The Akītu (New Year Festival)
Once a year the king was stripped, struck, and made to swear his innocence before the god who alone could renew his crown.
The akitu was the most important festival of the Mesopotamian year, celebrated above all at Babylon in the spring. Over several days the gods' statues processed, the creation epic Enuma Elish was recited to re-proclaim Marduk's victory and kingship, and the king underwent a striking rite in which the high priest stripped him of his insignia, struck his cheek, and made him declare before Marduk that he had not sinned against the city — before his rule was renewed for another year. The festival renewed cosmos, kingship, and community together, fixing the destinies of the year ahead.
Key passages(17)
Lacuna [ I th ] rew [ Dunānu, son of Bēl-iqīša, the Gambulian, face down ] and [ s ] et up... [... ] over h [ im ]. I captured [ Dunān ] u, son of Bēl-iqīša, [ ali ] ve. My [ w ] arriors threw him int
Tap to expand
By the command of Anu and Antu, may it (this text) go well. [... ]. As soon as Anu has come out from the Enamena, the cella, (and) arrived at the Kamah gate, all the mašmaššu - priests recite 3 times
Tap to expand
By the command of Anu and Antu, may it (this text) go well. (The month of) Tašritu, the 1st day: Ellil, Ea and (the other gods) of Uruk are clothed. The silver chariot of Anu (and) the gold chariot of
Tap to expand
[... ] waits for the sceptre on the... [... ].... As... [... ], the sceptre and the shoe (for dressing the god) arise, and the gods and goddesses go in front of him and behind him, as before. They go
Tap to expand
[... ]... in a gold našappu - bowl [... ] [... ] he passes [... ] to Ellil and as many gods as are in the main courtyard. He passes a gold [... ] from Antu to in front of the goddesses that are in the
Tap to expand
[ Sennacheri ] b, [ great king, strong king ], king of the world, king of Assyria, [ the one who fashioned image (s) of ] the deities Aššur, Mullissu, [... and ] the (other) great [ god ] s, the one w
Tap to expand
Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), leader of a widespread population, the one who fashioned image (s) of (the god) Aššu
Tap to expand
[... ]... in the forecourt [... ] goes down to the main court. [... ] [... ] Adapa [... ] [... ]... the Eulmaš [... ] [... ] the kurgarrû cultic performer [... ] from the Reš temple. Šagepada, Aškaʾit
Tap to expand
Sennacherib, king of Assy [ ria ], the one who fashioned image (s) of (the god) Aššur and the great gods: [ Through ] divination, at the command of the gods Šamaš and [ Adad, I built ] the akītu - hou
Tap to expand
Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, the one who fashioned image (s) of the deities Aššur, Šerūa, Anu, Sîn, Šamaš, Adad, Ištar of Bīt-Kidmuri, Bēlet-ilī, Kaka, Ḫaya, Kusu, Lumḫa, Dunga, Eg
Tap to expand
(The 9th day:) The chief kalû - priest goes....... [... ]. The lumahhu - priest... [... ] from a bucket. [... ] the rest of the water for the hands of the chief kalû - priest. He stretches out his han
Tap to expand
Sennacherib, king of the world, [ king of Assyria, the one who fashioned ] image (s) of the deities Aššur,... [ (...) ], and the (other) great gods, I: [ With ] limestone, stone from the mountains, I
Tap to expand
Sennacherib, king of the world, [ king of Assyria ], the one who fashioned image (s) of the deities Aššur, [ Mullissu ], Šerūa, Sîn, Nik [ kal ], Šamaš, Aya, Anu, Antu, Adad, Šala, Ištar of Bīt-Kidmur
Tap to expand
Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, the one who fashioned image (s) of (the god) Aššur and the great gods: With limestone, stone from the mountains, I raised this akītu - house as high as
Tap to expand
Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, the one who fashioned image (s) of the deities Aššur, Anu, Sîn, Šamaš, Adad, Nergal, Ištar of Bīt-Kidmuri, Bēlet-ilī, and the (other) great gods, I: Wi
Tap to expand
Lacuna [... ]... [... for ] the admiration of [ the people of my land,... for pl ] easu [ re... I went o ] ut. In the stepp [ e, a widespread place be ] fore me, hug [ e lions, a fer ] ocious [ mounta
Tap to expand
Palace of Sennacherib, great king, strong king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), (and) favorite of the great gods: The god Aššur, father of the gods, looke
Tap to expand