An informative guide to biblical cities

The Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine in Rome. Rome was the most celebrated city in the world at the time of Christ. / Korea Times file The Bible is an historic record of real people and places. Biblical cities can be concentrations of faith as well as evil, and of culture and progress as well as destruction and oppression. An encyclopedia of around 700 cities mentioned in the Bible was recently released by a local publishing house. Through “Bible City 700,” readers will be able to learn the significance of these places, their stories and the meanings of their names. “This book contains information and the history of all the cities mentioned in the bible,” Lee Bun-sung, producer of the book, said in a press release. The book carries around 2,760 color photos of the cities. Much of the bible has an urban setting, but many cities are losing traces of their holy past. “Many find it hard to travel to biblical cities today, because a lot of them have undergone significant transformations,” Lee added. The book is written by Lee Won-hee, a minister and expert on biblical geography. He has travelled through the cities for the past 19 years. The book also includes a map of major biblical cities. “It is a useful visual aide to understanding the bible,” the author wrote in the introduction. “This book will help readers better appreciate the bible and the history of Christianity.” The publisher will also release an English translation as well as a digital version of the encyclopedia in the future. Babylon The city of Babylon was the capital of the ancient land of Babylonia in southern Mesopotamia. It was situated on the Euphrates River about 50 miles south of modern Baghdad, just north of what is now the modern Iraqi town of al-Hillah. The tremendous wealth and power of this city, along with its monumental size and appearance, were considered a Biblical myth, until its foundations were unearthed and its riches substantiated during the 19th century. Jerusalem Jerusalem stands on the edge of one of the highest table-lands in Israel, and is surrounded on the south-eastern, the southern, and the western sides by deep and precipitous ravines. It is first mentioned in Scripture under the name Salem. Rome Rome is the most celebrated city in the world at the time of Christ. It is said to have been founded in B.C. 753. When the New Testament was written, it had a population estimated at 1,200,000, of which half were slaves. It was distinguished for its wealth, luxury and profligacy.