Gilgamesh and Aga
Old Babylonian poem of Gilgamesh's war with Aga of Kish, blending history with the mythological concept of divine radiance.
Gilgamesh and Aga is an Old Babylonian poem written in Sumerian, one of the five poems of Gilgamesh. While it lacks many overt mythological elements, it does involve divine radiance (melam), a key mythological concept. It records the Kishite siege of Uruk after lord Gilgamesh refused to submit to Aga of Kish, ending in Aga's defeat and the fall of Kish's hegemony. The poem has been the subject of discussion since its first publication by Samuel Noah Kramer in 1935 in the Journal of the American Oriental Society and later translation in 1949.
- field
- Sumerian literature, early Mesopotamian history
- known_for
- Poem recounting the conflict between Gilgamesh of Uruk and Aga of Kish, featuring the mythological element of divine radiance (melam)
- period
- Old Babylonian period (around 1800–1600 BC); the historical setting may be earlier, but the poem itself dates to this period
- language
- Sumerian
- manuscripts
- 9 manuscripts (16 fragments), mostly from Nippur except one of unknown origin
Lore & Background
The poem opens with Aga of Kish sending messengers to lord Gilgamesh in Uruk, demanding that the city's inhabitants work as slaves digging wells for Kish. Gilgamesh suggests rebelling against Aga, but the 'City fathers' reject this proposition and advise him to submit. Gilgamesh repeats the message and his suggestion to rebel before the able-bodied men, who accept the uprising and appoint Gilgamesh as Lugal. After ten days, Aga leads his army to Uruk and surrounds the walls. Gilgamesh's royal guard Birhurtura volunteers to stand before Aga, is captured and tortured, but denies that Aga is his king. Gilgamesh then steps onto the wall; his divine radiance is beheld by the Kishite army, and Enkidu and the able-bodied men advance through the confused enemies. Aga is captured, and Gilgamesh addresses him as his superior, remembering how Aga saved his life and gave him refuge. Aga withdraws his demand, and Gilgamesh sets him free to return to Kish.
Reader's Guide
The poem is significant as the only Gilgamesh tale without mythological aspects, drawing its plot from the reality of foreign relations between Sumerian cities. It sheds light on intercity politics, governmental institutions, the citizens' assembly, and the emergence of kingship. The conflict between Uruk and Kish and the relations between Gilgamesh and Aga have been regarded by some scholars as a reflection of relations between Sumerians and Semitics, a potentially important but obscure issue of early Mesopotamian history. The historicity of the war remains an open question, though archaeological evidence traces the fall of Kish hegemony between ED II and ED III, suggesting a date around 2600 BC. The poem's portrayal of Gilgamesh as an ordinary human being, sharing importance with Aga and his soldier Birhurtura, creates an impression of authenticity. The composition of 114 lines is reconstructed from 16 fragments representing 9 manuscripts, first published in 1935 and first translated in 1949, with subsequent grammatical corrections.
Did You Know?
- The poem is one of the five Gilgamesh poems and, while largely historical, includes the mythological element of divine radiance (melam).
- The location of the battle is described as having occurred outside the walls of Uruk, east of the present bed of the Euphrates River.
- The poem was first published in 1935 by Samuel Noah Kramer in the Journal of the American Oriental Society.
- Aga's demand that the people of Uruk become drawers of water unendingly denotes slavery.
More in Mythological duos 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record