e and active prince, and his reign ranks next in importance to that
of Nebuchadnezzar. His name is found in almost all the temples
unearthed. After he had ruled seventeen years, all Babylonia revolted
against him because he neglected his religious duties, as well as those
of the court, leaving all the business to be done by his son Belshazzar.

"At this point the historians get mixed again. Some say that Belshazzar
was the last king of Babylonia. In Daniel v. 30, we read: 'In that night
was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median
took the kingdom.' Xenophon informs us that Babylon was taken in the
night while the inhabitants were engaged in feasting and revelry, and
that the king was killed. To this extent sacred and profane history
agree. The country became a Persian province. Then it was conquered by
Alexander the Great, who died in Babylon in 323. It was also a part of
the Roman Empire at two different times.

"In 650 the successors of Mohammed overthrew the Persian monarchy, and
the province was the seat of the caliphs till A.D. 1258. On the Tigris
in this region is the city of Bagdad, the capital of a province of the
same name. Here lived and reigned the Caliph Haroun al-Raschid, or
Haroun 'the Orthodox,' who is more famous in story than in history,
though he was a wise ruler, a poet, and a scholar, and built up his
domain. I have disposed of the two principal empires of this region,
pictured on the map; and the next in order is Persia."

"You haven't told us about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, said to be
one of the great wonders of the world," suggested Mrs. Belgrave.

"They are hardly historical; but I will give you what I recall in
relation to them. One writer says they were built by Queen Semiramis,
the wife of Ninus, an alleged founder of Nineveh. She was a beautiful
girl, brought up by Simmas, a shepherd, from whom her name is derived.
One of the king's generals fell in love with her and married her. Then
he himself was smitten by her beauty, and wanted her himself; the
husband was good-natured enough to commit suicide, and she became queen.
Ninus soon died in a very accommodating manner, and Semiramis reigned
alone for over forty years.

"Others regard the wonderful gardens as the work of Nebuchadnezzar.
Diodorus Siculus and Strabo have described them. They are said to have
covered about four acres, built on terraces, supported by arches of
brick or stone, and were seventy-fiv