The arrival of spring was celebrated lavishly in Assyria and Babylonia for 12 days in what is documented as the Akitu (Sumerian A-ki-ti) Festival or New Year Festival. For fallow lands, the Spring Equinox marked the important phases of washing the land to remove impurities such as excess of salinity, as well as to ensure the appropriate softening up the soil. For cultivated fields, the Spring Equinox marked the beginning of harvest.

The festival - more a conglomerate of festivities - was in two locations in Babylon:

• The temple of the supreme god Marduk ~ the Esagila
• And the 'house of the New year' which was situated north of the city.

The two gods who were in the center of the festival were the crown prince, Nabû, and his father, the supreme god Marduk, who in the first millenium BCE was usually called 'Bêl', Lord, because his real name was considered too holy to be pronounced.

During the 12 days of festivities, the creation epic of Enûma eliš was recited, people sang all kinds of hymns and songs. Statues were cleaned and dressed. There were parades and feasting. And the king made sacrifices and the spoils of war were presented to the gods.

The highlight of Akitu was the Akitu Procession, which commemorated the god leaving his temporary residence and entering his new permanent residence in his chosen city for the very first time. The inner meaning of the festival was a celebration of the time the god had chosen that specific place as his city, to guard and protect from that moment until the end of time.