Did the People of Ancient Mesopotamia Believe their Kings were Divine?

God or simply great king? Did the people of ancient Mesopotamia believe that their rulers were divine? It's a question that gets asked a lot and in this, we'll answer it.
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English
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[@fuferito]

Cy can cover any topic incredibly well, but when he covers Ancient Mesopotamia you can tell how much fun he's having reading proclamations by impossibly sounding kings' names.

[@jennypoussin3866]

I know! Lugalkiginedudu! Love it! ❤️🤴

[@metalman7791]

Suppiluliuma is still my favorite to hear, it's a mouthful

[@keithtarrier4558]

Indeed!

[@HistorywithCy]

Oh I love reading the primary sources... I was thinking of doing something like "Text Tuesday" every week just so I could read various texts and then give some historical background on them. Might still do it, but have some big projects for later on this year that I want to complete first. Thanks for watching, really appreciate it!

[@rilosvideos877]

absolutely! Really like to hear of these oldest texts in the world - they give you so much insight how ppl were thinking!

[@neva_nyx]

More beliefs and practices of the many people's of ancient Mesopotamian please! You do this very well!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, have some more of this and also daily life of the average person in ancient Mesopotamia coming up in 2023...stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@corvus6381]

The more I learn about Mesopotamia the more it becomes my favourite part of bronze age history. The Believe system is just so interesting to me

[@jeanamparan893]

I don't know if this is something new or has its time but it's really nice of you to offer dubbing in Spanish. Most quality content on KZbin, such as your channel, is in English only. Now I'll be able to share this amazing content with my fellow Mexican friends

[@scrumpy8192]

Your dramatic readings of ancient texts is one of my favorite parts of the channel.

[@HistorywithCy]

One of my favorite parts of making these too! Thanks for watching and stay tuned for more texts and translations!

[@keithtarrier4558]

Thank you! Keep them coming Cy! I have learned so much over past few years from you and this channel. Even today, I am still so amazed that today, we can hear the voices of those people a few thousand years ago. And how much we have learned about them the past 50-100 years, but espeically the 30+ years I was in High School and I LOVED ancient history. *Many of your longer, "full history" of "X civilisation" I have listened to quite a few times as I work or relax. There is so much QUALITY content, and so many things to learn and so many facts, I learn (or remember!! LOL)something new each time I listen.

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks so much, comments like this make my day! In the future I have plans for more longer videos, which honestly is more of the direction I want to go in because I can put in more detail into each program. Thanks so much for watching, really appreciate it and stay tuned for more!

[@ericconnor8251]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. I was unaware that Assyrians broke the mold of previous kingdoms by viewing their kings as servants of the divine rather than living manifestations of gods themselves. Egyptians clearly continued the view of pharaohs and queens being living incarnations of Osiris and Isis (with crown princes as Horus), something inherited by the Greek Ptolemies who equated this with Zeus and Hera (if not Alexander who viewed himself as son of Zeus Ammon after his visit to the Siwa Oasis). It is interesting to observe the tension they had with skeptical Greek subjects and Macedonian aristocrats who refused the Persian practice of proskynesis (prostration before a ruler) and viewed Macedonian kings simply as first among equals or at most high priests rather than living gods.

[@lo-fihi-ki5699]

good job cy very dank content.. it was nice to learn how Sumerian kings gased themselves up... imma have to jack some of these glorious daly affirmations

[@user-65ty5tyt5gt]

It´s the first time a see this feature of multiple audio tracks on youtube, thanks for the portuguese dubbing.

[@MarcusAgrippa390]

This is turning out to be a good Monday... Thanks Cy!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, hope your week has been going well and thanks for watching!

[@geraldmeehan8942]

So glad to see new Cy post

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed it and more on the way, stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@geraldmeehan8942]

@@HistorywithCy thank you once again !

[@jennypoussin3866]

Love it when I see a new History of Cy pop up in my feed. ☺️ Is 'History of Cy' divine? It's heavenly good! ❤️ Btw love those ancient King's names like Lugalkiginedudu! 🤴

[@lo-fihi-ki5699]

oh Jenny.. your a dream boat.. if I met you at a bar/library and you started reading off the code of harambe id melt like butter

[@SecularIranian]

King Dudebrolololol the 3rd

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, glad you're really into this! Haha yes that's quite a name... laughed the first couple times I read it aloud. Thanks for watching, appreciate it and more on the way, stay tuned!

[@mantrekki]

Cy,as an Spanish speaking person, hearing you dubbed to Spanish is a surprise. I must say that generally it’s done very well but there were sometimes that the words chosen sounded funny or strange. Anyway, it’s a good thing.

[@HistorywithCy]

Hi and thanks for the feedback! Yeah it's a relatively new feature KZbin, I guess it defaults to Spanish or Portuguese depending on your location, but you can also switch it back to the original English in Settings. I don't know how many more will be dubbed in the near future but I'd like to keep it if it's helpful to you all. Thanks for watching and the feedback, really appreciate you letting me know your view! More on the way, stay tuned!

[@rodrigocozer1654]

Please keep those áudio options, it really helps... As a portuguese speaker I thank you a Lot... Any chance to add portuguese audio track in previous vídeos?

[@WanaxTV]

Nothing better than listening to a History with Cy video while waiting for a flight. Great work Cy! 💪🏻

[@user-eh6th9wj5k]

Fantastic question and video!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it and lots more on the way, stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@robbabcock_]

Very interesting, as usual!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks my friend, glad you enjoyed it! More on the way, stay tuned and as always, thanks for watching!

[@michaellewis7959]

Hello CY, great episode. Have any tombs of the great sumerian and Akkadians kings ever been found

[@HistorywithCy]

Hi and great question! As far as I know of the greats, just of Shulgi of Ur III... I had read somewhere that also Ur-Nammu's tomb may have been discovered by I don't think there's consensus agreement on that. Lots of monuments and stelae of others, but no actually physical remains or grave markers of any king such as Hammurabi, Naram-Sin or Nebuchadnezzar. Oh, there are tombs of a few Assyrian kings that have been identified at Ashur, but other than that none that I can think of. Thanks for watching, really appreciate and more on the way!

[@Bulgarian021]

HELLO, Cy ! Long time, no see, pal ! But Im back to this channel cause it is really good. I like this topic and it is really relevant even if we attribute it to our modern states. Many dictators today want to look like Gods or behave like Gods, even though not inthe way it all happened in the Ancient world. I greet you and I wish you even more success, man !

[@womeninhistory9272]

Thank you for this content!! New Sub here :)

[@hawaar58]

Thank you

[@noahlogue3807]

I gotta lot of information from this felt like it was longer than it was in a good way.

[@ancientsitesgirl]

Controversial topic✌❤

[@beepboop204]

there are current demagogues who get compared to being "orange jesus" so it seems like there is a tendency for people nowadays to do the same

[@HistorywithCy]

Really? Definitely an interesting one. Thanks for watching and you'll be happy to know, the next one is on Egypt (D15 & 16). Stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@historiaconcountryballs4869]

can yo do a video of Arslantepe

[@br1qbat]

At about 6:15 the quote mentions a dragon. Do you know what the untranslated word is and what it means? Is there artwork of these Mesopotamian dragons? Just struck me as odd that the translator specifically chose the english word dragon as opposed to creature/monster. I've never heard of dragons mentioned in a Mesopotamian context, but it would seem that there is some basis to referring to that particular creature as a dragon. I guess I'm just curious to know where to look for more info. Anyways, always love the Mesopotamian content!

[@youngimperialistmkii]

Actually, draconic iconography may have originated in Mesopotamia. Check out the images of Tiamat.

[@br1qbat]

@@youngimperialistmkii I am familiar with images of Tiamat. I would think [perhaps incorrectly] that if the original text was "son of Tiamat" that one wouldn't translate it to dragon. Because the more important implication to me would be the meaning of a son of 'a god' and not a son of 'a big scary monster'. But maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps the original referenced Mušḫuššu? Which I wasn't at all familiar with and are quite interesting. Thanks for the info! Another rabbit hole to dive into.

[@carlosaugustodinizgarcia3526]

Different from Egyptian Pharaohs most of Mesopotamian kings took great pride being represented as "only" the overseer of a certain god (Enlil,Ishtar,Marduk,Ashur). The kings of Agade and of the 3rd dynasty or Ur in the other hand broke the tradition. The arrogance/hubris of certain kings from those dynasties,like Naram-Sin, were infamous in later times .

[@HistorywithCy]

All very true, I couldn't have worded it better myself. Thanks so much for watching, really appreciate it and stay tuned for more!

[@PoliticalFuturism]

Very cool! Nice exploration of an interesting topic. As always Cy, you're killing the game!

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks man, glad you're enjoying these! Lots more on the way, stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@dogwhistle8836]

Comment, like and share this fine video from this young man

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks my friend, really appreciate the support! This channel's success is due to viewers like you...seriously, thank you!

[@nolasabe]

Excelentes las traducciones al castellano!!!! Más por favor!!!!

[@coolestreviews5315]

Cool video

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks!

[@joeshmoe8345]

Thanks G

[@HistorywithCy]

My pleasure, thank YOU for watching!

[@hermescarraro3393]

this was a very interesting subject. I am surprised that the mesopotamian kings seemed to have avoided their own divinisation, at least in life, instead of imitating the ruling styles of their neighbours such as the egyptian rulers or the canaanite ones (who often called themselves the sons of "insert god name here"), it's kinda weird, one would expect that the mesopotamians of all people would have done such a thing... I guess looks can be deceiving? The Assirians did that tho, if I am not mistaken. also... *Lugalkiginedudu*

[@irurouni]

I feel that the concepts of 'god' and 'divine' need to be first established. Or else the connotation might interfere with how the they were understood during the days of ancient Mesopotamia.

[@jeffatwood9417]

The use of Dingir as a symbol next to a name was used for divine names, but also mortal names. When with mortal names, it appears to be more about divine presence, like an aura of divinity, rather than divinity itself. Later Catholics, for example, used the halo to represent the similar idea. As we know, egos go nuts, like Cæsar, and humans demand they are divine. We can assume this to be how it evolved in Egypt too, and after generations of such belief people will believe just about anything.

[@scienceexplains302]

A *warning not to question a god* Is it also a post-hoc explanation for the king's downfall?

[@madderhat5852]

Two thousand years between the first and last kings you mentioned. Such a mind-blowing span of time and yet just a blink in homo sapien history. Was the defeated neighbour city's god venerated by the winning side in a war?

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks and very interesting question. I think it depended on the situation and perhaps how powerful they thought the deity was within the Sumero-Akkadian pantheon. For example, when Lugalzagesi conquered Lagash, he and his men trashed the temple of Ningirsu, the patron deity of the kingdom. For him, Nigirsu was the defender of Lagash and the patron of his arch enemy and perhaps he felt that his city's deity (Shara) had presented itself as being more powerful. However, other cities such as Uruk that housed the sanctuaries of even greater deities such as An and Ianna, their temples and deities were venerated after conquest. For example, Sargon of Akkad, who defeated Lugalzagesi, worshipped Ianna and even claims that she invited him into the city, so it really depended on the ruler and how much respect they may have had for a city. If the ruler worshipped the deity, he likely venerated it and protected their respective sanctuary while perhaps putting the people to the sword. Assyrian kings did this quite often. Hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@madderhat5852]

@@HistorywithCy Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I love you channel.

[@bandarock96]

Valeu!

[@ti10thedancer59]

6;15 sound like gilgamesh

[@gungnir3926]

religion as a function and as institution in further back history functions similar to how history, hard science, tradition, welfare system, and other areas of the web that is modern society. So it makes a lot more sense, and is likely more accurate/comparable to that then just the modern subsection of society retained for "religion". Religion was much broader like all other fields were back then. Fewer and larger interlectual fields than now.

[@WanaxTV]

Naram Sin certainly did! 👑

[@yvonnesmith6152]

I’d love your take on the Jiroft “handbags” especially as it connects with the signs on the Göbekli Tepe pillar 47 and the numerous Apkallu depicted with their Bandudu bucket. The Jiroft chlorite handbags are worth a quick compare-and-contrast the handbags from around the world….what could they mean?

[@mazzy8216]

My thoughts precisely what on earth could they have in them? Truly intriguing and always more information to discover, like the Bandudu bucket? I'm off to look into .. I must say CJ has these pronunciations of these names ect down to an art...

[@fluoroproilne]

Is that true that the kings were intronized yearly, with an obligation ceremony that included king's confession of sins? Without the ceremony the king would lose his status and would be considered a viceroy until a proper ceremony had been conducted.

[@skybluskyblueify]

Since there were generous donations to temples etc. did those temples used to be charities for the rest of the population? Did they give people clothing, for example, for people without them or with heavily damaged clothing? Were they like "soup kitchens"?

[@QalOrt]

Were the Elamites similar in their beliefs about the kings and divinity as their Mesopotamian neighbours?

[@HistorywithCy]

Great question... not that I can remember coming across. The Elamites had their own pantheon of deities, some of them adopted from Mesopotamia, others like Inshushinak native to Elam, but their relationship to them was similar to that of most Sumerian/Akkadian kings - that of a servant or representative of that deity. Thanks for watching and more on the way!

[@QalOrt]

@@HistorywithCy now you got me curious about the Elamite pantheon.

[@Grrrr3FKAGrrrrGrrrrGrrrr]

They were LOVELY!

[@henriner]

Nothing on Marduk?

[@HistorywithCy]

He's in a lot of the videos on Babylonia. Check out 3 hour one Babylon City at the Center of the World...there's some more info about Marduk there. Thanks for watching!

[@WeirdWonderful]

There is also the case of Bazi, a King of Mari, with the epither of "the leatherworker", who is the only one of the Marian rulers given a divine determinative in the Tel Leilan Sumerian King List. There is also "The Song of Bazi", which may be connected in some fashion. What is interesting is that even on the Tel Leilan list, Bazi is not the first Marian King listed, since the earliest rulers tend to get deified a lot easier than later ones, but here he is # 3 on the list, after either two kings both named Anbu/Anbu and Anba.

[@jamaicantalkoutthebox276]

ONE-LOVE FROM JAMAICA.... ENKI-ITES vs ENLIL-ITES... THOSE WHO WISH HUMANITY GOOD.. AND THOSE WHO WANT SLAVE, ENERGY FEEDING HUMANS... DARK CRYSTAL MOVIE GREAT EXAMPLE..

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks and same to you!

[@Bramble451]

It's a bit outside of Mesopotamia proper, but the Hittites believed their kings became gods after they died.

[@HistorywithCy]

Good point... should do something on Hittite religion one day. I myself need to learn more about it... would be fun to do! Thanks for watching!

[@Linduine]

Could we argue that the Hittites practised ancestor worship or was it only a practise in the royal court? Based on earlier texts, we would assume that the Hittite king was a "first among equals" type rather than the incarnation of a future god.

[@stageiiwappie950]

The bogdanoff brother were there

[@henkstersmacro-world]

👍👍👍

[@ready1fire1aim1]

Who is Yaldabaoth in the Bible? In the Archontic, Sethian, and Ophite systems, Yaldabaoth (Yahweh) is regarded as the malevolent Demiurge and false god of the Old Testament (Masoretic, not Samaritan) who generated the material universe and keeps the souls trapped in physical bodies, imprisoned in the world full of pain and suffering that he created. When Pistis Sophia saw him moving in the depth of the waters, she said to him, “Youth, pass over here,” which is interpreted as “Yaldabaoth.” Passover, Hebrew Pesaḥ or Pesach, in Judaism, holiday commemorating the Hebrews' liberation from slavery in Egypt and the “passing over” of the forces of destruction, or the sparing of the firstborn of the Israelites, when the Lord “smote the land of Egypt” on the eve of the Exodus. Egypt meaning: Temple of the Soul of Ptah.

[@MH-ro1lg]

Weren't some of these Sumerian kings buried with dozens of slaves and soldiers and horses that were all live sacrifices meant to accompany them in the afterlife?

[@carlosaugustodinizgarcia3526]

Yes, the Royal Tombs of Ur had great evidence of human sacrifice (as well the sumerian tale "The death of Gilgamesh " according to some translations ).

[@HandofOmega]

...But what about their handbags, tho?

[@patrickgragg5602]

Kings were nephalim in those days, the Egyptians got it right in their hyrogliphs the Kings and queens were drawn that much bigger THAN THEIR SERVANTS BECAUSE THEY WERE THAT MUCH BIGGER! GENESIS CHAPTER 6

[@dubsar]

The kings certainly did.

[@Danetto]

so gilgamesh was not a god?

[@HistorywithCy]

Great question! I guess I'm referring to historically verified kings here, which unfortunately Gilgamesh is not. However, yes he was worshipped by some in Sumer as god, though more like a minor god and not as powerful like An, Enlil, Inanna, Utu, Ningirsu, Enki etc. These and several other deities were the heavyweights in the Sumerian pantheon. Thanks for watching!

[@Danetto]

@@HistorywithCy thats because he never reached immortality. but hes surely like hercules level... but since when is skl not so historical any more? XD

[@beepboop204]

🙂

[@HistorywithCy]

Thanks!

[@yaruqadishi8326]

For most all part a BIGGGGG NOOOOO. None them were and they never claimed to be. Just The Gods were Divine since They are Divinities. The kings are people like us.

[@HistorywithCy]

Yup, for the most part yes...Naram-Sin, Shulgi and a few others the exceptions. Thanks for watching and stay tuned for more!

[@hurdygurdyman1905]

Go soak your head.

[@yaruqadishi8326]

@@hurdygurdyman1905 go soak your face and head troll boy.

[@waltonsmith7210]

Whether they were human or divine, you cant accuse the Mesopotamian kings of lacking self confidence. I think they were some of the earliest forerunners of the Trump tweet.

[@ALIKN1-1]

Not really most of them were regents and priests and the only ruler was him and his voice

[@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095]

Well, no, of course they weren't! {:o:O:}

[@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095]

Did he change the title since I commented? {:o:O:}

[@JazzyGinger1]

🌹🥀May I share an Old Testament Verse with you from Daniel 7:14 "And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should SERVE Him; his dominion is an Everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not pass away, and His Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Also, can I share Isaiah 53:5 " But HE was WOUNDED For our TRANSGRESSIONS, he was BRUISED for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His STRIPES we are HEALED."🌹🏵🌷 God the Father loves you so much that He sent Holy Sinless Jesus (His Holy Son) to earth to be born of a virgin.Then, to grow up and die on a cross for our sins. He was in the tomb for 3 days, then Father God raised Holy and Sinless Jesus Christ (Y'shua) to Life! He appeared to people and went back to Heaven. We must receive Sinless Jesus sincerely to be God's child(John 1:12).After we get saved by grace through faith in Christ, if we truly love the Lord Jesus Christ, then we will obey Jesus(John 14:15). Mark 1:15 "And saying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: Repent ye, and believe the gospel." Jesus said in John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. "There's a real hell. It says in Revelation 21:8 "But for the cowardly, & unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, & immoral persons sorcerers & idolaters & all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire & brimstone..." Please sincerely receive Holy Jesus and put your true faith and trust in Him today and please repent. Will you have a Real encounter with Holy Lord Jesus (Y'shua is His Hebrew Name) and stay in a Genuine relationship with Him daily please?

[@Alexander_D_Shaffer]

The kings of Mesopotamia were positively divine, darling. You should have seen them.

[@rogelioalonzo2911]

First

[@SkyFly19853]

You mean they cared about constitutional Republic?.... 🤔😏

[@jamessell1394]

Iranian plateau full of ideology from jirof culture 12k years to manichian and mazadakizm and bahais . Iran is pedemy of civilization .

[@ready1fire1aim1]

The Israelite Samaritan Version of the Torah: First English Translation Compared with the Masoretic Version This is the True Torah of Yehowah. Read it and apply the teachings in it to your daily life so that you will be blessed with life in the Name of Yehowah. He alone is Elohim and King of Eternity. Yehowah YiMlok L'Olam Wa'ed

[@davidgavary9022]

Assyrian Kings, Assyrian History and... but not mentioning the name Assyria! Who do you thing are you fooling, Why so much hate and grouch for or about the Assyria or Assyrians?

[@HistorywithCy]

Hi. Not sure what you're referring to. There are at least 15 videos on this channel dealing with all aspects of Assyria and Assyrian history. Those who have been watching this channel know how much cover Assyria. Please take a look at the channel catalog before you make such false accusations. Thanks.

[@pirththee]

I would have to say no considering they're all dead.

[@HistorywithCy]

Haha very true! Thanks for watching, and stay tuned for more!

[@mercster]

Doodoo hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe.

[@Gonboo]

He said doo-doo uh huh huh huh.

[@andresalvarez5415]

Cy I love your videos but this video borders on blasphemy. Please turn back from this dark and wicked path

[@melltelae3557]

don't u dare poke hole in my fake history-pr0n!@

[@farhadoveisi2248]

Can we call Mesopotamia, Kurdistan? Because Ur and south of Current Iraq are not between the two rivers. But greater Kurdistan is. Get this right.

[@azuaraikrezeul1677]

Do you have sumerian blood? Quit your delussions.

[@UnderhillKoufax]

People believe this nonsense now let alone 5000 years ago.

[@Arcyis]

🙌🙌 We all know Lord Trump is the Chosen One 🙌🙌