Bahrani on Omens

In chapters 7 and 8 of Rituals of War by Zainab Bahrani, the author discusses the relationship between religious rituals and war, and explores the relationship between war and the arts. In Chapter Seven, “Omens of Terror,” Bahrani claims that Assyrians believed that military decisions and strategies were handed down to oracles from the gods. Divination was often used in wars, and the diviners would address detailed questions to the gods concerning battle plans. Bahrani describes the format in which the queries were written on tablets, claiming that the repetition of the tablets revealed the anxiety of the Assyrians in certain situations. The author continues by explaining the interpretations behind certain liver readings, with meanings such as “the army will return empty-handed” and “the dynasty of Akkad is terminated”. Other omens described involved eagles, crows, and severed heads. I thought it was interesting that by consulting a god the Assyrians actually just presented their battle strategy to the cult statue of the god, and the god’s decision was determined from the entrails of a sacrificed animal. Also Bahrani describes how some weapons were deified and given names such as “That which Slays a Multitude”, “Fifty-headed Weapon”, and “Relentless Storm”. Bahrani also details the process of having substitute kings.