One invading group was the Kassites, who lived in the mountains east of Babylon. Neighboring peoples wanted a share in Babylon's power and wealth, and so Babylon was invaded many times. ( Exploring History, 78) Although Babylon remained a cultural leader, its political leadership shifted many times. Babylon was also known for its expertise in astronomy, the study of the stars. Some of the emerging Babylonian scientists were responsible for coming up with the numbering system from which we get our 60-minute hour and the 360-degree circle. But the cultural diversity continued, making Babylon a great center of science and learning. Under Hammurabi's rule, all the different laws were combined. But within this empire were peoples of many different cultures, religious beliefs, and laws. Babylon was now the capital of the empire. Hammurabi firmly established Babylon’s political power and influence throughout Mesopotamia.

The whole southern area of Mesopotamia became known as Babylonia. He increased the size of his kingdom by conquering neighboring peoples. Hammurabi was the sixth ruler in the Amorite dynasty. However, it became well-known when, in 1900 B.C., the Amorites, a people from Syria, moved into Mesopotamia and made it the capital of their small, newly conquered kingdom. The city existed well before the second millennium B.C. The Euphrates, which once helped Babylon assume an important role in the area, has since changed its course and now lies about 10 miles west of the ruins. Today, the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon can be found about 60 miles south of Baghdad in Iraq. It also refers to the surrounding areas of the river plains, the lowlands, the Zagros and Caucasus mountains, the Syrian and Arabian deserts, and the Persian Gulf. Mesopotamia, whose name is derived from an old Persian word meaning “between rivers,” is the land between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Ancient Babylon was a city located on the banks of the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia.

Where was babylon located