The Epic of Gilgamesh gives a lot of insight to what was happening and what was expected in ancient Mesopotamia. The epic poem which revolves around a king, includes many details in to the civilization, beliefs, and values of the Mesopotamians. The king thrives to be remembered and many of his actions reflect that.
The Epic of Gilgamesh show how an ideal heroic king should be in ancient Mesopotamia. The first thing it shows us is that hero kings should be strong. They must be strong because they fight in battles and wars. The next thing it shows is hero kings should take care of the people, protect them and provide for them. During this time, many wars and battles are taking place, the people need to be reassured that the king is capable to protect them and provide for them. The king is expected to be father like to the people he is ruling over. He need to be reasonable and trustworthy. The Epic of Gilgamesh also explains to be a hero king, the king must do something worthy of being remembered, to have a statue built after they die. In the epic it is told that everyone dies and they all go to the same place with all people being equal. So, it is important for a king to be remembered on Earth, so their legacy is not forgotten.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is the hero king and many
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He built the city of Uruk and there they value music, food, and dancing. He also built the temple and the walls. This shows his connection to the divine and protection he offered the Mesopotamians in Uruk. When Enkidu is created he represents nature. He is illustrated as beastlike and untamed. Together, they balance out the tamed and untamed worlds and with Enkidu’s help Gilgamesh becomes a hero king. Together they go on to defeat Huwawa, the monster in the cedar forest, they defeat the bull of heaven sent from Ishtar, and at the end Gilgamesh is shown to represent a real hero king due to the friendship of