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Marduk
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:''For the hypothetical planet, see
Marduk (planet). For the Black Metal band, see
Marduk (band).''
{{Mesopotamian myth (Babylon)}}
'''Marduk''' (
Sumerian spelling in
Akkadian language Akkadian/
Elamite '''AMAR.UTU''' "solar calf"; Biblical '''Merodach''') was the name of a late generation god from ancient
Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of
Babylon, who, when Babylon permanently became the political center of the
Euphrates valley in the time of
Hammurabi (
18th century BC), started to slowly rise to the position of the head of the Babylonian pantheon, a position he fully acquired by the second half of the second millennium BC.
History
Image:Marduk and pet.jpg left|thumb|Marduk and his dragon, from a [[Babylonian cylinder seal]]
Marduk's original character is obscure, but whatever special traits Marduk may have had were overshadowed by the reflex of the political development through which the Euphrates valley passed and which led to imbuing him with traits belonging to gods who at an earlier period were recognized as the heads of the pantheon. There are more particularly two gods —
Ea and
Enlil — whose powers and attributes pass over to Marduk. In the case of Ea the transfer proceeds pacifically and without involving the effacement of the older god. Marduk is viewed as the son of Ea. The father voluntarily recognizes the superiority of the son and hands over to him the control of humanity. This association of Marduk and Ea, while indicating primarily the passing of the supremacy once enjoyed by
Eridu to Babylon as a religious and political centre, may also reflect an early dependence of Babylon upon Eridu, not necessarily of a political character but, in view of the spread of culture in the Euphrates valley from the south to the north, the recognition of Eridu as the older centre on the part of the younger one.
While the relationship between Ea and Marduk is thus marked by harmony and an amicable abdication on the part of the father in favour of his son, Marduk's absorption of the power and prerogatives of Enlil of
Nippur was at the expense of the latter's prestige. After the days of
Hammurabi, the cult of Marduk eclipses that of Enlil, and although during the four centuries of
Kassites Kassite control in Babylonia (c.
1570 BC–
1157 BC), Nippur and the cult of Enlil enjoyed a period of renaissance, when the reaction ensued it marked the definite and permanent triumph of Marduk over Enlil until the end of the Babylonian empire. The only serious rival to Marduk after ca.
1000 BC is
Anshar in
Assyria. In the south Marduk reigns supreme. He is normally referred to as ''
Bel (god) Bel'' "Lord".
When Babylon became the capital of Mesopotamia, the patron deity of Babylon was elevated to the level of supreme god. In order to explain how Marduk seized power,
Enûma Elish was written, which tells the story of Marduk's birth, heroic deeds, and becoming the ruler of the gods. This can be viewed as a form of Mesopotamian apologetics.
In Enûma Elish, a civil war between the gods was growing to a climactic battle. The
Anunnaki gods gathered together to find one god who could defeat the gods rising against them. Marduk, a very young god, answered the call, and was promised the position of head god.
When he killed his enemy he "wrested from him the
Tablets of Destiny, wrongfully his" and assumed his new position. Under his reign humans were created to bear the burdens of life so the gods could be at leisure.
People were named after Marduk. For example, the
Bible Biblical personality, the
Persian people Persian Mordechai (
Book of Esther) used this
Gentile name in replacement of his
Hebrew language Hebrew name
Bilshan.
Babylonian texts talk of the creation of Eridu by the god Marduk as the first city, 'the holy city, the dwelling of their [the other gods] delight'.
In late Babylonian
astrology, Marduk was connected to the planet
Jupiter. As the ruler of the late Babylonian pantheon, he was equated with the Greek god
Zeus (Latin
Jupiter (god) Jupiter), hence the name of the planet. Babilonian priests also gave Marduk 50 holy names, and wrote the ''Eluma Elish'' (Poem of the creation) in his honor.
Nabu, god of wisdom, is a son of Marduk.
References in popular culture
See
Marduk in popular culture
See also
*
Chaldean mythology
*
Etemenanki
External links
-
The Mystica: article about Marduk.
-
Putting God on Trial — The Biblical Book of Job: a Biblical reworking of the combat motif between
Tiamat and Marduk.
References
*{{1911}}
Category:Akkadian gods
cs:Marduk
da:Marduk
de:Marduk
es:Marduk
fr:Mardouk
it:Marduk
he:מרדוך (×?ל)
nl:Marduk (god)
ja:マルドゥク
no:Marduk
pl:Marduk (bóstwo)
pt:Marduk
sl:Marduk
sv:Marduk
tr:Marduk
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