The Role of the Phoenix In Ancient Greece
The Role of the Phoenix In Ancient Greece
In Greece history, there are many different figures that play important roles. At the top of these creatures spoken of in Greek writings are the gods and goddesses, who live on Mount Olympus and oversee many aspects of everyday life. Then there are the creatures, beasts and mortals that fill out the rest of the roles in the myths. One of these creatures is the phoenix, a most famous bird.
The phoenix is a mystical firebird that is seen in many cultures, not just Greek society. The originating culture that started the myth of the phoenix is the ancient Egyptian culture - and all other myths regarding the phoenix seem to have sprung from this one. The phoenix is a sacred creature, a firebird that is said to live for 500 (or 1461) years, depending on the specific culture. It is colored crimson and gold, and is much larger than other birds. At the end of its life span, the phoenix, Greek bird of regeneration, is said to build a nest of cinnamon sticks, and light them on fire; consequently, both the nest and the bird burn to ashes.
A new baby phoenix rises from these ashes, and embalms and stores the ashes of the old phoenix in an egg of myrrh. This egg is then deposited in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis (Greek for the "city of the sun"). The phoenix can also regenerate parts of its body when wounded, further continuing the properties of regeneration and rebirth. The Egyptians closely associated the phoenix with fire and the sun, and he was often seen with the sun god Ra.
The Greeks adopted the phoenix from the Egyptians, first using their term for the bird, bennu, and then adapting their word for the color crimson (and the name of a city) Phoenicia, into the name phoenix for the bird. They associated the bird with their sun-god, Apollo, and said that the bird resided in Arabia next to a well, where it bathed and sang. The Romans also continued the tradition of the phoenix - they changed the image of the bird to look more like a peacock or eagle.
While the Greeks were not the first culture to have the phoenix featured in their myths, they were also not the last. The Romans, later Greeks and even Russians all revered this bird. Hypothesized to represent either a true bird that lived on hot salt flats (said to be to hot to survive on) or the total eclipse of the sun, the phoenix is a major part of many myths and legends.
Related Tags: bird, culture, history, phoenix, greece, egyptians, romans, greeks, symbols, myth, ashes, russians
Richard Monk is with Facts Monk - a site with facts about everything.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- The Louvre, From Supply Depot To Art Museum
The Louvre is generally regarded as the premiere art museum in France. With a collection of about 35 - Websites For Artists: The Impact Of Information Technology To The World
Information technology soars high with its never ending commitment - to provide the highest quality - Models On The Government-charity Relations
When talking about the relations between government and charity organizations, Benjamin Gadroon, Ral - Celtic Tattoos: Meanings Of Ancient Celtic Symbols
Many people today are getting Celtic tattoos. These ancient symbols have awakened some real sense of - My Daily Ramen
A Ramen A Day….and From School She Won't Stray!10/17/2009 in Uncategorized | 1 commentHi! I'm Ramen - Different Kinds Of Biography Books And Romance Books Describe Different Stories.
Firstly we will discuss about the biography books. In early times biography books were written by sc - A Scrapbook For Every Occasion
As you step into your best friend's house, your eyes are drawn instantly to the coffee table. A beau - Where Did Humans Come From?
There is a long-lasting battle raging in America between the Christian right and scientists as to th - Which Way To Go - Right Or Left ?
FORTY seven long years have passed. The state of the common man has not registered any perceptible c - Gold Artisans, Filigree Artists Of Colombia
" In the first steps the skillful worker receives the stone which has been reduced to dust,..rubs it
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Art Defined
The world needs a comprehensive, working definition for the realm of the "ARTS". This definition suc - How a Boy Became a Knight in Medieval Times
For almost seven hundred years between the ninth and sixteenth centuries knights were the lords of t - Oprah's Greatest Legacy - Oprah Winfrey's War On Poverty
I'm very proud of Oprah Winfrey for contributing $40 million to build a school in Johannesburg, Sout - Miriam Weiss: Holocaust Survivor and Kibbutz Mother
Miriam Weiss: June 29, 1915 - January 4, 1997On that precious list of "Righteous Gentiles" (rare ind - Critical Analysis of the Annulment of King Henry VIII & Katherine of Aragon
Although King Henry VIII had reason to worry about the political ramifications of not having a legit - Russian's Bellyache: A One Way Street (Star Wars)
Russian's Bellyache: A one way StreetIt's a two way highway out there in the real world, yet Russia, - Hitler as a Leader
Perhaps someone will say Hitler was not a nice person. However nobody will argue his outstanding abi - Lenin Mausoleum: To Be or Not to Be?
Red cemeteryRed Square in pre-revolutionary Moscow was a typical trade square with the usual willow - Mohammad Yunus And The New Revolutionaries
In 1974, I found it difficult to teach elegant theories of economics in the university classroom, in - Is Racism Still Rife in Football?
Not to long ago black footballers in the United Kingdom were frequently faced with monkey chants fro
