Marzēaḥ

[4][5] In the abgads of the Northwest Semitic languages – Ugaritic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Punic, Palmyrene, Nabataean and Official Aramaic – the marzēaḥ is spelled mrzḥ.

The earliest known appearance of the marzēaḥ is at the ancient Syrian city Ebla,[4] written mar-za-u9, in a text that records a sheep brought to what seems to be a feast.

[15] Among the Ugaritic poems, one text[16] deals with El sacrifices his hunting haul, and invites other deities to the feast while encouraging them to drink and become intoxicated.

[18] El gets drunk in his grief in a text[19] from Baʿal Cycle as well, but the tablet is very damaged and no new information about the marzēaḥ can be learned from it.

The Rapiuma were called for their ability to contact the dead and see the future, and Anat attends the ceremony as well, and holds the hands of Danel (although she murdered his son Aqhat).

The Rapiuma, now described as ġzrm (heroes in war), are asked to bless the name of El, and sacrifice cattles, sheeps, rams, calves and kids (yound goats).

One fragmental text[27] mentions the LÚ.MEŠ ma-ar-zi-ḫi (the men of the marzēaḥ) in financial context;[28] Na'aman sees it as a contract, and restores GAL before the LÚ, which creates the phrase rab amēlūti marziḥi – "the chief of the marzēaḥ", which corresponds with Ugaritic title rb.

It is unclear whether the document was the contract establishing the marzēaḥ with the obligations and rights of the people involved, or a legal suit.

And in Book of Amos 6:3–7:Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David; That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

hšlš – "So told the gods to grʾ: for you is the marzēaḥ and the millstone and the house, and yšʿʾ shall be removed from owning them, and the king is a third party".

[54][55] A Phoenician inscription on a bronze phiale from the market, said to originate from Lebanon and dates to the 5th–3rd centuries BC, dedicates two cups to the marzēaḥ of šmš (the sun deity).

[56][57] Among the Athenian Greek-Phoenician inscriptions, one[58] is dedicated to the donation made by a member of the community for a religious institution "in day 4 of the marzēaḥ in year 14 of the people of Sidon".

[60][61] A Phoenician ostrakon from Idalion was inscribed tn lʿštrt wlmlqrt bmrzḥ ʾkl sp/r 1 – "Give Astarte and Melqart in the marzēaḥ food: one sp or sr".

It seems that the authorities provided the food for the ceremony, but the role of the gods is unclear, as well as whether the marzēaḥ was held in Idalion or Kition, which was the capital city and the cult of Astarte and Melqart in it is well known.

She bases her proposal on the focus on ancestor spirits in some Ugaritic texts, and the singing of ancestors tales in the syssitia; the resemblance between Phoenician ivory furniture plaques (which, according to Amos, may have functioned in the marzēaḥ) and the iconography in Cretan building which was used for feasts; the mentioning of the syssitia in both Laconian and Carthaginian constitutions in Aristotle's translation (who refers to the Cretan constitution as similar to the two others), suggesting the original Phoenician term in the Carthaginian constitution was marzēaḥ.

[63] In an Aramaic ostrakon from Elephantine papyri and ostraka, the head of the gravers association asks the addressee to pay his share in the marzēaḥ.

[53] The completion of a large agricultural project in Avdat in the time of Rabbel II Soter was celebrated in mrzḥ ʾlhʾ – a banquet holiday for Dushara.

[65] In other inscriptions the marzēaḥ is mentioned in the context of mourning, burial and donations to the financing of the marzēaḥ, and the names of the priests and the worshiped god are sometimes recorded;[61] for example: dkyrw ʿbydw bn [...] wḥbrwh mrzḥ ʿbdt ʾlhʾ – "Remembered are ʿbydw son of [...] and his friends.

[68][67] Another inscription, dates to Nisan 118 AD, engraved on a statue of Zebida by his daughter and another man for his "leadership of the marzēaḥ of the priests of Bel" (rbnwt mrzḥwth dy kmry bl).