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archaeologist in Iraq have unearth duplicate temples built on top of each other . The newer , Hellenistic temple date to the quaternary century B.C. and may have a connection toAlexander the Great .
The tabernacle turn back a fired brick with an Aramaic and Greek dedication that references " the presenter of two brothers " — a possible computer address to the Macedonian king , who inhibit much of the known humanity during his 13 - year - reign from 336 B.C. to 323 B.C.
A replica of the Hellenistic Temple at Girsu dedicated to Hercules and Ningirsu that has a link to Alexander the Great.
Archaeologists from the British Museum in London discovered the older synagogue whileconducting excavations at Girsu , aSumeriancity now known as Tello in southeastern Iraq . The excavations are part of an ongoing speculation deal by the museum known as The Girsu Project that focuses on learning more about the urban center ’s celebrated history .
remainder of the older , Sumerian temple were determine eat up " on the exact same spot " as the unexampled construction , which was dedicate to the " Greek god Hercules and his Sumerian equivalent weight , the hero god Ningirsu [ also known as Ninurta],“Sebastien Rey , an archaeologist and conservator of Ancient Mesopotamia at the British Museum who top the dig , secernate Live Science in an electronic mail .
The fact that a temple was raised on the same website where one stand up 1,500 years earlier was no concurrence , and the site must have halt some significance to the people ofMesopotamia , the researchers said .
A brick containing an inscription with the name Adadnadinakhe.
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" It demonstrate that the inhabitants of Babylonia in the [ 4th ] century B.C. had a vast knowledge of their history , " Rey allege . " The bequest of the Sumerians was still very vibrant . "
While exploring the dual tabernacle site , archaeologists discovered a atomic number 47 drachm ( an ancient Hellenic coin ) buried beneath an communion table or shrine , as well as a brick with the two brothers inscription .
" The inscription is very interesting because it mentions an enigmatic Babylonian name write in Greek and Aramaic , " Rey read . " The name ' Adadnadinakhe , ' which means ' Adad , the giver of brothers , ' was distinctly chosen as a ceremonial title on account of its archaizing flavor and symbolical connotations . All the evidence points to the fact that the name was extraordinarily uncommon . "
The lettering itself is a nod to Zeus , the Hellenic sky god , who is often symbolize by a lightning bolt of lightning and an bird of Jove . Both of these symbols can be ascertain on the coin , which would ’ve been struck inBabylon"under Alexander the Great ’s dominance , " Rey said . " It shows Hercules in a youthful , clean - shaven portraiture that powerfully return conventional representations of Alexander on one side , with Zeus on the other . "
Zeus also " famously acknowledged Alexander as his son through the way of the Ammon oracle , ” Rey said . " He became quite literally the ' giver of brothers ' because he affirmed a fraternal bond between Alexander and Heracles . "
However , researchers do n’t yet know whether the Macedonian king in reality visited the site .
" But he might have had the chance to go there , either during his stay in Babylon , or by lease a detour on the way to [ the metropolis of ] Susa , " he order . " importantly , he was able-bodied to pay his soldier after taking Babylon because the city ’s coffers were give up to him . This mean that Alexander and his superior general had controller of the region ’s wealth , and they presumptively used Babylonian silver to coin the many coins that were hit in the metropolis . "
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In add-on to the artifacts , research worker also establish offer unremarkably sacrifice after a struggle , including the Great Compromiser figurines of soldiers .
" The recovered figurines , which originated in a ambit of berth in the Hellenistic world , must in many instance have been expect to the temple by visitors , " he say . " Among these are the Macedonian riders on horseback , which have impregnable associations with Alexander . However , they could also be associated with a cult of warlike heroism .
" unite with the clear sign of an Alexandrian presence in the shrine , this provoke the challenging possibility that Alexander was directly and actively instrumental in [ the temple ’s ] re - organisation , and ( or ) that it came to let in a commemoration to the take leave Macedonian after his early end , " Rey concluded .
