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Babylonian Creation Myth Trivia Quiz

Everyone knows a little bit about Greek, Roman and Norse mythology. Let's see how much you know about Babylonian. This quiz takes a look at the Babylonian Creation Myth and how heaven and earth were created.

A multiple-choice quiz by TiamatDorgany. Estimated time: 8 mins.

Author
TiamatDorgany

Time
8 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
58,734

Updated
Aug 26 22

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
10 / 20

Plays
838

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. What is the name of the Babylonian Creation Myth?

Answer: (Two Words -- In the language that it was written (that is, not English))

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Question 2 of 20

2. What does the name of the Babylonian creation myth translate to in English? Hint

The Creation

In The Beginning

When On High

Before Earth

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Question 3 of 20

3. There were two beings alive in the beginning of the Babylonian myth and who are often said to be the mother and father of the gods; Tiamat is one of them. Who is the other? Hint

Apsu

Marduk

Kingu

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Question 4 of 20

4. Tiamat is often associated with chaos and thought to be a dragon-like creature. What is she really the personification of in the Babylonian Creation Myth? Hint

Fresh Water Lakes and Streams

Salt Water Oceans

Sky

Earth

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Question 5 of 20

5. The father of the gods, Tiamat's husband, wants to kill his children for what reason? Hint

He's afraid they will try to overthrow him

He's just your average bad guy who wants to cause death and destruction

They become more powerful than he and he becomes jealous

He cannot sleep because they make too much noise

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Question 6 of 20

6. Who found out about this plan and was able to kill Tiamat's husband before he could cause any damage to the gods? This is not the same god who killed Tiamat. Hint

Ishtar

Marduk

Kingu

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Question 7 of 20

7. Who persuaded Tiamat to wage war on the gods for the death of her husband? She later made him the general of her army and gave him the Tablets of Destiny. Hint

Marduk

Mummu

Ishtar

Kingu

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Question 8 of 20

8. Tiamat created a vast army to wage war against the gods. Which of the following creatures was NOT part of this army? Hint

A Rabid Dog

A Fierce Raven

A Scorpion Man

A Horned Serpent

9. When the gods found out about Tiamat and her army of monsters, they became quite frightened. They knew they wouldn't be able to defeat her, so they chose a champion to challenge her. Who was the champion of the gods? Hint

Ishtar

Mummu

Marduk

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Question 10 of 20

10. The champion set off to face Tiamat with all except which of these as his weapons? Hint

A great sword

A bow and arrow

The four winds

A net

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Question 11 of 20

11. How did the champion slay Tiamat? Hint

He chopped off her head with his great sword

He shot an arrow into her stomach and split her heart in two

He drove the fierce winds down her throat

He poisoned her with her husband's blood

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Question 12 of 20

12. What happened to Tiamat's general, the one who persuaded her to wage war on the gods in the first place, after the battle? Hint

He became a slave of the gods

The Champion forgave him and he lived on with the gods

He became a mortal human

The Champion killed him

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Question 13 of 20

13. What was used to create mankind? Hint

Kingu's blood

Tiamat's tears

Marduk's blood

Marduk's tears

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Question 14 of 20

14. What did The Champion do with Tiamat's eyes and tears? Hint

Created mankind

Created clouds and rain

Created the oceans and seas of Earth

Created the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

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Question 15 of 20

15. What was the purpose of mankind, according to The Champion? Hint

To inhabit the beautiful world that he created

To be the slaves of the gods

To prove to the other gods that they are far superior over these mere mortals

To demonstrate to the other gods the extent of his power

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Question 16 of 20

16. What title did the gods give The Champion after his victory over Tiamat?

Answer: (One Word -- three letters, the most common title)

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Question 17 of 20

17. What does the title given to Tiamat translate to in English? Hint

God

King

Lord

Master

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Question 18 of 20

18. The title given to The Champion mentioned above is one of many he receives. How many titles total does he receive for defeating Tiamat? Hint

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Question 19 of 20

19. How does The Champion finally create heaven and earth? Hint

He fashions them using the two halves of Tiamat's body

He combines his powers with those of the other gods

He claps his hands together and cries, 'Let there be heaven and earth!'

The Champion didn't create heaven or earth; Tiamat created them before she was killed

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Question 20 of 20

20. The Babylonian Creation Myth was written on a series of stone tablets. How many tablets were there total?

Answer: (One Word -- Word or numeral)

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the name of the Babylonian Creation Myth?

Answer: Enuma Elish

Enuma Elish, the Babylonian Creation Myth.

2. What does the name of the Babylonian creation myth translate to in English?

Answer: When On High

Enuma Elish means 'When On High' or 'When Above'.

3. There were two beings alive in the beginning of the Babylonian myth and who are often said to be the mother and father of the gods; Tiamat is one of them. Who is the other?

Answer: Apsu

Tiamat and Apsu were the first creatures, the personifications of salt and fresh waters, before heaven and earth were created, and when their waters mixed, the first gods were born.

4. Tiamat is often associated with chaos and thought to be a dragon-like creature. What is she really the personification of in the Babylonian Creation Myth?

Answer: Salt Water Oceans

Apsu was fresh water; Marduk was Sky; Tiamat's body later becomes Earth.

5. The father of the gods, Tiamat's husband, wants to kill his children for what reason?

Answer: He cannot sleep because they make too much noise

Tiamat and Apsu's children, the gods, caused such a clamor that Apsu couldn't sleep or rest, so he plotted to kill them.

6. Who found out about this plan and was able to kill Tiamat's husband before he could cause any damage to the gods? This is not the same god who killed Tiamat.

Answer: Ea

Ea killed Apsu when he found out Apsu's plan to kill the gods.

7. Who persuaded Tiamat to wage war on the gods for the death of her husband? She later made him the general of her army and gave him the Tablets of Destiny.

Answer: Kingu

Kingu, sometimes spelled Qingu, told Tiamat that she couldn't sit idly after the gods killed her husband. She gave him the Tablets of Destiny and command of her army.

8. Tiamat created a vast army to wage war against the gods. Which of the following creatures was NOT part of this army?

Answer: A Fierce Raven

Tiamat created eleven or so monsters to form her arm, including a rabid dog, a scorpion man, a horned serpent, a ugallu demon, a lion, a shark, a viper, dragons of different varieties and other 'nameless ones'. Some variations state different monsters, but a raven has never been included in any that I've seen (and I've seen a lot of different variations).

Answer: Marduk

Marduk was Ea's son and later became lord of the gods.

10. The champion set off to face Tiamat with all except which of these as his weapons?

Answer: A great sword

Marduk used the net to slow her down, drove the winds down into her stomach so she couldn't close her mouth, and shot an arrow into her heart to kill her.

11. How did the champion slay Tiamat?

Answer: He shot an arrow into her stomach and split her heart in two

Marduk didn't use a sword, so he didn't chop off her head with it, at least not to kill her; Apsu's blood was never used for anything; he DID drive the winds down her throat to keep her mouth open, but that wasn't what killed her. While her mouth was open, he shot the arrow into her stomach and split her heart in half.

12. What happened to Tiamat's general, the one who persuaded her to wage war on the gods in the first place, after the battle?

Answer: The Champion killed him

Marduk found out from Tiamat's vast army, who fled when they saw him coming to do battle, that it was Kingu who had persuaded Tiamat to wage war on her children.

13. What was used to create mankind?

Answer: Kingu's blood

It is sometimes said that Tiamat's blood is used, but I've seen it more often that Marduk used Kingu's to create humans.

14. What did The Champion do with Tiamat's eyes and tears?

Answer: Created the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers were very important to the Babylonians, so of course they had to mention where they came from in their creation myth.

15. What was the purpose of mankind, according to The Champion?

Answer: To be the slaves of the gods

Marduk created humans to be his slaves. Charming, isn't he?

16. What title did the gods give The Champion after his victory over Tiamat?

Answer: Bel

Marduk's father Ea dubbed him Bel or Bel Matati.

17. What does the title given to Tiamat translate to in English?

Answer: Lord

'Bel' means 'Lord'; 'Bel Matati' translates to 'Lord of the World' or 'Lord of the Universe'.

18. The title given to The Champion mentioned above is one of many he receives. How many titles total does he receive for defeating Tiamat?

Answer: 50

Yup, that's right, Marduk has 50 titles to show his greatness. He's a bit full of himself, if you ask me.

19. How does The Champion finally create heaven and earth?

Answer: He fashions them using the two halves of Tiamat's body

Many parts of Marduk's adversary's bodies were used to create something or another.

20. The Babylonian Creation Myth was written on a series of stone tablets. How many tablets were there total?

Answer: 7

The Seven Tablets of Creation on which Enuma Elish is written.

Source: Author TiamatDorgany

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
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