Chapter seven of Rituals of War discusses the use of omens by the Assyrians as a way of predicting the future and justifying military conflicts. Bahrani discusses the “queries” of the diviners asked to the gods directly, most of them being extremely specific questions. Analysis of animal bodies, especially livers, was also an important indicator for the Assyrians of what is to come in the future. I think these practices of trying to predict the future are a general reflection of human nature that can still be seen in modern society. In many ways, the Mesopotamian religions are comparable to modern science. In both cases, people are trying to get answers to what is currently unknown to them. Our environmental scientists analyze sea levels and atmospheric conditions, to predict future increases of global temperature, while ancient people analyzed animal livers and other omens to predict answers to questions that were important to them. Both societies saw their results as evidence and justification for certain ideologies. The Assyrians use of the color of filaments in the livers to justify wars that killed hundreds of people makes me think about how people consider “factual” evidence in making important decisions. I think when people look back at the leaders of today’s society and the things they based their decisions off of, they may find that some justifications were equally as irrational as the liver analysis we are now reading about and reflecting on.
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