In dem literarischen Werk "Fluch über Akkad " werden Aufstieg und Niedergang der Dynastie der Akkader (ca. 2350-2200 v. Chr.) geschildert. Mit Sargon fängt die Dynastie an. Sargon bedeutet "der wahre König". Das kann nicht sein eigentlicher Name gewesen sein. In späteren Legenden war er der Sohn einer Priesterin, die ihn in einem Bastkörbchen im Fluss aussetzte. 1000 Jahre vor der Moses-Geschichte!

Man nimmt an, dass Sargon in einer Palastrevolte den Thron von Kisch eroberte. Man weiss nicht, wann er seine Hauptstadt Akkad gründete, die dem Reich, der Sprache und der Epoche den Namen gab.

Zu dem literarischen Werk

Nachdem Enlil, der Oberste der Götter, dem König Sargon die Königswürde übertragen hat, bricht für das Reich von Akkad eine Zeit der Blüte und des Überflusses an. Die Bewohner des Landes leben in Frieden und Wohlstand. Der Handel blüht, und die Fremdländer liefern Tribute in grosser Menge.

Dies ändert sich unter der Herrschaft des Naram-Sin, Sargons Enkel. Die Göttin Inanna-Ischtar ist Herrin von Akkad. Wahrscheinlich wurde ihr Kult zugunsten des einflussreichen Enlil von Nippur vernachlässigt. Als Reaktion darauf verlässt sie ihr Heiligtum und wendet ihre Waffen gegen ihre Stadt Akkad. Anscheinend erfolgreich, denn in Nippur wird ein zweiter König inthronisiert. 

Naram-Sin bleibt sieben Jahre untätig. Dann veranstaltet er eine Orakelanfrage, ob er das Enlil-Heiligtum in Nippur wiederherstellen dürfe. Das Orakel erbringt nicht das gewünschte Ergebnis, so dass Naram-Sin zu den Waffen greift und mit einem Heer Nippur überfällt und ausplündert.

Enlil, zornig über die Zerstörung seines geliebten Heiligtums, lässt daraufhin die im östlichen Gebirge wohnenden Gutäer in das Land einfallen und es mit Krieg überziehen. In dem einstmals so blühenden Reich von Akkad herrschen nun Unsicherheit und Hunger.

Die grossen Götter versuchen, das Herz Enlils zu besänftigen und belegen die Stadt Akkad mit einem schweren Fluch, der die Zerstörung und Verwüstung der Stadt bewirkt. Das Epos endet mit den Worten: "Dafür, dass Akkad vernichtet worden ist, sei Inanna Preis!" 

Akkad war wohl in späterer Zeit wieder bewohnt, seine alte Grösse erreichte es aber nie mehr. Wo es lag, wissen wir nicht. Bis heute ist Akkad noch unentdeckt geblieben! 

Auszüge

Like a "little fellow" building (his) house anew,
Like a young son, erecting the (wife's) chamber -
That everything be collected (safely) in the storehouses,
...
That its people eat "dependable" food,
That its people drink "dependable" water,
That the bathed heads make the courtyards joyous,
That the people beautify the places of festivity, ...
Inanna allowed herself no sleep.

In those days the dwellings of Agade were filled with gold,
Its bright-shining houses were filled with silber,
Into its granaries were brought copper, tin, and slabs of lapis lazuli,
its silos bulged at the sides,
its old women were endowed with counsel,
its old men were endowed with eloquence, ...
Its quay where the boats docked were all abustle,
All lands lived in security,
Their people witnessed (nothing but) happiness,
Their king Naram-Sin, the shepherd,
Stepped forth like the sun on the holy dais of Agade,
Its walls reached skyward like a mountain, ...
Holy Inanna accepted not its gifts, ...
Agade was all atremble,
The Ulmash was in terror,
She who had lived there, left the city,
Like a maiden forsaking her chamber,
Holy Inanna forsook the shrine Agade,
Like a warrior hastening to (his) weapon,
She went forth against the city in battle and combat,
She attacked as if it were a foe.

In days not five, in days not ten, ...
Its battles were [decreed] a bitter fate,
The kingship of Agade was prostrated,
Its future is extremely unhappy,
At the "month house" the treasures lay scattered about.

(Then) Naram Sin ... dressed in sackcloth ...
Gave away everything desirable for Kingship.

Seven years Naram-Sin remained firm, ...
(But then) seeking an oracle at the house,
In the "built" house there was no oracle,
Seeking an oracle a second time at the house,
In the "built" house there was no oracle.
(Whereupon) changing his line of action,
He defied the word of Enlil,
Crushed those who had submitted to him (Enlil),

Mobilized his troops,
Like a mighty man accustomed to high-handed (action),
He put a restraining hand on the Ekur.

Naram-Sin plündert Ekur, den Tempel Enlils. Alle Schätze an Gold, Silber, Edelsteinen, die heiligen Gefässe werden ans Licht gezerrt. 

Enlil, because his beloved Ekur had been attacked, what destruction he wrought!
...
Gutium, the land that brooks no control,
Whose understanding is human, (but) whose form and stuttering words are that of a dog,
Enlil brought down from the mountain.
...
In the gates of the land the doors stood (deep) in dust,
All the lands raised a bitter cry on their city walls.
Furrows embedded the cities although (their) inside was not a steppe, (their) outside was not wide (open land).

The old women ceased not (crying) "Oh, my city,"
The old men ceased not (crying) "Oh, its men,!
The gala's (= cult singers) ceased not (crying) "Oh, the Ekur," ...

A second time did Sin, Enki, Inanna, Ninurta, Ishkur, Utu, Nusku and Nidaba, the great gods,
Direct their face to the city,
Curse Agade with a baleful curse:

"City, you who dared assault the Ekur - it is Enlil (whom you assaulted),
Agade, you who dared assault the Ekur - it is Enlil (whom you assaulted), ...
May your grain return to its furrows,
May it be grain cursed by Ashnan*,
May the oxen-slaughterer slaughter (his) wife (instead),
May your sheep-butcher, butcher his child (instead),
May your poor hurl his precious children into the water, ...
May famine kill (the people of) that city,
...
Agade, (instead of) your sweet-flowing water, may salt water flow (there), ...
May he who said 'I would sleep in Agade,' not find a good sleeping place there."

(And) lo, with Utu's** bringing forth the day, so it came to pass!
...
Agade, (instead of) its sweet-flowing water, salt water flowed (there), ...
He who said 'I would sleep in Agade,' found not a good sleeping place there,
Agade is destroyed! Praise Inanna.

Quelle: Samuel N. Kramer, Sumerian Miscellaneous Texts, in: James B. Pritchard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 3rd edition, Princeton / New Jersey 1969, S. 646-651.

*Ashnan ist die Göttin des Getreides.
**Utu ist der Sonnengott.