The Epic Battle of Marduk and Tiamat, the Oldest Known Creation Myth

0:01 Welcome to Strange History. This season, we're talking about science, face, archaeology, and well really anything science. Today we delve into something that crosses the boundaries of science and it touches on spirituality. A lot of things from ancient times are like this. You can't help when talking about one not habit tied to another. Have you ever heard of the anuma Aleish? We have all heard our creation story. Mostly what we hear today stems from the Bible, but if you go back further, you have the anuma Elish.

0:31 Anuma Aleish is an ancient Mesopotamian creation epic that tells the tale of Marduk, the chief god of the city of Babylon. He defeats the elder goddess Tiamat and brings order to chaos, and thus becomes lord of the gods of heaven and Earth. The title of the poem comes from the first line of the work and translates to when on high or when above. Anuma Alsh, also known as the Epic of Creation, describes the origins of the universe, the rise of the gods, and these establishment of the human civilization.

1:02 It is one of the oldest known creation myth and was composed in Acadian, the language of ancient Mesopotamia. As a written text, it does not have the physical appearance like an object or a visual depiction. Instead, it exists as a series of cuneiform tablets. Uniform was one of the earliest writing systems developed by the ancient Samarians in Mesopotamia, which is modern day Iraq and Iran around three thousand BC. It consisted of wedge shaped marks made on clay tablets using a stylus. The tablets were typically rectangular in shape and varied in size depending on the content being recorded.

1:39 It was created in Acadian, a Semitic language, and it was inscribed on several clay tablets. The number of tablets in their arrangements can vary, but generally the story is divided into seven tablets. Each tablet contains multiple columns of cuneiform script. Various uniform tablets, containing fragments or complete versions of the texts, have been discovered by archaeologists. These tablets are typically housed in museums or private collections, where they are preserved and studied by experts in the field of ancient Mesopotamian history and culture.

2:12 It's worth noting that the physical appearance of the enuma Elish tablets can vary. Some tablets are in better condition than others, and they exhibit signs of wear and damage due to their age and conditions in which they were preserved. Nonetheless, these tablets serve as important artifacts that provide insights into the ancient Mesopotamian beliefs and cosmology, as expressed in the enuma Elesh. Let's talk about the discovery and the significance. The anuma Elish was discovered on seven clay tablets and the ruins of the ancient city of Nineveh in present day Iraq in the mid nineteenth century.

2:50 The tablets date back to the seventh century BC, but the epic itself is believed to be much older, possibly originating from the eighteenth century BC during the Babylonian period. The significance of a Numlish lies in its insights into the religious beliefs and cosmology of ancient Mesopotamia. It is a creation myth. The epic begins by describing a primeval chaos consisting of salt water apsu and freshwater tiama, symbolizing the mingling of the cosmic elements from their union gods and goddesses are born.

3:24 However, the younger gods become noisy go figure and Apsu decides to destroy them. His plans are revealed to a the god of wisdom, who kills Apsu in self defense, but then comes Tiamat's revenge. Tiamat, the mother of the gods, seeks vengeance for Apsu's death. She creates an army of monsters led by her new consort, Kingu. The gods, fearing Tiamat's power, struggle to find a champion to confront her. In steps Marduk and his rise to power. The gods elect Marduk, the God of Babylon, as their champion.

4:00 Marduke agrees to fight Tiamat in exchange for the ultimate authority over all of the gods. He equips himself with powerful weapons, defeats Tiamatan splits her body in two, creating the heavens and the earth, who is Marduke. In the Bible, Marduke is chief God of Babylon. Marduke was the patron god of Babylon, the Babylonian king of the gods, who presided over justice, compassion, healing, regeneration, magic, and fairness. Although he is also sometimes referenced as a storm god in agricultural deity.

4:32 Next comes the creation of the world and humanity. Using Tiama's remains, Marduk creates the worlds establishes the order of the cosmos. He also forms humanity from the blood of King Gou to serve the gods. Humans are meant to be slaves to the gods and maintain order in the world. The enthronement of Marduke comes next. The gods, impressed by Marduke's victory, grant him supreme power and establish his city, babyl Alan, as the center of the universe. Marduke becomes the head of the pantheon and is revered as the supreme God of Mesopotamia.

5:08 This creates ritual and cultic significance. The numa Elish likely served as a ritual and cultic purpose reinforcing the authority of Babylon and its patron deity, Marduke. It was recited during the Babylonian New Year festival, the Akitu, as a means of reaffirming the divine order and the legitimacy of the Babylonian kings. The anuma Alish provides valuable insights into the worldview and cosmological beliefs of ancient Mesopotamia. It reveals their understanding of the creation world, the role of the gods and the goddesses, the dynamics of divine power, and the establishment of societal order.

5:46 It's important to note that the inuma Elish is just one of many ancient Mesopotamian creation myths and reflects the religious and cultural context of Babylon during its time. There are several translations of the Amah available in English. If you look on Amazon, I'm sure you can buy one or google those two places you can seem to find anything these days. What is the difference between the genesists and the numa Elish The answer briefly. While numa Elish the creation of human beings is an afterthought and their purpose is to serve as an accounterment to the lifestyle of the gods, the creation of Genesis puts human beings in the place of the gods.

6:26 What religion was in Babylon, Well, it was Polythesic. Babylons were Polytheesic and worshiped a large pantheon of gods and goddesses. Some of the gods were state deities like Marduk, the chief patron god of Babylon who dwelled in a towering temple. Others were personal gods that families worshiped humble home shrines. But who is the first known god? Ishtar? Ishtar is Ishtar is the earliest deity in written evidence and spoiler, the first known god was a woman. As it should be. Ishtar dates back to the Late Uruk period of Sumar in southern Mesopotamia from around the fifth century BC, a period we might call the very dawn of history.

7:06 In later centuries, the Acadians, Babylonians and Assyrians called her Ishtar. What is the difference between the numi Ilish and the Epic of Gilglamesh? The numi Ilish and the Epic of Gilgamesh are two of the most significant literary masterpieces in Mesopotamian culture. Anumi Elish is a creation myth that covers the beginning of the cosmos as well as the origins of the gods, whereas the Epic of Gilgamesh is a story about a king's search for immortality. Does the anuma Elish predate genesis? Of these?

7:39 The anuma Elish and the Epic of Gilgamesh are the most prominent. Both predate the earliest texts of Genesis by at least a millennium. The anima Elish narrates the conflict and struggles between the different generations of gods, culminating in the rise of the present order, which is upheld by the god Marduke. So how does the oldest evidence of writing on this earth influence today's world? The anuma Lish had a significant influence on culture today, particularly in the fields of literature, religion, and mythology.

8:08 Literary influence, the anuma Elish is considered one of the oldest known creation myths. Its themes and narratives structures have influenced numbers of works of literature and inspired other creation stories in different cultures. Its influence can be seen in the works of John Milton's Paradise Loss, which drew upon the epic tradition and themes found in the numa Elish. Its religious and mythological influence went as such, the anuma Elish was deeply embedded in the religious and mythological beliefs of ancient Mesopotamia.

8:40 It depicts a struggle between gods and the establishment of the divine order and the cosmos. Some elements of the numa Elish, such as the concept of primeval chaos and the battle between gods, can be found in later religious and mythological traditions. For example, parallels have been drawn between the numa Elish and certain aspects of the Biblical creation story in the Book of Genesis. Understanding ancient Mespotamian culture, the anuma Alish provides valuable insights into the beliefs, values, and cosmology of ancient Mesopotamia.

9:13 By studying this text, scholars have gained a deeper understanding of the worldview, religious practices, and social structures of this ancient civilization. The numa Elish helps us appreciate the rich cultural heritage of Mesopotamia and its contributions to human civilization. It also has a huge influence on comparative studies. Numa Alish is frequently studied and analyzed in the field of comparative mythology. Scholars compare and contrast this creation myth with others from different cultures to identify common motifs and themes.

9:46 This comparative approach enhances our understanding of the universal aspect of human mythology and the ways in which cultures cross time and space and have sought to explain the origins of the world. Overall, the anuma Alicious influence extends on its original cultural contexts, shaping the broader tapestry of human, literary, religious, and mythological traditions. It continues to be a valuable source for scholars and intriguing subject for those interests in the ancient world and its enduring legacies.

10:16 Next week, we delve into the oldest artifacts found in modern times to defy all we know, Like the iron hammer that dates back four hundred million years ago, makes you wonder if we've just been here forever. Time goes on, Stories get lost, history gets a raised. Anyway, this has been another episode of Strange History Podcasts. Thanks to Spreaker for being the easiest and best podcast platform to use and it's free check it out. Thank you Darkcast Network, and thank you to one of my favorite humans on this earth, Dead to Me Productions, for making me sound like I know what I'm doing every week.

10:48 Peace out ya