The Neo-Babylonian Empire was a period of Mesopotamian history which began in 626 BC and ended in 539 BC. During the preceding three centuries, Babylonia had been ruled by their fellow Akkadian speakers and northern neighbours, Assyria.
In order for a satellite to successfully orbit the Earth, it must travel a horizontal distance of 8000 meters before falling a vertical distance of 5 meters. A horizontally launched projectile falls a vertical distance of 5 meters in its first second of motion.
A spacecraft in a geostationary orbit (at an altitude of 35,786 kilometers) can see the surface up to 81 degrees away from its position. But at 81 degrees away it would be on the horizon as seen from the surface. A more practically useful limit for communications is about 75 degrees (blue solid line).