It Is Time We Stop Sexualizing Sargon, Emperor of the Akkadian Empire and First Unifier of the Mesopotamian City-State

Uruk — Seriously: The Sargon thirst has gone too far.

We get it. Really, we do. Sargon was a prolific conqueror, uniting the major city-states of Mesopotamia under one banner to create the first empire in human history. His bravery and vitality won him the favor of Ishtar, and it can hardly be denied that Ilaba himself was honored to be called forth as Sargon’s personal deity. Yes, Sargon’s strong frame and stately manicuring have made him an enduring paragon of sensual passion and masculine beauty. He is truly the most enviable of all Mesopotamian dictators.

But here’s the bottom line: Sargon the Great has long retreated from public life, and our sexual interest in the ruler of Akkad does not negate his right to privacy.

Privacy concerns aside, experts are ringing the alarm bell that the growing problem of sexualizing Sargon the Great could have a harrowing impact on a fragile generation of young men. Brent Deusen, Professor of Ancient Mesopotamian History at Yale University, says that the sexualization of Sargon could worsen existing body image issues in that demographic in particular:

“The objectification of Sargon is a troubling phenomenon researchers are observing on major social media sites. My concern is that these “Sargon edits” could lead to the development of a host of unhealthy beauty standards for young men. Of course, Sargon’s virile beard flows with the elegance of the mighty Euphrates when bathed in the brilliant light of Shamash. This is undeniable. However, this standard is impossible for modern men, many of whom have not yet conquered even one city-state, to achieve.”

There’s little evidence that America’s Sargon obsession is going anywhere soon, though. Last month, #SexySargon trended on TikTok for 28 consecutive days. Social media influencer Jessica_unhinged defended her collection of 276 edits of an AI-enhanced Sargon dancing to BTS songs.

“He was the son of a temple Goddess! She couldn’t reveal his birth, so she laid him inside of a reed basket to float along the Euphrates until he was rescued by an irrigation worker named Akki. I don’t understand why people are so surprised that women want him. Have you even seen a map of the city-states he conquered? And the beard. Ugh. I just edited him into Girls/Girls/Boys by Panic! At the Disco. Wanna see?”

Even apart from the increasingly damaging social media trends, America must let Sargon retreat from public life. His beauty is both undeniable and divine, and his 3,650 consecutive “History.com’s Sexiest Man Alive (Deceased)” titles will ensure that humanity’s most charming and virile emperor will never fade from history.

The post It Is Time We Stop Sexualizing Sargon, Emperor of the Akkadian Empire and First Unifier of the Mesopotamian City-State appeared first on HARDTIMES.