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How did the Greeks imagine the palace of the Olympians?
The traditional view is that the palace of the Olympians resembled an ancient Greek acropolis. However, I couldn't find any actual description of the palace or even parts of it from ancient writers.
How did the Greeks imagine the palace of the…
yannis
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Are there freely available texts of Geseriad in English?
I was trying to do some research of Geseriad (aka Epic of King Gesar/Kesar) details (for this), but while I found a couple of academic references, some even re-telling many parts of the epos, I wasn't able to find freely available text (in English…
DVK
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Is there a world tree in Greek mythology?
I was reading up on the world tree motif, when I realized that apparently the concept is absent from Greek mythology:
Although the concept is absent from the Greek mythology, medieval Greek folk traditions and more recent folklore claim that the…
yannis
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Was Apollonius of Tyana a historical figure?
Apollonius of Tyana is believed to be similar to Jesus Christ. Both "lived" during the same period in time and both made similar miracles.
Was Apollonios of Tyana a historical figure that was raised to divinity or is he completely mythological?
John Demetriou
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6 answers
Why is Gilgamesh considered to be one-third human and two-third god?
Most of the time, the term "demigod" is used to describe people who are the offspring of a god and a human. As far as I know, Gilgamesh is the child of a goddess and a king. Why then is Gilgamesh considered to be one-third human and two-third god…
user1385
10
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2 answers
Was the constellation named after the Bull of Heaven?
On the Wikipedia page we can read:
In Babylonian astronomy, the constellation was listed in the MUL.APIN as GU4.AN.NA, "The Bull of Heaven".
In the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest works of literature, the goddess Ishtar sends…
kenorb
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Looking for good information on Australian Aboriginal Mythology
Looking for good, uncomplicated sources on Australian Aboriginal Mythology - books, web, whatever.
Not heavy scholarly stuff, but with plenty of detail
Cutoid
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10
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2 answers
Have any cultures of N, NW or E Europe used symbols for warding off the "evil eye" that are related to ones used around the Mediterranean?
Painted figures on the prows of boats and amulets for warding off the "evil eye", sometimes themselves called "evil eyes", are used around the Mediterranean and connected seas (North Africa, the Levant, Turkey, Greece, Albania, southern Italy and…
user1637
10
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2 answers
Was Apollo the sun god in Augustan Rome?
I had assumed that Apollo was the sun god in the Augustan era of Rome. I still think this is true. But I read a passage in Wikipedia that made me doubt this.
In Hellenistic times, especially during the 3rd century BCE, as Apollo Helios he became…
ktm5124
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Did Huginn and Muninn have personalities?
Odin was known for having two ravens with him, Huginn and Muninn. They flew all of Midgard and collected stories that they told to Odin.
Since they are associated with 'thought' and 'memory,' I wonder if this was characterized in any way by them? …
New Alexandria
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Is this Sabine name of Flora accurate?
Being a Sabine derived goddess of Rome, it's not odd to think that there is a linguistic equivalent of Flora in Sabine. I keep seeing claims that Flora was called by the Sabines as Flusia, and that July in the Sabine calendar was called Flusalia…
crayondraw
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10
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1 answer
How did Helen get back from Troy?
The nostoi, or journeys home, of many of the heroes of the Trojan War are recounted by Homer -- most famously that of Odysseus -- or were known in antiquity but later lost. Is anything known about how Helen got back to Sparta?
In the Odyssey, book…
TKR
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2 answers
Are sphinxes unigender?
In Greek mythology sphinxes are always female. Are there any text about sphinxes that explain how they breed or how they're born? Or are there male Sphinx?
RiddlerNewComer
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4 answers
What is the difference between a cockatrice and a basilisk?
What is the difference between a cockatrice and a basilisk?
I have heard both described as a chicken's egg hatched under a toad, and that both are snake-like animals, and that both will turn you to stone if you look at them. Are they the same…
creative_name
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3 answers
Symbolism behind Hephaestus riding a donkey
When Hephaestus returns to Olympus after being thrown out by Hera, some authors/artists portray him as riding a donkey:
(Source: Theoi.com)
Is there any reason why he rides a donkey? Why not a horse or a turtle?
bleh
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