Herodotus and Mythic Geography: The Case of the Hyperboreans

Folks , we all know how absolutely critical the Hyperborean civilisation was , as proof for a Hollow Earth culture a.k.a. "The Arctic home in the Vedas" , that extended up into the Arctic region on the surface of Earth .

In this regard , I found this fascinating text attributed to the foremost of ancient Greek scholars - the great Herodotus himself :-

https://www.jstor.org/stable/284263?seq=1

**I also wish to propose a new term that I have coined for this kind of lost Arcane knowledge from prehistory - "The Burnt Library of Alexandria Class of Knowledge" . What are your thoughts about this ? Please let me know .

Related to this same topic , is another article about the great Sages of Hyperborea , especially Abaris , whom even the Greeks respected highly . Abaris apparenly wore "Scythian clothes"...hmm - now that's a tantalising clue !

Abaris the Hyperborean

"Abaris" redirects here. For other uses, see Abaris (disambiguation).

In Greek mythology, Abaris the Hyperborean (Ancient Greek: Ἄβαρις Ὑπερβόρειος Abaris Hyperboreios ), son of Seuthes, was a legendary sage, healer, and priest of Apollo known to the Ancient Greeks. He was supposed to have learned his skills in his homeland of Hyperborea, which he fled during a plague. He was said to be endowed with the gift of prophecy, and by this as well as by his Scythian dress and simplicity and honesty he created great sensation in Greece, and was held in high esteem.[1]

Legend

According to Herodotus he was said to have traveled around the world with an arrow[2][3] symbolizing Apollo, eating no food.[4] Heraclides Ponticus wrote that Abaris flew on it. Plato ( Charmides 158C) classes him amongst the "Thracian physicians" who practice medicine upon the soul as well as the body by means of "incantations" ( epodai ). A temple to Persephone at Sparta was attributed to Abaris by Pausanias (9.10). Alan H. Griffiths compares Abaris to Aristeas in terms of being a "shamanistic missionary and savior-figure" and notes Pindar places Abaris during the time of Croesus.[5]

Phalaris

A particularly rich trove of anecdotes is found in Iamblichus's Vita Pythagorica . Here, Abaris is said to have purified Sparta and Knossos, among other cities, from plagues ( VP 92–93). Abaris also appears in a climactic scene alongside Pythagoras at the court of the Sicilian tyrant Phalaris. The two sages discuss divine matters, and urge the obstinate tyrant towards virtue (ibid. 215–221). Iamblicus also attributes to Abaris a special expertise at extispicy, the art of predicting future events through the examination of anomalies in the entrails of animals.[6] The Suda attributes a number of books to Abaris, including a volume of Scythian Oracles in dactylic hexameter, a prose theogony, a poem on the marriage of the river Hebrus, a work on purifications, and an account of Apollo's visit to the Hyperboreans. But such works, if they were really current in ancient times, were no more genuine than his reputed correspondence with Phalaris the tyrant.[7]

A more securely historical Greco-Scythian philosopher, who travelled among the Hellenes in the early sixth century, was Anacharsis.

Eighteenth century Bath architect John Wood, the Elder wrote about Abaris, and put forth the fanciful suggestion that he should be identified with King Bladud.

Regards

Sidhartha,

That's a good term! I'm going to read Herodotus.

Dean

Yes sure @deandddd , I find the writings & observations of Herodotus to be the most important of all the ancient Greek scholars.

I am sure many of the precious & valuable texts of Herodotus got destroyed when the Great Library of Alexandria , tragically burned down in Egypt over 2,000 years ago...!

Regards