Myths and legends of Babylonia & Assyria . ch, dedicated toIshtar, was one of the most famous sanctuaries inBabylonia. It is alluded to in one of the creationlegends, as were also the temples at Nippur, as Thebright house of the gods. The Twin Temples The temple of Merodach at E-Sagila and that ofNabu at E-Zida were inseparably associated, for avisit to one practically necessitated a visit to original rivalry between the gods had ended in aspecies of amalgamation, and together they may besaid to have symbolized the national religion ofBabylonia. Indeed so great was their influence that
Myths and legends of Babylonia & Assyria . ch, dedicated toIshtar, was one of the most famous sanctuaries inBabylonia. It is alluded to in one of the creationlegends, as were also the temples at Nippur, as Thebright house of the gods. The Twin Temples The temple of Merodach at E-Sagila and that ofNabu at E-Zida were inseparably associated, for avisit to one practically necessitated a visit to original rivalry between the gods had ended in aspecies of amalgamation, and together they may besaid to have symbolized the national religion ofBabylonia. Indeed so great was their influence thatit can scarcely be over-estimated. The theologicalthought of the country emanated from the schoolswhich clustered around them, and they were thegreat literary centres of Babylonia, and thus theprogenitors of Assyrian culture. Temples as Banks It was perhaps typical of the race that its placesof worship should gradually become great financialcentres and the nuclei of trade and usury. Heavilyendowed as they were by the kings of Babylonia250. Excavated Ruins of the Temple of E-Sagila The two walls in the centre mark the entrance to the passage, aquarter of a mile long, which connected the Tower of Babel with this templeCopyright by Underwood and Undcnvood, London i$o FEASTS AND FESTIVALS and Assyria, and boasting immense wealth in lands,subsidies, and slaves, they also had at their com-mand an army of workmen and labourers. Buttheir directors were also bankers and money-lenders,buyers and barterers of produce and manufacturesof every kind, estate-agents and men of commercegenerally. Sacred objects of every kind were onsale in the temple precincts, idols, votive offerings,amulets, and so forth. With what object did thepriesthood of Babylonia pursue a commercial career ?It could scarcely have been one in which personalgain bulked largely, as the impersonal templeswallowed up all the profit. The cost of upkeep ofsuch shrines must have been enormous, and when wethink of the gorgeous n
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