Herodotus on Egyptian animals

Herodotus is a bit of a dag.

"The hippopotamus is held sacred in the district of Papremis, but not elsewhere. This animal has four legs, cloven hoofs like an ox, a snub nose, a horse's mane and tail, conspicuous tusks, a voice like a horse's neigh, and is about the size of a very large ox. Its hide is so thick and tough that when dried it can be made into spear-shafts. Otters, too are found in the Nile; they, and the fish called lepidotus, and eels are all considered sacred to the Nile, as is also the bird known as the foxgoose. Another sacred bird is the phoenix; I have not seen a phoenix myself, except in paintings, for it is very rare and visits the country (so they say at Heliopolis) only at intervals of 500 years, on the occasion of the death of the parent-bird. To judge by the paintings, its plumage is partly golden, partly red, and in shape and size it is exactly like an eagle. There is a story about the phoenix which I do not find credible; it brings its parent in a lump of myrrh all the way from Arabia and buries the body in the temple of the Sun. To perform this feat, the bird first shapes some myrrh into a sort of egg as big as it finds, by testing, that it can carry; then it hollows the lump out, puts its father inside and smears some myrrh over the hole. The egg-shaped lump is then just of the same weight as it was originally. Finally it is carried by the bird to the temple of the Sun in Egypt. Such, at least, is the story."

Europe as it was?

Is this something what old Greece might have looked like? Reportedly, the countryside was thickly timbered before population increases led to deforestation. Cedars and pines crawled down to the water's edge, where you could see wild beasts (lions, bears, wolves) cool themselves by the water. Eagles perched on the tops of the tallest trees and gulls and cormorants foraged for fish and scraps. Dolphins and porpoises played in a trireme's wake, and dogs on board the ship barked at other dogs on shore.

If old novels are to be believed, forests like these hid ruthless bandits carrying heavy iron weapons. The secluded cove around the corner might have harboured pirate ships lying in wait for merchants or easy victims.

Dinner Parties

After dinner but before the party (symposion) began, a die was cast to decide who would be the 'King of the Feast'. He decided 1) what ratio water to wine should be mixed (usually 3:1), 2) what the rules of the party should be, and 3) what the penalties would be if rules were broken.

The wine was mixed in large pots (krateres).

Naked young slaves (male or female) filled cups with wine using ladles (kantharoi) and passed the cups around. First they gave everyone small goblets, then larger ones. Guests had to empty each glass in one go, drinking to the health of his right-hand neighbour.

The guests might watch:
jugglers (male or female)
rope dancers
sword-jumpers
contortionists (eg woman ladling wine using her feet to hold ladle + cup whilst walking on her hands)
rooster fights

Or they might play games:
a board game called 'the game of cities'
games of chance using dice or knucklebones (astralogoi)
a game in which both players open a clenched hand simultaneously at quick speed, and each person has to call out the number of fingers extended by the other.

Or they might perform mimetic dances


(info from The Greeks and Romans: Their Life and Customs by E. Guhl and W. Koner, Bracken Books London, 1989 pages 267-73)

End of the Minoans

Minoan civilisation may have collapsed thanks to a volcano, tsunami and subsequent climate change! Here's the dirt:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/minoan_01.shtml

Temple of Zeus Olympios

In which sat a statue of Zeus...

"Zeus was represented as sitting on a throne...of cedar wood, laid in with ebony and richly adorned with valuable stones and sculptures. The base was also richly decorated in accordance with the figure itself. The face, the chest, the naked upper part of the body, and the feet were of ivory; the eyes consisted of brilliant stones. The waving hair and beard were of solid gold, as was also the figure of Nike [goddess of victory] which the god held in his extended right hand; the sceptre in his other hand was composed of different precious metals. The drapery covering the lower part of the body was also of gold, with flowers in a kind of enamel."

"The height of the statue was 40 feet, almost too colossal, in proportion to the surrounding architecture, so that the Greeks themselves used to say that if the god rose from his seat he would knock the roof overhead."


From The Greeks and Romans: Their Life and Customs by E. Guhl and W. Koner (London, 1989)


"The god sits on a throne, and he is made of gold and ivory. On his head lies a garland which is a copy of olive shoots. In his right hand he carries a Victory, which, like the statue, is of ivory and gold; she wears a ribbon and--on her head--a garland. In the left hand of the god is a scepter, ornamented with every kind of metal, and the bird sitting on the scepter is the eagle. The sandals also of the god are of gold, as is likewise his robe. On the robe are embroidered figures of animals and the flowers of the lily. The throne is adorned with gold and with jewels, to say nothing of ebony and ivory. Upon it are painted figures and wrought images. There are four Victories, represented as dancing women, one at each foot of the throne, and two others at the base of each foot....On the uppermost parts of the throne Pheidias has made, above the head of the image, three Graces on one side and three Seasons on the other.... I know that the height and breadth of the Olympic Zeus have been measured and recorded; but I shall not praise those who made the measurements, for even their records fall far short of the impression made by a sight of the image."

Pausanias, Description of Greece (V.11.1-2, 7, 9)

(This quote is taken from http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/greece/hetairai/zeus.html)

Temple Trivia

I'm reading about Greek temples. (Saucy!)

The Parthenon is probably the most famous and perfect example of Greek architecture. But how much do you know about it?

Here is a pop quiz that you can surprise a friend with in order to show off how much you know about Greek architecture!

1. Where was the Parthenon situated?

2. To which deity was it dedicated?

3. What were the three kinds of columns found in Greek temples?

a) Corinthian, Ionic and Ephesian
b) Corinthian, Cretan and Ephesian
c) Corinthian, Ionic and Doric

4. What was the scandal on the sandal?

5. Where was a giant statue of Athena kept?

(a) on the steps, where the public could view her
(b) behind the first row of columns, just before the temple entrance
(c) in a walled room inside the temple

6. Who were depicted on the outer edge of Athena's shield?

7. Of what was the Parthenon chiefly constructed?

8. Of what material were Athena's face, neck, hands, arms and feet constructed?

9. What was remarkable about Athena's drapery, aside from the fact that it was made of pure gold?

10. When was the parthenon completed?

ANSWERS

1. In Athens, on the Acropolis.

2. Pallas Athene, primary protector of Athens and the Attic country.

3. (c) Corinthian, Ionic and Doric

4. It is said there were portraits of Phidias (chief sculptor) and Perikles (Athenian statesman) carved on Athena's sandal, which later caused some outrage as this was considered impious.

5. (c)

6. Amazons

7. Pierian marble

8. ivory

9. It was removable

10. 438 BC, by the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates after the Persians destroyed the older Athena temple.


Novel word count: 11, 321

Assyriana, starring George Clooney

Well not really, but otherwise it might not have that much glamour...at first.

On closer inspection the Assyrians are pretty durned fascinating -- bad-ass, curly-bearded dudes in embroidered dresses.
Assyria, or 'Ashur', as they knew it, incorporated parts of modern Iraq, Syria and Turkey. They were so proud of their unspeakably horrible war crimes that they made huge stone tablets (steles) detailing the inventive tortures (hooking lips, lopping hands and other members....). Not only that, they had a reputation for oppressing women (keep in mind that this was the ANCIENT WORLD, folks! Your man-on-the-street was an opinionated thug who kept his womenfolk locked in a dark room). The king kept a harem of women attended by eunuchs, and all the princes were castrated to keep them from spoiling the regal brood.

But do not think that they were mere thugs! No. For lo, apparently they invented many systems still used today. Locks! Flush toilets! The post! Plus they wore those cool pointy-toed shoes that curl up at the ends. And they crafted some amazing jewellery, like an elaborate golden crown featuring the distinctive winged-bull figure.

A queen's jewellery was found in a tomb, along with a stone tablet inscribed with a curse severely admonishing potential grave-robbers.

They even had their own alphabet and epic, Gilgamesh, which I now desperately want to read. What's more, they have left boastful inscriptions with interesting details such as scorpions and death-penalty procedures.

Yay for the cold-blooded killers! May they rest in peace.