Babylon and Jerusalem. How one great city fell and another was reborntranslated

Babylon became famous all over the world. It was the largest and richest city in the world! Hundreds of trade caravans came here every day and dispersed from here in all directions. Countless riches and luxury, gardens, canals, a bridge over the wide and full-flowing Euphrates River, huge ziggurats - towers on which the Babylonians performed services to their gods, thousands of slaves brought from the surrounding lands conquered and subordinated to the Babylonian kingdom... And most importantly, the Persian warriors had never before encountered cities with such powerful fortifications!

- This city cannot be taken! - said a Persian warrior with a black thick beard in a pointed sparkling helmet and golden armor. He stood with his head thrown back - otherwise the edges of the high battlemented fortress walls and towers could not be seen. Finally taking his eyes off the stone mass, the warrior sighed and looked back at his comrades. They nodded, agreeing with his words.

The Persians were a fearless people who conquered many lands under their king Cyrus. But here, under the walls of Babylon, they felt helpless. The siege had been going on for many months, but strong shields, quivers full of arrows, sharp swords, fast chariots - all this seemed useless...