RELIGION, GODS AND VIOLENCE IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

Ahmet Selim Baysal

Makale detayları

RELIGION, GODS AND VIOLENCE IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Selim Baysal

Yayıncı:

Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Ana Başlıklar:

Politika ve Yönetim (Diğer) | Ortadoğu Çalışmaları | Savaş Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Vol.6 Issue 2, pp.267-289

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

12/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001336513

pISSN:

2687-5306

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Religious violence in ancient Mesopotamia was primarily related to the character of gods and goddesses. Sky god, Sun god, Venus goddess, Mars god, Saturn god and others were believed to inflict violence on people when they were angry. Believed to be the reflection and representative of the gods on earth, kings and their soldiers and judges were the defenders and enforcers of the gods system. Kings were imitators of the gods in terms of violence and mercy. Sometimes the influence of gods and kings on people was positive - protective, forgiving and merciful. Other times gods and kings had a negative impact on people as destroyers, bloodshed and torturers. Religious violence was common in rituals, curses, law, wars and works of art. Violence was sometimes used as a preventive force to deter ill-wishers and maintain social order. Sometimes it was used as a tool for imperialist policies, enslavement, traditional social oppression and marginalization. This study focuses in particular on cuneiform sources such as king annals, stelae and codexes, as well as artworks, including relief depictions that adorned the walls of palaces. From these written and visual sources, how violence was practiced and legitimized is explored. In written sources, kings boasted of the violence they practiced. Religious violence was practiced as a form of worship. Scenes of violence are also very common in relief depictions from visual sources. These depictions were used to influence and manipulate illiterate people or to intimidate and psychologically pressure foreign ambassadors visiting the palace.

 Religious violence in ancient Mesopotamia was primarily related to the character of gods and goddesses. Sky god, Sun god, Venus goddess, Mars god, Saturn god and others were believed to inflict violence on people when they were angry. Believed to be the reflection and representative of the gods on earth, kings and their soldiers and judges were the defenders and enforcers of the gods system. Kings were imitators of the gods in terms of violence and mercy. Sometimes the influence of gods and kings on people was positive - protective, forgiving and merciful. Other times gods and kings had a negative impact on people as destroyers, bloodshed and torturers. Religious violence was common in rituals, curses, law, wars and works of art. Violence was sometimes used as a preventive force to deter ill-wishers and maintain social order. Sometimes it was used as a tool for imperialist policies, enslavement, traditional social oppression and marginalization. This study focuses in particular on cuneiform sources such as king annals, stelae and codexes, as well as artworks, including relief depictions that adorned the walls of palaces. From these written and visual sources, how violence was practiced and legitimized is explored. In written sources, kings boasted of the violence they practiced. Religious violence was practiced as a form of worship. Scenes of violence are also very common in relief depictions from visual sources. These depictions were used to influence and manipulate illiterate people or to intimidate and psychologically pressure foreign ambassadors visiting the palace.

 Religious violence in ancient Mesopotamia was primarily related to the character of gods and goddesses. Sky god, Sun god, Venus goddess, Mars god, Saturn god and others were believed to inflict violence on people when they were angry. Believed to be the reflection and representative of the gods on earth, kings and their soldiers and judges were the defenders and enforcers of the gods system. Kings were imitators of the gods in terms of violence and mercy. Sometimes the influence of gods and kings on people was positive - protective, forgiving and merciful. Other times gods and kings had a negative impact on people as destroyers, bloodshed and torturers. Religious violence was common in rituals, curses, law, wars and works of art. Violence was sometimes used as a preventive force to deter ill-wishers and maintain social order. Sometimes it was used as a tool for imperialist policies, enslavement, traditional social oppression and marginalization. This study focuses in particular on cuneiform sources such as king annals, stelae and codexes, as well as artworks, including relief depictions that adorned the walls of palaces. From these written and visual sources, how violence was practiced and legitimized is explored. In written sources, kings boasted of the violence they practiced. Religious violence was practiced as a form of worship. Scenes of violence are also very common in relief depictions from visual sources. These depictions were used to influence and manipulate illiterate people or to intimidate and psychologically pressure foreign ambassadors visiting the palace.

 Eski Mezopotamyada dinsel şiddet öncelikle tanrı ve tanrıçaların karakterleri ile ilgiliydi. Hava tanrısı, Güneş tanrısı, Venüs tanrıçası, Mars tanrısı, Satürn tanrısı ve diğerlerinin kızdıkları zamanlarda insanlar üzerinde şiddet uyguladıklarına inanılıyordu. Tanrıların yeryüzündeki yansıması ve temsilcisi olduğuna inanılan krallar ve onlara bağlı askerler ve yargıçlar tanrıların düzeninin savunucusu ve uygulayıcısıydılar. Krallar şiddet ve merhamet konusunda tanrıların taklitçileriydiler. Tanrıların ve kralların insanlar üzerindeki etkileri bazen koruyucu, affedici ve merhametli olarak olumluydu. Bazen de tanrılar ve krallar yok edici, yıkıcı, kan dökücü, işkenceci olarak insanlar üzerinde olumsuz bir etkiye sahiptiler. Dinsel şiddet ayinlerde, beddualarda, hukukta, savaşlarda ve sanat eserlerinde yaygındı. Şiddet, bazen kötü niyetli kişileri caydırmak ve toplumsal düzeni sağlamak için bir önleyici kuvvet olarak uygulandı. Bazen de emperyalist politikalar, köleleştirme, gelenekçi toplumsal baskı ve ötekileştirme için bir araç olarak kullanıldı. Bu çalışma özellikle kral yıllıkları, steller ve kanunnameler gibi çivi yazılı kaynaklara ve sarayların duvarlarını süsleyen kabartma tasvirlerden oluşan sanat eserlerine odaklanmıştır. Bu yazılı ve görsel kaynaklardan şiddetin nasıl uygulandığı ve nasıl meşrulaştırıldığı araştırılmıştır. Yazılı kaynaklarda krallar uyguladıkları şiddet ile övünmüşlerdir. Dinsel şiddet bir ibadet gibi uygulanmıştır. Görsel kaynaklardan kabartma tasvirlerde de şiddet sahneleri çok yaygındır. Bu tasvirler okuma yazma bilmeyen kişileri etkilemek ve yönlendirmek için veya saraya gelen yabancı elçileri korkutmak ve psikolojik baskı altında tutmak içindir.

Makale detayları

RELIGION, GODS AND VIOLENCE IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Selim Baysal

Yayıncı:

Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Ana Başlıklar:

Politika ve Yönetim (Diğer) | Ortadoğu Çalışmaları | Savaş Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Vol.6 Issue 2, pp.267-289

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

12/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001336513

pISSN:

2687-5306

Religious Violence

Religious Extremism

Holy War

Qisas

ImperialismDinsel Şiddet

Dinsel Aşırılık

Kutsal Savaş

Kısas

Emperyalizm

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Ahmet Selim Baysal

Yayıncı: Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Ana Başlıklar: Politika ve Yönetim (Diğer) | Ortadoğu Çalışmaları | Savaş Çalışmaları

Dergi: Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Vol.6 Issue 2, pp.267-289

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 12/2024

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001336513

pISSN: 2687-5306

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Ahmet Selim Baysal

Yayıncı:

Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Ana Başlıklar:

Politika ve Yönetim (Diğer) | Ortadoğu Çalışmaları | Savaş Çalışmaları

Dergi:

Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Vol.6 Issue 2, pp.267-289

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

12/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001336513

pISSN:

2687-5306