Learn Ancient Greek Free

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Learn Ancient Greek Free FREE LEARN ANCIENT GREEK PDF Peter Jones | 160 pages | 01 Apr 2004 | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC | 9780715627587 | English | London, United Kingdom 6 Ancient Greek Skincare Secrets You Can Still Use Today In an area as big as the ocean, that's an awful lot, awful fast. The find's an unprecedented cluster, and an archeological gold mine. Local fishermen and sponge divers tipped off the archaeologists to the locations of the wrecks. The wooden ships have long since decomposed, but clay jars used for cargo storage, called amphorae, remain for researchers to study. The sheer number of wrecks in a square-mile area is remarkable, but equally fascinating to archaeologists is the broad range of time periods that the ships are from. The most recent ship is from the 16th century A. The majority of the wrecks are from the Late Roman period between A. D, Learn Ancient Greek due to a spike in trade traffic that corresponds to the rise Learn Ancient Greek the Eastern Roman Empire. Archaeologists can determine when each ship sank by studying the sizes and shapes of the clay jars they carried. The types of amphorae also indicate what goods were being transported, the most abundant commodities being wine, olive oil, and fish sauce. Scientists will study residue samples to determine what the smaller jars held—likely luxury goods such as perfumes and food items like nuts and jams. The goods and the Learn Ancient Greek they came from can help historians create a more complete picture of ancient trade routes and sea travel. The ships were primarily small merchant vessels that relied on sails Learn Ancient Greek than Learn Ancient Greek to Learn Ancient Greek the seas. It appears that the ships attempted to take refuge from a storm behind a series of cliffs, but shifting winds dashed them against the rocks. With only a small portion of the area searched, and many more tips from locals, researchers are optimistic that they will find more shipwreck sites in the coming weeks. Locals have also reported smuggling in the area, and the team's divers found evidence of looting at the sites. By mapping the locations of the wrecks, archaeologists hope to help Greek authorities protect the sites from future plundering. Source: National Geographic. Type keyword s to search. Today's Learn Ancient Greek Stories. Watch a Spacecraft Punch an Asteroid Tonight. There's a Secret Organ in Your Head. How to Get Started With Welding. Source: National Geographic This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. More From Science. Ancient Greek and Roman Names Information When it comes to Greek mythological gods, the name Zeus pops out constantly. That's because he's the most recognized of them all. He overthrew his parents' ruling generation of gods called Titans to take over the rule of all creation. Like the watch brand's name, Chronos is all about time since he's the god personification of this concept. He is said to have existed before the primordial gods even came to being. In order of appearance, he's also the first to exist in the universe, so the word "chronology" is associated with him. He's more popularly known as Cupid, thanks to the Roman mythological counterpart. But his Greek name is Eros, god of love and desire. Being the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, the apple doesn't really fall far from the Learn Ancient Greek here. Scamander is considered one of the sons of Oceanus, and his mother is Tethys. This river god is, therefore, an official offspring of Titans. However, he's not counted as one of the Olympian gods. He is considered as a minor god in Greek mythology. A Titan named Learn Ancient Greek was chummy with humans, so he brought along fire down below to help them grow. Alas, Zeus got mad of this scheme and ordered him chained to a stone for all eternity. But wait, there's more: every day, an eagle eats his liver which regrows, then gets eaten again, ad infinitum. There Learn Ancient Greek many gods whose domain encompassed many bodies of water, but Poseidon is the most popular of them all. That's because he is a major Olympian god, the most recognized generation of Greek gods. Many minor gods oversaw specific bodies of water, though. Even sleep has a god, and his name is Hypnos, whose known residence is in a cave somewhere in the underworld region where it's always dark. The area is said to be surrounded by poppies which induce sleep. This god's parents are the personification of the night, Nyx, and darkness, Erebus. When they were defeated, Zeus punished him by making him carry the whole heavens on his shoulders. This godly generation war is known as the Titanomachy. Some accounts tag him as a god of beauty, and some label him as a mortal god of beauty. Learn Ancient Greek of the tag, Adonis is said to have Learn Ancient Greek so beautiful that even the goddess Aphrodite swooned over him. Persephone was the one who raised him, though, and she also got smitten with the young lad. Some of Zeus' offspring are also considered as major Olympian gods, and Hermes is one of such deities. Since his job requires him to be quick on his feet, he wears sandals with wings, as well as Learn Ancient Greek helmet that has wings, too. Due to his skills, he's also the recognized god of Learn Ancient Greek and travelers. Uranus is considered as one of Learn Ancient Greek primordial gods. This means they are the first line or generation of gods in Greek mythology. That also means they are the recognized parents of the Titans, who were unfortunately overthrown by their own children. Heracles is widely known by his Roman name, Hercules. In between having adventures Learn Ancient Greek completing labors assigned to him, he also had the time for many lovers. Even though he's as masculine as it gets, he had both women and men lovers, which shows that love or lust has no gender for him. Beware all ye objects of affection, especially those who won't return the affection back. It's the job of Anteros to punish those who don't return said affection, even though that act of Learn Ancient Greek appears harsh and cruel for a god to do. Ancient entrepreneurs who harvested grapes, especially those used in making wine, prayed to Dionysus for a bountiful harvest. He's the god of these things, as well as fertility. But he's also the god associated with revelry that can also lead to ritualistic madness of sorts. Apollo is the god connected to all things healing, prophecy, poetry, music, light and the sun. He is said to have a chariot that carries the sun across the sky during the daytime, as his twin sister Artemis takes over with the moon during nighttime. Ares is technically an Olympian god, even though his parents are the Olympian leader Zeus and the Olympian goddess Hera. His latest pop culture appearance is in the "Wonder Woman" film, where Diana searched the world to kill him and end World War I. Two Titan gods, Hyperion and Theia, are the identified parents of Helios, considered as the Greek sun god. His Roman mythology counterpart might be more familiar to most, Learn Ancient Greek Sol. That's the Spanish word for sun. Even winds, specifically all directions of it, are personified by gods in Greek mythology. Boreas is the recognized god of the north wind. A story connected to him tells of Learn Ancient Greek friendly relations with the city of Athens; he is said to have blown away the troops of Xerxes to Learn Ancient Greek the city. The gods Hermes and Aphrodite had a son, and his name is a combination of theirs: Learn Ancient Greek. Originally born a male, a water nymph fell hard for him and prayed that they can stay together forever. The gods fused the two into one being, producing the first hermaphrodite or intersex being. Phobos is the recognized god of fear. He makes for a good companion to his father, Ares, the Learn Ancient Greek of war. Together with his brother Deimos, the recognized god of terror, these three male deities are indeed a force to reckon with. The wild, fields, groves, shepherds and flocks are all protected by the recognized god of wildlife named Pan. Like satyrs and fauns, his lower half is that of a goat while the upper part is human in appearance. Sex and sexuality are concepts connected to him as well. When ancient Greeks die, they expect to go directly Learn Ancient Greek the underworld and maybe meet its ruler, the god Hades. They have to pass by his guard dog first, the three-headed giant canine named Cerberus. Zeus had a child with only a singular lock of long hair, perhaps to signify the rare opportunity to grab the proverbial brass ring before it passes by. This child is Caerus, the recognized god of luck, one who brings us to opportune moments that we should immediately seize. When Learn Ancient Greek Three Fates' job is finally over, and someone needs to die and be hauled off Learn Ancient Greek the underworld, Thanatos is the god that does that task.
Recommended publications
  • 1 Divine Intervention and Disguise in Homer's Iliad Senior Thesis
    Divine Intervention and Disguise in Homer’s Iliad Senior Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Undergraduate School of Arts and Sciences Brandeis University Undergraduate Program in Classical Studies Professor Joel Christensen, Advisor In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts By Joana Jankulla May 2018 Copyright by Joana Jankulla 1 Copyright by Joana Jankulla © 2018 2 Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisor, Professor Joel Christensen. Thank you, Professor Christensen for guiding me through this process, expressing confidence in me, and being available whenever I had any questions or concerns. I would not have been able to complete this work without you. Secondly, I would like to thank Professor Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow and Professor Cheryl Walker for reading my thesis and providing me with feedback. The Classics Department at Brandeis University has been an instrumental part of my growth in my four years as an undergraduate, and I am eternally thankful to all the professors and staff members in the department. Thank you to my friends, specifically Erica Theroux, Sarah Jousset, Anna Craven, Rachel Goldstein, Taylor McKinnon and Georgie Contreras for providing me with a lot of emotional support this year. I hope you all know how grateful I am for you as friends and how much I have appreciated your love this year. Thank you to my mom for FaceTiming me every time I was stressed about completing my thesis and encouraging me every step of the way. Finally, thank you to Ian Leeds for dropping everything and coming to me each time I needed it.
    [Show full text]
  • The Legacy of Hermes: Deception and Dialectic in Plato's Cratylus
    Journal of Ancient Philosophy J. anc. philos. (Engl. ed.), São Paulo, v.10, n.1. p. 26-58, 2016. ISSN 1981-9471 - FFLCH/USP DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.1981-9471.v10i1p26-58 www.revistas.usp.br/filosofiaantiga The Legacy of Hermes: Deception and Dialectic in Plato’s Cratylus Olof Pettersson Against the background of a conventionalist theory, and staged as a defense of a naturalistic notion of names and naming, the critique of language developed in Plato’s Cratylus does not only propose that human language, in contrast to the language of the gods, is bound to the realm of myth and lie. The dialogue also concludes by offering a set of reasons to think that knowledge of reality is not within the reach of our words. Interpretations of the dialogue’s long etymological sections often neglect this critique and tend to end up with an overly optimistic assessment of the theory of language on offer. In the light of one of the dialogue’s central etymological accounts – Socrates’ etymology of the name Hermes – this paper discusses two recent and influential versions of such a view: David Sedley’s theory of onomatopoetic encapsulation and Franco Trivigno’s qualified referentialism. It argues that the complex relation between language and reality expressed in the Cratylus cannot be exhaustively captured by either of these theories because Plato considers all names to be semantically underdetermined until they are put to use. It suggests that Plato rather works with a functionalistic notion of names and naming, and that the dialogue’s account of natural and correct naming is to be understood in these terms.
    [Show full text]
  • TSJCL Mythology
    CONTEST CODE: 09 2012 TEXAS STATE JUNIOR CLASSICAL LEAGUE MYTHOLOGY TEST DIRECTIONS: Please mark the letter of the correct answer on your scantron answer sheet. 1. The myrtle and the dove are her symbols (A) Amphitrite (B) Aphrodite (C) Artemis (D) Athena 2. His wife left him and ran off to Troy with Paris; he was not happy about it and got some help (A) Agamemnon (B) Diomedes (C) Menelaus (D) Odysseus 3. This deity was the only one who worked; god of the Forge and Blacksmiths (A) Apollo (B) Hephaestus (C) Mercury (D) Neptune 4. He went searching for a bride and found Persephone (A) Aeacus (B) Hades (C) Poseidon (D) Vulcan 5. Half man, half goat, he was the patron of shepherds (A) Aeolus (B) Morpheus (C) Pan (D) Triton 6. He attempted to win the contest as Patron of Athens, but lost to Athena (A) Apollo (B) Hephaestus (C) Hermes (D) Poseidon 7. He performs Twelve Labors for his cousin as penance for crimes committed while mad (A) Aegeus (B) Heracles (C) Jason (D) Theseus 8. As punishment for opposing Zeus, he holds the Heavens on his shoulders (A) Atlas (B) Epimetheus (C) Oceanus (D) Prometheus 9. Son of Zeus, king of Crete, he ordered the Labyrinth built to house the Minotaur (A) Alpheus (B) Enipeus (C) Minos (D) Peleus 10. This wise centaur taught many heroes, including Achilles (A) Chiron (B) Eurytion (C) Nessus (D) Pholus 11. She was the Muse of Comedy (A) Amphitrite (B) Euphrosyne (C) Macaria (D) Thalia 12. She rode a white bull from her homeland to Crete and bore Zeus three sons (A) Danae (B) Europa (C) Leda (D) Semele 13.
    [Show full text]
  • Divine Riddles: a Sourcebook for Greek and Roman Mythology March, 2014
    Divine Riddles: A Sourcebook for Greek and Roman Mythology March, 2014 E. Edward Garvin, Editor What follows is a collection of excerpts from Greek literary sources in translation. The intent is to give students an overview of Greek mythology as expressed by the Greeks themselves. But any such collection is inherently flawed: the process of selection and abridgement produces a falsehood because both the narrative and meta-narrative are destroyed when the continuity of the composition is interrupted. Nevertheless, this seems the most expedient way to expose students to a wide range of primary source information. I have tried to keep my voice out of it as much as possible and will intervene as editor (in this Times New Roman font) only to give background or exegesis to the text. All of the texts in Goudy Old Style are excerpts from Greek or Latin texts (primary sources) that have been translated into English. Ancient Texts In the field of Classics, we refer to texts by Author, name of the book, book number, chapter number and line number.1 Every text, regardless of language, uses the same numbering system. Homer’s Iliad, for example, is divided into 24 books and the lines in each book are numbered. Hesiod’s Theogony is much shorter so no book divisions are necessary but the lines are numbered. Below is an example from Homer’s Iliad, Book One, showing the English translation on the left and the Greek original on the right. When citing this text we might say that Achilles is first mentioned by Homer in Iliad 1.7 (i.7 is also acceptable).
    [Show full text]
  • Greek Mythology Link (Complete Collection)
    Document belonging to the Greek Mythology Link, a web site created by Carlos Parada, author of Genealogical Guide to Greek Mythology Characters • Places • Topics • Images • Bibliography • Español • PDF Editions About • Copyright © 1997 Carlos Parada and Maicar Förlag. This PDF contains portions of the Greek Mythology Link COMPLETE COLLECTION, version 0906. In this sample most links will not work. THE COMPLETE GREEK MYTHOLOGY LINK COLLECTION (digital edition) includes: 1. Two fully linked, bookmarked, and easy to print PDF files (1809 A4 pages), including: a. The full version of the Genealogical Guide (not on line) and every page-numbered docu- ment detailed in the Contents. b. 119 Charts (genealogical and contextual) and 5 Maps. 2. Thousands of images organized in albums are included in this package. The contents of this sample is copyright © 1997 Carlos Parada and Maicar Förlag. To buy this collection, visit Editions. Greek Mythology Link Contents The Greek Mythology Link is a collection of myths retold by Carlos Parada, author of Genealogical Guide to Greek Mythology, published in 1993 (available at Amazon). The mythical accounts are based exclusively on ancient sources. Address: www.maicar.com About, Email. Copyright © 1997 Carlos Parada and Maicar Förlag. ISBN 978-91-976473-9-7 Contents VIII Divinities 1476 Major Divinities 1477 Page Immortals 1480 I Abbreviations 2 Other deities 1486 II Dictionaries 4 IX Miscellanea Genealogical Guide (6520 entries) 5 Three Main Ancestors 1489 Geographical Reference (1184) 500 Robe & Necklace of
    [Show full text]
  • On the Topography of the Greek Underworld and the 'Orphic' Gold
    On the Topography of the Greek Underworld and the ‘Orphic’ Gold Tablets Author(s): Alexandra Wheatcroft Source: Prandium - The Journal of Historical Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Fall, 2014). Published by: The Department of Historical Studies, University of Toronto Mississauga Stable URL: http://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/prandium/editor/submission/21849/ Prandium: The Journal of Historical Studies Vol. 3, No. 1, (2014) On the Topography of the Greek Underworld and the ‘Orphic’ Gold Tablets Alexandra Wheatcroft1 The descent into the underworld is said to be a parallel to the birth of a god: both actions result in the beginning of a transcendent existence.2 It is through death that mortals are able to gain immortal status, albeit in a very different form than their Olympian counterparts. Ancient Greek conceptions of death are still murky, but with the discovery of artifacts such as the so-called ‘Orphic’ gold tablets, Classical scholars are getting closer to constructing a complete picture of the afterlife of Hellenes. It is interesting, however, that despite the amount of literature written on the subject of mystery cults and their relationship to death (that is, their promise of a more comfortable afterlife assuming initiation into their rites), there is a surprising lack of comment on what happens after the fateful moment. While it is true that the gold tablets mentioned above provide what appear to be directions for navigating the underworld, such instructions can be of little use to Classical underworld scholars when the topography of Hades is unknown to them. I have yet to find a comprehensive body of work that details all the aspects of the Greek underworld in such a structured way as to create what amounts to a roadmap.
    [Show full text]
  • [PDF]The Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome
    The Myths & Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome E. M. Berens p q xMetaLibriy Copyright c 2009 MetaLibri Text in public domain. Some rights reserved. Please note that although the text of this ebook is in the public domain, this pdf edition is a copyrighted publication. Downloading of this book for private use and official government purposes is permitted and encouraged. Commercial use is protected by international copyright. Reprinting and electronic or other means of reproduction of this ebook or any part thereof requires the authorization of the publisher. Please cite as: Berens, E.M. The Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome. (Ed. S.M.Soares). MetaLibri, October 13, 2009, v1.0p. MetaLibri http://metalibri.wikidot.com [email protected] Amsterdam October 13, 2009 Contents List of Figures .................................... viii Preface .......................................... xi Part I. — MYTHS Introduction ....................................... 2 FIRST DYNASTY — ORIGIN OF THE WORLD Uranus and G (Clus and Terra)........................ 5 SECOND DYNASTY Cronus (Saturn).................................... 8 Rhea (Ops)....................................... 11 Division of the World ................................ 12 Theories as to the Origin of Man ......................... 13 THIRD DYNASTY — OLYMPIAN DIVINITIES ZEUS (Jupiter).................................... 17 Hera (Juno)...................................... 27 Pallas-Athene (Minerva).............................. 32 Themis .......................................... 37 Hestia
    [Show full text]
  • Swimming Against the Tide: Aquatic Nethergods and Their Mythology of Resistance
    Swimming Against the Tide: Aquatic Nethergods and Their Mythology of Resistance In ancient Greek mythology, the children of Okeanos display a pattern of resistance to the dominance of the Olympian gods. As water deities, Okeanos’ offspring are physical boundaries, which pervade the world and the Underworld as fixtures of the cosmic landscape, filling out and separating the spaces inhabited by mortals and immortals. These aquatic nethergods not only rule their own local territories but also define the larger spheres of influence assigned to both gods and humans in Zeus’ Olympian order. When they do assert themselves as sentient, individual agents, the Okeanids and their brothers make their own demands and force concessions from the Olympian gods, which both challenge and, in some cases, threaten to undermine Zeus’ reign. From Styx’s alliance with Zeus in Hesiod’s Theogony (Th. 383-403, 775-806) to Scamander’s battle with Achilles (Il.21.1-380) and Calypso’s angry response to Zeus’ edict to release Odysseus (Od. 5.116-144), the aquatic nethergods present themselves as a force that must be appeased and respected by the Olympians. Episodes such as these remind the characters who encounter them as well as the audience that the Olympians’ dominance is not a given but is both constructed and contingent on the expediency and participation of these “lesser” gods. Their separate treatment by the Olympian gods and humans as deities who must be separately propitiated is further confirmed in later representations, such as in Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound and in Apollonius Rhodius’ Argonautika. In examining their appearances in Greek epic and some later responses to them, I demonstrate that the aquatic nethergods represent a mythology of resistance, which counterbalances the dominant Olympian power structure.
    [Show full text]
  • The Etymology of Hermes in Plato's Cratylus Olof Pettersson
    Commerce, Theft and Deception: The Etymology of Hermes in Plato’s Cratylus Olof Pettersson Abstract: In the light of Socrates’ largely neglected etymological account of the name Hermes, this article reexamines the dialogue’s perplexing conclusion that reality should not be sought through names, but through itself. By a close scrutiny of three claims made in this etymology – that language is commercial, thievish and deceptive – it argues that Socrates’ discussion about the relation between names and reality cannot only be meaningfully understood in terms of his characterization of language as deceptive and therefore tragic, but that this point is also confirmed by the dialogue’s larger comedic structure and by Cratylus’ framing joke about Hermogenes’ name. As a consequence, the article also suggests that a closer examination of the etymology of Hermes can both help to assess a certain unwarranted optimism common in contemporary scholarship and the claim that the dialogue’s overarching purpose, rather than being an explanation of how human language grants access to the truth about the existing things, is a critical examination of such a project and of its hubristic assumptions. Keywords: Cratylus, Plato, Etymology, Language, Hermes, Tragedy, Comedy, Names. Introduction Although Socrates’ etymology of the name Hermes (407e5-408b3) is largely neglected in the research literature,1 it is important for at least three reasons. First, it can help elucidate the This text has many debts. It has been greatly improved by the detailed comments of Vladimir Mikes. Initially, its cause was importantly encouraged by Filip Karfík, who also invited me to the XI Symposium Platonicum Pragense, in 2017, where I received invaluable critique from the learned audience.
    [Show full text]
  • Zangger's Flood from Heaven: Was Atlantis Troy?
    Jerry Culley - December 3rd, 1994 Zangger’s Flood from Heaven: Was Atlantis Troy? Eberhard Zangger’s book, Flood from Heaven, uses Plato’s Timaeus and Critias plus archaological investigations on the Trojan plain to show that the historical destruction of Troy was the origin of the legendary destruction of Atlantis and that this has been obscured by major errors in reading/interpreting the sources on the location of Atlantis and Plato’s initial failure to understand Atlantis was Troy. Critias had supposedly been told by his ancestors (Solon had the story from an old Egyptian priest a Sais) that an island out near the pillars of Heracles once was preparing to take over the world. Only the Greeks, especially the Athenians, prepared to oppose them, but, on the same day, the Greek army was swallowed up and Atlantis disappeared. Now where was this Atlantis? Where were the pillars of Heracles? According to archaeologist Richard Henning, the term was not applied to the straits of Gibraltar before 500 BC. Servius, on the Aeneid ii. 262, says columnas Herculis legimuset in Ponto et in Hispania (“We read of pillars of Hercules both in the Black Sea and in Spain”.) Herodotus is the first to use the term “Atlantic Ocean” (Hist i. 202) and there is no evidence of eastern Mediterranean peoples of the Bronze Age beyond the pillars of Hercules. Phys Carpenter says that, since there are no islands in Egypt, the hieroglyph for island properly = “sandy tract/shore of any foreign land”. Plato’s Timaeus 25A says that “in front of the mouth of the pillars of Heracles” was a island greater than Libya and Asia (which, for the ancients, would mean Asia Minor, mod.
    [Show full text]
  • The Greek Myths 1955, Revised 1960
    Robert Graves – The Greek Myths 1955, revised 1960 Robert Graves was born in 1895 at Wimbledon, son of Alfred Perceval Graves, the Irish writer, and Amalia von Ranke. He went from school to the First World War, where he became a captain in the Royal Welch Fusiliers. His principal calling is poetry, and his Selected Poems have been published in the Penguin Poets. Apart from a year as Professor of English Literature at Cairo University in 1926 he has since earned his living by writing, mostly historical novels which include: I, Claudius; Claudius the God; Sergeant Lamb of the Ninth; Count Belisarius; Wife to Mr Milton (all published as Penguins); Proceed, Sergeant Lamb; The Golden Fleece; They Hanged My Saintly Billy; and The Isles of Unwisdom. He wrote his autobiography, Goodbye to All That (a Penguin Modem Classic), in 1929. His two most discussed non-fiction books are The White Goddess, which presents a new view of the poetic impulse, and The Nazarene Gospel Restored (with Joshua Podro), a re-examination of primitive Christianity. He has translated Apuleius, Lucan, and Svetonius for the Penguin Classics. He was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford in 1962. Contents Foreword Introduction I. The Pelasgian Creation Myth 2. The Homeric And Orphic Creation Myths 3. The Olympian Creation Myth 4. Two Philosophical Creation Myths 5. The Five Ages Of Man 6. The Castration Of Uranus 7. The Dethronement Of Cronus 8. The Birth Of Athene 9. Zeus And Metis 10. The Fates 11. The Birth Of Aphrodite 12. Hera And Her Children 13. Zeus And Hera 14.
    [Show full text]
  • Hestia, a Tabula Iliaca and Poseidon's Trident
    1 Hestia, a Tabula Iliaca and Poseidon’s trident: Symbols’ adaptations of some Bactrian and Gandhāran divinities1 Angelo Andrea Di Castro Monash University Hestia in the eastern lands Following Alexander’s conquest and the period of Seleucid consolidation the far eastern Hellenistic lands became gradually detached from the central authority in Syria, becoming eventually independent around the mid third century BCE. This political autonomy does not necessary mean that the cultural ties with the Mediterranean world were interrupted. The Macedonian colonies established by Alexander continued to thrive under the early Seleucids and even within a few generations the Greekness of these colonists was not watered down as the archaeological evidence from Ai Khanum can clearly show.2 From the inception of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom (3rd century BCE) down to the formation of the Kushan Empire (2nd century CE) the Classical culture went through phases of transformation and hybridisation encompassing language, script, religious imagery, and visual arts. The Bactrian and Gandhāran societies, being a frontier situation, were characterised by a sort of osmosis, due to cross-cultural exchanges that continued through to the late Hellenistic and early medieval period. 1 These brief notes, presented in a slightly different format at the ASCS 33 conference, are additional reflections that originated from a research on goddesses in the eastern Hellenistic regions that is currently underway (see for instance Di Castro (2012); and Di Castro in press). 2 For the resilience of the Greek culture in Bactria as well as in other Persian areas such as Susiana, see for instance Sherwin-White & Kuhrt (1993) 141-187, in part.
    [Show full text]