Marduk's Ascendance and Tiamat's Fury

The biblical story of creation is famous - but did you know an even older myth may have influenced it? Enter the Enuma Elish, Babylon’s own Epic of Creation.

In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes and Dr. Sophus Helle, a leading expert on ancient Mesopotamian literature, explore this ancient text - an epic tale that glorifies Marduk, Babylon’s supreme god, and tells of how he shaped the cosmos from chaos. It is a myth that placed Babylon at the centre of the universe and shines a light on Babylonian attitudes to power and belief. Indeed, it may well have shaped the Book of Genesis itself...

To take a further look at Sophus's translation of Enuma Elish click here

Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight.

The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

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