Ecbatane-Babylon

(202 CE) Today I woke up to the noise of my wives calling me. We had arrived at Ecbatane and my large caravan was a sight to be wondered at. The Arascid Kings had been notified of my arrival. Within my caravan i brought goods from china and from the West, most importantly silk. While in Merv i had loaded ¼ of my caravan with silk, knowing it would attract much attention and wealth from the nobles of the far East. While travelling to the royal residence of the Kings i passed the wealthy northern sector. While passing this sector i was stunned at the size of their terrace. It was nine meters tall and surrounded the richest part of the city, isolating it from the poorer more rancid parts of the city (image of modern day terrace walls in ruins). I cannot imagine living without at least three wives and the pleasures of concubines and riches at my disposal. After passing through the walls i reached the royal residence of the Arsacid Kings. It is very impressive with large columns and stunning riches. But i was not blown away. I had seen better. I was received with a banquet of Almonds, dried fruits, figs and meats of all types. I was later taken to a room of concubines with my choice ahead of me. The girls were far inferior to men. If they were beautiful prostitution was often their only resort. On my way out of Ecbatane i happened to pass the ruins of Medeian Temples left over from the Rule of the Medes. These temples could be found throughout the city as Ecbatane had been an influential city during the rule of the Medes. They were zoroastrianists (ruins of zoroastrian temple in Iran). While passing by i was intrigued and asked one of my wives to summon someone from inside. Little did i know he was the only person in the temple. He explained to me the principles of zoroastrianism. He first

explained their belief in dualism. He believes that good and evil are both completely present in the universe but that they live in complete separation. He believes that they are present cosmically (opposing forces within the universe) and morally (opposing forces within the mind). He next explained to me his belief on prayer. He believes in praying several times a day and that his family is very dear and important. Lastly he explain the zoroastrian belief in God. he believes in one God who is worshipped as supreme and in Zoroaster who is worshipped as the prophet. After learning about Zoroastrianism i left Ecbatane continuing my journey to Babylon

(202 BCE) After leaving Ecbatane fulling content i continued my journey on to Babylon. I travelled three days and three nights with my large caravan before reaching the fabled city. Upon my arrival my beautiful caravan got many amazed looks from onlookers observing in the streets and drew much attention. The Seleucid nobles are immediately out to greet me because they know of my silk. I know i can charge a hefty price in the surplus of 30 runds per cloth. I should be much richer man soon enough. I also expect to trade rugs, curtains, blankets, and carpets which are commonly traded here. While walking into the city i remember herodotus’ account, “The city stands on a broad plain, and is an exact square, a hundred and twenty stadia in length each way, so that the entire circuit is four hundred and eighty stadia. While such is its size, in magnificence there is no other city that approaches to it. It is surrounded, in the first place, by a broad and deep moat, full of water, behind which rises a wall fifty royal cubits in width and two hundred in height.” What he said is precisely correct. I am marvelled at its detail. The walls seem to have the ability to keep any invaders out. Once inside the walls the nobles escort me past the acropolis and the Hanging Garden and i am reminded of Diodorus Siculus’ account, “There was also, because the acropolis, the Hanging Garden, as it is called, which was built, not by Semiramis, but by a later Syrian king to please one of his concubines; for she, they say, being a Persian by race and longing for the meadows of her mountains, asked the king to imitate,

through the artifice of a planted garden, the distinctive landscape of Persia.” The gardens were simply marvelous. The luscious plants and flowers that grow there took me by surprise and i was utterly shocked. After exchanging silk on of the nobles asked me to join him in going to the Temple of Marduk, a towering ziggurat that divided the new city from the old city (depiction of temple of Marduk). While accompanying him he explained to me the Religion of Babylon. He first explained to me the Pantheon. The belief that beings in the forms of humans but with supernatural power rule every aspect of the cosmos. He next explained the worship and rituals. Each important deity or god had one temple dedicated to them in Babylon. Here one came to worship this deity. He later explained how he stressed goodness and truth, law and order, justice and freedom, wisdom and learning, and courage and loyalty. Mercy and compassion were upheld, and special protection was given to widows, orphans, refugees, the poor, and the oppressed. This struck me as a good belief system. I left Babylon heading towards Jerusalem, considering switching to a new faith.