Why is Gilgamesh a hero?

As per the Sumerian list of kings, Gilgamesh was the fifth king for the country of Uruk.  The Mesopotamian literary section comprises a work with the epic name of Gilgamesh.  In this book, Gilgamesh was the son of Lugalbanda and Ninsun. His mother Ninsun was otherwise called  Rimat-Ninsun. The mother of Gilgamesh is portrayed as a goddess. Therefore, Gilgamesh is considered to be a form of demigod and is expected to have extraordinary strength. Gilgamesh was observed as a mighty king compared to other living kings. Gilgamesh was also found to have created a big wall in the city to save his people from outside attacks. To protect his people, he also traveled a long distance to meet a popular and sacred sage called as Utnapishtim. This sage was known to have holy powers.

Gilgamesh was considered a hero because he decided that he had to go out of the country to achieve something and then come back. He thought that he must gain knowledge and use it for the welfare of his people. He could be considered a hero as he was in search of the flower that would provide eternal life to humans. In the entire epic, he was portrayed as a leader and a warrior. He was looked upon as a capable leader who could encourage the army with his words. His ability to be a leader was incredible,  and he was known to have led the tribal people fearlessly into battle to defeat the enemy. The tribal army of Gilgamesh was always active and courageous. They were ready at every moment to fight for their leader as they knew that their leader would not disregard them. Gilgamesh has shown his strength in fighting against the beast called Humbaba. He was able to destroy the beast and get back  home safely. He inspired Ishtar with his skills in fighting. He fought against the bull to save his people. Therefore, Gilgamesh in this epic is considered a hero.