There are certainly many mysterious and highly controversial characters in the Bible. But the image of the Babylonian harlot can deservedly be called one of the most mysterious and frighteningly depraved.
But who is she and how did she earn her fame?
The source that first mentions it is the almost legendary Revelation of John the Theologian (better known as the Apocalypse).
An angel appearing in a vision invites John to see the judgment of the great harlot, together with whom numerous people committed lewdness and debauchery.
The Babylonian harlot from the apocalyptic cycle of Albrecht Durer, 1498.
And she sat on a beast with seven heads and ten horns….
In her hand was a golden cup full of the abominations and impurities of fornication.
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She was drunk, but not with wine, with the blood of saints and martyrs.
But who or what became the prototype of such a terrible character?
Basic version
Many biblical scholars are inclined to believe that the "Babylonian harlot" is a kind of metaphor for describing the pagan Roman Empire at the time when it persecuted Christians (until 313).
The very same description, perhaps, reflects some aspects of Roman rule (cruelty, money-grubbing, and especially the pagan bacchanalia).
"Babylon" in this case is nothing more than the encrypted name of Rome.
Revelation says that she sits on "seven mountains", which can be understood as the seven hills of Rome.
It is especially noteworthy that the coins minted under the emperor Vespasian (about 70 AD) depict Rome precisely as a woman sitting on seven hills.
According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, all these characteristics point specifically to Rome, and not another city.
However, there is another point of view.
Alternative version
Despite the fact that paganism really prevailed in Rome in ancient times, the Revelation itself was written in the first century AD and may well tell about the Holy Land.
In such cases, the symbolism of the harlot does not refer to Rome, but to depraved Jerusalem, where Christ was killed and numerous lewd practices were committed.
Proponents of this view believe that the "seven mountains" refer to the seven hills of Jerusalem. And “the fall of Babylon” (described in Revelation and associated with the death of the harlot) tells about a completely historical event - the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, which occurred after the capture of the city by the Roman troops during the first Jewish war.
Siege and destruction of Jerusalem. David Roberts, 1850
It is noteworthy that many church reformers, including Martin Luther, called the Catholic Church itself the "Babylonian harlot", while the Pope was considered nothing less than the embodiment of the Antichrist.
