Seminar 10 - Barbarians

Question 1

Herodotus’ description of the Persians

Answer 1

They do not build statues or temples, they hold their neighbours very highly, after battles, manliness is shiwn by producing plenty of sons, they adopt more foreign customs than anyone else.

Question 2

Places and people

Answer 2

India is the furthest east of the ‘inhabited world’.

Question 3

Inhabitants of the Peloponnese

Answer 3

Inhabited by seven peoples - Arcadians and Cynurians are native, the Achaeans had moved there from their homeland. Dorians, Aetolians, Dryopians and Lemnians were all immigrants.

Question 4

Persian kinship with the people of Argos

Answer 4

Xerxes sent a herald to Argos before invading Greece. It said that the Persians and Argives are of the same kin and so it would be wrong for the Argives to be attacked by the Persians. So Xerxes instructed the Argives to stay put and do nothing.

Question 5

Macedonian identity

Answer 5

Descendants of Perdicca which makes them Greek.

Question 6

Alexander

Answer 6

Seventh generation Perdicca. He gained Macedonia because 3 brothers were banished from Argos. They crossed over the border to Macedonia and came to a town called Lebaea. The king told them to leave due an omen. So they did and settled in Macedonia elsewhere and gained control.

Question 7

Egypt

Answer 7

Almost all their customs are different to elswhere. Such as the men staying at home and weaving and the women going out to work.