History glossary
Tower of Babel
a biblical story about a great tower and the confusion of languages, often associated with Babylon.
- Category
- Biblical tradition
- Region
- Associated with Babylon, modern Iraq
What it means
The Tower of Babel is a story in Genesis about people building a tower toward heaven before their languages are confused. Historians often connect the story's setting with Babylon and possibly with memories of large Mesopotamian ziggurats such as Etemenanki.
