Father Of History

The Greeks also incorporated the oracle at Siwa into their legends, claiming that the temple had been founded by Dionysus, visited by both Heracles and Perseus and that the first Sybil of the temple was the sister of the Sybil at the temple at Didona in Greece.

Unveiling the Oracle at Siwa: Alexander the Great's Divine Encounter

At that time, the oracle at Siwa was one of the most famed oracles in the eastern Mediterranean. Here, Alexander the Great transcended the realm of man and became, if not a god, then the son of one. In three thirty-four BCE, Alexander the Great crossed the Hellespont and began his invasion of the mighty Persian Empire. Following two great battles and several sieges, Alexander the Great had taken over most of Persia's territory in Anatolia, Syria, and the Levant.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Alexander the Great: Arian's Account Revealed

There are three major sources for the life of Alexander the Great, which were written by Arrian (AD 86–160), Plutarch (AD 46–120), and Quintus Curtius Rufus (AD 1st century). Of these three, the account of Arrian is generally considered to be the most reliable, as he drew almost directly from the writings of Alexander the Great's generals.

In three thirty-four BCE, Alexander the Great crossed the Hellespont and began his invasion of the mighty Persian Empire. Following two great battles and several sieges, Alexander the Great had taken over most of Persia's territory in Anatolia, Syria, and the Levant. Rather than pushing eastwards into the heart of the Persian Empire, he instead marched his army south into Egypt. The conquest of Egypt was necessary for Alexander the Great to secure his lines of communication. Persia still possessed a powerful navy which could threaten Greece and Macedonia, so Alexander needed to destroy all its bases. Egypt was also a wealthy land, and Alexander needed money.

The first Greek visitors to the oracle at Siwa were travelers on the caravan routes from Cyrenaica in the late sixth century. Quite impressed with what they found, the fame of the oracle soon spread throughout the Greek world. The Greeks equated Amun with Zeus and called the god worshipped at Siwa Amun-Zeus.

Much has been made of Alexander the Great's visit to the Oracle at Siwa, both during antiquity and the modern era. After visiting the Oracle at Siwa, Alexander the Great was portrayed on coins with the horns of a ram coming from his head. This was a symbol of the god Zeus Ammon and would have been understood as Alexander advertising his divinity. It would have also been good politics, as it would have helped legitimize his reign as a foreigner of Egypt and other territories in the Near East. Images of rulers as gods or with the characteristics of gods were far more common in these parts of the world.

During his time in Egypt Alexander the Great sought to establish his rule in a pattern that would repeat itself across the ancient Near East Seeking to further legitimize his rule and follow in the footsteps of the heroes and conquerors of the past Alexander the Great also decided to visit the Oracle at Siwa The oracle at Siwa was located in a deep depression known as the Siwa Oasis which is located in an isolated part of the desert towards the northwestern border with Libya Until the domestication of the camel Siwa was too isolated to be fully incorporated with Egypt The first signs of an Egyptian presence date to the nineteenth dynasty and a fort was constructed at the oasis During the twenty-sixth dynasty the pharaoh Amasis or five hundred and seventy to five hundred and twenty-six BCE built a shrine to Amun at the oasis to assert Egyptian control and win the favor of the Libyan tribes more fully Amun was one of the chief Egyptian gods who was worshipped as the king of the gods

Alexander the Great's motivations for seeking out the oracle at Siwa were likely twofold He wanted to legitimize his rule in the eyes of the Egyptians by acting like a pharaoh and hoped that the oracle at Siwa would declare he was descended from a pharaonic line It is also probable that because the oracle at Siwa was located on the border of Egypt he was hoping a demonstration by his forces would secure the good behavior of the Libyans and Greeks of Cyrenaica

After a legendary journey to the Oracle of Siwa in Egypt, Alexander the Great became far more than a mere mortal When Alexander the Great invaded Egypt he was already a hero and conqueror Yet during his short time in Egypt he experienced something that appears to have deeply influenced him for the rest of his life This event the exact nature of which is shrouded in legend occurred when Alexander the Great visited the Oracle at Siwa At that time the oracle at Siwa was one of the most famed oracles in the eastern Mediterranean Here Alexander the Great transcended the realm of man and became if not a god then the son of one

The Dark Tale of Lamia: Feeding on Innocence and Envy

Weighed down by misfortune and envying the happiness of all other women and their children, Lamia began snatching newborn babies from their mothers' arms. Then, she brought them to her cave, thickly covered with ivy and brine. There, people say, she ate them, head to toe.

The Haunting Tale of Lamia: A Terrifying Mythological Revenge

It is said that the wickedness of Lamia's revenge was so unprecedented that it visibly disfigured her face. In time, this child-eating monster became a bogeywoman, a word Greek mothers used to frighten their children into discipline and good behavior. Lamia, the beautiful queen, one of Zeus's lovers, was the daughter of King Belus of Egypt and Liby, who according to some sources may have even been Belus' mother. Thus, it is not unimaginable to think of her as the unfortunate offspring of an incestual relationship. Either way, she was probably the only half-sister of Aegyptus and Danaeus, and thus the half-aunt of the Danaids.

The Tragic Tale of Lamia: Zeus's Lover and Hera's Enemy

Ancient authors describe her as a queen of surpassing beauty, and at least one of them claims that she was one of Zeus's favorite lovers: the children of Lamia. Now, as many mortal women found out the hard way, being loved by Zeus came with a severe drawback, namely being despised by Hera. In the case of Lamia, for reasons we don't know, Hera's hatred went, arguably, the furthest: every time Lamia gave birth to a child, regardless of whether it was Zeus's or someone else's, Hera murdered it. Some say that the goddess was even crueler, inflicting upon Lamia a temporary madness during which the queen of Lybia killed her children with her own two hands. Lamia, the child-eating monster. Lamia's revenge.