The aim of this article is to clarify the peculiarity of Šulgi hymns by focusing on "familial relationships" between gods and the king and to probe his intention of expanding the divine family to praise himself.
Although Sumerian royal hymns had been created for as long as 400 years, from Ur III to Old Babylonian period (ca. 2100-1700 B.C.), there are not many texts referring to gods as a kings "parents" or "siblings" except those of early Ur III period. In the reign of Šulgi, the second ruler of Ur III dynasty, a variety of divine "familial relationships" was described in the royal hymns to show off intimacy between the king and his divine family members. These descriptions were not much or at all found in the royal hymns after Šulgi's reign. It is noteworthy that there is clear difference between Šulgi hymns and those of his successors in the viewpoint of "familial relationships" between gods and kings.
In advance of Šulgi, his (mortal) father and predecessor Urnamma had referred in the first place to his divine "mother," goddess Ninsumun and his divine "brother," Gilgameš. In addition to the relationships with these two gods, Šulgi claimed that Lugalbanda was his "father," Utu his "brother and friend" and Geštinanna his "sister."
Comparing the hymns of two kings in detail, it can clearly be seen that Šulgi emphasized the "familial relationships" in various scenes and contexts while Urnamma only used them as fixed phrases of the king's epithets. The fact indicates that Šulgi intended to display not only an abstract concept of his divine origin but also more concrete images of his belonging to the family circle of gods in order to popularize his divine nature.
