Ancient Semitic religion encompasses the polytheistic religions of the Semitic peoples from the ancient Near East and Northeast Africa. Since the term Semitic itself represents a rough category when referring to cultures, as opposed to languages, the definitive bounds of the term "ancient Semitic religion" are only approximate. Semitic traditions and their pantheons fall into regional categories: Canaanite religions of the Levant including among them the polytheistic ancient Hebrew religion of the Israelites; the Sumerian–inspired Babylonian religion of Mesopotamia; the religion of Carthage; and Arabian polytheism. Semitic polytheism possibly transitioned into Abrahamic monotheism by way of the god El, whose name "El" אל, or elohim אֱלֹהִים‎ is a word for "god" in Hebrew, cognate to Arabic ʼilāh إله, which means god. Akkad, Assyria and Babylonia When the five planets visible to the naked eye were identified, they were associated with the sun and moon and connected with the chief gods of the Babylonian pantheon. A bilingual list in the British Museum arranges the sevenfold planetary group in the following order: Sin (the Moon) Shamash (the Sun) Marduk (Jupiter) Ishtar (Venus) Ninurta (Saturn) Nabu (Mercury) Nergal (Mars) The religion of the Assyrian Empire (sometimes called Ashurism) centered on Ashur, patron deity of the city of Assur, and Ishtar, patroness of Nineveh. The last positively recorded worship of Ashur and other Assyrian gods dates back to the 3rd century AD. Ashur, the patron deity of the eponymous capital from the Late Bronze Age, was in constant rivalry with Marduk, the patron deity of Babylon. In Assyria, Ashur eventually superseded Marduk, even becoming the husband of Ishtar. The major Assyro-Babylonian and Akkadian gods were: Ashur/(Anshar) ()], patron of Assur Ishtar, (Astarte) (), goddess of love and war and patroness of Nineveh Nabu (): god of writing and scribes Nergal (): god of the Underworld Tiamat: sea goddess Samnuha Kubaba Marduk () Enlil Ninlil Nisroch Hanbi: father of Pazuzu Anu, supreme divinity of the Heavens Ea, Sumerian Enki: god of crafts Kishar Sin / Suen, Sumerian Nanna (): moon god Ishara Shamash (): sun god Adad/Hadad Dagan/Dagon Bel () Tammuz () Major Assyro-Babylonian demons and heroes were: Adapa (Oannes) Gilgamesh () Lugalbanda Lilitu () Pazuzu Ninurta Canaan The Canaanite religion was practiced by people living in the ancient Levant throughout the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Until the excavation (1928 onwards) of the city of Ras Shamra (also known as Ugarit) in Northern Syria