The Babylonian Background of Assyrian Literature

Apart from the problem of definition, many gaps remain to be filled before a history of Babylonian or Assyrian literature can be written. Nevertheless, a number of attempts have been made to review the material. Among these could be mentioned a synopsis of the presently known textual groups and compositions, and several interpretive essays.[[1]] Additionally, an attempt has been made to see the literature in its historical development.[[2]] This study suggests that the first major stimulus for the development of Akkadian literature may have been at the time of the first hegemony of a native Akkadian dynasty over Sumer and Akkad (c. 2300-2200 B.C.). At least, under this dynasty royal inscriptions were produced in a Semitic dialect, Old Akkadian, and there are a few examples of literary texts in this dialect.

But it is not until from half a millennium later that a flourishing Akkadian literature is preserved. The language, Old Babylonian, shows radical differences from Old Akkadian which do not seem to be explicable by simple linguistic evolution. However, Old Babylonian literature — as distinct from the amply attested letters — employed certain features known from Old Akkadian, presumably as part of a conscious attempt to create an elevated and archaic style. These features included original locative and terminative nominal endings and certain words, often employed in senses somewhat different from those known from the Old Akkadian texts. Sumerian influence also continued to be pervasive. Natural and linguistic influence in personal letters contrasts with exaggerated Sumerianisms in the literature.

Later, as Babylonia fell under Kassite domination, there was much literary activity, but this seems to have lacked spontaneousness. There was a striving to employ, and even to contrive artificially, words and expressions which revealed great erudition, but were unlikely to have had an immediate impact on the common man.



1 W. Röllig, "Überblick über die akkadische Literatur," RlA 7 (1987), 48ff; W. von Soden, "Das Problem der zeitlichen Einordnung akkadischer Literaturwerke," MDOG 85 (1953), p. 14; A. L. Oppenheim, Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization, (1964, rev. ed. 1977), p. 228ff; W. G. Lambert, "Zum Forschungsstand der sumerisch-babylonischen Literaturgeschichte," ZDMG 1975 Suppl. III/1, p. 64ff; E. Reiner, "Die akkadische Literatur," in W. Röllig (ed.), Altorientalische Literaturen. Neues Handbuch der Literaturwissenschaft, Bd. I (1978), p. 151ff; W. von Soden, Einführung in die Altorientalistik (1985), p. 194ff.

2 W. G. Lambert, "Literary Style in First Millennium Mesopotamia," JAOS 88 (1968) 123ff.

Alasdair Livingstone

Alasdair Livingstone, 'The Babylonian Background of Assyrian Literature', Court Poetry and Literary Miscellanea, SAA 3. Original publication: Helsinki, Helsinki University Press, 1989; online contents: SAAo/SAA03 Project, a sub-project of MOCCI, 2020 [http://oracc.org/saao/saa03/culturalandhistoricalbackground/babylonianbackground/]

 
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