A THEOCRATIC APPROACH TO GOVER-NANCE IN ANCIENT TIMES: ASSYRIANS

The organized belief systems, temple structures, and religion-state relations that emerged with the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia began to undergo Semiticization with the dominance of Semitic societies in the region. Sumerian cultural elements, which underwent Semiticization during the Old Babylonian period, assumed an Assyrian character with the rise of the Assyrian State in the Ancient Near East and its evolution into an imperial structure. The Assyrian society, known for its religious orientation, operated on a religion -based understanding of state organization and the formulation of state policies. It was believed that divine requests and orders influenced various situations, such as kings' legitimacy, heirs' determination, and decisions regarding wars and peace. The land was perceived as belonging to the gods, and the kings were seen as representatives of the gods on earth. This study aims to uncover the theocratic aspects of Assyrian state administration based on information gleaned from cuneiform sources and modern literature.