Tag: Turkey

On a Legendary Tribe

The ancient Greeks firmly believed that they existed, beyond a doubt. Classical Greek stories, poem, plays, and art all portray or depict them. And, yet, modern historians and archaeologists can find little trace of this legendary warrior tribe. However, because of the amount of art and literature surrounding their descriptions, we can get an idea of what the Greeks knew or believed that they knew about this group of warriors.

To begin with, the ancient texts aren’t quite sure where they originated, but while some sources point to the northern shore of the Black Sea, in the area that is now part of modern Ukraine, most of them say the tribe was from the southern, opposite coast. This area is now the northern part of Turkey. From this flat and fertile land, the tribe raided all along the Black Sea coastal areas and even ventured into the coasts of the Aegean Sea. This is where they encountered the ancient Greeks. Themiscyra, a Greek city in northern Turkey, is supposed to have originally been the capital city of the group. It was here that a supposed series of queens ruled over the people, most notably the legendary Queen Hippolyta. And, to be fair, modern archaeologists have found there some evidence of tombs that have contents and bodies that match the ancient Greek descriptions of the group.

The primary characteristic of the tribe was their war-like abilities. While we think of Greece being the home of arts and architecture, philosophy and learning, this other group was known as the “slayers of men” according to the so-called first historian, Herodotus. They were renowned for their abilities with the bow and the spear, and the idea of fear was not found among them, apparently. One of these warriors would gladly enter a fight with several enemies, and, more often than not, put them to rout. Thus, the tales of their bravery and their prowess preceded them. Their reputation was so fierce that, in battle, it was said that if the enemy found out that they were facing this particular group, they would often leave the battlefield rather than fight them. In fact, such an encounter with them is included in an obscure passage in Homer’s Iliad.

By the time of Alexander the Great, the tribe seems to have largely vanished except for the stories still told in that culture. One contemporary of Alexander supposedly wrote a story about Alexander fighting the tribe in an effort to show how mighty Alexander was, but, when the story was read the young Macedonian conqueror, he is supposed to have said, “Oh? Where was I when this battle was won?” The Roman poet, Vergil, writing over 250 years later, referred to the tribe, but, again, as only the stuff of legend.

Their name as it comes down to us today is also somewhat of a mystery. One legend said that the warriors cut off their right breast muscles so that their bows could be steadied next to their bodies. However, there is also no evidence that this was true even if the warrior tribe had existed. At any rate, that’s one source of the name that we know them by today: Those without breasts.

In Greek, the word is Amazon.

On Getting Away from It All

Ever want to get away from it all? For those who may not know, that’s pretty much what I did more than 2 years ago. Best decision I’ve made in decades. Following the prompting of poet Philip Larkin, I “walked out on the whole crowd” for many of the same reason most people do. A few years ago, another man, a man named Simeon, wanted to follow suit. You see, Simeon was tired of the rat race. He detested crowds and the hustle and bustle of daily life. So, he decided to get away, also.

He was born on what is now the border area between Turkey and Syria, born to a simple but relatively well off shepherding family. At the age of 13, Simeon became obsessed with Christianity. Now, that particular religion was not the one most people followed in that area, and it was relatively easy for Simeon to rise in the ranks of the church. His dedication and asceticism were so extreme that even his fellow monks at the monastery he was studying in asked him to leave. When monks think you’re too radical for them, well, you’re pretty radical. Any way, Simeon sought to clear his mind. So, he found a place in a small cliff facing where he could live out of the elements. It was barely large enough for him to turn around in.

Simeon stayed there in the defile throughout the Lenten season one year, and, when he emerged, people began to believe that he had been sustained during that time somehow supernaturally. He became a local religious celebrity. And that formed much of the problem for Simeon. He didn’t like the crowds who began to follow his every move, reaching out to him to teach them how to live a pious, godly life. And the more people sought him out, the more Simeon wished to retreat in order to continue his religious mediation and prayers. But the more time he spent in dedication to God, the more people sought him out.

Where could he go to escape the growing, burgeoning throngs that were clamoring for words of wisdom from the holy man? It seemed that no matter where Simeon went and hid, people would find him. Finally, Simeon found a solution. There was one place where people couldn’t reach him, one place where the crowds couldn’t bother him with their inanities and their silly questions and their please for his pearls of wisdom.

The place he found was among the ruins of an ancient city in what is now Syria, near the present day town of Taladah. It was in these ruins that Simeon found his happy place, that space that would allow him to be alone with his God and with his thoughts. And it was there he stayed for thirty years. The space he occupied for all that time was not much more than 1 square yard (1 square meter) in area. Boys from the area were dispatched to bring him food and goat’s milk to the isolated retreat so that he didn’t have to venture out to get the basics for himself. Now, to be fair, people still came to see Simeon, but he was able to keep himself separate, above, and beyond their direct reach. They could see him, but interacting with the holy man was not possible for the crowds.

You see, the place Simeon had found to escape to, the safe space he found, was atop the ruins of a temple, on top of one of the ancient pillars left from the old civilzation.

Fifty feet in the air.