Foreword:
This article mainly discusses What is Assyrian mythology? Which two Assyrian myths are more famous? Assyrian mythology is mostly a replica or imitation of Babylonian mythology. This article cites two more classic Assyrian myths to explain the general style of Assyrian mythology. The most famous Assyrian mythology – the story of the God of War Ishtar and the Assyrian King Banipal, and the most widely spread Assyrian mythology – the legend of Queen Semiramis.
The Assyrians are a branch of the Semites. Although they conquered the Babylonians, they basically preserved the cultural traditions of Babylonia.
In terms of literature, the Assyrians not only retained the essence of the original Babylonian literature, but also carved precious works in cuneiform characters, made clay tablets and stored them in the library. Therefore, the literary works of the ancient Mesopotamia can see again, which is basically due to the Assyrians. The mythological works of Assyria are basically replicas or imitations of Babylon.
The most famous Assyrian mythology: the story of Ishtar, the god of war, and Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria
At that time, Ishtar had risen from an ordinary goddess to the most important god, and she even placed above the sky god Anu. When Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, was about to fight against his rival King Teyuman of Iran, he went to worship Ishtar and asked for his protection. In the end, Ashurbanipal, the king of Assyria, finally won a complete victory. This story shows the deeds of Ashurbanipal, the king of Assyria, who was brave and tenacious, and outwitted his enemies.
The most widely circulated Assyrian myth: the legend of Queen Semiramis
It was a long time ago, when a flood broke out in the upper reaches of the Euphrates River, and some fish schools were washed ashore. At this time, two big fish found a white bird egg floating on the water, and pushed it to the bank.
Birth of Semiramis
A white dove flew over here and took the white bird’s egg away. It found a place to incubate the egg, and soon the eggshell burst, and a girl-faced Diliki with a fish body emerged from it. This goddess was deeply loved by the gods. Later, she gave birth to a baby girl, who was criticized by everyone because of her human-like appearance, and was thrown into the wilderness by her mother.
The main god of Nineveh, Bayavis, found the baby girl and sent a flock of white doves to raise the baby girl. Later, some shepherds found the girl and took her back to the village. The shepherds called her Semiramis, the little white dove.
Semiramis pissed her husband to death
At a grand wedding festival in Nineveh, Semiramis, who was beautiful and charming, was bought by a captain of the royal cavalry. A year later, General Minutus, the king’s military minister, discovered the beauty and bought her. He fell in love with the girl and married her soon after. But the girl pretended to be flattering on the surface, but she thought about controlling the general’s power in her heart, defeating the opponents with her wisdom and courage, and wanted to win the king’s appreciation.
Finally, when Assyria attacked Baktuli, they were defeated for a long time. Semiramis came to the army disguised as a man, and personally led the team to attack the enemy’s fortress from the side. She successfully attracted the attention of the king, and was finally recruited by the king as his concubine.
Semiramis’ husband committed suicide upon hearing the news. And Semiramis was indifferent, she was glad that her plot had succeeded.
Semiramis becomes queen of Assyria
After Semiramis became the princess, she cleverly used tricks to win the favor of the king, and gave birth to a son Inas, and then she calculated step by step how to obtain the king’s power.
Before long, Semiramis finally came up with a plan. She deliberately alienated the king in order to arouse his lust. One night, the king was so anxious that he pleaded with the queen in every possible way. Seeing that the time had come, Semiramis asked the king to allow her to take power for three days, and the king agreed to her request.
The first day was uneventful.
The next day, the queen issued a decree that the king be arrested and then killed.
From then on, Semiramis became the queen of Assyria, and also the most cruel queen.
Semiramis conquered the people with her beauty and her neighbors with her courage. However, in the war with India, the start was unfavorable, and the vitality was greatly damaged.
Semiramis turned into a white dove and became the god of Assyria
When Semiramis returned to the country, her son Inas wanted to usurp power again. The Queen tried her best to influence her son by marrying Inas, but she didn’t want her to fall into the trap of Inas.
In the end, Semiramis had to surrender the royal power and live in a foreign land. Because the Lord God Bibrus took pity on her loneliness, he called her back to heaven and turned her into a white dove and became a god in Assyria.
Comments on The Legend of Queen Semiramis
Semiramis is the legendary queen of Assyria. She is brave and wise, and she is the representative of the Assyrian emperor.
The legend about her is very widespread, not only well known in Assyria, but also a well-known figure in Greece. The Greek historian Herodotus once recorded her legend in his works. There are different opinions on whether there was such a person in history, but no matter what, the Assyrians wrote this story to show their wise and powerful monarch, and to reflect the most glorious and most powerful historical period of the Assyrian Empire.
This story is actually a heroic hymn. Just like the Sumerians and Babylonians wrote “Ode to Gilgamesh”, the Assyrians used the legend of Queen Semiramis to show the strength of their country and nation.
