Analysis: The Advice of an Akkadian Father to His Son

Date: 2200 BCE

Geographic Region: Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq)

Author: Unknown

Summary Overview

This document is a message in which a man of the ancient region of Akkad advises his son on how to proceed in life. Written around 2200 BCE, the text reflects the social, religious, and political expectations of ancient Akkadians, and demonstrates a particular ethic in its concern for the son's private and public behavior. The document gives insight into the personal relationship and sentiment shared between a father and a son, as well as into the culture of what was one of the earliest empires in human history.

Defining Moment

The Akkadians built their civilization in ancient Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Their Semitic, Akkadian-speaking society emerged in parallel with the Sumerians to the south, and the two cultures intertwined. Under the rule of the king Sargon the Great (ruled 2323–2278 BCE), the two kingdoms were united as the Akkadian Empire.

According to legend, Sargon the Great rose from humble roots to become a warrior who defeated the Sumerian king Lugalzagesi (ruled c. 2350–2323 BCE), who had already begun uniting city-states in Mesopotamia under one rule. Sargon continued this process, conquering much of the area between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea and exploring new lands. He centered his rule in the city of Akkad (or Agade), which lent its name to the empire and people, though its precise location north and west of Sumer has been lost. The Akkadian Empire built by Sargon lasted until nearly 2150 BCE and provided the political and social stability that allowed culture to thrive, bringing great advances in the arts, science, religion, and social organization. During that time, the empire was primarily ruled by five kings: Sargon, Rimush, Maništušu, Naram-Sin, and Šar-kali-šarri. (Additional kings are recorded, but their rule has been contested.)

It was during the reign of Šar-kali-šarri (2217–2193 BCE) that this document was likely written. By this time, the Akkadian Empire had already begun to suffer under the invasion of a people known as Gutians, along with other ongoing wars. Shar-Kali-Sharri's rule was consumed with trying to hold together what remained of his empire and trying to retake conquered lands. Both efforts largely failed. The Gutians gained and kept control of historic Sumer and made inroads west into Akkad. Meanwhile, other city-states took advantage of the king's distraction with the Gutians to separate from Akkadian rule and reestablish home rule. By the time of Shar-Kali-Sharri's death, Akkad had descended into chaos. The resultant power struggle over succession and possible natural factors such as climate change only ensured the collapse of Akkad and the larger empire.

The Gutians tried but failed to sustain their rule over the region as well, and in time, the Sumerian city-state of Ur and its rulers exerted their power over a final era in Sumerian civilization before Akkad, Sumer, and the surrounding lands later became part of Babylonia and Assyria.

Document Information

The authorship of this document remains unknown. However, it is clearly written by an adult male and intended for his son. It appears that the author belonged to a privileged class in the Akkadian social hierarchy, as he makes reference to both slaves and rulers as other groups. He is likely a typical citizen who follows the religious and social norms of the dominant culture.

Ancient Akkadians used the earlier Sumerian form of writing known as cuneiform. Though cuneiform first comprised pictographs, it evolved to use wedge-shaped symbols that represented syllables of spoken language. With the consolidation of the Akkadian Empire, the ancient Sumerian and ancient Akkadian languages influenced each other.

Cuneiform writings were mainly recorded in clay tablets by use of a sharpened reed called a stylus. As in many ancient civilizations, written language remained the province of a special category of skilled professionals called scribes, most of whom were men. The fact that the message in this document was written down suggests that the father was himself a scribe or held another privileged place in society that provided him (and possibly his son) exposure to writing. If the son could not read the letter himself, then he would have had to obtain the services of another scribe or professional to read it to him.

Document Analysis

The author focuses entirely on advising his son about how to function and live well within Akkadian society. His recommended actions include avoidance of conflict and ill deeds as well as adhering to what he sees as moral, right behavior in public and private life. Through this advice, he provides insight into the composition and prevailing attitudes of Akkadian culture.

The father first tells the son how to interact with other members of the community. His advice regarding public disputes hints at the well-developed legal system that was employed throughout the Akkadian Empire. He asserts that one should “not loiter where there is a dispute,” as witnessing such events can cause one to become involved in an ensuing lawsuit. If one is directly involved in a dispute, the advice is to “calm it down,” as making enemies will cause further trouble; it is important to uphold the justice system for all. This ethical code of treating even enemies fairly, which would be repeated in many later cultures, reveals how important law and social order is in Akkad.

The author also provides religious context for proper behavior, telling his son that the gods favor those who treat others with honor. This includes sharing food and beer and helping others as needed, suggesting that Akkadians place significant value on charity and cooperation. The father calls for his son to worship daily, not only with incense but by committing to make sacrifices and speaking piously as well. Again, this reinforces the central role of religion in society. The father believes that if one follows the proper rituals, “your prayer will be granted.” He makes numerous references to Shamash—the sun god and a major deity in the Akkadian pantheon. He also refers to “your god,” which may mean the patron deity of the city-state or perhaps a more personal deity. In any case, Akkadians' personal and civic ethic is closely tied to their belief in divine judgment.

The proper way to run a household is another important point for the author, revealing that family life is another key aspect of Akkadian society. The multilayered social hierarchy again comes into play in the father's advice about what type of woman to marry—or rather what type not to marry—which also shows that marriage and the dynamics between men and women were recognized in Akkad and had a significant effect on social standing. He warns against relations with slave girls that give them too much power: “The household which a slave girl rules, she disrupts.” Similarly, he advises against marrying a prostitute or a priestess, suggesting that they have loyalties to other men and, therefore, cannot be fully trusted: “When you have trouble, she will not support you.… There is no reverence or submissiveness in her.” This provides insight into women's roles in society and also suggests that under the right circumstances, a woman may (for better or for worse, in the author's view) wield considerable power within a household.

The author discusses how his son should act if he is chosen as the servant of a ruler. This passage further supports the suggestion that the author comes from a privileged social position, and the mention that the son could potentially be given access to the ruler's seal implies that father and son are scribes or another type of educated professional. The author warns his son that, should he come into the orbit of the ruler's great power and wealth, he should “not covet any of that,” or act dishonestly, as he would soon be caught. This advice is another example of the author's ethical code and also displays loyalty to the prevailing power structure as an honest servant to the ruling class.

Bibliography and Additional Reading

Bauer, Susan Wise. The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome. London: Norton, 2007. Print.

King, Leonard. A History of Sumer and Akkad. New York: Greenwood, 1968. Print.

Leick, Gwendolyn. The A to Z of Mesopotamia. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2010. Print.

Tetlow, Elisabeth Meier. Women, Crime and Punishment in Ancient Law and Society: The Ancient Near East. New York: Continuum, 2004. Print.

Van de Mieroop, Marc. A History of the Ancient Near East. 2nd ed. Malden: Blackwell, 2012. Print.