s. An important factor
which thus served to maintain the rites in a more or less stable condition
was the predominance of what may be called the astral theology as the
theoretical substratum of the Babylonian religion, and which is equally
pronounced in the religious system of Assyria. The essential feature of
this astral theology is the assumption of a close link between the
movements going on in the heavens and occurrences on earth, which led to
identifying the gods and goddesses with heavenly bodies--planets and stars,
besides sun and moon--and to assigning the seats of all the deities in the
heavens. The personification of the two great luminaries--the sun and the
moon--was the first step in the unfolding of this system, and this was
followed by placing the other deities where Shamash and Sin had their
seats. This process, which reached its culmination in the post-Khammurabic
period, led to identifying the planet Jupiter with Marduk, Venus with
Ishtar, Mars with Nergal, Mercury with Nebo, and Saturn with Ninib. The
system represents a harmonious combination of two factors, one of popular
origin, the other the outcome of speculation in the schools attached to the
temples of Babylonia. The popular factor is the belief in the influence
exerted by the movements of the heavenly bodies on occurrences on earth--a
belief naturally suggested by the dependence of life, vegetation and
guidance upon the two great luminaries. Starting with this belief the
priests built up the theory of the close correspondence between occurrences
on earth and phenomena in the heavens. The heavens presenting a constant
change even to the superficial observer, the conclusion was drawn of a
connexion between the changes and the ever-changing movement in the fate of
individuals and of nature as well as in the appearance of nature.

To read the signs of the heavens was therefore to understand the meaning of
occurrences on earth, and with this accomplished it was also possible to
foretell what events were portended by the position and relationship to one
another of sun, moon, planets and certain stars. Myths that symbolized
changes in season or occurrences in nature were projected on the heavens,
which were mapped out to correspond to the divisions of the earth. All the
gods, great and small, had their places assigned to them in the heavens,
and facts, including such as fell within the domain of political history,
were interpreted in terms of astral the