#Ancient Thebes

[jeannereames]

Hi there! I've really enjoyed your blog-- there's a lot of good information on it. In fact, I just wrote a novel set in ancient Thebes, set in 335 BCE, right before Alexander's attack. However, I'm a little scared to write the sequel, because Alex is going to show up in it as a major character. He is SO famous, and there's so many books about him, that I hardly know where to begin.

So, do you have any specific books you recommend, like any good starter bios or anything else that would be good for this specific setting? (Specifically against the destruction of Thebes and right before the invasion of Persia.)

Thank you so much!

Some Useful Bibliography on Alexander (and Thebes)

Thank you! And sorry for the delay. The queries in my inbox tend to be feast or famine. LOL

In terms of information on Alexander, I would start with the brand new Cambridge Companion to Alexander the Great, edited by Daniel Ogden. It has many of the leading scholars. On Alexander and the Greeks in particular, see my dear friend Borja Antela’s chapter. This is now what I’d consider the best intro resource on Alexander for the interested non-specialist, especially as it’s reasonably priced. The bibliography will help a lot. For Macedonia itself, Carol Thomas has Alexander and His World (which I’ve used teaching) and Carol King has Ancient Macedonia. Both are good, one-book introductions.

If you’ve not already, you’ll want to consult Mark Munn’s chapter “Thebes and Central Greece” in The Greek World in the Fourth Century, Larry Tritle, ed. Paul Cartledge also has a book Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece, but he’s a Spartan specialist. Lately, publishers have had him write on other subjects—not always to good effect, as per his book on Alexander, imo. But I’ve not read this one so can’t comment. I think Thebes is closer to his usual bailiwick.

James Romm did a book The Sacred Band., although like Cartledge Romm is all over the place. Same cautions apply. And I’ll also offer the counter-proposal that the band was not pairs of lovers, by David Leitao, "The Legend of the Sacred Band," in The Sleep of Reason by Martha Nussbaum and Juha Sihvola, eds. His view is not a homophobic diss; it’s a source problem. Plutarch is our sole source for the lovers bit, and he’s notoriously unreliable on some facts, especially when he has an ulterior message.

The more I study Plutarch, the less I trust him. LOL

Last, another friend and colleague, Jenn Finn has written a bang-up chapter on the destructions of both Thebes and Persepolis, for the upcoming collection I edited, so I got a preview. “Urbicide, Memory Sanctions, and the Perso-Macedonian Dynasty.” I’m not sure when the collection will be out, but certainly not before late 2024, and more likely 2025. She might be willing to share the draft, however, if you need it immediately. She’s at Loyola U. in Chicago. As always, Jenn does fantastic work.

[zaktours]

Hurghada Excursions : The Gateway to Egypt's Coastal Wonders

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Aqua Magic: Snorkeling and Diving Adventures

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Desert Wanderlust: Safari Expeditions

Beyond the coastline, the allure of the desert beckons. Safari tours offer an exhilarating journey across the golden sands, leading adventurers to the heart of the Eastern Desert. Experience the warmth of Bedouin hospitality in a traditional village, where the rhythm of desert life unfolds before your eyes. From camel treks to sunset views that paint the sky in fiery hues, the desert safari is a symphony of natural beauty and cultural immersion.

Echoes of Antiquity: Luxor Day Trips

A pilgrimage to Luxor, the "World's Greatest Open-Air Museum," offers a profound connection to Egypt's glorious past. Temples, tombs, and monuments whisper tales of pharaohs and deities along the banks of the Nile. The journey from Hurghada to Luxor reveals the magnificence of the Valley of the Kings, the grandeur of the Temple of Karnak, and the mystical allure of ancient Thebes. Each step through these historic landscapes is a step through time, offering insights into a civilization that shaped the world.

Isle of Bliss: Giftun Islands Excursions

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Booking these excursions with reputable providers not only ensures a seamless experience but also guarantees that your adventures contribute positively to the local ecosystem and communities. As you leave Hurghada, the memories of your excursions will linger, a constant call to return to this land where adventure and tranquility coexist in perfect harmony.

In Hurghada, every day is an invitation to adventure, to explore beyond the horizon, and to embrace the extraordinary. Are you ready for the Adventure? Excursions

[greekmythcomix]

New update (August 1st):

A few weeks have gone by and I’ve been working (on my one day a week during the summer hols - I’m a teacher) on the section where Odysseus might have gone with Menelaus instead. And it turns out Menelaus rather adores Odysseus so it’s quite difficult for him to leave! But it’s given me a chance to weave even more small myth references and proper myth stories in. I’m doing my best to keep it Homeric and not give in to my sense of humour, but I’m failing slightly 😂 hopefully you’ll like it!

Here’s a small screenshot of one bit of the Menelaus section, to give you an idea of how complex it’s got and what kind of thing is happening (btw the words in the boxes are a summary, not the extent of the writing in each section)…

As ever, if you’re interested to know when it’s finished, sign up at https://ljenkinsonbrown.wordpress.com/you-are-odysseus-signup/

You Are Odysseus

So

I’m a teacher of Classical Civilisation that has taught the Odyssey for over a decade and studied pretty much every myth and story with Odysseus in it.. I think

and I’m writing an Interactive Fiction (choose your own path) version of the Odyssey, inspired by the Homeric phrase “he turned his great heart this way and that”, where you are Odysseus, allowing you to follow his decisions or make your own

and it already has 500 sections to it - written to emulate modern translations of the Odyssey, including the literary features of simile, formula, epithet, and the rest - and 21 different ways to die, and quite a lot of period and theme-appropriate alternatives

(and if I get time, the option to be Telemachus or Penelope, although that might have to wait because it’s already a monster)

and I’ve tested what I’ve made so far on my pupils, other Classics teachers, and some of the leading (and best-read) Greek Mythology podcasters and YouTubers, all of whom have universally loved it (yay!)

(EDIT: Oops and I presented on it at the Classical Association conference last year)

I’m trying to finish it this summer, but need a bit of encouragement to do so

EDIT: and I forgot to say that ideally I’m planning on it being a beautiful BOOK with an old-fashioned cover and lots of ribbons to mark your place ❤️ (ex-bookseller ofc)

so, please let me know if you’d like to know more!

(EDIT: or sign up here go get notified directly when it’s ready: https://ljenkinsonbrown.wordpress.com/you-are-odysseus-signup/ )

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Stela of a Man.

Period: Middle Kingdom, 11th Dynasty

Date: ca. 2030–1981 B.C.

Place oforigin: Egypt, Upper Egypt, Thebes, Deir el-Bahri, Cemetery 100, Tomb TT 114, MMA excavations, 1926–27

Medium: Limestone, paint

[katabay]

so. around the start of august, I decided to make a story to work on when I wanted to just kind of turn my brain off for a minute. you know, everything is so much all the time, let's lower the stakes and draw some ancient greeks wrestling.

unfortunately for ME, I thought: well what if we explored the peloponnesian war through the sword and sandals genre and throw in a splash of horror for seasoning! then I thought: well it wouldn't be fun for me if I didn't do some reading on the history of it all. what I do I know about ancient greece. I have a fistful of pocket lint and loose change in that department.

folks. there is so much reading. my reading list is only a handful of books, but each of those books is a fucking brick.

anyway, it's still primarily a For Fun story I do in my spare time, so some wrestling sketches, and some other kind of scene :)

⭐the one with the beard is klaudios, the one with the longer hair is damonikos!

[blackrainbowblade]

Luxor Temple, March 2023

[illustratus]

Pentheus Pursued by the Maenads by Charles Gleyre

[kristinagehrmann]

New illustration! A view of ancient Thebe east of the Nile, with the Karnak temple complex. Drawn for a childrens' nonfiction book.

Client: Noordhoff

[ditoob]

Diomedes, King of Argos

[death-before-ilion]

Fundamental sources

Greek mythology is recorded in numerous texts, covering multiple centuries, locations, traditions and variations. Many of these ancient sources are lost to us, or fragmentary. This leaves us with an incomplete (albeit vast) and oftentimes incoherent collection of written sources on which to base my own work.

The sources which are considered by the ancient Greeks themselves as foundational and central to Greek mythology are essentially : the early Greek epic poets (amongst which is, of course, Homer), Hesiod (author of the famed Theogony, not counted as an epic poet) and the Homeric Hymns (called Homeric because they are written in the same language, style and meter as the Iliad and Odyssey). These texts were written down between the 8th and the 5th centuries BC, and are based on oral material that goes much further back.

Of the early epic poems, only the Iliad and the Odyssey attributed to Homer still survive, considered by the ancient Greeks as the pinnacle of their literature. Of all the other epics, only fragments and (if we're lucky) summaries remain. The Trojan Cycle was made of the following works :

The Cypria, which describes the origin and early years of the Second Trojan War

The Iliad, which tells of the wrath of Achilles and the death of Hector

The Aethiopis, which describes the intervention of Amazons and Ethiopians in the war, and the death of Achilles

The Little Iliad, a dense work that covers events from the funeral of Achilles to the episode of the Trojan horse

The Sack of Troy, which, as its title suggests, tells the events from the Trojan horse to the desctruction of the city and the anger of Athena

The Return from Troy, in which the Greek heroes return home, with tragic developments, such as the murder of Agamemnon and the revenge of Orestes

The Odyssey, tells the return of Ulysses, the longest and most adventurous return of all Greek heroes

The Telegony, that covers further adventures of Ulysses until he is killed by Telegonus, his son by Circe

To this we can add a Theban Cycle (covering the life of Oedipus, both Theban Wars and the revenge of Alcmaeon) and a few additional epics (including a Titanomachy I would have loved to read). Chances are high that there were many more, lost to us even by name.

Hesiod left us three complete works and a number of fragments, the most important of which is the Theogony, which describes how the universe began and the early history of the gods.

Lastly, the Homeric Hymns, of which three may be later additions, are poems or songs that praise the gods, each hymn being dedicated to a specific god.

In the context of my work, these sources will be taken as having the highest authority. Later sources will be accepted if they provide additional material that completes or extends the earlier texts, or if they help resolve an obvious inconsistency or impossibility.

[sarafangirlart]

I think what gets me about Chrysippus’s story is how realistic it is, Laius wasn’t a stranger he was his tutor, most cases of sexual abuse are done by ppl the victim is close to like friends and family, Laius was a family friend, Pelops trusted him to take care of Chrysippus. It’s also heavily implied that Chrysippus was groomed before his kidnapping and even after he was rescued Chrysippus’s still defended Laius since he was a child who didn’t understand he was being abused.

[lionofchaeronea]

Ancient Egyptian mud coffin containing a wooden ushabti. Artist unknown; ca. 1580-1479 BCE (17th-18th Dynasty, late Second Intermediate Period or early New Kingdom). Found at Thebes; now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Perfume bottle in the shape of a hes-vase inlaid with the figure of a princess.

Period: New Kingdom, Amarna Period; 18th Dynasty; Reign of Akhenaten

Date: ca. 1353–1336 B.C.

Place of origin: Egypt; Possibly from Upper Egypt, Thebes

Medium: Travertine (Egyptian alabaster), carnelian, obsidian,gold, and colored glass inlay.

[not-ester]

Ancient Greek City-State flags

(I made while at a wedding)

Iconography:

1.Thebes -> Boeotian shield, Heracles's club

2.Corinth -> Pegasus, Waves

3.Chalkis

4.Kerkyra/Corfu -> Ivy wreath, Heracles's lion skin, trireme

5.Eretria -> Cow, Spirals

6.Miletus -> Harp

7.Rhodes -> Rhodon (Rosa Gallica), "ΡΟΔΙΟΝ" (Rodion)

8.Amphipolis -> Race torch, Grain ear, Vergina sun

9.Syracuse -> Dolphins, "Σ" (S, sigma)

[blackrainbowblade]

Ra, in the form of a falcon, hanging out in the Underworld (Duat).

[illustratus]

Christian Dirce by Henryk Siemiradzki