The perception of enemy in the Ancient Mesopotamian inscription (BC. 3200-BC 539)

The enemy, as a universal and timeless concept, is deeply embedded in human history. Many negative historical events have been explained through the existence of enemies, making references to this concept frequent throughout the ages. Especially in ancient Mesopotamia - the birthplace of writing - numerous texts contain figures labeled as enemies. This study focuses on identifying and analyzing references to enemies in ancient Mesopotamian texts. To achieve this, primary sources containing religious, literary, and political texts from Mesopotamian civilizations - both digital and printe - were examined. Scholarly secondary sources were also consulted. This approach helped determine how ancient Mesopotamian societies perceived the concept of the enemy and allowed for inferences about its origin and nature. The findings show that enemies were often humiliated, ridiculed, and portrayed through prejudice in texts reflecting the ruling power's perspective. These figures were "othered" as part of propagandistic discourse. Texts shaped by binary narratives typically framed the enemy as evil and rulers as embodiments of good. Over time, enemy discourse in Mesopotamia became a tool to legitimize rulers by contrast. Divine approval, believed to be granted by the gods, was implied through the misfortunes of enemies. The enemy's identity, actions, and circumstances reinforced the message that they lacked divine favor. In instances where events could portray the king negatively, failures were omitted, and efforts were made to depict the ruler positively. Consequently, a stereotyped narrative tradition emerged - transmitting enemy portrayals from one reign to another. This enduring narrative structure helped reinforce authority and perpetuate the ideological roles of both kings and enemies in ancient Mesopotamian literature.