Babylon, the capital city of Babylonia in ancient Mesopotamia
In Judeo-Christian tradition:
Several references to Babel occur in the Bible, but it is not clear that they refer to the city. In the historical books of the Old Testament, the reference is usually to Babylonia.
In the New Testament, especially the book of Revelation, references to "Babylon" are commonly interpreted as references to Rome or a metaphor for the power of the Roman Empire; see Babylon (New Testament).
In Medieval literature, Babylon is often used to refer to Cairo
In Rabbinic literature, Babylon is often used to refer to the Jewish diaspora which the Babylonian captivity
In the Rastafari movement and some other religious traditions and philosophies, Babylon refers to an oppressive power structure, a reference to Bibical scripture, for example Psalm 137, which speaks of "the rivers of Babylon"
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Babylon (in Arabic: بابل; in Syriac: ܒܒܙܠ) was an ancient city in Mesopotamia (modern Al Hillah, Iraq), the ruins of which can be found in present-day Babil Province, about 50 miles (80 km) south of Baghdad.
Under Cyrus and the subsequent Persian king Darius I, Babylon became the capital city of the 9th Satrapy (Babylonia in the south and Athura in the north), as well a centre of learning and scientific advancement.
Historical knowledge of Babylon's topography is derived from classical writers, the inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar, and several excavations, including those of the Deutsche Orientgesellschaft begun in 1899.
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