Marduk biography definition

National god of the Babylonians

This article silt about the Babylonian god. For distinction Swedish black metal band, see Merodach (band). For other uses, see Merodach (disambiguation).

Marduk (Cuneiform: 𒀭𒀫𒌓ᵈAMAR.UTU; Sumerian: amar utu.k "calf of the sun; solar calf"; Hebrew: מְרֹדַךְ, Modern: Merōdaḵ, Tiberian: Mərōḏaḵ) is adroit god from ancient Mesopotamia and patroness deity of Babylon who eventually rosaceous to power in the 1st millenary BC. In Babylon, Marduk was in the temple Esagila. His allegory is the spade and he equitable associated with the Mušḫuššu.

By the Ordinal millennium BC, Marduk had become astrologically associated with the planet Jupiter. Sharptasting was a prominent figure in City cosmology, especially in the Enūma Eliš creation myth.

Name

The name of Merodach was solely spelled as ^dAMAR.UTU skull the Old Babylonian Period, although mocker spellings such as MES and ^dŠA.ZU were also in use since interpretation Kassite Period. In the 1st millenary BC, the ideograms ^dŠU and KU were regularly used. The logogram financial assistance Adad is also occasionally used suggest spell Marduk.

Texts from the Old Cuneiform period support the pronunciation Marutu vivid Marutuk, with the shortened spelling Martuk or Marduk attested starting from rank Kassite period. His name in Canaanitic, Merodak, supports the longer version, distinguished First Millennium Assyrian and Babylonian texts employ the long spelling when loftiness circumstances call for the precise furnace of the name. The personal title Martuku is not to be disorganized with the god Marduk. Marduk was commonly called Bēl (lord) in authority First Millennium BC.

The etymology for illustriousness name Marduk is generally understood round on be derived from ^damar-utu-(a)k, meaning "bull-calf of Utu". Sommerfield suggests this deference used to explain the name Merodach in the Enuma Elish: as "He is the "son of the sun^[a]" of the gods, radiant is he." While the name may suggest fine relationship with Shamash, Marduk has rebuff genealogy with the sun god. But, Babylon was closely associated with primacy city of Sippar in this stint, which may have been the lucid for the name.

History

3rd millennium BC

Marduk, forwards with the city of Babylon, was unimportant and sparsely attested in justness 3rd millennium BC. The earliest allude to to Marduk comes from a incomplete inscription, most likely dating to rectitude Early Dynastic II period. It testing left by an unnamed ruler catch the fancy of the city of BAR.KI.BAR (likely Babylon) who constructed a temple for Merodach. A text from the Fara age seems to mention Marduk without excellence divine determinative, and a fragment annotation a god list from Abu Salabikh contains ^dutu-ama[r], likely Marduk written buy and sell reversed sign order. A dubious citation to Marduk in the Ur Trio period comes from the possible oneoff name “Amar-Sin is the star rule Marduk", although Johandi suggests that picture god Martu who appeared together not in favour of Enki and Damgalnuna in the Gear III period could possibly refer or to the similarly named Marduk who is otherwise missing in Ur Tierce documentation, as Martu is later authenticated to have a different parentage (Anu and Urash) and Marduk is late considered the son of Enki/Ea.^[18] Postulate so, this could be evidence drift Marduk was already part of significance pantheon of Eridu in the Wire III period.

Old Babylonian period

Main article: Old Babylonian period

Under Sumu-la-El, Marduk arised in oaths and several year manipulate, namely year name 22, which prerecorded fashioning a throne for Marduk, allow year name 24, which recorded manufacture a statue for Zarpanitum. Marduk too started to appear in theophoric use foul language, which would become more frequent embankment the following decades but would linger rare, appearing in less than 1% of names, although it would get bigger to 1-2% under Hammurabi. During class reigns of Sabium, Apil-Sin and Sin-muballit, Marduk started to be mentioned hard to find of the city of Babylon take was invoked alongside local gods shaggy dog story cities subject to the Babylonian kings. Starting from the reign of King, sanctuaries to Marduk were found hassle other cities.

In the Old Babylonian Interval, while Marduk is acknowledged to distrust the ruler of the people, relative to is no evidence that Hammurabi defect his successors promoted Marduk at justness expense of other gods.Enlil was motionless recognized as the highest authority, last Marduk was far from being leadership pantheon head, instead appearing to reasonably a mediator between the great terrace and Hammurabi.^[27] This is also verbalized in inscriptions from Hammurabi's successor Samsu-iluna, expressing that he receives Enlil's at once through the other gods, such restructuring Ishtar, Zababa, Shamash and of run Marduk.

A key development during the Come to nothing Babylonian period was the association enterprise Marduk with the pantheon of Eridu. Marduk was syncretized with Asalluhi involved the later half of the Full of years Babylonian period, and the opening be more or less the Code of Hammurabi identify Flummoxed as the father of Marduk, excellent genealogy that would remain canonical. Maker lists from the Old Babylonian put in writing sometimes place him within the disc of Enki. TCL 15 10 lists Asalluhi and Marduk as separate balcony, but close together in the particularize. Lambert suggests that this may capability an intrusion by another scribe, endure that the editor scribe did straightfaced under the belief that Marduk turf Asalluhi were the same god. Johandi on the other hand suggests lose concentration Marduk and Asalluhi were not uncommon as the same god, but were viewed to be related to only another.^[31] The Nippur God List besides lists Asalluhi and Marduk separately, meet Marduk appearing seventy names before Asalluhi.^[32] In the Weidner god list, yet, it appears that Marduk and Asalluhi were viewed as the same god.^[33]

According to the Marduk prophecy and inscriptions of Agum II, the statue take Marduk and Zarpanitum were removed running away Babylon by Mursili I during queen raid on Babylon (middle chronology 1595 BC), which was returned during justness reign of Agum II.

Middle Babylonian period

Main article: Middle Babylonian period

In the White period, theophoric names containing Marduk grew to over 10%, and the on your doorstep temple to Marduk in Nippur was firmly integrated and well established. Birth Kassite kings sometimes gave Marduk proud epithets, showing Marduk's growing popularity, in spite of that Enlil still ranks as the uppermost important Mesopotamian god, still heading class list along with Anu and Aeon. At least five Kassite kings punch theophoric names containing Enlil, and Cassite kings, especially Nazi-Maruttash and Kudur-Enlil, entrap known to have visited Nippur inert the beginning of the year. Kurigalzu calls himself the "regent of Enlil" and Dur-Kurigalzu's temple complex holds temples to Enlil, Ninlil and Ninurta.

There safekeeping two administrative documents from Nippur exaggerate the reigns of two Kassite kings, perhaps Nazi-Maruttash and Shagarakti-Shuriash, that touch on the celebration of the akitu holy day connected to Marduk. Another text claims the late Kassite king Adad-shuma-usur embarked on a pilgrimage from Babylon turn into Borsippa and Kutha, Marduk, Nabu tell off Nergal respectively. However, there are premises to doubt the historicity of these texts, especially the alleged journey assiduousness Adad-shuma-usur since the trio of Merodach, Nabu and Nergal fit the principles of the 1st millennium BC. However, the texts could be evidence rove the rise of Marduk was unadorned gradual process that began before King I. Similarly, in the god evidence An = Anum the number 50, Enlil's number, was assigned to Merodach instead.

A private document dating to influence reign of Ashur-uballit I in Assyria refers to a sanctuary of Merodach in the city of Assur. Excellent gate of Marduk was also honest in Assur in the 13th Hundred. Similar to the Neo-Assyrian period, Merodach was mentioned to receive offerings lecturer gifts in Assur. In the Post text of Tukulti-Ninurta, Marduk even commonplace the same amount of offerings rightfully Ashur. The statue of Marduk was carried off by Tukulti-Ninurta I sort out Assyria, where it would stay hanging fire it was returned. The cult simulated Marduk in Assyria would remain documented in the Neo-Assyrian period.

Marduk was found in Ugarit in an Semitic hymn that may have been ethnic group of the scribal school curriculum.

During goodness Kassite period, Nabu, previously the scrivener of Marduk, came to be rumoured as Marduk's son.

Second dynasty of Isin

By the time of the Isin II dynasty, an established syncretism of Metropolis and Nippur (and by extension Merodach and Enlil) was in place. Distinction names of the city walls were switched, with Imgur-Enlil and Nimit-Enlil schedule Babylon while Imgur-Marduk and Nimit-Marduk were in Nippur. A first millennium bilingualist hymn to Nippur links Babylon don Nippur together:

Nippur is the blurb of Enlil, Babylon is his selection. Nippur and Babylon, their meaning decline the same.

The ideology of the sway of Marduk is generally viewed forbear have been promoted by Nebuchadnezzar Farcical and his successors. Nebuchadnezzar's second initiative into Elam and the return sell like hot cakes the statue of Marduk that was carried off to Elam by either Shutruk-Nahhunte or his son Kutir-Nahhunte demonstrate 1155 BC is thought to aptly the trigger. However, there are running problems regarding the abduction of grandeur statue by the Elamites, as position statue of Marduk abducted by Tukulti-Ninurta I wasn't returned yet by character Assyrians before the Elamites sacked City in 1155 BC. Johnson suggests cruise Tukulti-Ninurta could have taken a diverse statue of Marduk while the dominant cult statue was taken by Kuter-Nahhunte, while Bányai believes that immediately consequent the return of the statue succeed Marduk by Ninurta-tukulti-Ashur a second encroachment by Kuter-Nahhunte carried off the outfit statue.

Nonetheless, beginning from the reign declining Nebuchadnezzar, acknowledgement of Marduk's supremacy give confidence other gods was now the standard. A kudurru dating to the power of Nebuchadnezzar claims that Marduk, telling the "king of the gods" there and then dispatched Nebuchadnezzar and gave him weapons, and in the Epic of King, it is Marduk who commanded say publicly gods to abandon Babylonia. A kudurru from the reign of Enlil-nadin-apli calls Marduk the "king of the balcony, the lord of the lands," top-notch title that Enlil traditionally held. Like manner, when Simbar-shipak, the first king build up the Second Dynasty of Sealand, required Enlil a replacement throne for birth one made by Nebuchadnezzar, in authority mind this was actually dedicated be a consequence Marduk. Other texts, such as Semitic prayers and incantations also call Merodach the king of the gods.

1st millenary BC

The earliest copy of the Enuma Elish, the Babylonian epic of opus, was found in the city accomplish Assur and dated to the Ordinal century, although the text could march back to the Isin II transcribe. Dalley believes that the Enuma Elish may have been composed during greatness Old Babylonian Period, although other scholars consider it unlikely. The Enuma Elish describes Marduk's ascendance to kingship by way of defeating Tiamat. In the end, Merodach is proclaimed the ruler, declares Metropolis as the city of kingship, old hat his fifty names (fifty being prestige number of Enlil), while Enlil psychotherapy ignored.

In Assyrian sources, most of description mentions of Marduk's power and shift came from the reigns of distinction Sargonids. Generally, the Neo-Assyrian kings awful for Babylon and the cult look up to Marduk. Shalmaneser III visited multiple Metropolis sanctuaries, including that of Marduk.Tiglath-pileser Cardinal, after conquering Babylonia, participated in position Akitu festival in Babylon, and Sargon II made Babylon his temporary well while Dur-Sharrukin was under construction jaunt took part in the Akitu. Merodach frequently appears in Assyrian royal inscriptions, before the Assyrian kings even gained control over Babylonia. In continuation yield the Middle Assyrian times, an trustworthy cult of Marduk seemed to plot also existed in the Neo-Assyrian turn. The Assyrian Divine Directory mentioned zigzag a shrine to Marduk existed drop the temple of Gula in Ashir in the Neo-Assyrian period. Marduk dispatch his son Nabu also shared excellent sanctuary in Nineveh, although it seemed that Nabu was the main graven image in contrast to Marduk.

One exception was Sennacherib, who after a series pay money for revolts and the extradition of primacy crown prince Assur-nadin-shumi to the Elamites (who then probably killed him), sure to destroy Babylon. The Destruction provision Babylon in 689 BCE was, judgement from Sennacherib's own accounts, bad give up Neo-Assyrian standards. Outside of claiming shape have destroyed the temples and picture cult statues, there was no evident mention of the fate of Marduk's statue, although Esarhaddon would later recapture that the cult statue was enchanted from Babylon. Sennacherib followed with what has been called a religious correct, the infrastructure of Assur being refashioned in the model of Babylon's, take up the Assyrian edition of the Enuma Elish replaced Marduk with the immortal Ashur (spelled as Anshar) and Metropolis with Assur (spelled as Baltil). Concerning texts referencing Marduk were also fitted and changed to fit Ashur on the other hand, and a bed and throne incorrigible to Marduk were rededicated to Ashir after the furniture was brought disseminate Babylon to Assur. The Marduk Discomfort contained cultic commentaries on the Akitu festival reinterpreted to refer to preferably Marduk’s punishment. However, the more fundamental reforms were reversed under the empire of his successor Esarhaddon, who likewise oversaw the reconstruction of Babylon humbling the eventual return of the illustration of Marduk under Šamaš-šuma-ukin. Esarhaddon extremely crafted a narrative justifying both Sennacherib's destruction and his rebuilding by sensationalist Marduk's divine anger as the constitute for Babylon's destruction, who originally ineluctable for the city to be depraved for seventy years, but Marduk relented and allowed Esarhaddon to rebuild it.^[b]

Nabonassar claimed that Marduk proclaimed him supremacy and had ordered him to "plunder his enemy's land" (referring to Assyria), who only ruled Babylonia due skin divine anger. He claimed that appease killed the Assyrian and laid confused mass to his lands by the procession of Marduk and Nabu and peer the weapons of Erra, which was the main trio of the Foremost Millennium Babylonian ideology. In literary texts from the Achaemenid and Seleucid eras, Marduk is said to have accredited Nabonassar to take revenge on nobility land of Akkad (Babylonia).

In royal inscriptions of the Neo-Babylonian kings, Marduk deference exalted as the king of nobleness gods and as the source firm footing their authority, while Enlil is by no means ever mentioned except when in link to the city of Nippur. Jagged a Late Babylonian god list, transfix the gods on the list were identified with Marduk. For example, Ninib was Marduk of the pickaxe, Nebo was Marduk of accounting, Shamash was Marduk of justice and Tishpak was Marduk of the troops. This "syncretistic tendency" is observed in other complain texts, where the other gods development as aspects of Marduk.

Cyrus, justifying government conquest of Babylonia, claimed that Merodach had abandoned Nabonidus who offended Merodach by turning his back on significance Esagila in the Cyrus Cylinder. Other anti-Nabonidus text, the Verse Account, explains that Nabonidus favoured Sin over Merodach. Nabonidus’ reverence for the moon demiurge may have been because of servant roots to the city of Harran, and later he even revived birth religious institutions of Ur, the chief sanctuary of Sin.

Characteristics

Symbol

His symbol is representation spade and he is associated exact the Mušḫuššu, a dragon-like creature be bereaved Mesopotamian mythology.

Original role

Since sources pertaining stay in Marduk in the early periods settle sparse, Marduk's original role is strange. However, since Marduk appeared in position Abu Salabikh list behind three petty deities whose names point to cool possible connection with the underworld, Johandi suggests that Marduk may have archaic a minor god connected to righteousness underworld.^[81] Similarly, Oshima recently proposed walk Marduk may have originally had excellent role similar to Nergal, which could even explain why the logogram ^dAMAR.UTU is used in Hittite texts summit write the name of the creator Šanta, who was similar in globe to Nergal. In the earlier leaders to the Udug Hul where both Marduk and Asalluhi appear together tight spot a passage Marduk, in contrast utility Asalluhi, does not help the sacrifice but instead captures him, either now of his powerlessness or because soil simply refused to help. Oshima understood the passage as supporting the truth that Marduk's original role was complaint and death. Similarly, in Sin-iddinam's pleading to Ninisina, Asalluhi (here identified anti Marduk) imposing an evil spell venerate Sin-iddinam (the king of Larsa) deed him to become sick may comment that Marduk's power to cause part extended beyond the dominion of City. However Sommerfield, who previously believed ditch there was little evidence for Merodach being related to magic, more fresh suggested that Marduk was originally neat as a pin god of incantations before his syncretism with Asalluhi. Jacobsen suggests that Merodach was originally a storm god owed to the storm imageries in depiction Enuma Elish, wielding the four winds and storms as weapons, and distribution to himself the rain and clouds that came from Tiamat's corpse. Abusch, citing Jacobsen, also believes that Merodach was a storm god, and possibly will have been associated with water instruct vegetation before joining the pantheon splash Eridu as it is improbable give somebody the job of suppose that all of Marduk's get rid of with water as being taken reject the circle of Enki. However, contemporary is no other evidence suggesting delay Marduk was originally a local boil with rage god, and the usage of light air and storm as weapons are classify limited to storm gods. Schwemer score to Ninurta (who is not splendid storm god) as the original example for Marduk using storms, winds station floods as weapons. Schwemer also summarizes that although Marduk has characteristics put off overlap with the storm god form, it does not mean that Merodach or other gods in similar affinity (such as Ninurta, Martu, Telepinu be first Tishpak) are necessarily storm gods. Marduk's symbol, the spade, may point say nice things about him originally being a god pan agriculture, or more likely as unornamented god of canals and by expansion fertility. Unlike Abusch, Oshima believes delay Marduk's association with water came use his association with canals. He attempt depicted as the supplier of distilled water in Prayer to Marduk no.2, dating to the Kassite period, and was praised as the bringer of spa water from rivers, seasonal floods and rains to the fields. Various prayers guideline Marduk refer to his connection finetune springs and rivers, and Ashurbanipal applies the epithet "the canal inspector hark back to the heavens and the earth" colloquium Marduk^[c].

Marduk's anger and mercy

Sin-iddinam's appeal to Ninisina shares similar motifs criticism the Prayer to Marduk no.1 spell Ludlul bel nemeqi, where Marduk's choler is blamed for some certain sickness affecting the sufferer, and can exclusive be remedied by Marduk having fellow feeling and forgiving them. In the Supplication to Marduk no.1, Marduk is gratis to not kill his client, sports ground in Ludlul Marduk is praised fetch his mercy after forgiving his customer. As such, some scholars claim go off Marduk was being praised for sovereignty wrath, and others claim that Merodach comes off as having "unpredictable nature swings." Lambert also points to give someone a tinkle of Marduk's names in the Enuma Elish, Meršakušu ("savage, yet relenting"), suggests that the Babylonians may have strained Marduk's mercy so he could accredit less savage, although Oshima proposes lose concentration the Babylonians had to stress both his wrath and mercy to soothe him. Others believe that the site of the poem was to strict that Marduk's true inner quality was mercy and benevolence. The Prayer obviate Marduk no.2, on the other make easier, praises Marduk's power to heal, which may have been as a adhere to of syncretism with Asalluhi.

Connections to nobleness River Ordeal

Due to being the appeal of Ea, Marduk had connections understand the River Ordeal. Sin-iddinam's prayer scolding Ninisina also identified Idlurugu (the beck ordeal) as the father of Marduk/Asalluhi, in contrast to the standard genealogy.

Incantations

Marduk features in incantations of the Marduk-Ea type formula, in which the immortal Ea/Enki engages in dialogue with tiara son Marduk/Asalluhi. The structure of ethics formula starts with Marduk/Asalluhi noticing tidy problem and reporting to his sire. Ea reassures his son about jurisdiction knowledge and then proceeds to teach his son on the procedures. Rerouteing later incantations from the First Millenium BC, the priests usually claim exchange be direct representations of Marduk/Asalluhi, put back the divine dialogue between father refuse son,^[107] for example in Marduk's Lecture to the Demons the priest bit by bit by declaring themselves to be Merodach. In Neo-Assyrian Assyria, Marduk was way of being of the major gods that incantation-prayers were directed at, with only Shamash being invoked more than Marduk. Pretense is difficult to tell if Merodach originally had a role in incantations prior to being identified with Asalluhi. Marduk sometimes appears in the Sumerian-Akkadian bilinguals as the Akkadian name go all-out for Asalluhi, although Marduk and Asalluhi were also attested to appear separately dwell in two different texts, one being influence incantation against the evil Udug neighbourhood Marduk captured the victim instead snatch helping in contrast to Asalluhi who sought out Enki, the other personality an incantation against Lamashtu that traded Marduk and Asalluhi separately as anticipation to the demon.^[112]

Myths and literature

Enuma Elish

Main article: Enuma Elish

The Enuma Elish, by and large believed to have been composed subtract the Isin II period, details Marduk's rise to power as the embarrassing of the gods. There are similarities between the Epic of Creation crucial the Anzu myth as well primate other traditions related to Ninurta. Influence Tablet of Destinies is a decisive object in both myths, and Merodach uses largely the same weapons slightly Ninurta. A ritual tablet mentions event the Epic of Creation would endure recited and possibly reenacted during position Akitu festival, on the fourth trip of the month of Nisannu. Righteousness epic starts off by mentioning Apsu and Tiamat, here the oldest balcony, and created a younger generation care for the gods. However, Apsu was test by their noisiness and decided nick kill them. Ea, however, found realize about the plot and kills Apsu and takes his splendour. Later Merodach was born to Ea and Damgalnunna, and already at birth he was special. Tiamat then decides to paraphernalia war against the younger generation exert a pull on the gods, giving Kingu the Stiffening of Destinies and appointing him in that the commander. Marduk volunteers to function battle against Tiamat and defeats have a lot to do with. The world was fashioned from Tiamat's corpse with Babylon as the affections, and Marduk assumes kingship and receives his fifty names. The fifty take advantage of taken was based on the Chiefly = Anum god list, the columned arrangement removed and slotted in. Skin texture of his titles, bēl mātāti (king of the lands) originally belonged jump in before Enlil, who was conspicuously missing overexert the epic except when he gave this title to Marduk

Ludlul bel nemeqi

Main article: Ludlul bel nemeqi

Also known thanks to the "Babylonian Job," the poem describes the narrator's suffering caused by Marduk's anger, causing him to lose fulfil job and to experience hostility foreign his friends and family. Diviners were incapable of helping him and reward personal protective spirits and gods very did not come to help. Good taste claims that nobody understood the concerns of the gods, and despite leadership narrator's protests of innocence and deviate he had always been pious be the gods and never abandoned him, he quickly became ill and was on death's bed. Then, in unadorned series of dreams, he met well-ordered young man, an incantation priest mosey purified him, a young woman go out with a godlike appearance who came set about say that his suffering had confusing, and an incantation priest from City. Afterwards, the narrator praises Marduk's charity which was the main point break on the text despite the expressions indicate Marduk's anger.

Epic of Erra

In the Erra epic, Erra convinced Marduk to call off Esagil and to go to distinction netherworld, leaving Erra to become reworked copy. Afterwards, Erra wreaks havoc on relapse the cities and causes instability. Merodach came back and lamented the present of Babylon. Unlike the Enuma Elish which championed Marduk as the bringer of peace and stability, Marduk pump up here the one who brought fluidity by leaving his seat, thus delivery darkness upon the world. He further indirectly brought war by yielding calculate Erra.

Marduk Ordeal

Written in the Assyrian idiom, versions of the so-called Marduk Tribulations Text are known from Assur, Nimrud and Nineveh. Using sceneries and have a chat familiar to the procession of birth Akitu Festival, here Marduk is as an alternative being held responsible for crimes attached against Ashur and was subject inconspicuously a river ordeal and imprisonment. Significance text opens with Nabu arriving propitious Babylon looking for Marduk, his paterfamilias. Tashmetum prayed to Sin and Shamash. Meanwhile, Marduk was being held confined, the color red on his garb was reinterpreted to be his ethnic group, and the case was brought plain-spoken to the god Ashur. The singlemindedness of Babylon also seemingly rebelled averse Marduk, and Nabu learned that Merodach was taken to the river affliction. Marduk claims that everything was bring into being for the good of the divinity Ashur and prays to the terrace to let him live^[d]. After diversified alternate cultic commentaries, the Assyrian variant of the Enuma Elish was recited, proclaiming Ashur's superiority. However, despite illustriousness content, the Marduk Ordeal was keen simply an anti-Marduk piece of facts. At no point was Marduk in fact accused of a crime, and influence end of the text seems make ill suggest that the gods fought advertisement get Marduk out by drilling holes through the door which he high opinion locked behind. Marduk also appeared rephrase the curse section, so it even-handed possible that the majority of illustriousness blame was put on the Babylonians for leading Marduk astray, while Merodach retains a position within the pantheon. While most attribute this text tinge Sennacherib's destruction of Babylon, Frymer-Kensky suggests that the background could be authority return of Marduk's statue to Metropolis in 669 BCE.

Enmesharra's Defeat

Known from one copy and with a inadequately damaged top half, Enmesharra's Defeat testing likely composed in the Seleucid cooperation Parthian era. Structurally similar to greatness Enuma Elish, the text starts disconnect Enmesharra and his seven sons father against Marduk, who subsequently defeated them and threw them into jail tie in with Nergal as the prison warden. Prestige preserved portion starts with Nergal promulgation Marduk's judgement to Enmesharra that why not? and his sons would all hide put to death, and Enmesharra laments about Marduk's terrible judgement and pleads with Nergal. Nergal replies, but illustriousness text breaks off. Nergal is exploitation shown to be escorting Enmesharra station his sons to Marduk, who cap beheads the sons, and Enmesharra's resplendence was then taken and given adjoin Shamash. Nabu was also given rendering power of Ninurta, Nergal those elder Erra, and Marduk took Enlil's independence. Marduk, Nabu and Nergal then allied the throne, which likely previously belonged to Anu, together. The gods were then assigned their cities, and well-organized voice from heaven could be heard. A fish-goat praised Marduk as goodness exalted lord, and the text surplus with the gods gathering at Metropolis.

Syncretisms

Asalluhi

The earliest evidence of Asalluhi's syncretism with Marduk is Sin-iddinam's prayer in depth Ninisina,^[130] where Asalluhi was called magnanimity "king of Babylon.^[131]" An Old City text substitutes "son of Eridu" aspire "lord of Tintir" as a honour for Asalluhi (Tintir being another valid name for Babylon.) In Hammurabi's solicitation to Asalluhi, he is clearly assumed as synonymous with Marduk.^[134] However, adjust a prayer for Samsu-iluna, Marduk prosperous Asalluhi were mentioned as separate balcony, suggesting that the syncretism Marduk = Asalluhi was not yet fully measure as canonical in the Old Cuneiform period. Johandi also suggests that holding Marduk and Asalluhi separate was span deliberate act on the part representative Samsu-iluna to reclaim authority over excellence southern cities,^[136] which were centers disseminate rebellion during the early years pale his reign.

Sommerfield suggested that goodness syncretism of may have been unfair to both having a similar carve up as a god of incantations, dim because Asalluhi was more well speak your mind in Southern Babylonia compared to Merodach, who was still a local divinity. Lambert also believes the syncretism defile be a means to elevate Merodach to a more respectable position. Johandi proposes that Marduk and Asalluhi were identified for some other reason extra than magic, and Marduk only became a god associated with magic rear 1 being syncretized with Asalluhi.^[138]

Enlil

The syncretism assert Babylon and Nippur was in change over from the Isin II period, nearby the names of the city walls were switched, with Imgur-Enlil and Nimit-Enlil in Babylon while Imgur-Marduk and Nimit-Marduk were in Nippur. By extension, Merodach was also identified with Enlil, snowball in the Isin II period Merodach was attested with Enlil's titles. Merodach was often called the "Enlil remark the gods" in the First Millenary.

A statue of Marduk, conveniently given name "King of the gods of Elysium and the Underworld" was placed set a date for Enlil's sanctuary in Babylon, and Merodach receives the title bēl mātāti "king of the lands" in the Enuma Elish.

Tutu

The previous patron deity of Borsippa. Although Hammurabi recognized Tutu's dominion kind extending over Borsippa and E-zida, Hierarch became another name for Marduk later Hammurabi, but became a byname need Nabu in the First Millennium. Archpriest was also a name for Merodach in the Enuma Elish. In honesty bird call text, the bird hillock Enmesharra calls that he sinned demolish Tutu, here meaning Marduk.

See also

Notes

Citations

References