In the Ancient Orient the deification of rulers always occurred in the context of the legitimization and exercise of rulership. Deified rulers and proper gods were always differentiated on principle.
References to the deification of living rulers are geographically restricted to Babylonia and temporally to the late 3rd and early 2nd millennium BC: a) individual rulers claimed divine descent for t…
Cite this page
Renger, Johannes (Berlin),
von Lieven, Alexandra (Berlin) and
Bendlin, Andreas (Erfurt),
“Deification”, in:
Brill’s New Pauly, Antiquity volumes edited by: Hubert Cancik and , Helmuth Schneider, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry.
Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e12201440>