Gilgamesh
According to the Sumerian king list, Gilgamesh was the fifth king of Uruk (Early Dynastic II, first dynasty of Uruk), the son of Lugalbanda. Legend has it that his mother was Ninsun, a goddess.
According to another document, the so-called History of Tummal, Gilgamesh, and eventually his son Urlugal, rebuilt the sanctuary of the goddess Ninlil, located in Tummal, a block of the Nippur city.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh it is often said that Gilgamesh ordered the creation of the legendary walls of Uruk. In historical times, Sargon of Akkad claimed to have destroyed these walls to prove his military power.
Fragments of an epic text found in Me-Turan (modern Tell Haddad) relate that Gilgamesh was buried under the waters of a river at the end of his life. The people of Uruk diverted the flow of the Euphrates river crossing Uruk for the purpose of burying the dead king within the riverbed. In April 2003, a German-led expedition discovered what is thought to be the entire city of Uruk - including, where the Euphrates once flowed, the last resting place of its King Gilgamesh.
Despite the lack of direct evidence, most scholars do not object to consideration of Gilgamesh as a historical figure, particularly after inscriptions were found confirming the historical existence of other figures associated with him: kings Enmebaragesi and Aga of Kish. If Gilgamesh was a historical king, he probably reigned in about the 26th century BC. Some of the earliest Sumerian texts spell his name as Bilgamesh.
In most texts, Gilgamesh is written with the determinative for divine beings (DINGIR) - (Tenger) - Tangra, but there is no evidence for a contemporary cult, and the Sumerian Gilgamesh myths suggest the deification was a later development (unlike the case of the Akkadian god-kings). Historical or not, Gilgamesh became a legendary protagonist in the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh in popular culture
Sumerian Gilgamesh has inspired several works in modern popular culture:
- Gilgamesh the King by Robert Silverberg.
- The book "How like a god" by Brenda W. Clough is based on the epic.
- "Gilgamesh" appears in various incarnations in the Final Fantasy series.
- The hero of Namco's Tower of Druaga and its sequels is also named Gilgamesh.
- "Gilgamesh" is also a character in TV series Xena: Warrior Princess.
- An anime show by the same name, aired in 2003.
- "Gilgamesh" is a Japanese rock band.
- "Gilgamesh" were a British band 1972 - 1978. They released two albums "Gilgamesh" (1975) and "Another Fine Tune You've Got Me Into" (1978)
- In the Marvel Comics universe, a character known as the Forgotten One claimed to have been the historical Gilgamesh.
- Gilgamesh, an opera by Serbian composer Rudolf Brucci based on the Epic.
- Gilgamesh is also a character in the game Fate/stay night, produced by TYPE-MOON.
- Darmok, an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation is inspired by the tale of Gilgamesh.
- Gilgamesh appeared in Timewyrm: Genesys, the first novel of the Doctor Who New Adventures.
- Gilgamesh, by the film director Roger Christian (Pre-production).
- The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Beginnings to A.D. 100, Volume A, Second Edition pp. 10-12.
- In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje contains themes from "The Epic of Gilgamesh".
- In Highlander: The Series, Gilgamesh was rumored to be the first immortal ever recorded by a "watcher", and would be the sole reason behind the formation of the watcher organization.
- In Namco's Tales of Symphonia, a title Zelos Wilder can earn.
- "Gilgamesh" is a character in David Gemmel's Sipstrassi Stones series of books.
- "Gilgamesh Wulfenbach" is a character in Phil and Kaja Foglio's series of Girl Genius comics.
- "Gilgamesh" is one of the answers in John Locke's crossword in the Lost episode Collision
- "Gilgamesh" is an Argentinean comic book series by Robin Wood.
- "Gil Gamesh" is a major character in Philip Roth's novel The Great American Novel. In the book, Gamesh is a sinister, Babylonian pitcher who attempts to kill an umpire.
- "Project Gilgamesh" attempts to create a supersoldier, but instead creates a villain named Bane, in Batman: The Animated Series.
- The Novel "To the Land of the Living" By Robert Silverberg. Is a major adaption of the legend.. and so much more.
