In the sixth century B.C.E., the Neo-Babylonian Empire was in a nostalgic groove. Its king, Nabonidus, led by example: he venerated the customs of the Sumerian ancestors who had ruled some 1,500 years ...

For at least 500 years, Babylonian children were tasked with memorizing a hymn that celebrated the city of Babylon, its citizenry, and chief deity Marduk. There was much to praise: the city was ...