Behold Sargon

Abstract

This chapter examines the Neo-Babylonian king Nabonidus’ discovery and restoration of an image of the Akkadian king Sargon. Nabonidus’ responses to the ancient royal image highlight the contributions of images to ancient memories of the Akkadian kings. The chapter next previews the remainder of the book, beginning with chapter 2’s historical and theoretical foundations for an analysis of the Akkadian kings’ visual legacy. The following three chapters each address one category of Akkadian art that provided post-Akkadian rulers with a visual model of Akkadian kingship: steles, statues, and cylinder seals. Chapter 3 discusses the stele of Naram-Sin, which has often been regarded as a model for later victory monuments. Chapter 4 shifts to Akkadian royal statues, noting that they have garnered less attention than the stele of Naram-Sin because of their poor preservation. Chapter 5 examines the legacy of Akkadian cylinder seals that feature the mythological contest scene.