There are five major writers whose descriptions of Babylon exist in some form today. These writers are concerned with the size of the Hanging Gardens, their general design and means of irrigation, and why they were built.

Josephus (c.) cites a description of the gardens of Berossus, a Babylonian priest of Marduk,[1]​ whose writing c. It is the first known mention of the gardens. Berossus described the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II and is the only source that attributes the construction of the Hanging Gardens to that king.[9]​[10]​.

Diodorus Siculus (active c.) seems to have consulted texts from the century BC. C. both Cleitarchus") (historian of Alexander the Great) and Ctesias of Cnidus. Diodorus attributes the construction to a Syrian king. He states that the garden was square in shape and that each side measured approximately four plethra"). The garden was stepped and the upper gallery was 50 cubits high. The walls, 6 meters thick, were made of brick. The bases of the stepped sections were deep enough to allow the roots of the largest trees to grow, and the gardens were watered from the nearby Euphrates.[12]​.

Quintus Curtius Rufus (century AD) probably drew on the same sources as Diodorus.[13] He states that the gardens were situated on the top of a citadel, which was 20 stadia&action=edit&redlink=1 "Stadion (unit) (not yet written)") in circumference. He attributes the construction of the gardens to a Syrian king, again for the reason that his queen missed her homeland.

Strabo's account (c.) possibly based its description on the lost account of Onesicritus from the century BC. C.[14]​ It states that the gardens were watered by means of an Archimedean screw that led to the gardens from the Euphrates River.

The last of the classical sources that is believed to be independent of the others is Manual of the Seven Wonders of the World, by the paradoxographer Philo of Byzantium, written in the centuries - AD. C.[15]​ The method of lifting water by screw coincides with that described by Strabo.[16]​ Philo praises the engineering and ingenuity of constructing vast areas of deep soil, which had a tremendous mass, so far above the natural grade of the surrounding terrain, as well as the irrigation techniques.

The gardens were next to the palace of the King of Babylon, adjacent to the river, so that travelers could contemplate them, since access to the town was prohibited.

On the highest of the terraces there was a water tank from which several streams ran.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon "Babylon (city)") were not really "hanging" in the sense of being suspended by cables or ropes. The name comes from an incorrect translation of the Greek word kremastos or the Latin term pensilis, which does not exactly mean "hang" but "protrude", as in the case of a terrace or a balcony.

The Greek geographer Strabo, who described the gardens in the century BC. C., wrote:

The most recent archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Babylon, in present-day Iraq, uncovered the palace settlement. Other finds include the domed construction with thick walls and an irrigation system near the southern palace.

A group of archaeologists examined the southern area of ​​the palace and recreated the domed construction as the Hanging Gardens. However, the Greek historian Strabo had indicated that the gardens were located on the river [Euphrates], while the domed construction is several hundred meters away. They rebuilt the site of the palace and located the gardens in the area that extended from the river to the palace.

With the possible decline of Babylon and the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, the gardens were progressively abandoned. When Alexander the Great arrived in the city in the century BC. C., the gardens were already partially in ruins and completely abandoned. Finally the gardens were destroyed by King Evemero&action=edit&redlink=1 "Evemero (king) (not yet written)") in the year 126 BC. c.

It is unclear whether the Hanging Gardens were a real construction or a poetic creation, due to the lack of documentation in contemporary Babylonian sources. There is also no mention of Nebuchadnezzar's wife Amyitis (or any other wife), although a political marriage to a Medes or Persian would not have been unusual.[17] There are many records of Nebuchadnezzar's works, however, his long and complete inscriptions do not mention any gardens.[18] However, gardens are said to have still existed at the time later writers described them, and some of these accounts are considered to have come from people who had visited Babylon.[19]​ Herodotus, who describes Babylon in his Historias "Histories (Herodotus)"), does not mention the Hanging Gardens,[20]​ although it could be that the gardens were not yet well known to the Greeks at the time of his visit.[19]​.

To date, no archaeological evidence has been found in Babylon of the Hanging Gardens.[21] It is possible that evidence exists under the Euphrates, which cannot be safely excavated at present. The river flowed east of its present position during the time of Nebuchadnezzar II, and little is known of the western part of Babylon. Rollinger has suggested that Berossus attributed the Gardens to Nebuchadnezzar for political reasons, and that he had adopted the legend from elsewhere.

However, at the beginning of the 19th century, the archaeologist Robert Koldewey excavated the foundations of a series of terraces with water channels distant from the Euphrates River by a few hundred meters. According to this author, the Hanging Gardens would not be linear, but in a circle, forming a private garden and not visible to the public. Other Assyriologists such as Donald Wiseman") have subsequently defended Koldewey's theories.

Existence of intramural gardens in Hammurabi's palace at the time of the first Babylonian dynasty") (), known from the tablets unearthed in Mari&action=edit&redlink=1 "Mari (archaeological site) (not yet written)"), in which the Babylonian king received the troops of his allies who had come to support him:.

Existence of royal gardens in the time of King Merodach-Baladan II") (721-713 and 703 BC) described on the clay tablet BM.46226 Description of the plants that grew in the garden, which probably served for the king's table (garlic, onions, leeks, lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, numerous condiments and aromatics).[26]

The gardens, as depicted in the artwork, featured flowers, ripe fruit, bubbling waterfalls, and lush terraces of rich foliage. Based on Babylonian literature, tradition, and the environmental characteristics of the area, some of the following plants may have been found in the gardens:[27]​.

Among the varieties of imported plants that may have been present in the gardens are cedar, cypress, ebony, pomegranate, plum, rosewood, terebinth, juniper, oak, ash, fir, myrrh, walnut and willow.[28] Some of these plants were suspended over the terraces and draped over their walls with arches below.

There are five major writers whose descriptions of Babylon exist in some form today. These writers are concerned with the size of the Hanging Gardens, their general design and means of irrigation, and why they were built.

Josephus (c.) cites a description of the gardens of Berossus, a Babylonian priest of Marduk,[1]​ whose writing c. It is the first known mention of the gardens. Berossus described the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II and is the only source that attributes the construction of the Hanging Gardens to that king.[9]​[10]​.

Diodorus Siculus (active c.) seems to have consulted texts from the century BC. C. both Cleitarchus") (historian of Alexander the Great) and Ctesias of Cnidus. Diodorus attributes the construction to a Syrian king. He states that the garden was square in shape and that each side measured approximately four plethra"). The garden was stepped and the upper gallery was 50 cubits high. The walls, 6 meters thick, were made of brick. The bases of the stepped sections were deep enough to allow the roots of the largest trees to grow, and the gardens were watered from the nearby Euphrates.[12]​.

Quintus Curtius Rufus (century AD) probably drew on the same sources as Diodorus.[13] He states that the gardens were situated on the top of a citadel, which was 20 stadia&action=edit&redlink=1 "Stadion (unit) (not yet written)") in circumference. He attributes the construction of the gardens to a Syrian king, again for the reason that his queen missed her homeland.

Strabo's account (c.) possibly based its description on the lost account of Onesicritus from the century BC. C.[14]​ It states that the gardens were watered by means of an Archimedean screw that led to the gardens from the Euphrates River.

The last of the classical sources that is believed to be independent of the others is Manual of the Seven Wonders of the World, by the paradoxographer Philo of Byzantium, written in the centuries - AD. C.[15]​ The method of lifting water by screw coincides with that described by Strabo.[16]​ Philo praises the engineering and ingenuity of constructing vast areas of deep soil, which had a tremendous mass, so far above the natural grade of the surrounding terrain, as well as the irrigation techniques.

The gardens were next to the palace of the King of Babylon, adjacent to the river, so that travelers could contemplate them, since access to the town was prohibited.

On the highest of the terraces there was a water tank from which several streams ran.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon "Babylon (city)") were not really "hanging" in the sense of being suspended by cables or ropes. The name comes from an incorrect translation of the Greek word kremastos or the Latin term pensilis, which does not exactly mean "hang" but "protrude", as in the case of a terrace or a balcony.

The Greek geographer Strabo, who described the gardens in the century BC. C., wrote:

The most recent archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Babylon, in present-day Iraq, uncovered the palace settlement. Other finds include the domed construction with thick walls and an irrigation system near the southern palace.

A group of archaeologists examined the southern area of ​​the palace and recreated the domed construction as the Hanging Gardens. However, the Greek historian Strabo had indicated that the gardens were located on the river [Euphrates], while the domed construction is several hundred meters away. They rebuilt the site of the palace and located the gardens in the area that extended from the river to the palace.

With the possible decline of Babylon and the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, the gardens were progressively abandoned. When Alexander the Great arrived in the city in the century BC. C., the gardens were already partially in ruins and completely abandoned. Finally the gardens were destroyed by King Evemero&action=edit&redlink=1 "Evemero (king) (not yet written)") in the year 126 BC. c.

It is unclear whether the Hanging Gardens were a real construction or a poetic creation, due to the lack of documentation in contemporary Babylonian sources. There is also no mention of Nebuchadnezzar's wife Amyitis (or any other wife), although a political marriage to a Medes or Persian would not have been unusual.[17] There are many records of Nebuchadnezzar's works, however, his long and complete inscriptions do not mention any gardens.[18] However, gardens are said to have still existed at the time later writers described them, and some of these accounts are considered to have come from people who had visited Babylon.[19]​ Herodotus, who describes Babylon in his Historias "Histories (Herodotus)"), does not mention the Hanging Gardens,[20]​ although it could be that the gardens were not yet well known to the Greeks at the time of his visit.[19]​.

To date, no archaeological evidence has been found in Babylon of the Hanging Gardens.[21] It is possible that evidence exists under the Euphrates, which cannot be safely excavated at present. The river flowed east of its present position during the time of Nebuchadnezzar II, and little is known of the western part of Babylon. Rollinger has suggested that Berossus attributed the Gardens to Nebuchadnezzar for political reasons, and that he had adopted the legend from elsewhere.

However, at the beginning of the 19th century, the archaeologist Robert Koldewey excavated the foundations of a series of terraces with water channels distant from the Euphrates River by a few hundred meters. According to this author, the Hanging Gardens would not be linear, but in a circle, forming a private garden and not visible to the public. Other Assyriologists such as Donald Wiseman") have subsequently defended Koldewey's theories.

Existence of intramural gardens in Hammurabi's palace at the time of the first Babylonian dynasty") (), known from the tablets unearthed in Mari&action=edit&redlink=1 "Mari (archaeological site) (not yet written)"), in which the Babylonian king received the troops of his allies who had come to support him:.

Existence of royal gardens in the time of King Merodach-Baladan II") (721-713 and 703 BC) described on the clay tablet BM.46226 Description of the plants that grew in the garden, which probably served for the king's table (garlic, onions, leeks, lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, numerous condiments and aromatics).[26]

The gardens, as depicted in the artwork, featured flowers, ripe fruit, bubbling waterfalls, and lush terraces of rich foliage. Based on Babylonian literature, tradition, and the environmental characteristics of the area, some of the following plants may have been found in the gardens:[27]​.

Among the varieties of imported plants that may have been present in the gardens are cedar, cypress, ebony, pomegranate, plum, rosewood, terebinth, juniper, oak, ash, fir, myrrh, walnut and willow.[28] Some of these plants were suspended over the terraces and draped over their walls with arches below.