Berossus

Berossus ( Akkadian Bêl - re'ušunu; rare Berosus, Berossus Latinized ) was a 4th in the late / early 3rd century BC Babylonian priest of the living God Bel -Marduk. He is best known as the author of a historical work in Greek language and as the founder of Hellenistic astrology.

Life and work

In the research world on the exact life data of Berossus is no consensus. Berossus was in his own words a contemporary of Alexander the Great and was probably born in 330-323 BC. However, some researchers assume a Birth about 340 BC and interpret his other life circumstances differ, for example in terms of his astronomical interests. He was in any case a priest of the god Bel -Marduk ( Bel was a during this time that have become common name of this god ) and was probably head of Esagila Temple. Berossus published probably around 290 BC a " Babylonian history" ( presumably the title Babyloniaka wore) in the Greek language. The work was dedicated to the Seleucid Antiochus I (then I, later king himself co-regent of his father Seleucus ) and divided into three books. Covers the story was from the "Primeval " to the death of Alexander.

From the factory are only fragments obtained ( The fragments of Greek historians No. 680); it was used, among others, Alexander polymath ( which in turn is quoted in the Armenian version of the Chronicle of Eusebius ), Josephus, Abydenos and Juba.

A special feature of this chronicle was the combination of Mesopotamian and Greek tradition to legitimize the Seleucid. Book 1 is devoted to the geography of Babylonia, which Berossus is oriented to the Hellenistic ethnography, the cosmogony and the fish people (synonym for Weiser ) Oannes as a bearer of culture. Book 2 deals with 10 antediluvian kings, depicts flood reports (after the Babylonian tradition inherited from Uruk ), as well as the post-Flood dynasties and the ways to Nabu - nasir in the 8th century BC. Book 3 finally describes the Assyrian domination ( according to Babylonian tradition only from the Babylonian point of view ) Tiglath- pileser III since. , whose decline, the time of the Chaldean Nebuchadnezzar II, the Persian rule until the Greek conquest.

Berossus seems to be at his presentation on original documents and local traditions to have supported, which he considers a whole is quite reliable. His historical work is supported in many statements both today's findings of archeological nature and the ancient cuneiform texts. It applies to the Mesopotamian history and culture as more credible than Herodotus.

Around 300 BC Berossus settled on the island of Kos, where he founded the first school of Astrology Hellenistic world. He gained a great reputation as an astrologer and is regarded as the founder of Greek astrology. Of his astrological teachings only fragments have survived.

The lunar crater Berosus is named after him.

Editions and translations

• Fragments of the Greek Historians ( FGrHist ) # 680 (original text ).
• Stanley Mayer Burstein: The Babyloniaca of Berossus. 2nd edition Malibu / Calif. In 1980.
• Gerald P. Verbrugghe, John M. Wickersham: Berossus and Manetho, Introduced and translated. Native traditions in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. Ann Arbor 1996 ( reprint 2000).