The historian Herodotus wrote: “Cyrus... stationed part of his force at the point where the Euphrates flows into [Babylon] and another contingent at the opposite end where it flows out, with orders to both to force an entrance along the river - bed as soon as they saw that the water was shallow enough....
Pasi me anë të një kanali i futi ujërat e Eufratit në pellgun që kishin gërmuar si kënetë, bëri të mundur që me uljen e nivelit të lumit, shtrati i vjetër të bëhej i kalueshëm.