6.1 Babylonian Mythology and the Enuma Elish

Babylonian mythology centers on the Enuma Elish, a creation story explaining how the world began. It tells of primordial gods, cosmic battles, and Marduk's rise to power. This epic tale reflects Babylonian beliefs about the universe's origins and divine order.

The Enuma Elish connects to broader Mesopotamian religious developments by showcasing Babylon's rise. It elevates Marduk as the supreme deity, mirroring Babylon's political dominance. This myth reveals how religion and politics intertwined in ancient Mesopotamian cultures.

Creation and Primordial Deities

The Enuma Elish Creation Myth

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• The Enuma Elish is the Babylonian creation myth that explains the origins of the universe and the gods
• Begins with the primordial chaos, a formless and watery void that existed before the creation of the world
• From this chaos emerged the first gods: Apsu, the freshwater ocean, and Tiamat, the saltwater sea
• Apsu and Tiamat mingled their waters together, giving birth to the younger gods (Lahmu, Lahamu, Anshar, and Kishar)
• The younger gods were noisy and disturbed Apsu, who plotted to kill them but was defeated by his great-grandson Ea

Tiamat's Revenge and Marduk's Victory

• Tiamat, enraged by the death of her husband Apsu, created an army of monsters to wage war against the younger gods
• The gods were terrified of Tiamat's power and could not defeat her until Marduk, the son of Ea, volunteered to face her
• Marduk armed himself with powerful weapons (bow, mace, net, and winds) and challenged Tiamat to single combat
• In the epic battle, Marduk captured Tiamat in his net, drove the winds into her mouth, and pierced her belly with an arrow, killing her
• Marduk then split Tiamat's body in half, using one half to create the heavens and the other to form the earth (separating the waters above from the waters below)

Marduk's Ascension

Marduk's Rise to Supremacy

• After defeating Tiamat, Marduk became the supreme god of the Babylonian pantheon, taking on the titles and attributes of the other gods
• The gods built Marduk a grand temple in Babylon called the Esagila, which became the center of the Babylonian religion
• Marduk was seen as the divine king, ruling over the gods and the cosmos just as the earthly king ruled over Babylon
• He was associated with kingship, wisdom, magic, and the power to determine destinies

The Tablet of Destinies and Cosmic Order

• Marduk's victory over Tiamat also gave him possession of the Tablet of Destinies, a powerful artifact that granted him control over the fates of gods and mortals
• With the Tablet of Destinies, Marduk established the cosmic order, regulating the movements of the stars and planets, the cycle of the seasons, and the destinies of nations
• He assigned the other gods their roles and responsibilities, such as Shamash (the sun god) to regulate the day and night, and Ea (the god of wisdom) to oversee the arts and crafts
• The Enuma Elish thus portrays Marduk as the guarantor of order and stability, who vanquished the forces of chaos (Tiamat) and established the proper functioning of the universe