Term Paper on "How Was Religion Used to Support Royal Authority in Ancient?"

Term Paper 6 pages (2045 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

religion used to support royal authority in ancient Mesopotamia?

Mesopotamia or Babylon (territory of modern Iraq) was one of the most ancient states on Earth. Scientists found out that first people appeared there, in the Close East. This wonderful land is famous for talented and smart people who lived there and created unique civilization which impresses millions of people even today. These first cultures, their knowledge, achievements in different spheres were assimilated by more late civilizations - Greeks and Romans. Mesopotamians enriched Antic civilization. Herodotus wrote that many Greek towns had assimilated Eastern culture, some ideas from Eastern religions etc. Mesopotamians knew astronomy, medicine, architecture, mathematics. Mesopotamian influence on people's development is incontestable. We owe this civilization various knowledge in different spheres of our life. Many sciences appeared and developed in Mesopotamia. This was one of the greatest civilizations on Earth which had started new age in human races development and progress of human mind. It showed that human abilities are unlimited and human is the highest representative of nature who can change world and create special conditions for himself.

As every ancient country of Close East (Persia), Mesopotamia had specific culture and religion. In fact, first religion called Zoroastrism appeared in the Close East. Zoroastrism influenced practically all ancient religions and Christianity. It described nature and natural phenomena as an eternal fight of good against evil. According to this early religion people had to fight for good against evil and darkness. Zoroastrism found this fight as sense of human's life. The state, as Zaratustra said, had to be an embodiment of the heaven (good). Monarch had to protect people from evil and teach them good. Also he had to reign using good methods and try not to use any evil ones. The ruler was gods' protege, that's why he was only a good man. This feature of this religion is very interesting and explains where Mesopotamian religion assimilated this idea from. All citizens of the country according to Zoroastrism had to be tolerant, positive-thinking, had to love and forgive one another. This was the most developed religion of early history of Close East and had a great influence on political power. It was used by rulers, priests to be the leaders of that society.

The main ideas of Mesopotamian religion were created by Sumerians. At first Acadian names of different gods were replaced by Sumerian names; embodiments of natural phenomens were replaced by astronomic gods. Also local gods could be worshiped in different regions (for example, Marduk in Babylon). Mesopotamians had assimilated Sumerian religion and used it for a long time.

Any god didn't have supreme power. If all gods gathered together to solve some problem they had absolute power, but only all together. Their religion admitted that there was nothing instant and everything could be changed. This religion is full of different myths and many of them we meet in Bible. Myths explained how Earth was created, said that gods created people of clay and wanted them to worship and work for all gods. People had to respect and be afraid of gods, always try to take care of their temples and support priests.

Religion in Mesopotamia was an extremely important part of politics. People worshiped many gods there and their despot (reign in the countries of ancient East had always been despotic) was found gods beloved protege.

Mesopotamian monarchs knew how to use religion, this great power of controlling thousands of people. Leaders wanted to strengthen own positions in political organization of society and they decided to convince people that they were the only leaders blessed by gods. Despots supported temples and their priests to gain their positive attitude and help. They announced their legal right to be a ruler and good relations with gods. They reminded people about their fathers and grandfathers who were rulers before them to prove their belonging to the rulers' dynasty. Also some despots wanted to gain more authority and respect that's why they proclaimed some very famous historical persons who lived long ago their relatives. But if ruler had captured power he tried not to mention such facts or, like Nabopalasar did, proclaimed themselves the persons, chosen by gods to rule. Nabopalasar explained his capture of Mesopotamian throne this way: he announced that when being a young orphan he took care of some saint places and forgotten temples of two famous gods and one of them - Marduk -appeared and told him that he would be a great man in this country and would rule this nation. Everybody believed in this legend and was sure that this ruler was really god's protege. Sure, there were some clever people who didn't believe in all of those gods and their will embodied in despot, but were not the majority.

Every ruler proclaimed that his power and decisions are gods will and any ruler's action is correct because gods would never appreciate wrong and harmful deeds of a despot. It was a very smart decision because nobody had a chance to blame the ruler and doubt in his honesty. Every unpopular political action had to be accepted by ancient society or people could be punished by powerful gods. Since the majority of citizens believed in gods and could not even doubt in their power, they believed their rulers and were sure they were always right and their deeds were planned by gods.

When a person had became a ruler he had to thank gods and their representatives on Earth - priests. As a rule, he had to build a new great temple of some god. Also he thanked priests and presented them some valuable gifts (gold, statues and other treasures). But that was not enough and priests received different privileges in the society. They didn't have to serve in the army and pay taxes. Temples were extremely profitable organizations because rulers, their encirclement and common Mesopotamians donated money and different valuable things.

German historian and archeologist E. Klengel-Brandt wrote in his famous book -- Ancient Babylon -- that Mesopotamian priests influenced ancient society a lot since they were found by the majority of Mesopotamian inhabitants mediators between the nation and powerful gods. They knew different complicated secret rituals and prayers, that's why they were very respectable and powerful people. Also they were very clever and well-educated persons and understood the political situation in the country well. Priests knew that ruler would always need their support and would need his power been blessed by gods. So, they used monarch's interests to become rich and powerful and the ruler also was glad having such wise allies. Monarchs used preaching as propaganda of own greatness and influenced thousands of citizens. Church was a very important instrument of political power in Mesopotamia and all historians admit this.

Ruler announced he was gods son and was chosen to rule already after been born. He tried to convince the nation that he had some features of his character that gods had and he could rule on Earth the same as gods in heavens. Ancient texts show rulers the same as gods: they are dressed in the clothes, have the same haircuts. Some pictures showed rulers and gods together and sometimes gods were giving despots symbols of power.

Rulers name was very important as well. It had sacramental features and was used when people wanted to swear.

Ruler was characterized in two ways: god of sun and god of fertility. Ura Pursin announced that he was -- true god -- and -- sun of Mesopotamia -- . Sometimes it happened that in later times some Mesopotamian gods were considered as true rulers who had become real gods because of their strong and popular cult. Mesopotamians wrote numerous poems about their gods. One of them said: -- King gives life to people -- or -- Only ruler can give and take life back -- . Tree of Life was a very popular symbol of Mesopotamian religion which was compared with a king and his power.

Ruler's cult was connected with imagination of holy power of rich people who had magic power. Also the ruler was a mediator between the nation and world of gods, between the world of dead and world of alive. Mesopotamians were sure that ruler's prayers will be faster and easily heard by gods and they will fulfill people's wishes. They thought that such kind of worship would be much more effective. This understanding of religion admitted perfect and supreme power leaded by gods.

Numerous gods, their temples and priests didn't fight for the leadership at all. Some scientists explain it by centralized power in Mesopotamia and not so strong belief in ruler as god as it was in other countries of ancient East. But these pagan features of this religion were not useful to the country which was not united enough. Rulers had a great success when they managed to get back separated territories which were captured by another despot. Later religions realized this and fought… READ MORE

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