The Legends of Babylon Reveal Their Truth at Last

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WITH its new Babylon show opening tomorrow, the British Museum surely has another hit on its hands. For centuries, the lost Middle Eastern city has been a symbol of decadent magnificence. But this splendid exhibition looks behind the biblical myths, casting new light on the civilisation that gave us the hour, the zodiac and modern astrology.

From its early days in the fertile plain between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, some 40 centuries ago, Babylon was one of the greatest cities in the world. But its extraordinary peak came during the reign of the legendary king Nebuchadnezzar, from 605 to 526BC, the focus for the British Museum's new show.

Nebuchadnezzar …