city containing about 5,000 Jews. In the midst of it is the Synagogue
of Rabbah[135]--a large one. He is buried close to the Synagogue, and
beneath his sepulchre is a cave where twelve of his pupils are buried.

[p.65]

Thence it is a day's journey to Babylon, which is the Babel of old.
The ruins thereof are thirty miles in extent[136]. The ruins of the
palace of Nebuchadnezzar are still to be seen there, but people are
afraid to enter them on account of the serpents and scorpions. Near at
hand, within a distance of a mile, there dwell 3,000 Israelites who
pray in the Synagogue of the Pavilion of Daniel, which is ancient and
was erected by Daniel. It is built of hewn stones and bricks. Between
the Synagogue and the Palace of Nebuchadnezzar is the furnace into
which were thrown Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and the site of it
lies in a valley[137] known unto all.

Thence it is five parasangs to Hillah, where there are 10,000
Israelites and four Synagogues: that of R. Meir, who lies buried
before it; the Synagogue of Mar Keshisha, who is buried in front of
it; also the Synagogue of Rab Zeiri, the son of Chama, and the
Synagogue of R. Mari; the Jews pray there every day.


Thence it is four miles to the Tower of Babel, which the generation
whose language was confounded built of the bricks called Agur.

[p.66]

The length of its foundation is about two miles, the breadth of the