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The __________ ziggurat at Babylon was 300 ft high, and its base was 300 ft on each side. Some scholars consider it the Biblical "__."

a) Tower of Babel
b) Temple of Solomon
c) Hanging Gardens
d) Gate of Ishtar

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The Ziggurat at Babylon, associated with the Biblical "Tower of Babel," was a massive structure dedicated to the Babylonian god Marduk. Ziggurats in Mesopotamia served as important religious and administrative centers, exclusive to priests and religious officials rather than the public.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Ziggurat at Babylon was a towering structure that rose to a height of approximatively 300 feet and had a base also measuring 300 feet on each side. It is believed by some scholars to be the Biblical "Tower of Babel," as it would fit the descriptions of an immense structure meant to reach the heavens. Ancient Babylonia constructed many such ziggurats for various purposes. One of the largest was Etemenanki, which stood with seven terraces, was about 91 meters tall, and 91 meters wide at its base, and was dedicated to the Babylon God Marduk along with rooms for the gods Ea, Nusku, and Anu. The ziggurat's stairs wrapped around it, giving it a spiraling appearance, and it stood as a mighty religious architecture until its destruction by Persian King Xerxes in 484 BCE.

Ziggurats like the one at Babylon were immense step towers with a flat top, built of mud-brick, and served as a significant temple in ancient Sumerian cities. Contrary to popular belief, they were not places of public worship but were exclusive to priests and religious officials who would make offerings to the gods housed within. The ziggurat's size and grandeur, as well as its religious and administrative functions, symbolized the theocratic political system of the Mesopotamian civilizations.

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