URFA AND URFA NAMES IN THE OLD TIME;

URFA AND URFA NAMES IN THE OLD TIME;

 According to the rumors, it is said that the ancient Greeks Enoch (Enoch = Hermes = Idris) taught people to build cities and that 180 cities were established in his time, the smallest of which was Urhai, or Orhay, in other words, Urfa.

 According to this rumor, since the prophet Idris came before Noah, Urfa was established before the flood of Noah.  Like the whole world in Noah's Flood, Urfa was devastated.  But after the flood, the world was re-established and Urfa took its place in history.

 Again, as it is told, Nemrut, who ruled in Babylon after Noah's Flood, had built three cities.  One of them is the city of Urfa.  This city was named Arach first, and later Erech, Orhay, Edessa and Ruha over time.

 In the first ages of history, the people of Urfa were the ancient Chaldeans or the Arameans and Assyrians who were the extensions of the Babylonians.  The Arameans and Assyrians were descended from the Chaldeans and Babylonians.  The name Urhai or Orhay is the name given by the Aramaic-Assyrians, who were the first inhabitants of Urfa.

 The Helens who came to Urfa later gave the name Edessa.  The name Edessa given by the Hellenes means "plenty of water".  Urfa was a city with plenty of water due to the Karakoyun (Daysan) stream flowing through it and the boiling springs.

 Urfa is also named "Kaliruha", which means beautiful fountain in addition to the name of Edessa.  After the conquest of Islam, the Kali syllables of Kaliruha were omitted by the Muslim Arabs and only ―Ruha syllables were used.

 According to a second rumor, the word Orhay was changed slightly and it was called Ruha.  Thus, the city was called Ruha by the Muslims after the conquest of Islam.  It started to be called Urfa in the Ottoman period.

 In another rumor, the conversion of the name Orhay to Urfa seems more appropriate.  The windowsills of the churches in Urfa are decorated with the motif of snakes with two horns intertwined.  These snake motifs are seen in churches that are still intact today.

 It is accepted that such snake motifs show that there was also a snake cult in Urfa.  Therefore, it is even suggested by some historians that the founder of Urfa was "Orhay the son of the serpent".  Urfa was an important city of the old Osrhoene and the new Land-i Mudar.

 When Imadeddin Zengi (1127-1146) conquered Urfa in 1144, Basil Bar Şumana, who was the Yakubi Metropolitan of Urfa, was the first person to accept that the city called Orhay, that is Urfa, between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, was the city of Ur.

 Before him, no one had said that the city of Orhay (Urfa) was Ur of the Chaldeans.  "Ur" meant city, and "Chaldean Ur"

 It meant the city of the Chaldeans.  The people of Urfa of that period were also Chaldeans.

 It is seen that Urfa is a legendary city and its foundation was built by a mythology hero.

 It can be definitely considered that the Sumerians, who held Mesopotamia around 4000 BC, also ruled in Urfa.  Urfa,

 From the day it was founded until the period when it began to live in the kingdom (132 BC-244 AD), it gained a different appearance from other neighboring cities.

 Along with some states that lived and established in the region thousands of years ago, Urfa continued to exist as a city-state subject to the great state that dominated the region in the course of history.

 Urfa region, BC.  The Sumerians, Assyrians, Hittites, Chaldeans, Arameans, later Macedonians, Romans, Medes and Persians lived and dominated the period for centuries.

 During the excavations around Urfa, it was found that there are many mounds belonging to the old bronze age such as Kurban Höyük, Lidar Höyük, and Titriş Höyük.  These give us solid information about the history of Urfa.

 B.C.  III.  It is accepted that the city of Hurri, which was one of the cities of the Hurrians in the thousand years, is located in the place of today's Urfa City.  Therefore, the capital of the Hurrians is also Hurri City, Hurra (Urfa).

 It is said.

 So, Urfa was known as the capital of the Hurrians with the name Hurra about 1500 years ago.  Again BC.  II.  In the millennia, Urfa was conquered by the Mitanni who gained strength in the region.

 passed.  B.C.  II.  This region, which was dominated by the Hittites in the thousand years, was invaded by the Arameans after the collapse of the Hittites.  After the Assyrians gained strength, the Assyrian king III as Urfa (Osrhoene) region.  During the time of Salmanasar (859-824 BC) it became an Assyrian state in 857.

 Later, BC.  The Urfa region, which was dominated by the Medes in the VI century, followed by the Persians and whose people were Assyrians, came out of Persian rule when Alexander the Great invaded Urfa in 331 BC and came under Hellenic rule.  (To be continued)

 References;

 Gregory Abu‘l-Farac,

 Bar Hebraeus, History of Abü‘l-Farac.

 Aleppo Province Yearbook, 1310.

 Segal, ibid, p.  152

 E. Honigmann, ―Urfa Islamic Encyclopedia

 Segal, Edessa, translator.  Prof.  Dr.  Ahmet Arslan, Istanbul 2002

 Jun: Mazdek Al Hamadani

ASUR - BABIL MYTHOLOGY

ASUR - BABIL MYTHOLOGY

 Semitic tribes, M.E.  They migrated from the south of Arabia to Mesopotamia between the years 3000-2000.  M.E.  It is seen that the influence of the Sami began to strengthen in the time of Sargon in 2732.  M.E.  In 1955, III.  This effect increased with the disappearance of the Ur dynasty, M.E.  This effect continued until 1000 BC when the Assyrians became the sole rulers of the region.

 The Babylonians were intellectuals and artists, while the Assyrians were warriors and harsh.  Despite this, the Assyrians dominated the Babylonian politics, but they had to accept their intellectual hegemony.  The ever-developing Assyrian State introduced this culture from Iran to the Mediterranean and from Palestine to Anatolia.

 M.E.  Since 3000 BC, the kings of Mesopotamia have established libraries and kept the tablets about the ceremonies in the temples in special archives.  The most important of these is the library of Assyrian King Ashurbanipal.  M.E.  Archaeologists 558-626 Rassam and George Smith found 2,000 tablets dealing with legends, prayers, magic methods, and astronomical rules.

 Also;  The reliefs, sculptures and depictions on coins enabled us to obtain more detailed information about the Assyrian-Babylonian beliefs, a form of the Sumerian religion enriched with Semitic elements.  Sumerian language in the scriptures, as the religious language M.E.  It continued to live until the Parthian age in the first century.

 In the time of the Sumerians, although Anu, Bel, Ea were the leading gods, the Babylonians highlighted their god, Marduk, and reworked the creation and flood myths as we know them today.  There were some 5,000 gods in the Assyrian-Babylonian Parteon.  The Assyrians did not put pressure on religion in the places they conquered and accepted the gods there.  However, the traditional Babylonian priests did not include Assyria, the official god of the victorious Assyria, in their official pantheon.

 In the Assyrian-Babylonian religion, two gods are seen as the Star-Earth (Fertility) god.  Although the origin of the god of fertility (Earth) is Sumerian, the star gods developed under the influence of the Semitic.  It developed under the extension of god.  It is understood that these two races have been together for many years, since this god has taken together for a long time.

 GREAT GODS

 Marduk

 Marduk, the son of Ea, represents the fertility brought by the waters.  This god acquired the kingdom of gods in the flood legend.  After his victory, the gods gave him fifty ranks.  Marduk has become a complete god, as each represents a distinct quality.

 The great gods had tablets of destiny.  When Storm-Bird Zu stole them one day, Anu promised great god-power to those who would bring them back.  Only Marduk was able to take back the tablets.

 Another time;  Marduk gave Sin-its former shine, whose light was turned off.

 Fighting evil, Marduk is represented when killing a dragon with a sword.  He is shown in this figure with his wife Sarpanit in the famous Babylonian temple Esapil.

 It is very interesting in the ceremonies held for Marduk.  On the same date each year, the statue of God was taken out of Esapil with a large crowd, taken to Akita in the countryside and entrusted to the congregation.  This ceremony, which lasted for ten days, with the return of the god returning from the shores of the sacred Euphrates to Esapil, represented the death, resurrection and marriage of the god.  Similar celebrations were held in Anu, Ishtar, and Nannar.

 Assyrian

 When the might of Babylon wiped out in front of Nineveh, Ashur, the chief god of the Assyrians, mingled with the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian gods, becoming the most powerful chief god.  Although his name meant benevolent, he was also known as a war god who led the army to victory.

 Ashur, which replaced Marduk and Ninurta, was sometimes represented as a winged disc, sometimes standing on a bull or flying in the air.  Since he is also the god of fertility, he is surrounded by branches and shown with a goat beside him.  His wife is the great goddess Ishtar.

 Star Gods

 Sin

 He is the moon god.  The sun god of War and the star of Merih Ishtar were his children.  Because the light was considered to come out of the night.  Sin was named Nannar in the city of Ur and was represented as an elder with a long lapis lazuli beard.  Every evening he would ride his boat and appear to people in the shape of the moon.  When it looked perfectly round it was called the crown of the god.

 Since Sin gives light in the dark, it would prevent those who want to do evil.  The evil spirits had prepared a rebellion against him because of this.  Because he was also a divider of time and was intelligent, other gods would take advice from him at the end of each month.  His wife's name is Ningal, besides Shamash and Ishtar, Nusku, the god of fire, was his other son.

 Shamash

 He is the sun god.  M.E.  II.  In one thousand, the Babylonian king Hammurabi had his famous laws dictated.  These laws consist of 282 articles.

 This god, who is confused with Marduk in these legends, lives in the eastern mountains, the scorpion men guarding the place open heavy doors every morning and take Shamash out.  Passing through the sky, the sun would bring his car closer to the western mountain, enter through a door there, and disappear into the depths of the earth.

 Courage and strength were the attributes of this god who missed winter and night.  His rule of enlightenment made him the god of justice in particular.  His temple in Babylon was called the Home of the World Judge.  At the same time, since he was the god of prophecy, he would inform the future through Baru: The Oracle.  He had a wife named Aya and children named Kettu: Justice, Mesaru: Hak, who was an abstract god.

 In the depictions, Shamash is depicted as a man sitting on his throne, with sun rays shining from his shoulders.  There were four pairs of horns on his crown, and with his right hand he held the scepter and ring, which are signs of domination and justice.  Shamash was worshiped especially in the city of Sippur.

 Ishtar

 She is the goddess of morning and evening.  It is the representation of the star of Merih.  Although the Assyrian Babylonians considered them to be goddesses, the Arabs considered God Attar.

 Known as the goddess of War and Love.  Ishtar was represented with a bow in his hand in a chariot pulled by 7 lions.  Since his habit is tough and authoritarian, he cannot tolerate his wishes.  Since holy prostitution belonged to Ishtar's cult, when he landed, holy prostitutes surrounded him.  She was the harlot of the gods, and it was the first time she felt the desires she awoke.  He has a lot of love.  He chose lovers from all kinds of creatures for him and would bring disaster to all of them.  The animals he loved were weakened and fell into the captivity of humans, while men turned to wild animals with jealousy and passion.  Ishtar's love would bring bad luck even to the gods.  The god of Agriculture, whom he loved in his youth, caused the death of July and cried a lot.  He went down to hell to bring him back, had the doors opened, and passed the seven chapters, leaving one cover at a time.  Although he finally arrived near Ereshkigal and attacked him, he called his deputy Namtaru, had Ishtar locked in the palace and attacked 60 diseases on top of it.  The disappearance of Ishtar caused great sorrow in the world, none of them reproduced as the living became sterile.  Upon Shamash and Sin’s complaint, Ea created Ashusunamiri to save Ishtar.  Ereshkigal could not bear the magic of this strange creature.  Ishtar came out of hell with Namtaru, taking his clothes, playing the flute in July, dressed in festive clothes, to facilitate the return.

 Thanks to Ishtar, who was not always a traitor, many kings ascended the throne.  He protected the Akkadian king Sargon and Ashurbanipal.  Being the ruler of the world with the power of love, Ishtar was the most favorite goddess of Assyria and Babylon.  Later, it was revered in Phenicia as Astarte and in Greece as Aphrodite.

 Nin - Urta

 He was the son of Enlil.  He became a god of war after being the god of fertility.  It was a mace with two serpents on his weapon.  Original is Sumerian and it is said that the storm - Bird Zu defeated him.  He was also suspected of killing July, taking the shape of a wild boar.  His warlike character made his whole nature hostile to him.  Some stones even turned against him.  After winning the fight, some stones became sought after by people.  Others, such as lapis lazuli, amethyst, were trampled under the feet.

 Gods of Nature

 Adad

 He is a storm god.  Standing on a bull is shown with lightning in his hand.  When he ordered the deluge, he did it.  It is loved because it also provides good wind and fertile rain.  He would represent prophecy with Shamash.

 Nusku

 Its symbol is a shoe shaped lamp.  It would represent the messenger of the gods and the sacred fire.

 Gibil

 He is the god of fire.  He is the son of Amu.

 Nina

 She is the goddess of water.  Its symbol is a floating vase with a fish inside.

 Isarra

 Her genus is the goddess of relationships.  She is represented by a scorpion she.

 July

 He is the god of earth.

THE NAME OF THE LYRIC REVOLUTION: EGELİ POET SAPPHO AND HIS WORLD.

THE NAME OF THE LYRIC REVOLUTION: EGELİ POET SAPPHO AND HIS WORLD.

 What is known about the life of the great poet Sappho (Σαπφώ), the great poet of lyricism, who was born in Lesbos Island (today's name Lesbos), an important island of the Aiol cultural region in the late 7th century BC, is very limited.  Sappho's poems, collected by the Alexandrians in nine books, have survived thanks to fragments and quotes on papyrus.  The only poem that survives today as a whole is by Dionysios of Halicarnassus.  It is a seven-continent poem named "Poetry to Aphrodite" quoted in the 1st century.

 The Archaic Period is a period when Athens is not yet politically and culturally up-to-date.  Names such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aiskhylos and Euripides, who are among the first philosophers and writers to come to mind when talking about Greek culture, were not born in Sappho's period.  There is a clan society in Athens that still preserves tribal traditions.  The "Laws of Dracon" (624 BC), written by Drakon (Δράκων), accepted as the first legislator and one of the six Arhon, have just come into effect.  Before this date, there were no written laws in Athens.  The nobles acted arbitrarily while interpreting old customs and traditions according to their own interests.  For this reason, Drakon is tasked with creating systematic rules and laws to maintain social order.  In this context, it has taken measures to end blood feuds and created a penal code that includes very harsh and severe penalties.  It still maintains its reputation through the adjective "Draconian / Draconien" used in Western languages ​​to describe an overly strict rule or precaution.

 The recognition of Sappho and his works in Athens started with Peisistratos, when Athens was the cultural center of the Greek world.  In Attica iconography, scenes in which Sappho is depicted alone with his lyre in his hand begin to appear in vases of the 5th century BC.  On the other hand, we see that in Ionia, unlike the Greek mainland, trade and production are quite developed and an "Isonomia", ie egalitarian order prevails.

 Sappho, the symbol of the transition from epic poetry to lyric poetry in ancient Greek literature, is one of the greatest poets not only of Lesbos, but of the whole Greek world.  He is, above all, a poet of love and nature.  Sappho's name is written as 'Psappho' (Ψάπφω) in Aeolian dialect.  This word is etymologically thought to be of Asian origin.  B.C.  Born in an aristocratic family around 612, Sappho's mother is Kleis and his father is Skamandronymos.  Some have claimed that his father took this name from Skamandros (Karamenderes Stream) in Troas and that his ancestors participated in the Trojan War.  It is reported by Strabon that Sappho has three brothers and his brother named Kharaksos mentioned in his poems also exported famous Lesbos wines by sea to Naukratis in Egypt.  By establishing a school on the island, Sappho taught music and poetry to well-educated noble family daughters, just as the Greek philosopher Socrates raised young men.  It is thought that the female poet named Erinna, who lived in Lesbos at the end of the 4th century BC and died at the age of 19, is also thought to be one of Sappho's students.

 

 Sappho is known for his wedding table and ceremony, his poems sung in front of the wedding room, and the lines he wrote in the genres of Epithalamium, Hymnos and Mersiye.  His poems in the style of "Epithalamium" are extremely valuable in terms of providing information on the marriage institution of the period, the distribution of men and women in marriage, marriage rituals and the life of girls before marriage.

 The most important reason why Sappho, who was named by Plato as one of the wisest women after centuries and named "The Tenth Moses", has been an influential figure for centuries, is undoubtedly the most important reason why love poems are written for women and that love, desire and beauty can be sustained in his poems.  It has worked with a successful style.  Sappho showed an attitude away from politics in his poems and was not very interested in the political issues of his period.  Information on Sappho's private life is far from certain.  It is thought that he married a rich man named Kerkylas from Andros Island and had a daughter named Kleis.  Kleis's name is also mentioned in his own poems.  It is thought that he spent most of his life in Lesbos, where he established a school for unmarried young women.

 Sappho died in Lesbos, his birthplace.  There is also a myth about his death that appears in Greek comedy writers.  According to this legend, Sappho committed suicide by jumping from the rocks of Leukadia off the coast of Epeiros because of his love for a boatman named Phaon.  Sappho became one of his poets known as "Theios" after his death, and received praise from great masters such as Plato, Horatius and Dionysios of Halicarnassus.

 Although the poet from Lesbos died, his name continued to live.  The fresco whose image I shared shows how much a beloved poet he was in Rome.  Also, according to a common practice, cities in the Roman provinces M.S.  In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, they depicted local heroes and citizens who played an important role in the history of that city on their coins.  On the coins of Mytilene, Sappho was also depicted with Pittakos, Alkaios and his lyre.  B.C.  In the 3rd century, while the Alexandrian scholars created a canon where they identified nine great lyrical poetry poets, only one female poet was included in the famous canon with famous names such as Alkman, Alkaios, Pindaros;

 He is also Sappho.