Babylonians

Civilization

Technology tree

Strategy

History

Babylonians
Civilization
Civilization information
Introduced in	Age of Empires
Architecture	Mesopotamian
Continent	Asia
In-game theme
Jingle
Timeframe	1900–539 BC
Features/Characteristics
Focus	Defense
Map

“	Walk through the Ishtar Gate, ascend ziggurats, and explore the great city of Babylon, a testament to your people's mastery of stone masonry. Its palace garden, a wonder of the world, was truly paradise on earth.	”
—Description

The Babylonians are a playable civilization in Age of Empires, based on the inhabitants of the Babylonian Empire, which once controlled the region of Mesopotamia at its height.

Characteristics

Civilization bonuses

• Stone miners work 20% faster and carry +2 stone.
• Market technologies cost -30%.*
• Walls and towers have +60% hit points.
• Priests rejuvenate 30% faster.
• Chariot units have +1 pierce armor.*

Team bonus

Builders work 10% faster.

Missing technologies

Iron Shield

Missing units

Heavy Horse Archer, Elephant Archer, Heavy Cavalry, War Elephant, Phalangite, Ballista, Trireme, Catapult Trireme

Overview

They are primarily a defensive civilization in both land and water maps. They can survive multiple enemy rushes with their increased Tower and Wall hit points bonus. Stone miners work 20% faster and carry +2 stone, and their Priests regain their faith 30% faster, making them a good choice for beginners or those who favor a turtling strategy.

Changelog

Age of Empires

• Towers and walls have +100% hit points.
• Stone miners work 44% faster (but stated 30%) and carry +3 stone.
• Priests rejuvenate 50% faster.
• Metallurgy, Heavy Transport, and Chain Mail are not available.

Definitive Edition

• Towers and walls have +75% hit points. With update 38862, they have +60% hit points.
• Stone miners work 20% faster and carry +2 stone.
• Priests rejuvenate 30% faster.
• Metallurgy and Heavy Transport are available.
• With update 38862, Market technologies cost -30%.
• With update 46777, Chain Mail is available.

Return of Rome

• Team bonus added.
• Chariot units +1 pierce armor added.
• Upon release, Chain Mail was removed from their technology tree. With hotfix 85208, it is readded.

Campaign appearances

The Babylonians are playable in their own campaign, Voices of Babylon. They also appear as AI players in:

Ascent of Egypt

• 11. A Wonder of the World
  • Hittities - Neutral

Glory of Greece

• 5. I'll Be Back (original)
  • Minoa - Enemy
• 8. Alexander the Great (since the Definitive Edition)
  • Satrapy of Eber-Nari - Enemy

Voices of Babylon

This campaign is played as the Babylonians

• 1. The Holy Man
  • Akkadians - Enemy
• 3. Lost (original)
  • Enemy - Enemy
• 3. Vengeance (Definitive Edition)
  • Babylon - Ally
• 4. I Shall Return
  • Elam - Enemy
• 5. The Great Hunt (original)
  • Elam - Enemy
• 6. The Caravan
  • Babylon - Ally
• 7. Lord of the Euphrates
  • Northern Aramaeans - Enemy
• 8. Nineveh (original)
  • Enemy - Enemy

Yamato, Empire of the Rising Sun

• 3. Capture (original)
  • Izumo - Enemy

Reign of the Hittites

• 2. Raid on Babylon (Definitive Edition)
  • Babylon - Enemy
  • Babylon - Enemy

Sargon of Akkad

• 2. Divine Will
  • Nippur - Enemy → Ally
  • Lugal-Zaggisi's Army - Enemy
• 3. The Prophecy
  • Lugal-Zaggisi - Enemy
  • Lugal-Zaggisi's Army - Enemy
  • Lugal-Zaggisi's Farmers - Enemy
• 4. The Land of Kings
  • Nina - Neutral → Ally

AI player names

When playing a random map game against the computer, the player may encounter any of the following Babylonians AI characters.

• Hammurabi (𒄩𒄠𒈬𒊏𒁉) - King of Babylon 1792-1750 BC
• Nebuchadnezzar (𒀭𒀝𒆪𒁺𒌨𒊑𒋀) - Name of 4 kings of Babylon; Nebuchadnezzar I: King of Babylon c. 1124-1104 BC
• Nebuchad - Short for Nebuchadnezzar
• Nabopolassar (𒀭𒀝𒌉𒍑𒌶) - King of Babylon 626-605 BC
• Belshazzar (𒂗𒈗𒋀) - Crown-prince and co-regent of Babylon 553-539 BC (son of king Nabonidus)
• Nabonidus (𒀭𒀝𒉎𒌇) - Last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire 556-539 BC
• Croesus (Κροῖσος) - King of Lydia 560-547
• Telepinus (𒀭𒋼𒂊𒇷𒁉𒉡𒌑) - King of the Hittites ca, 1460 BC
• Astyages - Last king of the Median Empire 585-550 BC

The following AI players are only present before the Definitive Edition:

• Hammurabi II - Did not exist in Babylon
• Nebuchad II - Most famous king with the name; Nebuchadnezzar II: King of Babylon 605-562 BC
• Hammurabi III - Did not exist in Babylon
• Nebuchad III - Nebuchadnezzar III: King of Babylon 522 BC
• Hammurabi IV - Did not exist in Babylon

History

See also: the History subpage.

“	1900 to 539 BC The Mesopotamian city-state of Babylon twice expanded to become an important world empire before being absorbed by Persia. Its two great expansions were sufficiently remarkable to earn it a place in history beside the two other great Mesopotamian cultures, the Sumerians and Assyrians. Between its Old and New Empire periods, Babylonia devolved back into a small but rich city-state that was captured occasionally by its neighbors. The predominate inhabitants of Babylon changed several times over its existence, although the culture remained relatively constant and distinct. The Amorites, the Kassites, and the Chaldeans were all Babylonians at least once.	”
—excerpt from the History section in the Age of Empires manual

Trivia

• The civilization's icon introduced in Return of Rome portrays the symbol of the Babylonian sun god Shamash/Shemesh/Utu.
• The user interface image in Return of Rome is that of a Mušḫuššu, the sacred animal of the god Marduk, the patron deity of the city of Babylon.
• Three AI names were not Babylonians: Astyages was a Median (precursors of the Persians), Telepinus was Hittite, and Croesus was Lydian (related to the Hittites).

Gallery

Default player icon

Iron Age architecture that the Babylonians share with the Hittites and the Persians in the Definitive Edition, and with Persians and Sumerians in Return of Rome

UI emblem artwork of the Babylonians

Babylonians (in the Iron Age) as shown in the Definitive Edition

Official preview of a Babylonian City in the Definitive Edition

The city of Babylon as seen in the scenario Raid on Babylon

The Ishtar gate depicted in this image remains as a common symbol to the ancient city of Babylon.

A tablet featuring a bas-relief of Babylonian sun god Shamash

Mušḫuššu bas-relief, a polychromatic glazed brick tile at the Gate of Ishtar, 575 BCE, currently in Pergamon Museum

The Babylonian user interface in the original game

The Babylonian user interface panels in Return of Rome