Stagnation

[Ezra]

The constant turmoil virtually emptied the city of Babylon. A tablet dated 275 BC states that the inhabitants of Babylon were transported to Seleucia, where a palace was built, as well as a temple given the ancient name of Esagila. With this deportation, the history of Babylon comes practically to an end, though more than a century later, it was found that sacrifices were still performed in its old sanctuary. By 141 BC, when the Parthian Empire took over the region, Babylon was in complete desolation and obscurity.

[Linas]

ohh. it's so beautiful reading this, it's like so amazing and so uh frustrating, like not having it all and all that, like awwhhhhh.. ^ ^

[Ezra]

This definitely needs a revival. Fascinating stuff.

Perhaps one day, the US will be the same.

[GuavaDrunk]

Around one third of a continent =/ one major city. Better start funding NASA again.

[mu4]

Babylon's desertion has a lot to do with ecological problems that afflicted much of the region in the form desertification.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2007/1...P7459920071008 (there's plenty of studies on this, I don't know any of them)

Long term migration and abandonment of human settlements is often driven by ecological issues and not political.

If Babylon was still prime real estate, you can be sure people would live and have civilization there, but as it's mostly desert and not suitable for human habitation, people went elsewhere.

Much of America will never face the same problems as Babylon because the real estate in the US is simply the best in the world.