Abstract
The Akkadian text called “Chronicle of Early Kings” (the British Museum) is known by copies of the 1st millennium BC. It describes the events of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. So, there is a discussion regarding the historicity of the events it described, whether they are true or they are just a compilation of interesting stories written by an author of the 1st millennium BC. Stories of the “Chronicle of Early Kings” are not connected by the author into a single plot, so there is another discussion, concerning the purpose of creating this text. One of the stories of “Chronicle of Early Kings” tells us about Sargon the Great, who built a copy of Babylon and was punished for it by the god Marduk. The purpose of this study is to identify possible parallels to the story about a copy of Babylon in the history of the 1st millennium BC. A conclusion is reached that this story was a reaction of a Babylonian scribe to the project of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (7th century BC) to restore the city of Akkad, the former capital of the Old Akkadian У. The image of Sargon the Great was used by the Assyrian royal propaganda, so it was important for Babylonians to create a negative point of view on this ruler. Thus, it is another argument in favor of the opinion that “Chronicle of Early Kings” shows the reaction of Babylonians to the events of the 1st millennium BC.
Keywords
“Chronicle of Early Kings”, Sargon the Great, Babylonian chronicles, Neo-Assyrian Empire, Esarhaddon, Akkad, Babylon, substitute rites.
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