Marduk's prophecy
The prophecy of the god Marduk is an Assyrian document dating from the period between 713 and 612 BC. It was found
It was located in a place known as “The House of the Exorcist of Evil Spirits,” adjacent to the temple of the city of Assyria.
In this written document, which is a collection of clay tablets, the events of the transfer of the statue of the Babylonian god are mentioned
Marduk was transported from his city of Babylon to the lands of the Hittites, Assyrians, and Elamites due to wars, when the invaders were plundering him as the spoils of their victory over Babylon, and then he was expected to be restored by a strong Babylonian king, according to what was stated in the manuscript.
The Marduk Prophecy tells how the Hittites, Assyrians and Elamites captured the statue of Marduk at one time or another and how it was finally returned to the city when King Nebuchadnezzar I defeated the Elamites. The document is written as if Marduk himself had chosen to visit those foreign lands - with the exception of Elam -
How was it predicted that a great Babylonian king would arise and restore the god from the Elamites? The Marduk Prophecy was most likely written as a propaganda piece during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar I, although the only surviving copy is an Assyrian one.
They explained how important Marduk's presence in the city was to the people. Without their divine protector, people felt helpless.
Marduk the protector was so important to Babylon's sense of security and personal identity that when the city revolted against Persian rule c. 485 BC, the Persian King Xerxes destroyed the statue when he sacked the city.
In Mesopotamian mythology, Marduk was the son of Enki (also known as “Ea”), the god of wisdom, who...
He assumed the position of king during a great battle that brought together the forces of the ancient and old gods with the enthusiastic young gods, as stated in the Babylonian creation story. When the young god Marduk was defeated in the first round of battle, he stepped down from the council of the young gods, but announced that he would make him king.
They explained how important Marduk's presence in the city was to the people. Without their divine protector, people felt helpless.
After Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in 331 BC, he made Babylon his capital and began efforts to restore the city to its former glory but died before this could be achieved. By the time the Parthians ruled the region in 141 BC, Babylon was an abandoned ruin and Marduk had been forgotten.
Sources
The Ancient East - Firas Al-Sawah
The Ancient Near East_James Pritchard
A Guide to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia_Stephen Breitman
Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia - Jeremy Black & Anthony Green