Dragons of Fame

Bel, Nebuchadnezzar's Dragon

History: As the Book of Bel and the Dragon says, Nebuchadnezzar, a ruler, kept a dragon in the temple of the god Bel. The dragon was worshipped there. Daniel, the Hebrew prophet, began denouncing idols, and Nebuchadnezzar told him of the dragon. The ruler argued that the dragon was real and that, since the dragon was real, Daniel must worship the dragon.

Sadly for the dragon, Daniel killed it. He then asked the people why the worshipped such a being. Never the less, the way the dragon is described, like a wurm or a drake, makes it sound very, very real.¹

Symbolism: To Jews, the dragon was a symbol of an idol which was destroyed by Yahweh through Daniel. On the other hand, one may look at this dragon and see the dying of the "old ways" of Babylon.

Physical Description: Babylonian dragons are described with long, slender bodies and tails that are covered in scales. Their heads are serpent-liked, and they have a forked tounge. Around their heads, there are flaps of skin, and they have horns on top of their heads.¹

1. Mushhushshu (Sirrush): The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate

For more information about footnotes and references, please see the bibliography.