Marduk

Marduk
   The chief god of the Babylonian religious pantheon. Marduk was originally a local deity, the patron god of the city of Babylon. He was possibly conceived as an agricultural god because one of his symbols was a hoe. over time, however, Marduk's status and prestige increased. The circumstances of his rise to power over the universe and the other gods were laid out in the Babylonian myth expressed in writing as the Epic ofCreation. in that tale, Marduk defeats Tiamat, goddess of saltwater, who helped spawn the race of gods. From the eighteenth century B.c.on in Babylonia, Marduk began to supplant the sumerian deity Enlil as chief god, a process that was completed in the twelfth century b.c.
   Temples of Marduk existed all over Babylonia. And shrines to him and his son, Nabu, were also erected in many Assyrian cities. Marduk's main temple, however, was the Esagila in Babylon. There rested his primary cult statue, which was stolen by the Elamites circa 1185 b.c. and also by the Assyrians in the seventh century b.c. It was seen as essential to win back this sacred image because the prestige and prosperity of Babylon and its realm were tied directly to worship and appeasement of Marduk. Among the numerous hymns and praises written to and for Marduk over the centuries was this one, which invokes the deity's blessings for a person to live a long and peaceful life:
   May Marduk grant life! May he . . . decree life for you! May he prolong your life, and may he let you keep it for everlasting days! May you live, and may you have peace! May it last forever! May life be your lot, and may a life of contentment be your share! When you lie down to sleep, may your dreams be propitious [promising], and when you rise, may your omens be favorable! Wherever you walk, may you be established in peace!
   See also: Babylon; Epic of Creation; Nabu

Ancient Mesopotamia dictioary. . 2015.

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  • MARDUK — (Heb. מְרֹדָךְ, Jer. 50:2), patron deity of the city of Babylon. Although known as a minor god as early as the third millennium, Marduk became an important local deity at the time of the advent of the First Babylonian Dynasty as can be seen… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Marduk — und sein Drache Zeichnung nach einem babylonischen Rollsiegel Marduk (sumerisch: DINGIRAMAR.UD Kalb des Utu ; DINGIRTU.TU.eribu Die untergehende Sonne [1]) war der Stadtgott von Babylon und später der Hauptgott der …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Marduk — Marduk …   Википедия

  • MARDUK — ou MARDOUK Le dieu le plus important du panthéon babylonien, à partir du MARDUK XIIe siècle. C’est, dans la théologie classique, le fils d’Enki Ea, le dieu de la sagesse, dont il a hérité la science, la magie et une grande compassion pour… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Marduk — (Merodach bíblico) fue el nombre de un dios de la ultima generación de Mesopotamia y la deidad patrona de la ciudad de Babilonia, quien, cuando esta ciudad se convirtió en el centro político de los estados unificados del Valle de Eufrates en los… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Marduk — Màrduk m DEFINICIJA mit. vrhovni bog Babilona, u mezopotamskoj religiji tvorac čovjeka i svijeta; junak mita Emuna Eliš o stvaranju Babilona; njegovo svetište bilo je u Kuli babilonskoj ETIMOLOGIJA hebr. merodak …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • Marduk — [mär′dook΄] n. [Bab] Bab. Myth. the chief deity, orig. a local sun god …   English World dictionary

  • Marduk — Para otros usos de este término, véase Marduk (desambiguación). Marduk y su dragón , de un sello cilíndrico de Babilonia. Marduk (acadio AMAR.UTU, en la Biblia Merodach מְרֹדַךְ) fue el nombre de un dios de la última generación de Mesopotamia y… …   Wikipedia Español

  • MARDUK —    Babylonian god. The origins of this god are obscure, and even the etymology of his name is unclear, a matter that already occupied the minds of Babylonian scholars in antiquity. In later times, his symbol was the hoe, which may reflect some… …   Historical Dictionary of Mesopotamia

  • Marduk — /mahr dook/, n. Babylonian Relig. the chief of the Babylonian deities. Also, Merodach. Also called Baal Merodach. * * * or Bel In Mesopotamian religion, the chief god of the city of Babylon and the national god of Babylonia. He began as a god of… …   Universalium

  • Marduk — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Marduk (homonymie). Le dieu Marduk et son dragon Marduk (en akkadien, AMAR.UTU en sumérien) ou Mardouk, appelé aussi B …   Wikipédia en Français

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