web page The Greek sources
This tower of Bel-Marduk is also known to us from Greek sources: Diodorus Siculus (Book II, 7-10) records that "The temple of Bel erected in the center of the city ... was extraordinarily high... and the Chaldeans did their astronomical work there." Herodotus (I, 178-182) gives its measurements: "This temple is square, and each side is two stadia in length. In the centre is a massive tower, of one stadium in length and breadth; on this tower stands another tower, and another again upon this, and so on up to eight." The Babylonian text confirms this information.
Its interesting that the foundations of first and second Babel submerged in the Persian Gulf is in a circular foundation within a triangle chevron which were canals beside the temple.
In the above description I believe is the place of the 3rd attempt to erect a Babel via the UB and this was called probably called Esagila.
This temple was called Esagila, "the temple that raises its head" . The text first gives a double description of the base of the multi-tiered tower built inside the city walls or ziggurat, then describes the main temple, and, finally, gives the measurements of the multi-tiered tower, called Etemenanki, "House of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth" - the "Tower of Bable" in the Bible (Genesis 11,
The Italics in the above seems to be quite prophetical
"the temple that raises its head"
"House of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth"
"Tower of Bable"
Even on the following seems to infer another attempt in rebuilding Babel on the same foundations.
“Mardouk, IE lord, ordered to me in connection with Etemenanki, the tower on floors of Babylon, which before my time had fallen in ruins, to ensure its base in the center of the lower world and its top, to make it similar to the sky”.
This rebuilding of Babel on the same circular foundations is supported by the UB.
The 12 gates of the middle court could very well be reminiscent of the 12 gates that protected 1stEden at the Isthmus connected to the mainland.
The names and locations of the twelve gates of the Middle Court (described in 11QT 39:11-13[4]) were apportioned to each of the twelve sons of Jacob , a pattern repeated in the gates of the Outer Court as well.[5]
Sevens