Descendant of Chus, represented as the founder of the Babylonian Empire (Genesis 10) and "a mighty hunter before the Lord," identified by some as Gilgamesh, the hero of the Babylonian epic. He reigned over Arach, Babylon, Achad, and Chalanne, and is described as builder of Ninive. From the supposed root of his name (Hebrew: marad, he revolted), he has been credited with having instigated the building of the Tower of Babel and as being the author of Babylonian idolatry.