Tag Archives: neoassyrian

Sargon, The Gardener’s Lad

The Neo-Assyrian Birth Legend of Sargon of Akkad, known since the mid-19th century, was loosely interpreted for popular audiences in an early serial publication, The Story of the Greatest Nations (1913). The authors elaborated on the famous legend with a rather fanciful description of Sargon’s encounter with the goddess: “A legend grew around him, tellingContinue reading “Sargon, The Gardener’s Lad”

The Neo-Assyrian Birth Legend

The Neo-Assyrian Birth Legend expanded on the literature about Sargon of Akkad’s humble origins, drawing from biographical traditions as well as folklore themes including the infant exposure motif. In this ‘pseudo-autobiographical’ text, likely composed during the reign of Sargon II (722-706 BCE), Sargon described his early life as foundling raised by a gardener, who becameContinue reading “The Neo-Assyrian Birth Legend”