The hottest Ancient Texts Substack posts right now

Lineage was highly significant for ancient Israelites, connecting them to their divine covenant and promising them a land and a future Messiah.
Genealogies in the Hebrew Bible were not just lists of names, but keys to understanding one's place in God's plan, serving to preserve their sense of self and identity amidst external threats.
The descendants of Noah's sons, as detailed in the 'Table of Nations' in Genesis, were believed to repopulate the world and carry forward the sacred bloodlines after the Great Flood.

Plato's story of Atlantis has captivated people for ages
Despite being considered a myth, hidden clues in Plato's texts hint at a real Atlantis
The civilization of Atlantis was described as peaceful until a desire for conquest led to its downfall

Archaeologists discovered lost cities in the Amazon dating back over 2,000 years.
A Roman temple in Italy sheds light on the transition from pagan gods to Christianity.
Footprints and fish traps in Britain reveal ancient hunter-gatherer life 7,000 years ago.

Book 13 of the Iliad showcases lesser-known Homeric heroes like Idomeneus and Meriones, echoing the heroic pairs of other epics, highlighting the importance of these relationships in narrative structures.
The pairing of heroes and their sidekicks allows audiences to see heroes in friendships, possibly providing commentary on characters who lack such relationships, like Hektor, showcasing a social and political deprivation.
The rise of Idomeneus in Book 13 integrates Cretan myths into the Homeric narrative, demonstrating the Homeric strategy of incorporating local traditions and narrative patterns into epic storytelling.

Ancient texts offer different perspectives on Helen's role in the Trojan War, ranging from blaming her for causing suffering to providing a more complex context for her behavior.
There is a debate about Helen's character that includes discussions about her name's etymology and rhetorical defenses of her actions.
Modern linguistics and historical inscriptions shed light on the evolution of Helen's name and its potential origins, ranging from links to Greek digamma to suggestions of connections to Vedic goddesses.

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The author discusses the idea that the God of the Bible kills dogs, presenting examples from biblical stories where dogs were harmed or killed.
The post challenges readers to reconcile the portrayal of God in religious texts with concepts of morality and personal beliefs.
It highlights the theme of divine actions in various religions that might conflict with modern ethical standards, prompting reflection on personal values and interpretation of ancient texts.