Did Hittite Kings acclaim themselves to be god?

Year 2020, Issue: 48, 346 - 365, 30.06.2020

Murat Turgut

Abstract

Generally, the kings ruled a country thanks to divine right in ancient societies. The kings had the power and authority in both religious and earthly affairs. In other words, the kings were chief executive, pontiff and commander-in-chief or people regarded them in this way.

It is generally accepted that the Hittite kings were not gods when they were alive, but they became gods after their deaths. Some studies on the Hittites also suggest that the Hittite kings, in particular the recent kings Tutḫalia IV and Šuppiluliuma II, declared themselves as god when they were alive. However, we think that none of the Hittite kings acclaimed themselves to be god before he died. Hittite kings did not make a god to themselves when alive, is examination based on archaeological and writing evidences in this paper.

Keywords

Human-god, Man-god, King-god, Deification, Hittite Kings

Hitit Kralları kendilerini tanrı ilan ettiler mi?

Abstract

Eskiçağ toplumlarında genellikle krallar tanrının verdiği güçle ülkelerini yönetmişlerdir. Krallar hem dini hem de dünyevi hayattaki tüm yetkileri elinde toplamışlardır. Yani krallar, baş yönetici, baş rahip, baş komutan konumlarında bulunmuşlar veya halkları tarafından öyle görülmüşlerdir.

Hitit krallarının yaşıyorlarken tanrı olmadıkları, ölümlerinden sonra tanrı oldukları, genel olarak kabul edilen düşüncedir. Ancak Hititlerle ilgili yapılan bazı çalışmalarda, Hitit krallarının, özellikle son dönem kralları olan Tuthalia IV ve Šuppiluliuma II’nin, henüz daha hayatta iken kendilerini tanrı yaptıklarına dair bazı görüşler belirtilmiştir. Ancak hiçbir Hitit kralının kendisini ölmeden önce tanrı yapmadığını düşünmekteyiz. Bu çalışmada, Hitit kralllarının hayatta iken kendilerini tanrı yapmadıkları konusu, arkeolojik ve yazılı kaynaklara dayanılarak incelenmiştir.

Keywords

İnsan-tanrı, Adam-tanrı, Kral-tanrı, Hitit Kralları, Hititler

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