Mesopotamia means the land between the rivers. Hippopotamus , 'river horse', contains the same word for river (potam-). Ancient Mesopotamia generally refers to the area of modern Iraq.
The two rivers of Mesopotamia are the Tigris and the Euphrates (Dijla and Furat, in Arabic). The Euphrates is the one on the left (west) in maps and the Tigris is the one closer to Iran. Today, the Tigris and Euphrates join up to flow into the Persian Gulf.
Major Ancient Rivers
Baghdad is by the Tigris River in the middle of Iraq.
Babylon, the capital of the ancient Mesopotamian country of Babylonia, was built along the Euphrates.
Nippur, an important Babylonian city dedicated to the god Enlil, was located about 100 miles south of Babylon.
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet somewhat north of the modern city of Basra and flow into the Persian Gulf.
The two rivers of Mesopotamia are the Tigris and the Euphrates (Dijla and Furat, in Arabic). The Euphrates is the one on the left (west) in maps and the Tigris is the one closer to Iran. Today, the Tigris and Euphrates join up to flow into the Persian Gulf.
Major Ancient Rivers
Baghdad is by the Tigris River in the middle of Iraq.
Babylon, the capital of the ancient Mesopotamian country of Babylonia, was built along the Euphrates.
Nippur, an important Babylonian city dedicated to the god Enlil, was located about 100 miles south of Babylon.
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers meet somewhat north of the modern city of Basra and flow into the Persian Gulf.
