square being emplaced on square, and a sort of rude pyramid being thus
formed, at the top of which was the main shrine of the god. The basement
platform of the Belus tower was, Herodotus tells us, a stade, or rather
more than 200 yards, each way. The number of stages was eight. The
ascent to the highest stage, which contained the shrine of the god, was
on the outside, and consisted either of steps, or of an inclined plane,
carried round the four sides of the building, and in this way conducting
to the top. According to Strabo the tower was a stado (606 feet 9
inches) in height; but this estimate, if it is anything more than a
conjecture, must represent rather the length of the winding ascent than
the real altitude of the building. The great pyramid itself was only 480
feet high; and it is very questionable whether any Babylonian building
ever equalled it. About half-way up the ascent was a resting-place with
seats, where persons commonly sat a while on their way to the summit.
The shrine which crowned the edifice was large and rich. In the time
of Herodotus it contained no image; but only a golden table and a large
couch, covered with a handsome drapery. This, however, was after the
Persian conquest and the plunder of its principal treasures. Previously,
if we may believe Diodorus, the shrine was occupied by three colossal
images of gold--one of Bel, one of Beltis, and the third of Rhea or
Ishtar. Before the image of Beltis were two golden lions, and near them
two enormous serpents of silver, each thirty talents in weight. The
golden table--forty feet long and fifteen broad--was in front of these
statues, and upon it stood two huge drinking-cups, of the same weight as
the serpents. The shrine also contained two enormous censers and three
golden bowls, one for each of the three deities.

At the base of the tower was a second shrine or chapel, which in the
time of Herodotus contained a sitting image of Bel, made of gold, with
a golden table in front of it, and a stand for the image, of the same