Ashur (god) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ashur |
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A Neo-Assyrian relief showing the god Ashur. This carving was likely made during the reign of King Sennacherib.
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| Venerated in | Ancient Mesopotamian religion |
| Major cult center | Assur, Uruk (6th century BC) |
| Personal information | |
| Consort | Mullissu (Ishtar of Arbela, Ishtar of Assur, Ishtar of Nineveh), sometimes Šerua |
| Offspring | Ninurta, Zababa, sometimes Šerua, sometimes Ishtar of Arbela |
| Siblings | possibly sometimes Šerua |
Ashur (also spelled Aššur) was the most important god of the ancient Assyrians. He was the national god of Assyria, and his name was the same as the name of their first capital city, Assur. For centuries, the Assyrians believed Ashur was their king and protector. They worshipped him until they later became Christians, starting around the 1st century AD.
Contents
The Story of Ashur
The God of a City
In the beginning, Ashur was the main god of the city of Assur. The people of Assur built a great temple for him. At this time, the human rulers of the city did not call themselves "kings." Instead, they called themselves "governors." They believed that the god Ashur was the city's true king, and they were just his representatives on Earth.
Assyrian traders who traveled to other lands, like modern-day Turkey, built small shrines to Ashur. They would swear oaths in his name, often in front of his sacred weapon, a dagger or spear. This showed how important he was to their daily lives and business.
The God of an Empire
As the city of Assur grew into the powerful Assyrian Empire, the importance of the god Ashur also grew. He became the head of all the gods, similar to the powerful Mesopotamian god Enlil. The Assyrians even started calling him the "Assyrian Enlil" and "king of the gods."
The Assyrian king was seen as Ashur's chief priest and servant. The king's main job was to expand the "land of Ashur," which meant conquering new territories for the empire. Military victories were always celebrated as victories for the god Ashur. During the king's coronation ceremony, a priest would remind everyone of Ashur's power by proclaiming, "Ashur is king! Ashur is king!"
Rivalry with Marduk
The Assyrians had a long rivalry with the city of Babylon, whose main god was Marduk. After the Assyrian king Sennacherib conquered Babylon around 689 BCE, he wanted to show that Ashur was more powerful than Marduk. He ordered scribes to rewrite the famous Babylonian creation story, the Enuma Elish. In the new Assyrian version, Ashur was the hero who created the world, taking the place of Marduk.
Sennacherib also began to identify Ashur with an ancient god named Anshar, who was considered a creator god. This was done to give Ashur even more importance and make him seem older and more powerful than the gods of other nations.
Worship After the Empire
Even after the Assyrian Empire fell in 614 BCE, the worship of Ashur did not completely disappear. People continued to worship him in some places for hundreds of years, especially in his old city of Assur. A small community of Assyrians living in the city of Uruk also built a sanctuary for him.
Symbols and Appearance
Ashur did not have a single, clear image like many other gods. He was closely connected to his city and the land of Assyria. Over time, several symbols came to represent him:
- The Winged Sun Disk: Many carvings from the Neo-Assyrian period show a winged disk, often with a figure of a god inside holding a bow. Many experts believe this symbol represents Ashur, but some think it could be the sun god Shamash.
- The Wild Goat: Goats were seen as sacred animals and may have been associated with Ashur.
- A Mountain God: An old relief found in Ashur's temple shows a god with cones growing from his body, with two goats nibbling on them. This might be an early image of Ashur as a god of the mountains.
Ashur's Family
Unlike many gods in other ancient cultures, Ashur did not have a fixed family tree. His family relationships often changed over time as his role in the religion grew.
- His wife was sometimes said to be the goddess Mullissu (who was the same as Ninlil, the wife of the god Enlil).
- At other times, different forms of the powerful goddess Ishtar were seen as his wife.
- He had a female companion named Šerua. Different texts call her his wife, his sister, or his daughter.
- When Ashur was identified with the god Enlil, Enlil's sons, like Ninurta, were sometimes called Ashur's sons.
Gallery
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A drawing of a bull from the city of Assur, which may be a symbol of the god.
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The winged sun disk symbol is used at the top of the modern Assyrian flag.
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See also
- Ashur (Bible)
- List of Mesopotamian deities
