#AkkadianEmpire

[whencyclopedia]

The Myth of Etana

The Myth of Etana is the story of the Sumerian antediluvian King of Kish who ascends to heaven on an eagle to request the Plant of Birth from the gods so that he might have a son. Etana is named as the first king of Kish in the Sumerian King List (composed c. 2100 BCE) which claims he reigned early in the 3rd millenium BCE. According to the Sumerian King List, Etana was known as "he who stabilized the lands" after the gods had created order out of chaos and established the concepts of kingship and government among humanity. Etana was, therefore, a well-known and highly respected figure and would have been chosen as the central character for precisely this reason. A central message of the myth is that one should trust in the gods and Etana, a great king, would have been chosen by the unknown author as the best exemplar in conveying that message.

Central Message

That the myth is very old is attested to by cylinder seals depicting Etana on the eagle's back which date from the reign of Sargon of Akkad (2334-2279 BCE). The British Museum has among its holdings a fragment of The Myth of Etana from King Assurbanipal's library at Ninevah, dating from the 7th century but, as G.S. Kirk points out:

The Neo-Assyrian version from Ashurbanipal's library happens to be the most surviving text, but where it overlaps with an Old Babylonian version of a thousand years earlier it corresponds with it very closely, sometimes word for word. A short Middle Assyrian fragment maintains the same accuracy. (25)

The story contains many motifs seen in myths of every culture: a great city created by the gods, a search for a worthy ruler, talking animals, broken oaths, divine intervention and a quest which brings the hero to the land of the gods (this one involving an eagle of mythic proportions). The myth may have been intended, as suggested by R. McRoberts, to convey a political message regarding kingship:

When this story is placed in the context of the First Dynasty of Kish, and its exceptional rule of twenty three consecutive kings, it can be seen as more than a tale of fantasy. Earlier dynasties in the King Lists show only a few kings ruling in succession. It is possible that the success of the First Dynasty of Kish could be owed in part to a new tradition of passing the monarchy on to a male heir of the previous king. The myth of Etana served as a colorful reminder that it was the king's duty to go to any lengths, or heights as the case may be, to produce that heir. (40)

While McRoberts' observation is certainly valid, the duty of the king was not only to his people but to the gods who had not only given him life but placed him in his position. According to Sumerian belief (and Mesopotamian belief in general), the gods had created humanity as co-workers to maintain order and keep the forces of chaos in check. The king was responsible to both the gods and his subjects to make sure the gods' will was followed. He could not perform this task if he had no faith in the gods himself and so the myth, in addition to its many other themes, would have emphasized Etana's faith in the gods even when it seems his prayers have not been answered.

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[david-a-b]

#伊拉克文物 #阿卡德帝国文物#AkkadianEmpire #天下四方之王#纳拉姆辛#NaramSin#铜斧 #公元前二十三世纪 #临展#攻金之工：亚欧大陆早期金属艺术与文明互鉴 #清华大学艺术博物馆 #海淀区（在 清华大学艺术博物馆） https://www.instagram.com/p/CnuGb_0PiNM/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thomascookeg2020]

Sargon of Akkad The First Emperor of Mesopotamia

🔍 Explore the incredible rise of Sargon of Akkad, the world’s first emperor! 🏺👑

In this deep dive, we take you back over 4,000 years to the heart of Mesopotamia, where Sargon of Akkad created the first empire in human history. From humble beginnings, Sargon conquered city-states, united diverse cultures, and built the powerful Akkadian Empire that would shape the course of civilization. 🌍⚔️

Discover Sargon’s:

Early life and legendary rise to power 📜

Military conquests and the expansion of his empire ⚔️

Revolutionary governance that set the stage for future rulers 🏛️

Cultural and historical legacy that influenced future civilizations 🏺✨

Join us as we uncover ancient texts, archaeological discoveries, and the stories behind Sargon’s monumental achievements. If you’re fascinated by ancient history, empires, and powerful leaders, this video is for you!

Don’t forget to subscribe for more amazing history content! 📚

#SargonOfAkkad #FirstEmpire #Mesopotamia #AncientHistory #AkkadianEmpire #SargonTheGreat #EmpiresOfThePast #RiseOfEmpires

[dizzycindy]

The Rise and Fall of the Akkadian Empire #shorts #akkadianempire #history

[renehw]

An alabaster fragment of a Mesopotamian vase with cuneiform writing on it (22nd century BC), from @allardpierson in Amsterdam. The writing can be translated as “Shar-Kali-Sharri, king of [the country of] Akkad”. The symbols in the left part of the inscription mean “Agade-ki” (Country of Akkad). The symbols on the right are the name of the Akkadian king Shar-Kali-Sharri (r. circa 2217-2193 BC), the star symbol in the top right corner is a silent (not pronounced) sign to signify divine/divinity and comes from the Sumerian word for god/goddess. Shar-Kali-Sharri was one of the last kings of the Akkadian Empire, that dominated much of Mesopotamia from the late 24th century BC until the mid-22nd century BC. #allardpiersonmuseum #allardpierson #amsterdam #museum #archaeology #archeology #archeologie #alabaster #akkad #akkadian #akkadianempire #mesopotamia #ancient #art #ancientart #cuneiform #cuneiformwriting #writing #king #history #geschiedenis (bij Allard Pierson Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHK-hI8HPh2/?igshid=ucfimgeuymtk

[etymopedia]

‏‎#الامبراطورية #الاكدية #Akkadian #akkadians #akkadiancollection #akkadianempire #akkadianband #akkadiangroup #akkadiansprayart #akkadianbooks #akkadianpictures #akkadiansb #akkadianrecords #akkadian_civilization #akkadiangrouprealestate #akkadianmythology #اتموبيدياetymopedia ‎‏ https://www.instagram.com/p/BvfBaA8nq5n/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dudchue2gib

[smak7]

Iraq's History: An Interactive Timeline

http://www.iraqiembassy.us/page/iraqs-history-an-interactive-timeline

[whencyclopedia]

Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia)

The Early Dynastic Period of Mesopotamia is the modern-day archaeological term for the era in Mesopotamian history – 2900-2334 BCE – during which some of the most significant cultural advances were made including the rise of the cities, the development of writing, and the establishment of governments.

This era was preceded by the Uruk Period (4100-2900 BCE) when the first cities were established in the region of Sumer (southern Mesopotamia) and succeeded by the Akkadian Period (2334-2218 BCE) when Mesopotamia was conquered by Sargon of Akkad (r. 2334-2279 BCE) and ruled by him and his successors as the Akkadian Empire.

The term Early Dynastic Period was coined by Orientalist Henri Frankfort (l. 1897-1954 CE) to mirror the Early Dynastic Period in Egypt, a similar period of development. It should be noted, however, that the advances of Mesopotamia's Early Dynastic Period differed from Egypt's in significant ways, notably in that Mesopotamia – even under the rule of Sargon or later empires – was never the cohesive ethnic or political entity Egypt was and the kinds of cultural development cited for this era were not as uniform as they were in Egypt.

The city-states of Sumer were, for much of their history, each independently governed – not united under the reign of a single king as in the case of Egyptian government – and so a city like Uruk or Ur might have developed some important cultural advance which was not shared – at least not readily – with others.

The era is divided by archaeologists into three subperiods:

Dynastic I – 2900-2800 BCE

Dynastic II – 2800-2600 BCE

Dynastic III – 2600-2334 BCE

These are considered arbitrary divisions by some scholars and historians as there is no clear demarcation line separating one from the next. Even so, there is enough of a subtle difference that division is considered justified.

Uruk Period

The earliest era in Mesopotamian history is the Ubaid Period (c. 5000-4100 BCE) about which little is known. The origins of the Ubaid people (so called because of the modern-day site, Tell al'Ubaid, where the major finds of the culture were located) are obscure, and as they left no written records, the little information archaeologists have on them comes from their pottery and artwork. They had already shifted from a hunter-gatherer society to an agrarian culture and established small rural communities before the rise of Sumer.

These villages developed during the Uruk Period (named for the central archeological site which defines the era, the city of Uruk) and, in time, became the first cities. Major advances of this period, besides urbanization, were monumental architecture (c. 3500-3300 BCE, notably the ziggurat), the development of cylinder seals (c. 3600 BCE, although the basic paradigm of the seal was already known), writing (c. 3600-3500 BCE), written language (c. 3200 BCE) which is exemplified in lexical lists (essentially scribal dictionaries of cuneiform signs and their meaning in Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hittite), and governmental bureaucracy. All of these advances became more highly developed during the Early Dynastic Period.

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[whencyclopedia]

Early Dynastic Period (Mesopotamia)

The Early Dynastic Period of Mesopotamia is the modern-day archaeological term for the era in Mesopotamian history – 2900-2334 BCE – during which some of the most significant cultural advances were made including the rise of the cities, the development of writing, and the establishment of governments.

This era was preceded by the Uruk Period (4100-2900 BCE) when the first cities were established in the region of Sumer (southern Mesopotamia) and succeeded by the Akkadian Period (2334-2218 BCE) when Mesopotamia was conquered by Sargon of Akkad (r. 2334-2279 BCE) and ruled by him and his successors as the Akkadian Empire.

The term Early Dynastic Period was coined by Orientalist Henri Frankfort (l. 1897-1954 CE) to mirror the Early Dynastic Period in Egypt, a similar period of development. It should be noted, however, that the advances of Mesopotamia's Early Dynastic Period differed from Egypt's in significant ways, notably in that Mesopotamia – even under the rule of Sargon or later empires – was never the cohesive ethnic or political entity Egypt was and the kinds of cultural development cited for this era were not as uniform as they were in Egypt.

The city-states of Sumer were, for much of their history, each independently governed – not united under the reign of a single king as in the case of Egyptian government – and so a city like Uruk or Ur might have developed some important cultural advance which was not shared – at least not readily – with others.

The era is divided by archaeologists into three subperiods:

Dynastic I – 2900-2800 BCE

Dynastic II – 2800-2600 BCE

Dynastic III – 2600-2334 BCE

These are considered arbitrary divisions by some scholars and historians as there is no clear demarcation line separating one from the next. Even so, there is enough of a subtle difference that division is considered justified.

Uruk Period

The earliest era in Mesopotamian history is the Ubaid Period (c. 5000-4100 BCE) about which little is known. The origins of the Ubaid people (so called because of the modern-day site, Tell al'Ubaid, where the major finds of the culture were located) are obscure, and as they left no written records, the little information archaeologists have on them comes from their pottery and artwork. They had already shifted from a hunter-gatherer society to an agrarian culture and established small rural communities before the rise of Sumer.

These villages developed during the Uruk Period (named for the central archeological site which defines the era, the city of Uruk) and, in time, became the first cities. Major advances of this period, besides urbanization, were monumental architecture (c. 3500-3300 BCE, notably the ziggurat), the development of cylinder seals (c. 3600 BCE, although the basic paradigm of the seal was already known), writing (c. 3600-3500 BCE), written language (c. 3200 BCE) which is exemplified in lexical lists (essentially scribal dictionaries of cuneiform signs and their meaning in Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hittite), and governmental bureaucracy. All of these advances became more highly developed during the Early Dynastic Period.

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[david-a-b]

#伊拉克文物 #阿卡德帝国文物#AkkadianEmpire #天下四方之王#沙尔卡利沙瑞#Sharkalisharri#铜碗 #公元前二十三世纪 #临展#攻金之工：亚欧大陆早期金属艺术与文明互鉴 #清华大学艺术博物馆 #海淀区（在 清华大学艺术博物馆） https://www.instagram.com/p/Cns6yNvPVJb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[david-a-b]

#伊拉克文物 #阿卡德帝国文物#AkkadianEmpire #铜碗 #公元前二十四世纪 #临展#攻金之工：亚欧大陆早期金属艺术与文明互鉴 #清华大学艺术博物馆 #海淀区（在 清华大学艺术博物馆） https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnq0xc-vIHb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[whencyclopedia]

The Akkadian Empire, c. 2334 - 2218 BCE

A map illustrating the rise of the Akkadian Empire from its origins in the city-state of Akkad. For the first time in history, Sargon the Great and his descendants managed to unite the whole of Mesopotamia, keeping the rival city-states under their control until around 2200 BCE, when the empire disintegrated under the combined pressures of invasion, rebellion, and climate change.

[etymopedia]

‏‎خارطة #الامبراطورية_الاكدية وصلت اوجها في عهد المؤسس #سرجون_الاكدي وحفيده #نرام_سن والتي استمرت نحو قرنين (٢٣٥٥-٢١٥٩ق.م). #Sergion #Naramsin #Akkad #Akkadian #akkadians #akkadianempire #akkadiangroup #اتموبيديا #Etymopedia ‎‏ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bozl91oAKYV/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1aov1xqvwbe9h