This volume deals with the myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria, and as these reflect the civilization in which they developed, a historical narrative has been provided, beginning with the early Sumerian Age and concluding with the periods of the Persian and Grecian Empires. Over thirty centuries of human progress are thus passed under review. Keywords: myth, legend, ancient, religion, classic
A collection of Babylonian and Assyrian myths and legends, including various analogues of the biblical flood story and discussions of the history of Babylon and Assyria, and descriptions of various forms of Babylonian worship, Assyrian cults, and archaeological excavation of Babylonian and Assyrian sites.
This volume looks at Babylonian Mythology, drawing connections between ancient Babylonian culture and its myths, explaining how the beliefs, values, and experiences of that culture are represented in its treasured stories. Readers are treated to a map of ancient Mesopotamia, a family tree of the major gods, a table of major characters with name pronunciations with brief descriptions, sidebars, and fact boxes.
Babylonian myths, inherited in Mesopotamia from Sumeria, influenced by the ancient Assyrians represent a pinnacle of human achievement in the period around 1800 BC. Here we find humankind battling with the elements in their Flood myth, a grim creation story and the great Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest recorded literary treasures. Babylon, a powerful city state at the time of the ancient Egyptians was a centre of profound spiritual, economic and military power, themes all represented in the fragments and myths of this book of classic tales. FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.
Examines the Mesopotamian influence on Greek mythology in literary works of the epic period, concentrating in particular on journey myths. A major contribution to the understanding of the colourful myths involved.
The stories translated here all of ancient Mesopotamia, and include not only myths about the Creation and stories of the Flood, but also the longest and greatest literary composition, the Epic of Gilgamesh. This is the story of a heroic quest for fame and immortality, pursued by a man of great strength who loses a unique opportunity through a moment's weakness. So much has been discovered in recent years both by way of new tablets and points of grammar and lexicography that these new translations by Stephanie Dalley supersede all previous versions. -- from back cover.
From the tragic young Adonis to Zašhapuna, first among goddesses, this handbook provides the most complete information available on deities from the cultures and religions of the ancient Near East, including Anatolia, Syria, Israel, Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria, and Elam. The result of nearly fifteen years of research, this handbook is more expansive and covers a wider range of sources and civilizations than any previous reference works on the topic. Arranged alphabetically, the entries range from multiple pages of information to a single line—sometimes all that we know about a given deity. Where possible, each record discusses the deity’s symbolism and imagery, connecting it to the myths, rituals, and festivals described in ancient sources. Many of the entries are accompanied by illustrations that aid in understanding the iconography, and they all include references to texts in which the god or goddess is mentioned. Appropriate for both trained scholars and nonacademic readers, this book collects centuries of Near Eastern mythology into one volume. It will be an especially valuable resource for anyone interested in Assyriology, ancient religion, and the ancient Near East.
