The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Edited by Rob Simone

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic story from Babylonia and is among the earliest known literary works.

Scholars surmise that a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the mythological hero-king Gilgamesh, thought to be a ruler in the 3rd millennium BC, were gathered into a longer Akkadian poem.

The essential story revolves around the relationship between Gilgamesh, a king who has become distracted and disheartened by his rule, and a friend, Enkidu, who is half-wild and who undertakes dangerous quests with Gilgamesh.

This story is often credited by historians as being one of the first literary work with high emphasis on immortality.