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This is obvious to those in the know, but the King you mention is quasi-fictional, in the sense that Achilles and Odysseus are. He’s mentioned in the Indian epi
by nindalf 4y ago
This is obvious to those in the know, but the King you mention is quasi-fictional, in the sense that Achilles and Odysseus are. He’s mentioned in the Indian epic Mahabharata, which is similar to the Iliad in terms of age, scope and influence on modern society.
Whereas the pharaoh is much more real.
- rnd0 4y agoMind you, that's what they thought about the city of Troy, too. Don't be too surprised if someone somewhere stumbles upon the tomb of king Dhrutarashtr!
- kshacker 4y agoNo Tombs for Hindus except some rare parts. Generally cremated in a pyre. But guess we never know how things were millennia back.
- OJFord 4y agoDoesn't preclude finding a shrine of some kind though right? What (if anything) was the equivalent of garlanded photo-portraits before cameras? Sketched/painted portraits?
- nindalf 4y agoShrines only exist for deified figures. Some kings did successfully deify themselves, to the point where they are still worshipped as Gods. This king wasn’t deified. Deification of kings sounds unusual, but it was quite a common tactic of political control in the ancient world. The Roman Imperial cult was quite successful at this.
- OJFord 4y agoI only meant it loosely, in the sense of any kind of physical thing or collection of things used to represent or remember the deceased, like a photo adorned with a garland.