World history is full of stories about sacred weapons, revered for their strength, and most importantly, for their sacred properties. In the ancient world, the spear of Achilles enjoyed such fame, with which the Greek hero fought under the walls of Troy, defeating numerous enemies …
Perhaps the first in the list of famous weapons can be put Phinees's spear, better known as Longinus's spear. According to legend, with this spear the Roman centurion Gaius Cassius Longinus pierced the side of the crucified Christ. The Spear of Destiny (another name for it) is today kept in the treasury of the Vienna Hofburg Museum and is open to the views of any visitor interested in history. Several legends have developed around the spear of Destiny - in particular, it was believed that the army, the commander of which owns this spear, would be invincible.
Pelion ash
As for the spear of Achilles, this weapon, even judging by its appearance, was also very impressive. The Iliad describes these weapons as follows:
“… It was hard
Strong, huge this ash;
none of the Achaeans
Promotional video:
I could not move, and one
Achilles shook him easily,
With the Pelion's ash, which to his father Chiron
From the height of Pelion, to the death of hostile heroes."
In the text of the poem, Homer repeatedly points out that the spear had an impressive size and solid weight. Endowing weapons with the epithets "copper-knives" and "straight-flying", the poet mentions several times that Achilles could equally quickly strike enemies with a spear from afar - that is, throwing it, and in close combat (as was the case, for example, during a duel with Hector, when Achilles killed Trojan prince with a spear blow to the neck). Homer describes in sufficient detail the history of the appearance of the spear: during the marriage feast of Achilles' father, Peleus, and the nymph Thetis, the centaur Chiron, invited as an honored guest, made and presented a spear to young Peleus. Going to Troy, Achilles took the relic with him.
According to the epic poem "Ethiopis" (VIII century BC), after the death of the great hero from the arrow of Paris, his comrades-in-arms Odysseus and Ajax fought for the weapon of Achilles. The cunning Odysseus won, who took possession of the armor, spear, shield and sword of Achilles. Then he handed them over to the young Neoptolemus - the son of Achilles and Deidamia, daughter of Lycomedes.
After the capture of Troy (in which he participated along with the rest of the Greeks and Neoptolemus), the Achaeans sailed to their homeland, but the spear, for some unknown reason, remained in the territory of Asia Minor (or was later transported there again). For a long time it was located in the temple of Athena in the ancient city of Phaselis, the ruins of which have been preserved near the Turkish Antalya.
Probably, the spear of Achilles reached two meters in length (or slightly exceeded it) and was really used both for close combat and as a throwing weapon. The tip of the spear, as well as the back part - the so-called "flow" - were made of copper (the war between the Trojans and the Greeks was fought at a time when iron was not yet widespread, and weapons were made of bronze or copper). Most likely, the large weight of the spear was due to the outstanding physical strength of Achilles, which allowed the Achaean leader to be sure that no one else could use his weapon, and was achieved by the unusual thickness of the shaft. Indeed, the weight of the spear more than once saved the life of the Greek hero. So, in one of the next episodes of the battle, Achilles throws a spear at the Trojan Asteropeia, and the weapon, bypassing the target, half goes into the ground (obviously,sticking into the side of a small hill). All attempts by the Trojan to pull the spear out of the ground and use it are in vain. Whereas Achilles easily regains his weapon and kills Asteropia.
Source of power
The most famous moment in the history of the veneration of the spear can be considered 333 BC, when Alexander the Great, having led a detachment of his most courageous soldiers along the seashore along the foot of the Taurus Mountains, entered Phaselis (or, as Greek historians called him, Phaselis). There is a version that Alexander stayed in the city on purpose to bow to the "source of power" - a spear, located in the main city temple. With reverence, taking the relic in his hands, Alexander went on to conquer Asia Minor and Egypt, in which he succeeded.
In the II century (that is, 500 years after the Macedonian king), the Greek historian Pausanias also visited Phaselis and placed in his book "Description of Hellas" (section 3) a mention of the fact that he personally saw the legendary spear: "And that in heroic times, weapons in general everything was brass, Homer is a witness of this in those verses where he describes the ax of Pisander and the spear of Merion. And on the other hand, this is confirmed by the spear of Achilles, stored in Phaselis in the temple of Athena, and the sword of Memnon, located in Nicomedia in the temple of Asclepius: the spear's point and lower part are made of copper, and the sword in general is all copper. I have seen it, I know that it is."
It should be added that Phaselis, conveniently located on the road from the Greek islands to the southwestern coast of Asia Minor, was a colony of the inhabitants of Rhodes, founded in the 7th century BC. The city experienced several periods of prosperity, until in the XII century it was destroyed by earthquakes. In its place there was a village of fishermen and pirates.
After the annexation of this part of the Mediterranean coast to the Ottoman Empire, the situation did not change. The convenient harbors of Phaselis (there are three in total) attracted various adventurers. Bad fame about this place went, and the captains of the merchant ships did not dare to pester, let alone linger in front of the ruins.
In search of the temple of Athena
Only in 1980, the Turkish Ministry of Culture decided to restore what still survived on the site of Phaselis. The aqueduct, the theater, the remains of temples, the main street, baths were dug up and reconstructed, the foundations of residential buildings were found. However, the temple of Athena has not yet been discovered. Turkish scientists argue about where exactly he could be. Their opinions coincide only in one thing: of course, according to ancient custom, it should have been (as, for example, in ancient Athens) located on the acropolis. The problem is this: the acropolis (or what it once was) in Phaselis is very low - it is a hill that rises only 15-20 meters above the sea. Its bowels have not yet been studied, and the ruins of the temple remain in the ground. However, in 2012, a new phase of archaeological research began, which brings new finds to scientists almost every year. Maybe,the discovery of an ancient sanctuary is a matter of the near future. And who knows if the legendary ash with a copper tip will not be found among the stones that collapsed as a result of one of the earthquakes? Apparently, he stayed exactly there, in the temple, where he was held in awe by the outstanding Macedonian commander, the conqueror of half the world. Most likely, in a hurry leaving the city during the earthquake, residents simply did not have time to save the relic. Be that as it may, one thing is clear: such a find will become an outstanding event in the world of modern archeology, and will once again confirm that the texts of Homeric poems, as historical evidence, deserve indisputable trust.found the legendary ash with a copper tip? Apparently, he stayed exactly there, in the temple, where he was held in awe by the outstanding Macedonian commander, the conqueror of half the world. Most likely, in a hurry leaving the city during the earthquake, residents simply did not have time to save the relic. Be that as it may, one thing is clear: such a find will become an outstanding event in the world of modern archeology, and will once again confirm that the texts of Homeric poems, as historical evidence, deserve indisputable trust.found the legendary ash with a copper tip? Apparently, he stayed exactly there, in the temple, where he was held in awe by the outstanding Macedonian commander, the conqueror of half the world. Most likely, in a hurry leaving the city during the earthquake, residents simply did not have time to save the relic. Be that as it may, one thing is clear: such a find will become an outstanding event in the world of modern archeology, and will once again confirm that the texts of Homeric poems, as historical evidence, deserve indisputable trust. Such a find will become an outstanding event in the world of modern archeology, and once again confirm that the texts of Homeric poems, as historical evidence, deserve indisputable trust. Such a find will become an outstanding event in the world of modern archeology, and once again confirm that the texts of Homeric poems, as historical evidence, deserve indisputable trust.
Maxim PETROV
Interesting potema
Arrow victim of Paris
The god-blacksmith Hephaestus gave Achilles wonderful armor. Having defeated Hector with a blow of a spear, he mocked his body for 12 days near the grave of his favorite Patroclus. His mother, Thetis, with difficulty was able to convince her son to give the remains of Hector to the Trojans for a funeral rite - the sacred duty of the living to the dead. Returning to the battlefield, Achilles turned around with all his might - he brought down enemies left and right. But his own life was also coming to an end. The arrow of Paris, directed by Apollo, inflicted a mortal wound on Achilles in the heel - the only vulnerable spot on the hero's body. This was the reason for the death of the valiant and arrogant Achilles, who was a model for the great Alexander the Great.