Astral Magic in Babylonia by Erica Reiner

Published by DIANE Publishing, 1995

ISBN 0871698544, 9780871698544 | 150 pages
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The form Babylon is the Greek variant of Akkadian Babilu (bāb-ilû, meaning “Gateway of the god(s)”, translating Sumerian Ka.dingir.ra). In the Hebrew Bible, the name appears as בבל (Babel), interpreted by Book of Genesis 11:9 to mean “confusion” (of languages), from the verb balbal, “to confuse”.

The earliest source to mention Babylon may be a dated tablet of the reign of Sargon of Akkad (ca. 24th century BC short chronology). The so-called “Weidner Chronicle” states that it was Sargon himself who built Babylon “in front of Akkad” (ABC 19:51). Another chronicle likewise states that Sargon “dug up the dirt of the pit of Babylon, and made a counterpart of Babylon next to Agade”. (ABC 20:18-19).

Some scholars, including linguist I.J. Gelb, have suggested that the name Babil is an echo of an earlier city name. According to Dr. Ranajit Pal, this city was in the East. Herzfeld wrote about Bawer in Iran, which was allegedly founded by Jamshid; the name Babil could be an echo of Bawer. David Rohl holds that the original Babylon is to be identified with Eridu. The Bible in Genesis 10 indicates that Nimrod was the original founder of Babel (Babylon). Joan Oates claims in her book Babylon that the rendering “Gateway of the gods” is no longer accepted by modern scholars.

sources: wikipedia