Ancient Mesopotamian society's ethical principles, governance, and justice systems were deeply rooted in polytheistic beliefs. Marriages and sexuality followed strict norms, while the afterlife was seen as a bleak existence. Assyriology studies these varying religious practices and their influence on other cultures, including the debate over Panbabylonism's impact on regional mythologies.
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Humans were expected to live in accordance with the gods' will, exhibiting piety and reverence
Gaining the favor of the gods
Personal devotion and ethical conduct towards others were considered essential for gaining the favor of the gods and achieving success in life
Achieving success in life
Personal devotion and ethical conduct towards others were considered essential for gaining the favor of the gods and achieving success in life
The king was seen as the earthly representative of the gods, charged with ensuring societal harmony, protecting the innocent, promoting fair trade, and displaying humility
The king was seen as the earthly representative of the gods, charged with upholding justice and order
Ensuring societal harmony
The king's duties included ensuring societal harmony
Protecting the innocent
The king's duties included protecting the innocent
Promoting fair trade
The king's duties included promoting fair trade
Displaying humility
The king's duties included displaying humility
Sin was perceived as defiance against divine order, and personal or communal suffering was often interpreted as punishment from the gods for moral transgressions
In ancient Mesopotamia, sexuality and marriage were governed by a set of norms and practices that balanced societal expectations with individual desires
Discreet premarital sexual relations
Premarital sexual relations, while officially discouraged, occurred and were kept discreet
Arranged marriages
Marriages were generally arranged, with legal contracts inscribed on clay tablets and the exchange of bridal gifts to formalize the relationship
The cult of the goddess Inanna/Ishtar, which included rituals that challenged conventional gender roles and societal norms, indicates a society that could accommodate both strict regulations and expressions of religious ecstasy
The Mesopotamian afterlife was envisioned as a gloomy and desolate underworld, where spirits dwelled in a state of powerlessness, subsisting on dust and clay
The Mesopotamian afterlife was not a place of judgment, but rather a shadowy existence for spirits
The Mesopotamian afterlife reflects the belief that eternal life was a privilege reserved for the gods, while humans accepted their mortality
00
In these religions, humans were seen as creations with a duty to ______ the divine beings.
honor and serve
01
The gods determined life, health, and ______, and humans aimed to align with their will.
fate
02
______ and ethical behavior towards others were key to pleasing the gods and succeeding in life.
Personal devotion
