Sorry, wasn’t clear enough.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire, the one you’re thinking about, lasted less than a century all told, starting with successful rebellion against Assyria and ending with conquest by the Medes and Persians.
But the post I was replying to referred not to the Neo-Babylonian Empire but to “the Babylonian civilization.” That “civilization,” by any reasonable standard, started long before the Neo-Babylonian Empire and lasted long after it. In fact, the author of the quote referenced Hammurabi of the first Babylonian Empire, indicating he wasn’t just talking about the Neos.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire was just one of the many states that gained temporary control of that civilization. It was followed by the Persians, Macedonians, Parthians, Romans (partially and temporarily), Sassanid Persians and Arab Muslims. Other groups had their temporary and/or partial perioids of control.
But the area was a continuous hub of civilization, and arguably a single though changing civilization, from at least 4000 BC to around 1200 AD, when the Mongols rolled through and destroyed it. So far forever.
Thanks, good historical stuff. You are right, I was thinking of the Neo.