"For Saddam, the ruined city of Babylon had always held a special fascination. He ordered an ambitious reconstruction of the city's walls, costing millions of dollars at the height of the Iran-Iraq War. ... When archaeologists told him that ancient kings like Nebuchadnezzar had stamped their names on Babylon’s bricks, Saddam insisted that his own name be stamped on the modern bricks used in the reconstruction. ... In 1981, Babylon was where celebrations took place to commemorate the first anniversary of the Iraqi invasion of Iran, with officials using the slogan, Nebuchadnasar al-ams Saddam Hussein al-yawm (yesterday Nebuchadnezzar, today Saddam Hussein)."
Article source here:Arts Journal
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