Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2015/05/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]We had a subject in high school called ?oldtidskundskab?, part of the national curriculum. Literally translated it means ?knowledge of antiquity?. In practice we studied mostly Greek history and literature such as Homer etc., but also political philosophy. The purpose of the subject was to give us the foundation of European/Western civilization, which by and large meant the ancient Greeks. Cheers, Nathan Nathan Wajsman Alicante, Spain http://www.frozenlight.eu http://www.greatpix.eu PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/ Cycling: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator YNWA > On 22 May 2015, at 18:27, John Nebel <john.nebel at csdco.com> wrote: > > Nathan, > > Quite interesting high school which you attended, I think most adults > today would have a tough time with Herodotos, or parts thereof. > > John > > On 5/20/15 11:44 PM, Nathan Wajsman wrote: >> Fascinating. We learned this history in high school in Denmark but I had >> forgotten most of it. >> >> Cheers, >> Nathan >> >> Nathan Wajsman >> >> Alicante, Spain >> http://www.frozenlight.eu >> http://www.greatpix.eu >> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws >> Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/ >> >> Cycling: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator >> >> YNWA >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>> On 20 May 2015, at 22:11, John Nebel <john.nebel at csdco.com> wrote: >>> >>> <http://photos.csd.net/athens_s_gi.html> >>> >>> Tetradrachm 483-480 BC >>> O: Athena wearing a crested Corinthian helmet >>> R: Owl, olive branch left, ??? right, ? off the flan >>> >>> By 483 BC, the Athenians had discovered a new, large silver deposit in >>> their Laurion mines. One foresighted Athenian, Themistokles, persuaded >>> the Athenian assembly that the newly mined silver should be used to pay >>> for expansion of their navy. He knew the Persians were planning an >>> invasion, although he used a local adversary, the Aeginetans as a more >>> immediate and publicly acceptable reason for the naval expansion. As a >>> result of Themistocles's persuasion, the Athenian navy was increased by >>> 200 ships, triremes, three banks of oars, each ship to be manned by a >>> crew of 200. >>> >>> In 480 BC, under the command of Xerxes, the Great King, an immense >>> Persian army and navy invaded the fiercely independent collection of >>> city-states comprising the Greek world. Cities surrendered, often >>> without a fight, but a few stood fast, allied with the Spartans and >>> Athenians. A crack contingent of Spartans had been destroyed at >>> Thermopylai and the Persians prepared to invade Athens although the >>> Greek tenacity at Thermopylai had surprised Xerxes. The Athenians >>> panicked, and again Themistokles intervened. He convinced his fellow >>> Athenians that a Pythian oracle advising them to seek refuge within >>> wooden walls must be interpreted that the Athenians should take refuge >>> in their triremes, ships of wood, which most indeed did. >>> >>> Herodotus 7.143-4 >>> >>> "But a wall made of wood does farsighted Zeus to Tritogenes (Athena) >>> grant >>> Alone and unravaged, to help you and your children. >>> Do not await peacefully the horse and the foot, >>> The army gigantic that comes from the mainland; >>> Withdraw, turn your backs, though someday you still will meet face to >>> face" >>> >>> Athens was abandoned by its citizens, transported to safety in her >>> ships, soon afterwards invaded and sacked by the Persians. >>> >>> The Persian navy pursued the Athenian and allied cities' ships, thinking >>> them cornered, and Themistokles intervened yet again, persuading again >>> with trickery, this time that the allied navy must fight the Persians >>> rather than run, ultimately resulting in a decisive Greek naval victory >>> at Salamis. The Persian defeat was viewed personally by Xerxes, watching >>> from a throne on a nearby hilltop. Xerxes fully expected to be >>> entertained by viewing a slaughter of the Greeks, thereby bloodily >>> demonstrating his absolute power. Instead, Xerxes fearing for his life >>> after the naval defeat, fled to Asia leaving behind only part of his >>> army, the remaining men commanded by Mardonius, who, the next spring was >>> killed with much of the remaining Persian force at the decisive infantry >>> battle of Plataia. >>> >>> The allied navy and its victory at Salamis was the turning point, the >>> Persian invasion had been stopped, the west had been saved from Persian >>> domination. The coin shown is part of the emergency coinage of the >>> Laurion silver used to pay for constructing and manning the Athenians' >>> ships. >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information