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Dan Snow's History Hit · September 3, 2026 · 48m 32s

The Rise & Fall of Babylon

Dan Snow, Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
Show Notes

Dan Snow sits down with historian Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, author of 'Babylon: The Mother of All Cities', to explore the real story of Babylon beyond its biblical reputation. The conversation reveals Babylon as history's first true megacity—an ancient metropolis so culturally influential that even conquering empires adopted Babylonian customs. Llewellyn-Jones explains how Babylon's portrayal in the Bible as the ultimate city of sin has overshadowed its genuine historical significance for 2,600 years.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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Babylon as History's First Megacity
Llewellyn-Jones presents Babylon as the first true megacity of the ancient world—an unprecedented urban center that set the template for metropolitan life.
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Conquering Empires Became Babylonian
Even the empires that conquered Babylon militarily ended up adopting Babylonian culture, administration, and customs.
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The Bible's Babylon — A 2,600-Year PR Problem
The biblical portrayal of Babylon as the ultimate city of sin has distorted its historical legacy for over two and a half millennia.
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References

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Babylon: The Mother of All Cities — Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones — Guest's book on the history of Babylon
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