'Narrative of a journey to the site of Babylon in 1811, now first published: memoir on the ruins; with engravings from the original sketches by the author: remarks on the topography of ancient Babylon, by Major Rennell; in reference to the memoir: second memoir on the ruins; in reference to Major Rennell's remarks: with narrative of a journey to Persepolis: now first printed, with hitherto unpublished cuneiform inscriptions copied at Persepolis: by the late Claudius James Rich, Esq., formerly the Resident of the Hon. East India Company at Bagdad. Edited by his widow.' [‎25] (52/474)

INTRODUCTION.
XXV
further shores of the Tigris, and down towards the
south of Persia.
Seleucus Nicator, who succeeded Alexander in
this portion of his empire, determined to abandon
Babylon altogether, and to transfer the capital of his
empire to the city which he had founded on the
banks of the Tigris, and to which he had given his
own name ; and Pausanias informs us that the Baby
lonians were compelled by that prince to come and
settle there.
" The walls of Babylon," adds this author, " and
the Temple of Belus, had almost ceased to exist,
though there were still a few Chaldeans who con
tinued to dwell around the latter edifice."
Pliny assures us that Babylon was swallowed up
by Seleucia, and became quite a wilderness. Strabo
says much the same thing, but his language is very
remarkable. " None of Alexander's successors ever
cared more for Babylon ; and the remains*of that
city were entirely neglected. The Persians destroyed
one part of it, and time, and the indifference of the
Macedonian princes, completed its ruin, especially
after Seleucus Nicator had built Seleucia in its
neighbourhood. This prince and his successors ma
nifested a decided preference to the latter place, and
fixed there the capital of their empire. At the pre
sent time Seleucia is actually a much more consider-
able city than Babylon, which is to a great degree
deserted, and to which may be applied, without any