Akkadian Empire: Military Monarchy

Summary

This script explores the Acadian Empire's military monarchy around 2350 BCE, focusing on Sargon II and his establishment of the first Near Eastern Empire. It delves into the art of the period, highlighting the use of bronze casting to depict power and leadership, with potential representations of Sargon II and his father. The script also touches on the significance of En-hedu-ana, Sargon's daughter, as the world's first known author and poet, and concludes with the 'Stele of Naram-Sin,' showing the ruler as a god-like figure after a victorious battle, reflecting the ruler's divine authority and control over war.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The script discusses the end of the Sumerian period around 2350 BCE with the rise of the Acadian Empire, centered in Akkad, possibly under modern-day Baghdad.
• 👑 Sargon II is highlighted as the leader of the Acadian Empire, establishing the first empire in Near Eastern history, with his rule influencing later empires such as the Assyrian and Persian.
• 🗺️ A map is referenced to illustrate the extent of the empire established by Sargon II's military during his lifetime.
• 🎨 Acadian art is characterized by its focus on militarism and leadership, often depicting the ruler and warfare themes, which is evident in the bronze sculptures discussed.
• 👨‍🦳 The bronze sculptures, possibly representing Sargon II and his father, showcase the lost wax casting technique, indicating high skill and the subjects' importance due to the valuable material used.
• 👑 Beards are noted as a marker of high status, leadership, virility, and possibly the capability to lead an army in the script's description of the sculptures.
• 👁️ The script mentions that the sculptures originally had eyes made of different materials, likely precious stones, but have been damaged, possibly as a ritualistic act to diminish the power of the depicted rulers.
• 📜 The script introduces Enheduanna, Sargon II's daughter, as the world's first known author and poet, who composed hymns and poems, reflecting her high status as a priestess and a princess.
• 🌀 The script describes a non-militaristic piece of Acadian art, an alabaster disk depicting Enheduanna performing her duties as a priestess, which was also defaced in antiquity.
• 🛡️ The script discusses the 'Stele of Naram-Sin,' a stone monument commemorating a battle won by Naram-Sin, Sargon II's great-great-grandson, who reunified parts of the empire.
• 🔱 Naram-Sin is depicted in the stele wearing a horned helmet, signifying divinity, marking a significant evolution in Mesopotamian visual history where a ruler is portrayed as a god.

Q & A

What significant event occurred around 2350 BCE in Mesopotamian history?

Around 2350 BCE, the Sumerian period of Mesopotamian history came to an end with the rise of the Acadian Empire, an ethnic group from Central Mesopotamia.

What is the likely location of the ancient city of Akkad?

The ancient city of Akkad, the capital of the Acadian Empire, is believed to be located underneath modern-day Baghdad.

Who was the leader of the Acadian Empire that brought them to prominence?

Sargon II was the leader of the Acadian Empire who brought them to prominence through his military conquests.

What is the significance of the Empire established by Sargon II?

The Empire established by Sargon II is significant as it was the first Empire in Near Eastern history.

How did the art of the Acadian Empire reflect its society?

The art of the Acadian Empire was heavily influenced by its militaristic nature, often focusing on themes of warfare and the portrayal of its leaders.

What technique was used to create the bronze sculptures of the Acadian rulers?

The bronze sculptures of the Acadian rulers were created using the lost wax casting technique, which was a high degree of skill at the time.

What is the significance of the prominent beards in the bronze sculptures of the Acadian rulers?

The prominent beards in the bronze sculptures signify high status, leadership, virility, and the capability to lead an army.

Why might the bronze sculptures of the Acadian rulers have been defaced?

The defacement of the bronze sculptures could be a ritualistic act by subsequent rulers to 'neuter' the images of the former rulers, visually making them impotent and asserting their own power.

Who was Enheduanna, and what is her significance in history?

Enheduanna was the daughter of Sargon II, a princess, chief Priestess to the God Ishtar, and the world's first known author and poet, credited with creating a collection of temple hymns and other writings.

What is the significance of the Stele of Naram-Sin?

The Stele of Naram-Sin is significant as it depicts a battle where Naram-Sin, the great-great-grandson of Sargon II, reunifies parts of the fragmented Acadian Empire and is portrayed as a divine figure, marking a significant evolution in Mesopotamian visual imagery.

How does the Stele of Naram-Sin represent the concept of 'magical technology of warfare'?

The Stele of Naram-Sin represents the concept of 'magical technology of warfare' by showing the king's divine right and authority to wield god-like power in battle, which was seen as a form of magical terror only unleashed by holy and kingly ritual.

Outlines

00:00

🏛 Rise of the Acadian Empire and Sargon II

The script discusses the transition from the Sumerian period to the rise of the Acadian Empire around 2350 BCE. The Acadians, with their capital at Akkad, possibly beneath modern Baghdad, gained prominence under the leadership of Sargon II. Sargon II's military conquests led to the establishment of the first empire in Near Eastern history, setting a precedent for later empires like the Assyrian and Persian. The script describes two bronze sculptures, likely representing Sargon II and his father, showcasing the lost wax casting technique and the importance of the ruler in a militaristic society. The art pieces emphasize the leaders' high status, virility, and capability to lead armies, with the mention of ritualistic mutilation of one sculpture indicating the power of images and the fall of the Acadian Empire after Sargon II.

05:02

👑 Portraiture and Non-Militaristic Art in the Acadian Empire

This paragraph delves into the rare instance of portraiture in the Near East, suggesting that if the sculptures are indeed portraits, they represent a unique moment in the region's art history. The paragraph also contrasts the Acadian art style with the earlier Sumerian votive figures, highlighting the more naturalistic approach of the Acadian art. The script mentions the damage to the sculptures' eyes and other features, possibly as a ritualistic act to diminish the power of the depicted ruler posthumously. Additionally, it introduces a non-militaristic piece, an alabaster disk depicting Sargon II's daughter, Enheduanna, who was a high priestess and the world's first known author and poet, with her hymns and poems attributed to her personal creation.

10:04

🛡️ The Military Legacy of Naram-Sin and the Victory Stele

The script describes the reign of Naram-Sin, the great-great-grandson of Sargon II, who reunified parts of the fragmented Acadian Empire. The Victory Stele of Naram-Sin is highlighted as a significant work of art, depicting a battle where Naram-Sin is portrayed as a divine figure, wearing a horned helmet, symbolizing his god-like status. The stele represents a new artistic approach to depicting battle scenes, using the positioning and postures of the bodies to convey the narrative. The script also discusses the significance of the stele in demonstrating the king's divine right to wield power and the ritualistic aspects of warfare, suggesting that these images served as a form of magical technology to control and justify the chaos of war.

15:07

🌟 Divine Kingship and the Evolution of Mesopotamian Visual Imagery

The final paragraph examines the representation of Naram-Sin as a god in the Victory Stele, marking a pivotal moment in Mesopotamian visual history where a ruler is depicted with divine attributes. The script suggests that this imagery not only signifies the king's support by the gods but also his transformation into a divine figure himself. The paragraph concludes with an interpretation of war imagery as a form of magical technology, where the king's god-like power is displayed to assert his authority and control over life and death, both within his army and among his enemies.

Keywords

💡Acadian Empire

The Acadian Empire, also known as the Akkadian Empire, was the first empire in Mesopotamian history, established around 2350 BCE. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses the end of the Sumerian period and the rise of the Akkadian people. The script mentions the empire's military focus and its influence on later empires like the Assyrian and Persian Empires.

💡Sargon II

Sargon II was the leader of the Akkadian Empire and is considered the founder of the dynasty. His name is significant in the script as it discusses his military achievements and how he established the first empire in Near Eastern history. The script also suggests that the bronze sculptures may represent Sargon II, indicating his importance and power.

💡Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia, often referred to as the 'cradle of civilization,' is the historical region in Western Asia where the script's narrative takes place. It is the setting for the rise and fall of the Sumerian period and the emergence of the Akkadian Empire, making it a key geographical and historical context for the video.

💡Lost Wax Casting

Lost wax casting is a technique mentioned in the script when discussing the creation of bronze sculptures. It is a significant process in the context of the video as it showcases the high level of craftsmanship during the Akkadian period. The script describes the difficulty of creating detailed, blemish-free bronze figures, emphasizing the skill and importance of the art produced.

💡Military Monarchy

The term 'military monarchy' is used in the script to describe the nature of the Akkadian Empire's government. It highlights the empire's focus on warfare and military power, which is a central theme in the video. The script also connects this concept to the militaristic art of the period, including the depiction of leaders and warfare scenes.

💡Naturalistic and Idealized

The script contrasts 'naturalistic' and 'idealized' artistic styles in the context of the Akkadian ruler sculptures. Naturalistic refers to a more realistic portrayal of individuals, while idealized suggests a more perfect, often less individualized representation. This distinction is important as it helps viewers understand the artistic intentions behind the sculptures and their potential representation of Sargon II.

💡Portraiture

Portraiture in the script refers to the art of creating a representation of a specific individual. It is mentioned in the context of the Akkadian ruler sculptures, suggesting that one of them might be a rare example of portraiture in the Near East. This concept is significant as it indicates the potential for individualized representation in ancient art, which is unusual for the period.

💡Enheduanna

Enheduanna is highlighted in the script as the daughter of Sargon II, the chief Priestess to the god Ishtar, and the world's first known author and poet. Her significance in the video lies in her unique status as a powerful female figure in ancient history and her contribution to literature, which is exemplified by the alabaster disk depicting her as a priestess.

💡Ritualistic Mutilation

Ritualistic mutilation refers to the deliberate damage to the bronze sculptures, as mentioned in the script. This act of defacement is significant as it suggests a political or religious motivation to diminish the power of the depicted figures, possibly after the fall of the Akkadian Empire. It also speaks to the power and significance of images in ancient societies.

💡Naram-Sin

Naram-Sin, the great-great-grandson of Sargon II, is discussed in the script as a ruler who reunified parts of the Akkadian Empire. His significance is marked by the 'Stele of Naram-Sin,' a monument depicting a battle where he is portrayed as a divine figure. This portrayal is a significant development in Mesopotamian visual history, as it shows a ruler as a god, indicating his power and authority.

💡Stele

A stele, as mentioned in the script, is a stone marker or monument used in ancient civilizations to commemorate events or individuals. The 'Stele of Naram-Sin' is an example of this, depicting a battle and the ruler's divine status. The concept of a stele is important in the video as it illustrates the use of art and monuments for commemorative and propagandistic purposes.

Highlights

The Sumerian period in Mesopotamian history ends around 2350 BCE with the rise of the Acadian Empire.

The Acadians, with their capital at Akkad, possibly beneath modern-day Baghdad, come to power in Central Mesopotamia.

Sargon II's leadership and military prowess establish the first Empire in Near Eastern history.

The map illustrates the expansive Empire that Sargon II and his military were able to create during his lifetime.

Later empires like Assyrian and Persian modeled aspects of their government on the Acadian Empire.

Acadian art often focuses on militaristic themes, reflecting the empire's emphasis on warfare.

The 'head of an Acadian ruler' artifacts may represent Sargon II and could signify his father, showcasing the lost wax casting technique.

Bronze sculptures of rulers indicate their importance and high status in the society.

Prominent beards on the bronze figures symbolize status, leadership, and virility.

The difference in style between the two bronze figures suggests one may be a naturalistic portrait, a rarity in the Near East.

The damage to the bronze figures, such as gouged eyes and broken beards, indicates ritualistic mutilation post-Sargon II's reign.

En-heduanna, Sargon II's daughter, is depicted on an alabaster disk as a high-ranking priestess and the world's first known author and poet.

En-heduanna's alabaster disk shows her performing priestly duties, indicating her power and status in society.

Naram-Sin's Stele commemorates a battle where he reunifies parts of the fragmented Acadian Empire.

Naram-Sin is depicted scaling a mountain, defeating enemies, and is portrayed with divine attributes, such as a horned helmet.

The Stele of Naram-Sin signifies a ruler's divine status and the magical terror of warfare, showcasing the king's god-like power.

The ritualization of war in imagery served as a magical technology to control and justify the chaos of war.

Transcripts

the Acadian Empire military monarchy

so around the year

um

2350 BCE the Sumerian period of

Mesopotamian history that we have been

looking at comes to an end when

um an ethnic group from more Central

Mesopotamia comes to power these are the

acadians whose capital we know was

called akkad were not entirely sure of

the location but many believe it's

underneath modern-day Baghdad

and they will come to prominence

um because of their leader Sargon II

so um what you're seeing here is a map

of the Empire that Sargon II and his

military is able to establish during the

course of his lifetime and this is the

first Empire in near Eastern history

um later on very famously there will be

the Assyrian and the Persian Empires

both of those will model some aspects of

um their government their Administration

on the Acadian Empire but the Canadians

are the first

um and uh I think I'll leave it at that

for now anyhow we have the acadians

centered in akkad and as I just said

being a militaristic Empire much of

Acadian art will focus on this topic

both of uh their kind of central

military figure

um their leader and also the theme of

warfare so that relates to the first two

objects we are seeing here both of which

you know in very strict uh Museum

um

law if you will are just called head of

an Acadian ruler museums are very

conservative when they name things and

they don't want to ascribe particular

identities

um to these sorts of Works unless

they're 100 certain so uh the museums

are simply listing these as head of an

Acadian ruler but many people believe

that this is a representation of Sargon

II the founder of the dynasty

and if that is the case then people

interpret this as his father

um either way what you're looking at

here are two examples of that lost wax

casting technique that we talked about

at the very end of last week's

discussion when we looked at the dancing

girl from the Indus Valley

um and as such you know these are much

larger than she was and you can see the

kind of high level of detail especially

with this one on the the right

um so we're seeing either you know the

first or a very very very early example

of this technique

um used to a high degree of skill uh

it's it's difficult not only to

um make bronze but then cast it via this

technique and have the resulting image

be blemish free it's very very difficult

so

um all of that is a long way of saying

whoever these men are the fact that they

were recorded uh in bronze and bronze is

such a valuable material indicates their

importance and you know given the nature

of society it would make sense that the

ruler and his father

um fit the bill for that

so uh let's take a quick look at their

their features

um their stylistic similarities and one

thing we notice is that they both have

very prominent beards possibly this

guy's beard was a little more

geometricized

um in its original form we don't

entirely know but the beards are very

prominent and so these would have been

other markers of the high status and

Leadership role of these men as well as

their virility and their kind of

um

capability of leading an army

potentially

it's a little difficult to see but but

this figure is also wearing a cap of

some kind here it's much more prominent

um but then when we turn to their faces

I would argue that this figure

uh again just take a moment before I say

anything to kind of visually compare and

contrast and what I would argue is that

this figure looks a bit more

naturalistic uh compared to him this guy

feels a little uh idealized a little in

the move towards Perfection rather than

a portrait of a specific individual here

there's something about the specificity

of this guy's kind of downturned

um lips his heavily lidded eyes the kind

of particular formation of his nose

these details to me just give a sense of

individuality a bit more than

um almost like a mask like appearance of

perfection uh happening with Sargon II

and if we if that's true if this is a

portrait this is

um a very very rare example of

portraiture in the near East as we

continue through this unit we're not

going to see any other examples of

portraiture so that would be interesting

um but nevertheless long story short for

both of these I think we see

um images of power being presented both

through the materials

um and the application of those

materials the style of the imagery that

is made

and just again to kind of flesh out our

art historical vocabulary we can compare

and contrast that to the style of the

votive figures

um from uh Sumeria

um and so as we talked about with our

votive figures they have very basic

geometricized bodies they're composed

almost entirely out of these cylindrical

forms and so while idealized I would

still say that

um uh Sargon if that's who he is is

naturalistic he's just not a portrait

but but more naturalistic than the

Sumerian style the other thing I almost

forgot to mention is that if we go back

to our our guys here you'll notice

neither of them have their eyes their

eyes were almost certainly made out of a

different material probably a kind of

um precious stone

but

it sure looks like some kind of damage

has happened to this figure over here

um there's evidence of kind of literally

trying to gouge out the material of his

eyes his beard has been broken and his

ears were kind of cut off and again this

is bronze so these things didn't happen

by accident this is a kind of

ritualistic uh mutilation of this

sculpture and that but also

um speak to the idea that this could

have been a representation of Sargon II

because the Acadian Empire doesn't

survive very long after him

um and subsequent rulers when they come

to power uh would have deemed it

important to

um almost uh I guess neuter for lack of

a better term the images of this former

ruler to kind of um uh make him impotent

um visually so uh that explains the the

damage that we see here and it also

speaks to the power of images in this

period

um but one rare example of

non-militaristic Acadian art that I did

want to briefly show you is uh this

object which is a teeny tiny Alabaster

disk of Sargon II's daughter

and her name uh was in hejuana and she

was obviously a princess being Sargon

II's daughter but she was also

um the chief Priestess to uh their God

Ishtar who was the Acadian version of

inanna

um so that's an as we know an incredibly

high-ranking powerful individual to be

the priests Priestess for inanna and

um remarkably she is also the world's

first known author and poet we have let

me check my notes here

um a collection of 42 Temple hymns that

are uh quote unquote signed by her they

are in it's indicated that she wrote

them

um as well as two liturgical hymns and

kind of a few other uh secular poems

so you know that's always a kind of

badge of honor within ancient studies

who was the first to do something and

it's remarkable that in world history

um she is the first individual that we

know of uh to be credited for for

personally creating some writing

so that's you know her life history is

is very fascinating but also what you're

seeing on this Alabaster disc is a low

relief carving

of her performing her duties as a

priestess

so I should say that this this Alabaster

disk uh also appears to have been

ritually defaced and um damaged at some

point in Antiquity but we can tell that

this is uh the daughter she is taller

than everybody else so we have that

hierarchy of scale she is wearing a kind

of domed cap and a multi-tiered uh dress

so that also indicates her status and

um these figures are male attendants who

are giving Libations pouring Libations

in front of a temple presumably the

temple of inanna

so she's supervising the scene she's

giving authority to what's taking place

and as such this is a representation of

her power and her status within Society

her centrality within society which is

just again so remarkable for a woman in

the ancient period

and then the final work that I will show

you um is getting back to that

militaristic theme this is something

known as the Steely of Namar sin and he

was the great great grandson of Sargon

II so not to get too technical but after

Sargon II dies the Acadian Empire kind

of fragments and decentralizes for a

period

um

what is that three four generations

later uh uh narem sin will come to power

and he reunifies parts of the Empire

um so uh that is something that is being

shown here and I will discuss it more

but if I didn't say it already a Steely

which is what this object is

um is something that we will continue to

see in other civilizations it's just a

fancy word for a stone

marker or monument

and as such this marker and Monument is

depicting a particular battle in which

naram sin let me get my notes Here

um

defeats who are his enemies

so many possibilities

mm-hmm

uh the I'll I'll have to spell this for

you

l-u-l-l-u-b-i mountain people so

um that probably wasn't incredibly

important for you to to know the actual

peoples that are being

um battled against here but if I if I

had to ask you who in this composition

is naram sin I bet a lot of you would

pick out this individual

um and that is probably for a couple of

reasons he is whom almost everybody on

either side of the composition is

looking at he is also the largest so we

have that hierarchical scale once again

um and he's literally kind of at the top

of this mountain therefore you know he's

isolated and foregrounded against the

background

um in a way that really emphasizes the

power and physicality of his body

so

um what is being shown as I said it's a

kind of Memorial of a particular battle

that he wins

um but in terms of War imagery we can

also think about how different this

style of depicting a scene is different

than

um our standard of War and the war side

of the standard of UR as we talked about

here we have very clean neatly

delineated registers

um and here you know kind of a moment of

artistic Innovation where our artist has

come up with a new way of representing

um a battle that doesn't involve

registers and instead hopefully here are

some details that make it a little

clearer

um instead the way the the kind of

Narrative of the battle is depicted is

uh through the bodies of the peoples so

over here you can see very uniform

similarly posed similarly dressed

figures we would understand that those

are naram sin's army and then over here

few examples there's some even better

ones if you were to get details down

here of his enemies being pushed off the

mountain and subsequently falling in all

sorts of poses

um and I talked about this also when we

looked at the standard of or this kind

of disciplining of the body uh you know

that is what you want your side to have

and your enemy not having that is a sign

of their defeat and subsequently your

your power in indicating that defeat

so

um let's see here the other thing that

is significant about this Steely is

here's that detail of

um Namar sin and he is shown wearing

this domed cap that we've seen all the

way back to the work of Ace as a marker

of kingship of leadership but his helmet

also has these two projecting horns

and as you also recall from the work of

Ace horns are a sign of divinity

so

um excuse me let me go back here

um what's happening here is that we have

this image of namarson literally

climbing to the top of this mountain

defeating his foes and then you can

barely make it out but here are some

Suns that are almost represented like

daisies they're shining on him and the

overall rhetoric cumulatively is that

not only is are his activities

um

supported by the gods made possible by

the gods but now he himself has turned

into a God because he is wearing the

horned helmet

so this is the first time in

Mesopotamian

um Visual History that we will see a

ruler represented as a God but it will

not be the last this will continue

forward for for quite some time

um and thus this is a significant moment

in the kind of evolution of a visual

imagery

the final thing that I will say

um I read this you know in my more

recent reading up on this Steely and I

thought this was a really interesting

interpretation of War imagery in general

and so I will read

um from my notes here it says recent

scholarship argues that the ritual

ritualization of war and images of

violence constituted a magical

technology of warfare that not only

Justified the underlying process of War

but presented a kind of control of its

chaos this is the kind of significant

sentence

only the king aided by the gods could

wage such violence on such a massive

scale the huge number of soldiers

Marching In Tandem and formation and the

horrifying destruction they wrought was

seen at a sort as a sort of magical

Terror only Unleashed by holy and kingly

ritual

so um I think what this is saying here

is that another uh level of significance

to these images is that it is showing

whomever sees them

um the king's right and authority to

wield this god-like power he he now is a

god

um and uh as such you know has

incredible power over the lives of

um his his army and his enemies

um and I thought that was a rather kind

of interesting way to look at it as a

kind of magical uh technology of warfare

as indicated in these images

so hopefully that wasn't too confusing

um but overall we wanted to appreciate

the the nature of Acadian imagery and

that