An Assyrian Coronation Ritual
Translated, with Introduction and Notes by Dániel Pásztor
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63872/LWHX4664Keywords:
coronation, Assyrian ritual, legitimacy of rule, liturgical languageAbstract
This translation presents the text of a Neo-Assyrian coronation ritual, highlighting the interconnection between divine legitimation, cultic installation, and the sacral dimension of kingship. The introduction draws attention to the liturgical structure and political theological vocabulary of the text: the king appears not merely as a secular ruler but as the chosen of the gods, his role inscribed within divine order. The ritual’s components—purification, investiture, anointing, and oath—transform the king’s body and voice into sacred signs. As the introduction emphasizes, this text is not simply a historical record but a witness to the theatricality of power and the synergistic action of language and ritual, revealing how political authority becomes a liturgical performance.
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