standing under the political and social influences of their days. With this distinction clearly impressed upon us, we will be prepared for such modifications of our views of the Babylonian-Assyrian pantheon as further researches and discoveries may render necessary. FOOTNOTES: [222] Semitic alphabet. [223] A form of Nebo, according to Meissner-Rost, _Bauinschriften Sanherib's_, p. 105. [224] See Meissner-Rost, _ib._ p. 108. [225] As _e.g._, En-e-in-pal (Meissner-Rost, _ib._ p. 76). Sherua and Arag-sir (_ib._ p. 101). For further lists of deities, see pp. 234, 238. [226] The Assyrian kings are fond of mentioning foreign deities, and of adding them to their pantheon. In his annals (VR. col. vi. ll. 30-43) Ashurbanabal gives a list of twenty Elamitic deities captured by him. [227] Tiele (_Babyl.-Assyr. Geschichte_, p. 519) suggests Ea. [228] An interesting example of this tendency is furnished by a tablet published by T. G. Pinches (_Journal of the Victoria Institute_, xxviii. 8-10), in which the name Marduk is treated almost as a generic term for deity. Nergal is called 'the Marduk of warfare'; Nebo, 'the Marduk of earthly possessions'; Ninib, 'the Marduk of strength'; En-lil, 'the Marduk of sovereignty'; and so on, in a long enumeration, the gods are regarded as so many forms of Marduk. Pinches' conclusion that the list points to monotheistic beliefs is, however, unwarranted. The list only illustrates a tendency towards a centralization of divine powers in Marduk, that accompanies the political centralization of the period. [229] See below, pp. 228, 229. [230] So the gods of the Assyrian pantheon are generally termed in the inscriptions of the kings. [231] See below, p. 195. [232] See below, p. 220. [233] A description of this symbol occurs in a text of Sennacherib (Meissner-Rost, _Bauinschriften Sanherib's_, p. 94). The symbol itself is found on sculptured slabs and on seal cylinders. [234] So Sennacherib still speaks of Images of Ashur, and of the great gods erected by him (Meissner-Rost, _Bauinschriften Sanherib's_, p. 94). [235] See Stevenson, "The Feather and the Wing in Mythology," _Oriental Studies of the Phila. Oriental Club_, pp. 236-239. [236] _Babyl.-Assyr. Geschichte_, p. 533. [237] For the sake of convenience it is customary to distinguish between Ashur the god, and the country by writing the latter with a double _sh_--Ashshur. [238] _Geschichte_, p. 533. [239] See Jensen _Zeits. fuer Assyr._ i. 1 _seq._ and Delitzsch, _Das Babylonische Weltschoepfungsepos_, p. 94. [240] By the assimilation of the _n_ to the following consonant. [241] See above, pp. 173, 175. [242] Jensen, _Kosmologie_, p. 275. [243] The combination of religious supremacy with political power, which characterizes the social state of ancient Babylonia and Assyria, gives to the title _patesi_ a double significance. In Babylonia, moreover, it acquires the force of vassal-king. [244] The full list is Anu, Ashur, Shamash, Ramman, and Ishtar.