Why would rulers benefit if

The rulers were held in high honor because they were viewed as having been put into their position by the gods. The rulers themselves worshipped the many different gods they had. Kings inherid the throne. Log in. Study now. See Answer. Best Answer.

Study guides. Ancient History 27 cards. Which best describes how Babylonian and Sumerian societies were different. What was the Rosetta stone made out of. What do megaliths imply about the northern European civilization that built them. What did Egyptians believe about the afterlife. Q: Why would rulers benefit if they claimed to be chosen by the gods in Mesopotamia? Write your answer Related questions. Why would rulers benefit if they claimed to be the chosen by gods?

Why would rulers benefit if they claimed to be chosen by the gods? After a male deities became more prominent in the pantheon a split of secular and sacred power took place which led to the invention of the military leader who assumed secular power and became the king.

There is, however, no evidence for this reconstruction. Yoffee embedded his reconstruction of the earliest cities, states, and civilizations in the wider context of a critique of social neo- evolutionist theories. While the discussion of power in these earliest cities and states figures as just one of several aspects of an ancient civilization to be taken into consideration, he emphasized that the ancient Mesopotamian state consists of several parts that could exercise power, and that Mesopotamian history is therefore largely shaped by conflicts and struggles between these different entities.

Mesopotamian kings are according to him not all-powerful as their influence is sharply curbed by local powers and other institutions that sprang up when the central power was weak. Especially important and thought provoking in connection with the topic of divine kingship are the works of Selz ; and Michalowski e. According to Selz the introduction of divine kingship also presupposes the growing humanization of deities in ancient Mesopotamia. However, this assumption should be discussed in further detail within the framework of this conference.

Another important factor is the iconography of the divine king. The most famous example of this is, of course, the Naram-Sin stela Winter The stela depicts the king as a super-human being who wears attributes of kings as well as symbols of divinity, such as the horned crown. In Mesopotamian iconography the horned crown and the flounced robe are both attributes of divinity, but divine kings can only be depicted as wearing either one, never both together Boehmer This indicates that there are subtle differences in the way divine kings and deities are represented.

Especially for Mesopotamia, but also for other areas in which divine kingship is attested, it would be important to address further how iconography contributed to buttressing the ideological foundation of divine kingship. Cross-cultural comparisons represent an important factor in the study of divine kingship in ancient civilizations. The areas that would lend themselves best for such a cross-cultural comparison would be ancient Rome e.

Price , Africa e. Apter ; Gilbert and ancient China Puett , and Maya. These comparisons may help bridge gaps in the often highly eclectic evidence of ancient societies and open new venues of research that have not been pursued previously.

There is also a question whether similar preconditions produce similar political-ideological outcomes, and what the preconditions for such processes are. This will provide insights into the more general question of the relationship between human political hierarchies and ideas about the supernatural. The topic of divine kingship should be viewed in a broader context of the use of religion to legitimize power in ancient states.

The Achaemenid empire offers a new perspective for this line of research as there is a rich historical and iconographic documentation for example Lincoln forthcoming; Ehrenberg forthcoming.

The cross-cultural and anthropological comparisons suggested in this symposium will enhance our understanding of divine kingship as an important strategy of pre-modern rulers to bolster their power and to create new ideological foundations to support growing political expansionistic tendencies. The symposium will also further our knowledge of ancient Mesopotamian and ancient Egyptian kingship, offer new insights into the relationship of power and religion in pre-modern societies, and make ancient civilizations part of a discourse on kingship.

Apter, A. Boehmer, R. Weidner and W. Brisch, N. A Sumerian city-state was like a tiny country. Its surrounding walls helped protect the city against enemies.

Eridu is thought to be the first of the major cities formed and one of the oldest cities in the world. Each city-state had its own ruler. They went by various titles such as lugal, en, or ensi. The original city of Uruk was situated southwest of the ancient Euphrates River, now dry. Currently, the site of Warka is northeast of the modern Euphrates river.

Table of Contents. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Do not sell my personal information. Cookie Settings Accept. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Machiavelli encouraged rulers and would-be rulers to believe what? Why did the egyptians accept the pharaoh's total authority? Sentences with benefit? Show 0. What was signed by rulers at the Congress of Vienna to promise that they would rule as Christians?

What is an empire called that has many rulers? How would use benefit and expertise in a sentence? When would the rulers of Rome ban a religion? How were presidential candidates chosen during the jeffersonian democracy? Name the Rulers of the middle ages? How do rulers help carpenters?

How many rulers do you need to get 6 feet? How many rulers is 4 feet? What world is lobby9 in runescape? People also asked. How did sargon's creation of an empire change the later history of mesopotamia? View results. What is the Basic political unit of sumer? What steps did city-states take to protect themselves from rivals? Study Guides. Trending Questions. What is the fourth element of the periodic table of elements? What is a song that everyone likes but won't admit it?

The forces of attraction between two objects varies with what two factors?