New theory about Hanging Gardens

This is the premier post of World History in 250 Words, a blog that is aimed at explaining the great ideas and events that have shaped the world in short, easy-to-understand posts. For this first post, we'll look back to the ancient Babylonians, and the lost ancient wonder known as the Hanging Gardens.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Sennacherib?)
Photo from Wikipedia

Historians and archeologists have long-believed that the Hanging Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar II (c. 605 BC - 562 BC), but new archeological evidence suggests that the gardens may have been located elsewhere.

In a recent episode of PBS's Secrets of the Dead entitled "The Lost Gardens of Babylon," Dr. Stephanie Dalley suggests that the lost ancient wonder may have in fact been located far north of Babylon in Sennacherib, near the ancient city of Nineveh.

The evidence offered up in the episode is compelling and shows how a series of canals and aqueducts (predating Roman designs) fed water to Sennacherib, which made it a likely candidate to house the Hanging Gardens. While hard-and-fast evidence for the gardens remains scant, the latest theory/evidence is at least thought-provoking. A preview of the episode can be seen below, and the full episode can be viewed on PBS's website.