I will give AI a crack at the literal text (Revelation 17,18).
Scripture only.
The “great city” defined
“The woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”(Revelation 17:18)
“All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.”(Revelation 18:3)
Immense wealth and sea trade
“The merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”(Revelation 18:3)
“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore.”(Revelation 18:11)
“Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance.”(Revelation 18:17)
“For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.”(Revelation 18:17)
“What city is like this great city!”(Revelation 18:18)
List of luxury goods
“Merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet… wine and oil… bodies and souls of men.”(Revelation 18:12–13)
Geographical implication
“Standing at a distance for fear of her torment.”(Revelation 18:15)
“They threw dust on their heads and cried out… as many as had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth.”(Revelation 18:19)
Political dominion
“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.”(Revelation 17:9)
“And the ten horns… are ten kings.”(Revelation 17:12)
“She reigns over the kings of the earth.”(Revelation 17:18)
Chronological note
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.”(Revelation 18:2)
“In one hour her judgment has come.”(Revelation 18:10)
Jerusalem contrasted by Scripture
“Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles.”(Luke 21:24)
“Your house is left to you desolate.”(Matthew 23:38)
Blood guilt
“In her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”(Revelation 18:24)
Summary from Scripture
- The great city rules the kings of the earth (Rev 17:18).
- She is a global commercial power, enriched by sea trade, ships, merchants, and luxury goods (Rev 18:3, 11–19).
- Her destruction is sudden and witnessed by maritime traders (Rev 18:17–19).
- She sits on seven mountains and exercises imperial authority (Rev 17:9, 18).
- Jerusalem is shown elsewhere as trampled, desolate, and judged, not reigning over kings nor enriching sea merchants (Luke 21:24; Matt 23:38).
By the scriptural markers alone—imperial rule, seven mountains, worldwide commerce, maritime wealth, dominance over kings—the description fits imperial Babylon/Rome, not an inland, destroyed Jerusalem.
Skip these mumble jumble, let me give you a bird eye's view: In the early chapters of Genesis, God destroyed the whole world with a Flood, then the descendants of the survivors congregated to build the city of Babylon and the tower of Babel. God confused their language and scattered them around the world. The end time would be the same process in reversed order - the scattered tribes congregate into one place, build the new city of Babylon and the new tower of Babel, that's the Harlot; then God will destroy it with his wrath.