Knowledge (XXG)

Macrobians

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100:"and after this saw last of all their receptacles of dead bodies, which are said to be made of crystal in the following manner:—when they have dried the corpse, whether it be after the Egyptian fashion or in some other way, they cover it over completely with plaster 21 and then adorn it with painting, making the figure as far as possible like the living man. After this they put about it a block of crystal hollowed out; for this they dig up in great quantity and it is very easy to work: and the dead body being in the middle of the block is visible through it, but produces no unpleasant smell nor any other effect which is unseemly, and it has all its parts visible like the dead body itself. For a year then they who are most nearly related to the man keep the block in their house, giving to the dead man the first share of everything and offering to him sacrifices: and after this period they carry it out and set it up round about the city. 160:
accomplishing a fifth of the distance (south of Siwa), the army of Cambyses resulted to cannibalism on their own fellow troops. When Cambyses heard of his army eating each other, he immediately stopped his expedition against the Macrobians and marched the remnant of his army back to Thebes on the Nile river of Egypt. And from Thebes they marched safely back to Memphis, where he ordered his Greek mercenaries to return to their homes. And must be noted, from Nubia or Ethiopia south of Egypt, Cambyses took the same western route as his army did from Thebes attempting to reach the Siwa Oasis, and according to the ancient geographer Strabo, Cambyses from Ethiopia had crossed the same western desert that his army had crossed from Thebes when "they were overwhelmed when a wind-storm struck them".
20: 96:. The Macrobians preserved the bodies of the dead by first extracting moisture from the corpses, then overlaying the bodies with a type of plaster, and finally decorating the exterior in vivid colors in order to imitate the deceased as realistically as possible. They then placed the body in a hollow crystal pillar, which they kept in their homes for a period of about a year. This is described by Herodotus in the following quote: 184:
to invade and conquer the land of Egypt by crossing the Sinai desert and afterwards departing from Egypt to reach the southern realms of Ethiopia south of Egypt, he was still far away from the land of the Macrobians, who dwelt beyond the vast Sahara desert at the ends of the earth as far as the Ocean
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pillar of the sky marked the western boundary for the land of Libya (Africa). While the Erythraean sea (Indian Ocean) of Arabia (east of the Nile) marked the southern boundary for Africa. So Cambyses, instead of crossing the western desert directly from Memphis to attack the Ammonians and Macrobians
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After conquering Ethiopia south of Egypt with no food provision and no baggage beast, Cambyses entered upon the desert west of Ethiopia in order to try and reach the Macrobians dwelling at the ends of the earth or the opposite end of the continent, but after getting deeper into the desert and only
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in an east to west direction. Concerning the southern sea, Herodotus places the Persians east of the southern sea in Asia, the Arabians & East Africans south of the sea in Arabia and the Macrobians west of the southern Sea in Libya. Herodotus also stated that the Macrobians were indigenous to
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figures who are similarly known to be tall, handsome warriors, that sustained themselves with a diet mainly composed of meat and milk. In addition, Somalis have a rich maritime culture that dates back centuries. This perspective that places the Macrobians in Somali territory was suggested by the
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According to Herodotus in a later chapter when he is describing the eastern, southern and western (Asia, Arabia, Libya) ends of the inhabited Earth, he makes it known that the Macrobians were the farthest inhabitants towards the sunset (west) of the southern Nile river beyond the
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Cambyses, after being insulted by the tallest and long-lived (Macrobian) King of Ethiopia in the west, he eagerly wanted to conquer and subdue all people of Amun and destroy all temples of the God, but failed in his desperate attempt. And although Cambyses had departed from
85:(525 BC) sent ambassadors to Macrobia, bringing luxury gifts for the Macrobian king to entice his submission. The Macrobian ruler, who was elected based at least in part on stature, replied instead with a challenge for his Persian counterpart in the form of an unstrung 144:, Cambyses and his army of Persians had "knocked down all the temples of the Gods of Egypt". After Cambyses had plundered the city of Elephantine he went further south to conquer the Ethiopians that bordered Egypt near the 1st 218:
in his periplus also place them south of the pillars of Hercules, and Scylax also reported a trade taking place between Phoenicians (Carthaginians) and tall Ethiopians (Macrobians). Herodotus also mentions a
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The Geography of Herodotus: Illustrated from Modern Researches and Discoveries by James Talboys Wheeler pg 528. The British Critic, Quarterly Theological Review, And Ecclesiastical Record Volume 11 pg 434
133:. While in Thebes Cambyses sent an army of 50,000 troops west to the Siwa Oasis with orders to conquer and enslave the Ammonians of Siwa and burn the oracle of their God Ammon (the new city of Amun). 156:
and gave it its name. But according to Herodotus Cambyses never went pass the 2nd cataract but instead left the Nile river and crossed the western desert toward Libya where the Macrobians dwelt.
89:: if the Persians could manage to string it, they would have the right to invade his country; but until then, they should thank the gods that the Macrobians never decided to invade their empire. 168:. Herodotus also makes it known that only two tribes accomplished this long journey from the Nile river to the western ends of Africa (Libya), these two tribes were known as the Libyan 672: 176:
of Elephantine, who spoke the same language as the inhabitants, but Cambyses with his huge army failed to accomplish what the Nasamones and Ichthyophagi had already completed.
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who dwelt beyond Egypt further south near the 4th Cataract. According to later Greek historians such as Diodorus, Siculus, and Strabo, Cambyses army had reached
108:, had planned three expeditions, a fleet expedition against the Carthaginians west of the Mediterranean sea and a land expedition against the Ammonians of 223:
of gold that took place between Carthaginians and natives south of Libya beyond the Pillars of Hercules; it was also this gold trade that motivated
692: 598: 415: 365: 235:, far west of Meroe beyond the deserts of Chad that is. Historical accounts of the Macrobians also have much in common with the pastoral 682: 116:
and against the Macrobians farther southwest of Libya towards the ends of the earth (the Atlantic Ocean). According to Herodotus the
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in the 1800s, and later affirmed by Indian scholar, Mamta Agarwal, who wrote "these people were none other than the inhabitants of
642: 405: 62:. At the same time, they were reported as being physically distinct from the general inhabitants of the region below the 241: 214:
southern Libya while the Libyans along the Mediterranean Sea were indigenous to northern Libya. Later authors such as
82: 662: 573:
Historical Researches Into the Politics, Intercourse, and Trade of the Carthaginians, Ethiopians, and Egyptians
571: 381:
The Geography of Herodotus: Illustrated from Modern Researches and Discoveries by James Talboys Wheeler pg 528.
677: 281: 145: 227:, the King of Persia, to plan a land and sea expedition against both the Carthaginians and Macrobian. 687: 136:
While sending his troops west, Cambyses himself decided to go further south of Thebes to the city of
271: 261: 117: 276: 266: 215: 141: 621: 594: 411: 311: 206: 121: 588: 615: 321: 228: 202: 75: 306: 198: 165: 105: 36: 19: 656: 301: 236: 126: 113: 86: 43:. It is one of the peoples postulated by the Greeks to exist at the extremity of the 316: 286: 220: 173: 48: 58:, an average person supposedly living to the age of 120. They were said to be the 224: 137: 78: 361: 109: 392:
The popular cyclopædia of,Biblical literature: condensed from the larger work
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The Popular Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature: condensed from the larger work
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According to Herodotus, Cambyses, after conquering Egypt and while still in
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Elephantine Papyri 401 B.C.E, petition to restore temple at Elephantine
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along the Atlantic coast, while the northern Libyan sea coast was the
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Herodotus detailed how the Macrobians practiced an elaborate form of
63: 232: 153: 129:
where he fought no battle and plundered the old abandoned city of
35:(Μακροβίοι) were a legendary people and kingdom positioned in the 27:(inhabited world) as described by Herodotus in the 5th century BC. 181: 130: 197:
they dwelt geographically along the sea south of Libya on the
201:. This Libya was far south of the Pillars of Hercules and 172:, who spoke an alien language to the inhabitants, and the 47:, in this case in the extreme south, contrasting with the 348: 346: 643:"Biography of Herodotus: the Father of History" 98: 673:Legendary tribes in Greco-Roman historiography 434:, Volume 26, (The Society: 1878), pp.912-913. 231:in his natural histories places them west of 8: 587:Abdurahman, Abdillahi (18 September 2017). 148:of the Nile and the Ethiopians of Nysa in 372:, (Gould and Lincoln: 1856), pp. 275-276. 18: 668:Tribes described primarily by Herodotus 333: 125:of Libya, decided first to go south to 570:Heeren, Arnold Hermann Ludwig (1838). 74:According to Herodotus' account, the 54:Their name is due to their legendary 7: 524:Herodotus the histories, book 3.17. 515:Herodotus, the Histories book 3.114 452:Herodotus the Histories, book 4.181 60:"tallest and handsomest of all men" 641:Agarwal, Mamta (26 January 2014). 620:. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 7. 560:Pliny, Natural History, book 6.35. 497:Herodotus the Histories, book 3.25 479:Herodotus, the Histories book 3.97 461:Herodotus the Histories book 4.108 443:Herodotus, the Histories book 3.24 394:,(Gould and Lincoln: 1856), p.302. 14: 430:Society of Arts (Great Britain), 593:. Scarecrow Press. p. 47. 533:Herodotus the Histories, 4.196. 590:Making Sense of Somali History 506:Strabo Geography, book 17.1.54 432:Journal of the Society of Arts 1: 693:History of the Horn of Africa 404:White, John S. (2018-04-05). 209:that stretched from Egypt to 576:. D.A. Talboys. p. 328. 407:The Boys and Girls Herodotus 242:Arnold Hermann Ludwig Heeren 185:towards the western sunset. 711: 683:Ancient peoples of Africa 390:John Kitto, James Taylor, 614:Briggs, Phillip (2012). 410:. BoD– Books on Demand. 488:Strabo Geography 17.1.5 102: 51:in the extreme north. 28: 23:Reconstruction of the 542:Herodotus, book 4.197 282:History of Somaliland 22: 272:History of Djibouti 262:History of Ethiopia 140:. According to the 118:Pillars of Hercules 551:Periplus of Scylax 277:History of Somalia 267:History of Eritrea 142:Elephantine Papyri 29: 600:978-1-909112-79-7 417:978-3-7326-5420-8 312:Fountain of Youth 240:German historian 207:Mediterranean Sea 112:west of Egypt in 83:conquest of Egypt 700: 647: 646: 638: 632: 631: 611: 605: 604: 584: 578: 577: 567: 561: 558: 552: 549: 543: 540: 534: 531: 525: 522: 516: 513: 507: 504: 498: 495: 489: 486: 480: 477: 471: 468: 462: 459: 453: 450: 444: 441: 435: 428: 422: 421: 401: 395: 388: 382: 379: 373: 359: 353: 350: 341: 338: 16:Legendary people 710: 709: 703: 702: 701: 699: 698: 697: 663:Longevity myths 653: 652: 651: 650: 640: 639: 635: 628: 613: 612: 608: 601: 586: 585: 581: 569: 568: 564: 559: 555: 550: 546: 541: 537: 532: 528: 523: 519: 514: 510: 505: 501: 496: 492: 487: 483: 478: 474: 469: 465: 460: 456: 451: 447: 442: 438: 429: 425: 418: 403: 402: 398: 389: 385: 380: 376: 360: 356: 351: 344: 339: 335: 330: 322:Kingdom of Kush 258: 248:, opposite the 203:Atlas Mountains 191: 76:Persian Emperor 72: 17: 12: 11: 5: 708: 707: 704: 696: 695: 690: 685: 680: 678:Ancient Africa 675: 670: 665: 655: 654: 649: 648: 633: 626: 606: 599: 579: 562: 553: 544: 535: 526: 517: 508: 499: 490: 481: 472: 463: 454: 445: 436: 423: 416: 396: 383: 374: 354: 352:Wheeler pg 526 342: 332: 331: 329: 326: 325: 324: 319: 314: 309: 307:Sigelwara Land 304: 299: 294: 289: 284: 279: 274: 269: 264: 257: 254: 190: 187: 166:western Sahara 71: 68: 39:mentioned by 37:Horn of Africa 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 706: 705: 694: 691: 689: 686: 684: 681: 679: 676: 674: 671: 669: 666: 664: 661: 660: 658: 644: 637: 634: 629: 627:9781841623719 623: 619: 618: 610: 607: 602: 596: 592: 591: 583: 580: 575: 574: 566: 563: 557: 554: 548: 545: 539: 536: 530: 527: 521: 518: 512: 509: 503: 500: 494: 491: 485: 482: 476: 473: 467: 464: 458: 455: 449: 446: 440: 437: 433: 427: 424: 419: 413: 409: 408: 400: 397: 393: 387: 384: 378: 375: 371: 367: 363: 358: 355: 349: 347: 343: 337: 334: 327: 323: 320: 318: 315: 313: 310: 308: 305: 303: 302:Ancient Libya 300: 298: 295: 293: 290: 288: 287:Proto-Somalis 285: 283: 280: 278: 275: 273: 270: 268: 265: 263: 260: 259: 255: 253: 251: 247: 243: 238: 234: 230: 226: 222: 217: 212: 208: 204: 200: 196: 193:According to 188: 186: 183: 177: 175: 171: 167: 161: 157: 155: 151: 147: 143: 139: 134: 132: 128: 123: 119: 115: 111: 107: 101: 97: 95: 90: 88: 84: 80: 77: 69: 67: 65: 61: 57: 52: 50: 46: 42: 38: 34: 26: 21: 636: 616: 609: 589: 582: 572: 565: 556: 547: 538: 529: 520: 511: 502: 493: 484: 475: 466: 457: 448: 439: 431: 426: 406: 399: 391: 386: 377: 369: 357: 336: 317:Land of Punt 221:silent trade 192: 178: 174:Ichthyophagi 162: 158: 135: 103: 99: 91: 73: 59: 53: 49:Hyperboreans 32: 30: 688:Cambyses II 366:John Taylor 138:Elephantine 79:Cambyses II 45:known world 657:Categories 617:Somaliland 362:John Kitto 328:References 33:Macrobians 297:Aithiopia 195:Herodotus 170:Nasamones 94:embalming 81:upon his 56:longevity 41:Herodotus 256:See also 225:Cambyses 199:Atlantic 189:Location 146:Cataract 120:and the 70:Accounts 25:Oikumene 292:Somalis 250:Red Sea 246:Somalia 211:Morocco 106:Memphis 624:  597:  414:  237:Somali 216:Scylax 150:Napata 127:Thebes 64:Sahara 233:Meroe 229:Pliny 154:Meroe 122:Atlas 114:Libya 622:ISBN 595:ISBN 412:ISBN 182:Susa 131:Amun 110:Siwa 31:The 252:." 87:bow 659:: 368:, 364:, 345:^ 66:. 645:. 630:. 603:. 420:.

Index


Oikumene
Horn of Africa
Herodotus
known world
Hyperboreans
longevity
Sahara
Persian Emperor
Cambyses II
conquest of Egypt
bow
embalming
Memphis
Siwa
Libya
Pillars of Hercules
Atlas
Thebes
Amun
Elephantine
Elephantine Papyri
Cataract
Napata
Meroe
western Sahara
Nasamones
Ichthyophagi
Susa
Herodotus

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