或偽帝國(guó)都獲得了豐厚的利益。在巴比倫新帝國(guó)結(jié)束后不久，許多貿(mào)易向中西部地中海轉(zhuǎn)移，減少了這一地區(qū)的重要性。

宗教和文化

巴比倫人崇拜很多神，最主要的是巴比倫城的守護(hù)神馬杜克。馬杜克在城市裝飾中以一條龍代表。一年中會(huì)舉行例行的節(jié)日慶典來(lái)確保相應(yīng)的神的青睞。馬杜克的新年慶典確保了這片土地的生育能力。在很短時(shí)間內(nèi)，新帝國(guó)成為世界上最富有的區(qū)域之一。據(jù)說(shuō)，馬杜克神廟中覆蓋著黃金。在一個(gè)偉大而又富裕的貿(mào)易帝國(guó)的中心，巴比倫人民可以從世界各地獲得異國(guó)情調(diào)的商品和工藝品。

政府

巴比倫新帝國(guó)的征服采取了許多亞述帝國(guó)的做法，這可能導(dǎo)致其短命，國(guó)王除了在重要的宗教儀式中發(fā)揮中心作用，還有整體的行政權(quán)力?？偠酱韲?guó)王，統(tǒng)治重要省份，但其中大多數(shù)人是從當(dāng)?shù)厝酥馊蚊陌捅葌惾?。?dāng)?shù)氐目苡袝r(shí)也被留在地方統(tǒng)治當(dāng)?shù)?，但這偶爾引起叛亂，比如耶路撒冷。

建筑

巴比倫城市被摧毀和重建幾次，通常在舊廢墟之上重建。建筑物和墻壁由泥磚制成，首先被曬黑，然后用火烤制。新帝國(guó)時(shí)期的巴比倫是世界上最富有的城市之一，迦勒底國(guó)王重建了這座城市，并一直以其輝煌而聞名。幼發(fā)拉底河穿過(guò)城市中央，并通過(guò)護(hù)城河圍繞四周，護(hù)城河內(nèi)有雙層城墻，希臘歷史學(xué)家希羅多德說(shuō)，外墻是如此之寬，一輛駟馬戰(zhàn)車(chē)都可以在上面行駛。城墻上有許多城門(mén)，每個(gè)都一一個(gè)重要的神命名。伊斯塔爾門(mén)打開(kāi)后是通往曲折的馬杜克神廟的專用道路。門(mén)、神圣之路以及神廟都用明亮的藍(lán)色琉璃瓦裝飾，描繪了真正的、幻妙的動(dòng)物。城市兩側(cè)各連接了一座橋梁，東面連接著宮殿和神廟，包括許多廟塔。其中最大的由尼布甲尼撒二世建造，有七個(gè)級(jí)別，一個(gè)小的馬杜克神廟在最上面，這應(yīng)該就是圣經(jīng)提過(guò)的傳說(shuō)中的巴別塔。尼布甲尼撒還建造了巴比倫的空中花園，是一個(gè)裝飾著樹(shù)木和植物的多層次的廟塔，就像一座山。據(jù)說(shuō)，這些花園是為他一個(gè)思鄉(xiāng)的妻子建造的，空中花園是古代世界七大奇跡之一。

衰落與滅亡

經(jīng)過(guò)了七年動(dòng)蕩的歲月，連續(xù)三次出現(xiàn)了新國(guó)王和兩次叛亂，公元前556年，迦勒底王朝最后一個(gè)國(guó)王，那波尼杜斯奪取了王位，他崇拜月亮神，但忽視了與其他神相關(guān)的地方事務(wù)和重要的宗教儀式。幾年來(lái)，她沒(méi)有以巴比倫神馬杜克的名義進(jìn)行重要的新年慶典來(lái)更新土地的生育能力。他還提出了有效控制寺廟財(cái)政的改革措施，這些事件的興起和不滿正與東邊波斯新力量逐漸擴(kuò)大同時(shí)，在居魯士一世的帶領(lǐng)下，波斯人推翻了米底主人，然后擴(kuò)大到西北的安納托利亞。在這些征服中，居魯士表現(xiàn)出高度的寬容與饒恕，鼓勵(lì)他人不要抗拒。當(dāng)居魯士調(diào)頭攻打巴比倫時(shí)，受到了很多人的歡迎，包括有影響力的牧師。居魯士在奧皮斯戰(zhàn)役中首先擊敗了那波尼杜斯，那波尼杜斯逃到巴比倫，但在公元前539年的10月12日，巴比倫在戰(zhàn)斗前投降，并俘虜了最后的巴比倫國(guó)王，在巴比倫關(guān)押的猶太人和其他人民被釋放了。巴比倫的整個(gè)新帝國(guó)成為了波斯帝國(guó)的一部分，而巴比倫此后不再是獨(dú)立的實(shí)體或文化。

遺產(chǎn)

第一個(gè)巴比倫帝國(guó)因?yàn)楣?750年的漢謨拉比法典而聞名，據(jù)稱是由夏馬爾神傳下來(lái)的，摩西的戒律來(lái)自于漢謨拉比法典，法律原文現(xiàn)在被發(fā)現(xiàn)在蘇薩的90寸石碑上，是由埃蘭人被巴比倫吞并后在公元前1158年雕刻成的。巴比倫的新帝國(guó)被稱為富裕而華麗，這是由希伯來(lái)語(yǔ)的巴比倫之囚傳承的舊約圣經(jīng)和希臘歷史學(xué)家希羅多德訪問(wèn)這座城市后記載的。城市最令人印象深刻的是城墻、伊斯塔爾門(mén)、馬杜克廟塔和神廟、專用大道，以及空中花園。