Dating:early 1st mill. B.C. most copies from this period
Purpose:
a. Elevation of Marduk
b. Attempt at understanding the universe and it’s origins
Hero: Marduk, chief god of Babylon: original hero
Ashur, chief god of Ashur: replaced Marduk in Assyria in 1st mill. B.C.
Sumerian elements
Theogony (account of the origin & descent of the gods): An = Anu
Ea like that found in great god list An = Anum
Echoes: Ninurta myth Lugal-e
Ninurta builds mtn range in east, arranges for irrigation
May be behind Marduk’s creation of universe
Ninurta judges his captive enemies, the stones (1750 B.C.)
Marduk tries Kingu; defeated gods given offices
Akkadian elements
OB Atrahasis: noise of mankind keeps Enlil awake
Ee dance & play of gods prevents older powers fr sleeping
Ee creation of man fr blood of slain god, Kingu
Motif of gaining world rule through parricide
Ee: Apsu and Ti’amat
Motif in “Dynasty of Dunnum” which spread over Aegean
Ugarit myth “Ba’al and Yam’” (1600-1200 B.C.) battle between a
storm god & sea
Ee battle between Marduk (storm god) and Tiamat (sea)
Perhaps brought east with Amorites of 1st Dynasty of Babylon
