What do we really know about how magic and divination worked in the life of an ancient king? For Mesopotamia the answer is surprising: a great deal. From the Neo-Assyrian court of the seventh century BCE hundreds of letters and reports have survived, written to their ruler by the specialists of sacred knowledge. They are a rare window onto a world in which the astrologer, the exorcist and the diviner sat beside the king as advisers of state.
The ummânū, the «learned»
In Akkadian these experts were called ummânū, «masters, scholars». They regarded themselves as heirs of the apkallu, the seven antediluvian sages, and as keepers of a knowledge handed down from generation to generation within families of scribes. Their authority rested on mastery of the great textual series and on the ability to interpret them.
The sources allow us to distinguish five main disciplines:
| Specialist | Akkadian title | Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Astrologer-scribe | ṭupšarru | celestial omens of Enūma Anu Enlil |
| Diviner | bārû | examination of entrails and other techniques |
| Exorcist | āšipu | rites of protection, purification and conjuration |
| Healer | asû | remedies and preparations |
| Lamentation singer | kalû | chants to appease the anger of the gods |
Each had his own field, but in the letters we often see the specialists working together, consulting one another and at times contradicting each other.
The letters to the king
Most of these documents come from the archives of Nineveh and date to the reigns of Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal. They have been published in a modern edition in the series State Archives of Assyria, which includes among other things the scholars' letters and the astrological reports.
The tone is often direct, sometimes almost familiar. The scholars:
- report a celestial observation and compare it with the omens of the series;
- reassure the king when a sign is favourable or does not concern him;
- recommend a ritual when a sign is threatening;
- ask for instructions on dates, ceremonies and offerings;
- complain at times about their own position or about competition from colleagues.
Esarhaddon, a restless king
King Esarhaddon emerges from these letters as a ruler especially attentive to signs and often anxious. The letters show a king who repeatedly asks for explanations, who wants to know whether a day is propitious for going out, receiving an ambassador or setting off on a journey. His closest scholars, such as the chief exorcist Adad-šumu-uṣur and the chief scribe Issār-šumu-ēreš, answered him patiently, alternating quotations from the traditional texts with personal advice.
It is in this context that the practice of the substitute king belongs, applied several times during his reign on the occasion of eclipses judged dangerous.
Competition among the learned
One interesting aspect of these letters is professional rivalry. The scholars correct one another, dispute interpretations, accuse colleagues of misquoting an omen. Some write to defend themselves, others to put themselves forward. What emerges is a lively intellectual milieu, in which the interpretation of signs was a debated art and not an automatic procedure.
The prophetesses of Arbela
Alongside the «technical» scholars, the Assyrian court also knew another form of communication with the divine: inspired prophecy. A small group of texts preserves oracles uttered mainly by prophets and prophetesses connected with the cult of Ištar of Arbela. In these oracles the goddess speaks in the first person to the king, reassures him and promises protection against his enemies.
Unlike omens, which required observation and study, prophecy was a direct word, received and spoken by an inspired person. The comparison between the two forms is valuable for the study of biblical prophecy too, which arose within the same cultural horizon.
A lesson for today
The letters of the ummânū show us that ancient divination was not disorderly superstition but a learned system grounded in texts, rules and debate. In the spirit of the Studio Esoterico Cornelio this is a firm point: authentic esoteric tradition has always also been a discipline of study, a memory of texts and a dialogue among masters.
In short
- The ummânū were the scholars of the Neo-Assyrian court, symbolic heirs of the apkallu.
- They included astrologers, diviners, exorcists, healers and lamentation singers.
- Their letters to Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal have come down to us from the archives of Nineveh.
- The letters show constant consultation, ritual advice and rivalry among colleagues.
- Alongside omens there was inspired prophecy, such as the oracles of Ištar of Arbela.
