History. Mesopotamian civilization existed for more than three millennia. The religious system founded by the Sumerians at the end of the fourth millennium B.C.E. continued for more than a thousand years until it merged with the Semitic religions of the Babylonians and Assyrians. In this incarnation it lasted for another two thousand years, still retaining characteristics of its Sumerian ancestry. Throughout the millennia, the changing world of the gods represented differing political configurations of monarchy and unquestioned political power. Within this context enduring questions about mankind's existence and its relationship to divinity were raised, and a variety of mythological responses was proposed.

Theological Questions. The theologians of ancient Mesopotamia sought to interpret the world around them. Questions abounded about the origins of evil, the beginnings of the universe, the nature of the gods, and the ills of everyday life. There were no clear answers to these...