HERCULES S P Q R:

HERCULES IN GRAECO-ROMAN CULTURE.

THE SENATE AND THE PEOPLE OF ROME.

Contributing Author Network

* WELCOME !AFTER READING THE CHAPTER OVERVIEW CONTINUE AND SCROLL DOWN TO THE ARTICLES ABOUT HERCULES IN GRAECO-ROMAN

CULTURE.

Chapter Overview

"True Strength" By Samuel Ewing reveals the truth that Hercules and Amazon are the original African Native Heroes. The following is a summary of each chapter of "True Strength". This will give you the reader an overview of the mass amounts of historical facts that substantiate this Book

Chapter One The African Connection:

The name Heracles' and Hercules' can be traced back to the Black African people of ancient Ethiopia and Egypt who conceived of a mighty savior named "Heru". Consequently, this title was also bestowed on upon the Egyptian Pharaohs who were renowned for their courage and pursuit of justice. The ancient Greeks who were taught and civilized by African teachers adopted the words "Horus", "Hero", and "Heracles"as derivatives. Heracles (Hercules) is actually the title.

Chapter Two & Three The Character of Heroes and Heroines

During ancient times the African conception of Heru spread from Thebes (Waset), Egypt to the British Isles, Scythis, the Indies, Ireland, Germany and beyond to other parts of the world. Heru (Heracles) as a title was bestowed on those African men and women who displayed qualities of behavior that promoted truth and nobility,. The criteria and process for electing an individual as a living Heru or Hercules was copied by Europeans.

Chapter Four The Training And Education Of A Hercules :

The training of the Hercules and Amazon Queens consisted of extensive education to prepare them for arduous tasks. Hercules and Amazon were not only mighty because of their physical prowess and beauty, they also held skilled occupations. They were lawyers, engineers, lawgivers, professors etc... The pioneers of African civilization wanted to spread civilization to the European frontier.

Chapter Five Hercules and Amazon: How many ?

Historically there has been more than one person who were said to embody the qualities of Heru (Hercules). Listed are some of the historical and semi -historical figures who were known throughout the world as Hercules. The majority of these individuals were African men (black men).

Chapter Six Body Building And Weight Training

What is known today is that body building, power lifting, weight training, physical fitness, mental training and spiritual development originated in Africa before 3400 B. C.. African people set the standards for moral, physical and spiritual perfection.

Chapter Seven 12 Labors Of Hercules

The twelve labors of Hercules were difficult and arduous tests for kingship or to become champions for African people. Thousands of years later in Africa those same tests are used to determine the African youth's rights to receive the privileges of manhood and marriage. The mystery schools of the Greeks received these criteria of tests from Ethiopia and African Culture. In addition, the Greek Heracleses were black men, as were the ancestors of Greek culture.

Interesting Facts About Heracles

By Samuel D. Ewing

*Briareus (Hercules) - This Hercules was a giant called Briareus who was said to have founded the city of Tartessus when it was originally named Heracleia. He set up the Pillars of Hercules which were also called the Pillars of Briareus in order to separate Africa from Europe, other said that he made the passage way smaller to keep out sea monsters, and thereby protecting the natives. The Pillars of Hercules have more than one location such as at the Straits of Africa and Europe, on the north coast of Germany, the Black Sea, Gaul, and India. In Gaul, he ended the ancient custom of killing visitors. The people were so grateful to him that he was able to found the city Alesia ('Wandering'). Briareus defeated the Ligurian armies, built a road in the Ligurian Alps for his armies, and captured the robbers who lived in the pass.

*Hercules of Agyrium (of Sicily) is believed to have been an ancestor who led the Sicels across the Straits of Italy in the year 1050 B.C.

*Dorian Heracles (Spartan Heracles) - This Heracles is said to have been a cattle man who was an expert marksman with the javelin and arrow, enjoys eating barley cakes and roasted meat in large quantities, and he wears a short - skirt tunic. He prefers to sleep outdoors and he is able to find out what is happening in distant places because he can read (interpret) the flight of vultures. This Heracles is said to never start a fight, however, he makes sure the criminal receives the same punishment intended for the victim. The Dorian Heracles is an emblem for a collective group of Spartans who invaded the Peloponese as three different groups. They also referred to themselves as the Sons of Heracles.

*Heracles (Hercules) the Botanist - Legends tell that Hercules studied and found various plants with medicinal qualities. For example, he discovered All-Heal Heracleon (wild origanum), and that it was useful for wounds inflicted by iron weapons. Henbane could cause mental confusion. Aconite and Nymphaean Heracleon (club-shaped root) causes male impotency for 12 days.

*Hercules-Cornopion - At Oeta Hercules-Cornopion drove the locust out of the city. The Ionians in Erythae called him Hercules-Ipoctonus because he exterminated the worms that attacked the vineyards of the land. Hercules was a pest exterminator.

*Hercules the Healer - In Colchis and Jasonica, Hercules was honored as the Healer even to the Eastern Gulf of the Black Sea.

*Hercules the Nosedocker - Hercules was an undefeated Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World.

*Hercules the Wrestler - Hercules was called the Wrestler and he was the undefeated

Heavyweight Wrestling Champion of the World.

*Hercules the Archer - Hercules was the world champion in archery.

*Hercules as founder - Legend says Hercules the Dactyl founded numerous cities during his travels, he founded the Olympic Games, and he was the first Olympic track and field champion.

*Hercules the Water-Engineer - Hercules was said to be an expert in the building of canals, tunnels, changing the course of rivers, flood prevention, cleaning away sewage, and blocking the waters supply of his enemies. The second and fifth labors highlight this point. This was true of the Greek Heracles and the Egyptian Heracles who was the predecessor of the former.

*Hercules- Hercules had been a slave. He opposed human sacrifice, infanticide, genocide, and slavery. He had been a slave for 12 years to King Eurystheus when he performed the 12 labors. He was sold into slavery at a latter period in Asia to Queen Omphale of Lydia. Hercules was a slave for 3 years and he used that time to remove the criminal element from Asia Minor.

*Mayan Hercules - The ancient sacred texts of the Mayans (Popol Vuh) tell stories of a man-god named Zipanea Told (Zipanac), who was the Hercules and Samson of the Mayans. Zipanac befriended 400 men by lifting massive logs uphill and placing them as supports for the great building they would live in. The 400 men conspired to kill him by asking him to dig a deep pit for them. While Zipanac was down in the pit digging, the 400 would drop a log on top of him then bury him in the pit. Zipanac had discovered their evil plan so he dug a space in the pit that would keep him safe when they dropped the log in the hole. The 400 thought he was dead, Zipanac crawled out of the pit, pulled down the supports, and the building collapsed killing the 400 conspirators.

*Christian Hercules - During the 2-3rd Century when Christians were persecuted, Hercules' life was used by the Christians to represent Jesus Christ as the example for the devotee to emulate. Hercules was used to spread the Christian philosophy of sin, purification, forgiveness, the trials and labors of doing what is right, salvation, and resurrection into a an indestructible spiritual body. Hercules was represented as strength in all its forms used to help humanity.

*Hercules Musarum - In the years between 68-66 B.C., a silver denarius minted in Rome, portrayed Hercules playing a lyre, and he was named Hercules Musarum. Hercules was worshiped as the the patron-protector of the nine Muses (goddesses of music, arts, and culture) in Messene, Greece. A temple to Hercules-Musarum was built in Rome under the direction of M. Fulvius Nobilior in 186 B..C. The temple contained nine statues of the Muses that had been taken from Ambrakia (a Greek city ), and given as offerings to Hercules.

*Heracles of Macedonia - Alexander the Great, conqueror of the known world, from Macedonia believed himself to be a descendant of Heracles and a reincarnation of Heracles.

He took steps to make sure he was revered as the living Heracles in every country that he conquered. Jaimee Uhlenbrock wrote about the "Alexander-Hercules," on page 12 of his book, Herakles: Passage Of The Hero, "Alexander the Great (335-323 B.C.), King of Macedonia and Lord of Asia, had a special veneration for Hercules as Phylakos, or guardian of the Macedonian Dynasty. Lysippos, as court artist to Alexander, sculpted a portrait head of Alexander wearing the Nemean Lion- skin cap. This head has a distinctive stylistic relationship....In fourth century Herakles became the paradigm for arete, virtue, and a model of action. Representations of Alexander, with the attributes of Herakles presented him as the living embodiment of the hero, who through virtue and just behavior, brought order to the known world." The likeness of Alexander-Heracles was placed on tetradrachma coins minted by Alexander. The likeness shows Alexander -Heracles as a man of masculine perfection, young, strong, and noble.

*Estuscan Hercules -The Hercules Cult spread throughout Greek Southern Italy (Croton, Locui, and Poseidonia (Paestrum), according to Michael Grant, author of Roman Myths (pages 54-56), and he reveals the influence it had on the development of the Roman Hercules. The Estruscan Hercules was known as Hercle to the citizens of Etruria in 6 B.C. Hercle was the patron god of merchants, commerce, trading projects, commercial contracts, safe journeys, the powers to stop evil, and to win battles. He is the patron of waters, springs, the seas, fertility, and the underworld. Etruria and Greece had influenced Rome to build up a powerful Hercules Cult. The location of the Roman cult was at the Great Altar (Ara Maxima) within the borders of the Palantine village on the Forum Bourium.

*Roman Hercules - The Roman Hercules was called "Unconquerable" and "The Conqueror." The cult of Hercules first appeared in Rome in 399 B.C. and was state sanctioned. In 312 B.C. the cult became nationalized and was presided over by state slaves. On page 56 of Roman Myths, Michael Grant explains, "All combat myths from the earliest civilizations onward, had stood for the conflicts between good and evil, and this was particularly applicable to the successful struggle of Augustus against the hostile forces which were held to stand for anarchy. Indeed, in more general terms, the triumphs of Augustus were readily comparable, in the eyes of his supporters, to the Labours which Hercules had successfully carried out. Besides, according to the theory of Euhemerus which Ernius had helped to make fashionable at Rome, Hercules was one of those rare human beings whose great deeds upon earth had caused them, after death, to be elevated to the ranks of the immortal gods.....the idea was in everyone's mind when Julius Caesar- who in his youth composed a eulogy of Hercules - was likewise, after his murder in 44 B.C., declared a god of the Roman State. It was obvious that the same was in store for Augustus......."

*Project Hercules - The movie, Meteor (1984), starring Sean Connery, Natalie Woods, and Karl Malden, tells the story of the Americans and their machine, Hercules, combining their efforts with the Soviet Union's machine, Peter the Great. These two enormous satellite stations are armed with nuclear warheads that must be re-aligned to stop a gigantic meteor named Icarus from destroying the earth. HERCULES was constructed by Project Hercules to protect the United States against its enemies. This deus ex machina succeeded in getting rid of Icarus. This is an example of a cyber-Hercules created to save a planet.

*Hercules' weaponry - the weaponry of the hero or heroine are their benevolent powers needed to destroy the monsters they fight against. The weapon of the hero/ine is specifically appropriate to kill a particular monster or evil. The weapon represents the hero/ine too. Jung interpreted the sacred weapons as emblems of the will used to attain a specific goal and they are tools of divine powers. Royal heroes usually use smiting weapons like the club, mace, staff (rod), and the whip. The spear, dagger, and sword are weapons of the knight type of hero. Also, the spear is the powers of the earth. The sword is the power of fire, the sling is the power of the air, and the tridents is the power of the waters. Thunderbolts and nets are the binding and punishing powers of sky deities.

*Jaimee Ulhenbrock, Herakles: Passage Of The Hero Through 1000 Years Of Classical Art, page 17, explains how Herakles was considered to be the same deity as Lord Shiva and the historical King Vasudeva, "Representations of Herakles are known in the Ghandaran art of India, where he appears perhaps as Vasudeva, last sovereign of the early Kushan Dynasty, or in association with the Indian god Siva. The head of a man wearing a lion skin cap is stylistically associated with Gandaran art of the fifth century A.D....."

* Spelling of the name Hercules - Greek = Heraklo, Herkles, Herakles, and Heracles. Oscan dialect = Herekleis and Herculis. Vestinian dialect = Herclo or Herculi. Praemestine dialect = Hercles and Hercele. Estruscan = Hercle. Roman (Latin) = Hercules.

*Various Greek Forms of Heracles - the Northern ancestors of the Greeks used Heracles as the representation of the heroic man endowed with great physical strength, athleticism, virtue, masculine beauty, noble lineage, human effort and valor. Greek versions of Heracles are:

1. Thessalian Heracles

2. Argive Heracles

3. Hercules of Orchomenos

4. Greek Heracles of the Greek Thebes, Son of Zeus

* Heracles/Hercules In Other Cultures -

1. Celtic Hercules

2. Teutonic Hercules (Thor, Donar, Dor)

3. Scythian Hercules

4. Estruscan Hercules

5. Lydian Hercules (Sandan)

6. Tyrian Hercules (Phoenician Hercules) - the temple of Hercules of Tyre was built 2300 years before the Greeks even knew of Heracles and this Hercules originates from the Phoenicians (an African people). This Hercules was used as the patron symbol of the famous Phoenician navigators who traveled to every coast in the Mediterranean to promote the worship of this deity. They brought the Hercules cult to the furthest West where Hercules was named Arkaleus and was said to have built the city of Gades. A constant fire was said to have

burned at his shrine.

*The Greek Heracles had African ancestry - the Greek Heracles' family history can be traced back to Persia and Egypt. He is descended from Perseus (Perseus' mother stated her lineal descent from an Egyptian immigrant ). Perseus' wife was an Ethiopian or Cushite princess who became a queen. Other ancestors in the Greek Heracles' family tree are clearly of African origin. Theseus, his cousin, also shares this African royal blood line. The Greek Heracles is a hero is composed of elements from the Egyptian Hercules (the oldest form of Hercules). Herodotus points out that Hercules was known to the Egyptians and Eastern peoples centuries before the Greeks learned of him.

Robert William Mackey, author of The Progress Of The Intellect, As Exemplified In The Religious Development Of The Greeks And Hebrews, Vol. # 2, pages 74-75, "To the earliest Greek antiquaries the legends of Egypt were more familiar than those of Persia, and it was more honorable to find an Egyptian parentage for men or gods than to have recourse to the barbarian genealogies of Asia. Hercules, therefore, was found to be a son of Ammon; and notwithstanding the fanciful character of his Egyptian symbols vanquished Antaeus and Busiris and during the absence of Osiris, his near relative, to have been viceregent of the realm." This Hercules or Heracles is Egyptian and African from which the Greek Heracles has its source. This son of Ammon is an Egyptian god.

Bibliography:

Grant, Michael. Roman Myths (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1971)

Ulhenbrock, Jaimee. Herakles: Passage Of The Hero (Bard College, 1986 and Aristide D. Curatzas, Publishers)

Graves, Robert. The Greek Myths, Vol. # 2 (Penguin Books USA Inc., 1955)

Churchward, Albert. Signs & Symbols of Primordial Man (A&B Books Publishers, Brooklyn, New York, 1903)

Mackey, William, Robert. The Progress Of The Intellect, As Exemplified In The Religious Development Of The Greeks And Hebrews, Vol, # 2 (Published by London: John Chapman, 142, Strand. George Woodfall And Son, Angel Court, Skinner Street)

The Greek Heracles: The Athlete As Hero

By Samuel D. Ewing

In the second century A.D. the Greeks had an advanced system of physical training that developed the physical requirements for war and that also emphasized physical perfection (aesthetics). Over 2000 years ago the Greek system of physical culture included exercises with

stone weights on the shoulders for performing squats and dips, stone dumbbells and slabs for the upper body exercises. The winners of the Olympic Games had statues and vases of their likeness given to them as prizes. The athletes who won no longer had to pay taxes. Their physiques were used as the model of Greek art. David Webster comments on the athlete in Greek society in regards to ancient bodybuilding. Pages 8-9, Barbell and Beefcake, "It has been hinted that the Greek love of physical beauty exceeded their admiration for athletic excellence and their competitors competed in what was described as 'physical poetry' and that bodily form and stylized movement played a very large part in the proceedings. The naked body at the Games was studied with knowledge and appreciation..........." This was true during the Hellenic era in Greece and into the Hellenistic period which included Roman culture.

Hercules the Idaei Dactyl was said to be the founder of the Olympic Games who started civilization, brought the worship of the infant Zeus, giving the olive tree to Olympia for the Olympic Games, that he was the winner of the first footraces at the Olympics, and excelled at other athletic feats. This Hercules was a Cabirus servant to the goddess Demeter who maybe the builder of the massive stone works set up in Boeotia. He was considered to be the chief astronomer who succeeded Atlas. He was given the epithets of "the star-clad hero," "Lord Of Fire," and "Director Of The World" by Nonnus.

In ancient times every athlete, strongman, and wrestler had to be excellent unarmed combat experts in case they had to defend their country during war. An athlete of Greece who won the title, periodonikes, was considered to be like Heracles. Michael B. Polinkoff, author of combat Sports In The Ancient World, pg. # 106 describes the periodnikes, "Even winning at Olympia was not enough of a goal for restless Greek ambition; there were special honors to seek coveted the title periodnikes and beyond that. Athletes other refinements of multiple victories. A man who won at Olympia in wrestling and pankration was a "successor of Herakles" and antiquity took note of this small sequence of distinguished Olympic victors. Inscriptions show that athletes used paradoxes ( "amazing" ) when they won in two different sports." The athlete had to win a crown at all four festivals to become a periodnikes:

1. Olympia (Olympics) for a olive-wreath crown.

2. Delphi for a laurel-wreath crown and an apple.

3. Isthmus for a pine or celeriac crown.

4. Nemea for a celeriac crown.

The outstanding Greek athletes that are mentioned here are those who were associated with Herakles as being like Herakles and/or representing Herakles on earth:

Theagenes , the renowned Greek athlete, was born about 505 B.C. in Thasos, an island in the Aegean Sea that was near the coast of Thrace. He was a prize fighting champion in the Greek martial art called Pankration. He was a man of exceptional physical strength. At nine years of age, he lifted and carried away a life-size statue of a famous Olympic athlete which was made of bronze. David P. Willoughby, author of The Super-Athletes estimates that if the statue had been hollow it would have weighed at least 500 pounds. He became the most famous boxer in Greece. His athletic career reveals a long list of victories. He won 2 Olympic crowns, one in boxing (480 B.C.E.) And in the pankration (476 B.C.E.), 3 Delphic boxing crowns, 9 boxing crowns at Isthmus with 2 victories at one of the Isthmus Games -he won the pankration and the boxing crown, and 9 Nemean Games boxing victories. At the Thessalian Pythia Games he won the long foot race so that he could match the record of the legendary Achilles. Theagenes was a very prominent participant in civic duties, a Greek orator praised him as a true champion who aided the

people of Thasos, and a wonderful humanitarian. His father was a priest of Herakles and Theagenes became a very wealthy man. Many legends were told about Theagenes and the people of Thasos worshiped him after his death as a god. Because his father was a priest in the Herakles cult a popular legend developed that said Theagenes was the son of Herakles. Theagenes was a periodnikes which made him like Herakles and a successor of Herakles. As a god there are stories of how he retaliated against mortals who angered him. The enemy who desecrated Theagenes statue by striking it with a whip was punished (killed) when the giant statue fell on top of him and crushed him. During another incident the people tossed his statue into the sea. The result was that the farmland was struck by a plague. The Delphic oracle informed the people that Theagenes divine wrath was aroused. The people restored the statue and worshiped him, thus, the plague ended. Greeks and foreigners worshiped Theagenes because of his divine powers to heal too.

Another periodnikes of the 5^th century and Greek boxing champion was Diagoras of Rhodes. Pausanius reports that Diagoras great-grandfather was a king, his great-grandmother was the daughter of Aristomenes, the 7^th century leader of Messenia who defended his country against Sparta for a decade, and to legends were popular concerning Diagoras' parentage on his father side of the family. The first legend said that his mother slept in the temple of Hermes where Hermes arrived to have intercourse with her, and she gave birth to Diagoras. *Note that Hermes, like Herakles, was a patron god of the gymnasium, and a god of boxing. Hermes has particular Graeco-Egyptian forms that are identified as the same as Herakles. Another account states that Diagoras is the son of Herakles. Pindar reports that he was a giant of a man. Hi achievements are:

1. Olympic crown

2. Delphic crown

3. 4 times Isthmian Games champion

4. 3 times Nemean Games champion

5. Champion of Boeotia, Pellene, Rhodes, Argos, Arkadia, Megara, Aegina, and the Theban Games.

He was like Herakles and a successor of Herakles.

Polydamus' exploits were described by Pausanias. Pausanias reports that Polydamus was the largest man in ancient Greece. It is estimated that he was around 6 ft. 8 inches tall and weighing 300 lbs. Polydamus' exploits were considered to be equal to those of Herakles. Polydamus was said to have killed a lion with his bare hands, he held back a chariot with horses attempting to move forward using only one hand, and he was the pankration champion of the Olympic Games in 408 B.C. Pankration is a Greek martial art that uses boxing, wrestling, throws, holds, and kicking. Polydamus killed three of the most powerful guards called the Immortals, an elite group of soldiers loyal to King Darius I of Persia. He used his enormous strength and skill to kill all three guards simultaenously. This Greek strongman and pankration champion was said to have strangled a full grown lion in 400 B.C.

The pankration champion, Kallikrates, was honored by the guild he was a member of by a special inscription. According to Michael B. Poliakoff, "In the inscription honoring the pankrationist Kallikrates, his guild represents his life in terms of the famous story of Herakles at the crossroads, a story known to every Greek school boy. There the young Herakles has to choose between the soft road of pleasure and the hard road of virtue: Kallikrates, like Herakles, chose the latter."

Milo of Crotona was the strongest man and wrestler of ancient Greece. He was born in Crotona (Calabria, Italy ) around 558 B.C. Milo had such strength that he carried a 4 year old heifer on his shoulders, while walking the total distance of the Olympia stadium (approximately 600 ft. ). A small cow weighs 900-1000 lbs. and is difficult to carry. He was the most honored and famous wrestler and strongman of ancient Greece. His mighty feats of physical strength, stamina, power, and skill were considered to be extraordinary. He won his first Olympia as a boy around 540 B.C.E. at the 60^th Olympiad. He was famous for his enormous strength and size, even in his old age he was an invincible wrestler. He could hold a pomegranate in his hand without damaging a single seed and no one could take it from his hand. Also he could stand on an oiled discus and no one could push him off of it. Diodorus Siculus explains how Milo, dressed as Herakles led the citizens of Croton in battle against the greater army of Sybaris and won a resounding victory. "One hundred thousand men of Kroton were stationed with three hundred thousand Sybarite troops ranged against them. Milo, the athlete, led them and through his tremendous physical strength first turned the troops lined up against him. For this man, six times victor at Olympia and having courage commensurate with his physical prowess, is said to have come to battle crowned with his Olympic crowns and dressed up in the equipment of Herakles with his lion skin and club." (Diodorus Siculus 12.9.5-6). Also, Milo saved a group of philosophers at a public meal when he held up a roof and used himself to replace a broken pillar. The philosophers were able to escape to safety. Milo was a student and devotee of Pythagoras, the famed philosopher.

The hero-athlete legends, such as Herakles, indicate that during the life time of an athlete and after their deaths when they receive worship as hero-gods or demigods, that they have supernatural powers to punish their enemies. Jennifer Larson, author of Greek Heroine Cults, explains this belief on pages 131-132, "Joseph Fontenrose's important article, "The Hero As Athlete," collected and analyzed several examples of the hero-athlete legend. It is essentially the tale of a hero, often an athlete famed for feats of strength, who is killed by his fellow citizens; as a result a famine or other calamity strikes the land. The citizens consult the oracle at Delphi and are told to institute sacrifices or take some other action to propitiate the hero. In an interesting variation, the athlete's statue is mistreated and the calamity follows. The athlete heroes are vengeful and quick-tempered, ambiguous figures like Herakles. In the typical pattern the hero is slighted or punished by the authorities of the city or the games, takes revenge on the citizens, and is in turn killed by them. The tale of Kleomedes of Astypalaia ,Olympic pugilist of 496, is a good example...Kleomedes, having unnecessarily killed his opponent, was denied the victor's crown and fined by the authorities. He went mad and pulled down the roof of a school house in Astypalaia, killing sixty boys. The citizens began to stone him, but he ran into Athene's temple and shut himself inside a chest. When the citizens opened it, he had disappeared. They consulted the Delphic oracle and were told to honor Kleomedes with sacrifices."

Other examples are given by Fontenrose such as:

1. Euthykles of Lokroi who was put in prison by the citizens for treason and he died in prison. The citizens abused his statue and the plague started soon afterwards. The citizens were told by the oracle to give honor to the statue.

2. Oibotas of Dyme, was a sprinter who was the victor at the Olympic Games, however he was not awarded appropriately for his accomplishment the citizens. He cursed them, so that the Achaians never won anything at the Olympics from that time onward. The people went to the oracle of Delphi who instructed them to give sacrifices at the athlete's tomb and to erect a statue to him at the Olympia. Thus, the Achaians began winning at the Olympia again. (Pausanias, 7.17.6-7, 13-14, 6.3.8).

3. Euthymos of Lokroi vs. The Hero of Temesa - the Hero of Temesa was a crew member of Odysseus who raped a woman of Temesa, and the towns people stoned him to death. His evil spirit terrorized the town by killing its citizens. The oracle advised the people to sacrifice other maidens to this spirit every year. The next story that is the sequel to this one concerns Euthymos, an Olympic champion, who came to Temesa hundreds of years later on the day of sacrifice. He fell in love with the woman that was to be sacrificed. Euthymos fought against the evil spirit of the Hero of Temesa , driving the spirit into the sea where it disappeared for good. The story as told by Aelian says that towards the latter part of his life Euthymos disappeared, variations of the tale say that he was worshiped as a hero or god after this.

The next historical figure in ancient Greek athletics to be mentioned here is Glaukos of Karystos. He was the son of a farmer and he worked the land. Glaukos had such extraordinary physical power that he could use his fists like a hammer to reshape a bent plowshare.. His father took him to compete in the 65^th Olympiad, in 520 B.C.E. to compete in boxing. Galukos unusual power and persistence brought him to his last opponent. Glaukos used one powerful hammer blow from his fist to defeat his opponent. He was the victor. He won 2 crowns at Delphi, 8 crowns at Nemea and Isthmus. He became a master at tiring out his opponents instead of knocking them out. Centuries later Glaukos was revered and ritually invoked as the Hero-Boxer.

It is understood that the Herakles prototype had an immense effect on how the Greeks thought of themselves and their athletes.

Bibliography:

Webster, David, P. Barbells and Beefcake: An Illustrated History O f Bodybuilding. Copyright 1979 by D.P. Webster. Published at 43 West Road, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland. Printed by CoasbyPrint, Claybank Road, Portsmouth

Scipio Africanus, the Roman Hercules and Man of Fortune

By Samuel David Ewing

Publius Cornelius Scipio the Younger, was the son of Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder. Publius Cornelius Scipio the Younger was later to be honored by the name Africanus because

of his impressive victory over Hannibal in the Second Punic War. His achievements are listed below:

1. As a boy he was made commander of a Roman cavalry at Ticinus, Italy and rescued his wounded father while in battle

2. He attained the aedileship in 213 at 21 years of age which was under the legal age of 31. This was considered to be remarkable.

3. He rose from the rank of aedileship to a proconsular command in Spain because he was the first privatus to become proconsular.

4. During his time in Spain he took 2 Roman legions at Emporice, conquering various towns and tribes along the coast to Ebro. He conquered Cissa where a Carthaginean base was located. He defeated Hanno Barca in battle.

5. In 217, he fought a naval battle against Hasdrubal Barca at a location near Ebro and drove the Carthaginean forces out of the region.

6. Spring 209, Scipio took 25,000 infantry and 2500 cavalry, traveling from Tarraco to New Carthage, and conquered it.

7. Edeco, the Edetani chieftain, Indibilis, and Mandovirius; the strongest chieftains of Spain, declared Scipio to be their king. At the time Scipio had 45,000 soldiers.

8. Scipio conquered Hasdrubal's military base and armies, and the city of Bailen.

9. He was said to be always humane and friendly to most prisoners and hostages. He would set them free when they performed a mandatory task for him. His charm and charisma made these former enemies his allies.

10. He was declared to be king by more and more of the Spanish chieftains and soldiers. He requested that they name him imperator instead. He was the first imperator in Roman history. After Scipio it became the custom for a general to be honored by his troops with the title of Imperator if he was victorious in battle.

11. He was victorious in defeating Carthaginean forces at the Battle of Ilipa. The rest of Spain surrendered to him.

12. Scipio defeated four renowned generals of Carthage: Hanno, Mago, and two Hasdrubals. He won the Second Punic War for Rome against Carthage. He asked for a Roman triumph for this achievement but was denied this honor. He accepted this decision. He gave the Roman treasury 14,324 pounds of silver (over 1,000,000 denari) including silver coins.

13. He was made consul to Africa.

14. He won the Battle at the Tower of Agathocles & the Burning Camps. He proceeded to conquer Utica in Africa. He won a victory at the Battle of the Great Plains.

15. After every Carthaginean city and town, Scipio won the Battle of Zama, and forced peace on the Carthaginean people.

16. Scipio received a triumph for this accomplishment and the honored title of Africanus.

17. In 199 he was elected Censor and was given the office of First Senator of the Roman Empire. Also, he was made supreme commander of the Roman military in Spain. Africa, and Italy.

18. Scipio refused to be made perpetual consular and dictator of the Roman Empire. He refused

to have statues of himself raised in the temples of Jupiter.

19. He was elected as Censor of Rome (sanctissimus magistratus) and Princeps Senatus for 12 years.

20. Scipio was a Salian priest.

21. Scipio Africanus and his family forced King Antiochus not to invade Greece.

22. He became the First Citizen of Rome.

23. He created peace for the Aetolians which gained him the favour of the Athenians.

24. Scipio Africanus goes into self-imposed exile due to the jealousy and envy of the Senate.

25. He was buried at Liternum in 184 B.C.

Scipio Africanus lived and died during the time when the Roman Empire was a republic.

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus was considered by his contemporaries to be the Roman Hercules is well noted in Andrew Runni Anderson's Heracles and His Successors. Page 32, "The attempt to deify Scipio was abortive,, but such traces of it as are still extant show that those who constituted the legend considered him now as a new Hercules, now as a new Alexander. For example, his brilliant conduct in the Spanish campaigns including the capture of Carthago Nova and the spoils that these brought may have suggested comparison with Hercules. When this was supplemented by his victories over Hannibal and Antiochus , he very naturally became for this period the Roman representative to set against Alexander. His scrupulous care to find out the will of the gods and his observance of all the formalities in ascertaining it, his frequent visits to the temple of Capitoline Jupiter at the end of the night before daybreak - all this had the effect of making people think that he was in close communion with Jupiter. Furthermore, it might also suggest by way of comparison with Alexander's high regard for the oracular utterances of Ammon and Alexander's alleged sonship to Ammon - a story that might easily react on the Roman popular belief so as to make Scipio actually the son of Jupiter." Silius Italicus, Ennius, and Cicero considered Scipio Africanus to be the successor of Hercules.

Polybius agreed with Scipio's opinion in that the latter's success on behalf of Rome was due to strategies. Polybius praised his intelligence, wisdom, and foresight. Greek historians various writers, and the Romans attributed his seemingly miraculous successes to:

1. To the unpredictable and chance which are attributes of the divine-man. Scipio Africanus was such a man favored by the gods. He was considered to be a divinity in the flesh. The Roman goddess Fortuna (also called Tyche) loved him.

2. Scipio was said to have these divine powers due to his cooperation with the goddess Tyche. By his relationship with Tyche he was actually working with the laws of the universe which she is. It was believed that a person who has good luck, a person who is felix (felicitas), has a supernatural being aiding them. Richard Mansfield Haywood, author of Studies On Scipio, pages 12-13, gives Cicero's opinion on this matter. Cicero's speech, "On The Manilian Law," states that Scipio had felicitas which is one of the attributes of military genius. Scipio's soldiers probably believed this about him too. Greek writers, historians, and Roman soldiers continued in attributing to Scipio as having supernatural victories, they believed him to be a god, and at Greece he received honors as a god.

3. Scipio was considered to be a successor of Hercules. His close friend, Ennius, gave him an epitaph that compared him to Hercules. Cicero agreed, stating that Scipio was worthy of worship as a great hero and a god. Scipio was admired for his military genius, his moral incorruptibility, his optimism and charisma, for improving combat strategies, winning the Second Punic War, and increasing the Roman Empire's influence in Africa, Spain, and Asia.

4. Silius Italicus mentions Scipio as being like Hercules, Bacchus, and Romulus. Silius notes 2 omens that revealed Scipio to be the son of Jupiter like Hercules. These were : 1) Scipio spoke from the Rostea to gain authority in Spain a serpent was said to have appeared in the sky. 2) there was thunders sent by Jupiter. His victories in Spain were comparable to Hercules' own victories in Spain. Silius likened Scipios's triumph (military victory celebration or parade) to the Capitol of Rome as Scipio's apotheosis into godhood. This was compared with Hercules being consumed in the fires of the pyre on Mt. Oeta and becoming transformed into a powerful god.

Fortuna is a Roman goddess of fate who was believed to be the soul of the Roman state and the female guardian angel of every person. She controls the Wheel of Fortune which is the Great Year, the literal cosmos, and the karma of all things. She eventually came to be called Lady Luck who is propitiated by gamblers. The ancient kings were believes to have a Fortuna or Tyche who they worshiped to gain her favor.

H.H. Scullard, author of Scipio Africanus: Soldier and Politician, pages 18-20, gives some very insightful observations on how admirers of Scipio perceived him to be:

pgs. # 18-19, "All other writers, he says, represented Scipio as favored by Fortune and owing his success largely to chance and the unexpected, such men being considered more divine than those who act by calculation; his conquests were obtained by following the promptings of dreams and omens; and in general was believed to be due to special inspiration and the guidance of heaven...........In the popular mind Scipio was linked with three gods; most intimately with Jupiter, Rome's greatest and best god, but also more episodically with Neptune and Hercules.........Poseidon (Neptune) had appeared to him in a dream, suggested the plan to him and promised his help at the right moment; this help was manifested the next day when the waters in the lagoon on the north side of the city miraculously sank and enabled Scipio to send a wading party through the sinking waters and storm the city walls." This incident concerned Scipio's conquest of New Carthage ( Carthago Novo) by what appeared to be a miracle.

pgs. # 19-20, "Scipio too is linked in the legend with Hercules, possibly as a counter to the Carthaginean claim that the god favoured their hero. Thus we find Scipio compared to Hercules by Cicero, Horace, and Lactantius.........Like Hercules too, Scipio was, in the epic of Silius Italicus, visited by Virtue and Pleasure who contended for his allegiance."

In conclusion it can be said that Scipio Africanus inspired comparisons with Hercules and the hopes of the Roman Empire.

Bibliography:

Wallach, Lupold. Editor. The Classical Tradition: Literary and Historical Studies In Honor Of Harry Caplan. 'Hercules and the Hero Of Punica' by Edward L. Bassett. Copyright and published 1960 by Cornell University Press.

Pompey the Great (Magnus): Roman Hercules And Heir To The Alexander Legend

By Samuel David Ewing

Pompey Magnus (Pompey the Great), also known as Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus is considered to be one of the greatest political and military leaders of the Roman Empire. He had a rightful claim to rulership over the Roman Empire. He was born Sept. 30, 106 B.C. The unreformed calendar makes his birth date 29, Sept. 106 B.C. His achievements are:

1. He put together an army in Picenum and he won the battles for Sulla, the Roman dictator.

2. He became propraeter to Sicily and Africa, defeating Cu. Domitius and King Iarbos.

3. He received the title 'Magnus' (Great) in 81 B.C. and a triumph for his victories.

4. He joined Catalus to defeat Lepidus in 77.

5. He received proconsular powers to help Metellus Pius in the Spanish War against Sertorius and his successor, M. Perpeina.

6. Pompey went back to Italy and helped defeat the armies of Spartacus. He forced the Senate to make him a consul in 70 and he brought greater freedoms to Rome.

7. Pompey used his fame and popularity to increase his political power. In 67, the Lex Gabinia was passed, giving him the Imperium to locate and kill the pirates of the Mediterranean Sea. In three months he destroyed the pirates' headquarters.

8. He defeated MithradatesVI (the Great) of Pontus in 63.

9. Without the approval of the Senate he began establishing settlements in the East, founding nation-states, building new colonies, claiming Syria and Judea for the Roman Empire.

10. In 62, he disbanded his army, persuaded the Senate to give the soldiers land, and allow him to reorganize the East. He became an extremely wealthy man with his methods.

11. In 59, he became part of the triumvirate, with Crassus and Caesar to rule the Roman Empire.

12. Pompey received support from the Senate in 52. He fought dishonest practices in the government by receiving an imperium, then used its powers to fight against Julius Caesar. He gained command over the Republic Legions who were against his father-in-law (Julius Caesar). He won a victory against Caesar at Dychachriuum in 48.

13. He was proclaimed "Imperator" for his continuos victories in Africa from 82-81. He demanded and received a triumph for these campaigns.

14. He received a triumph for his victories in Spain.

15. He received a triumph for his conquest and annexation of most of Asia for the Roman Empire.

16. He defeated Tigranes the Great of Armenia.]

17. He defeated Antiochus XIII of Syria and annexed Syria for the Roman Empire.

18. He received a total of three triumphs in his career.

19. He gave 20,00 in spoils, gold and silver to the Roman treasury.

20. It was said that he developed the knack for appearing at the last moments during a military campaign and taking the credit for the victories.

21. In his first triumph (Africa), Sulla gave approval even though Pompey was not a consul at the time nor a senator.

22. He was defeated in battle against Julius Caesar at Pharsalus. He fled to Egypt where he was assassinated in 47.

Karl Galinsky in The Herakles Theme mentions Pompey's claim to be successors of Herakles, page # 141, "By linking Augustus to Herakles the Augustan poets may also have intended to detract from Pompey's and Antony's claim to be the successors of Herakles on earth." Pliny, describes Pompey Magnus in his Natural History, 7.95: "But it is relevant to the glory of the Roman Empire as of one man to mention at this point all the names and triumphs of the victories of Pompey the Great, for they equaled in brilliance the exploits of Alexander the Great and virtually of Hercules himself."

Andrew Runni Anderson explains the religious and political climate of those times in his work, Heracles and his Successors, pages 37-38, "It was during the Roman conquests in the East, beginning with the Mithradatic wars, that her great generals began to visualize themselves, or to be visualized by their constituency, as followers of Hercules or Alexander or of both.. Such was Lucullus, but the earliest striking instance is Pompey the Great....... His remarkable record of triumphs obtained for achievements in Africa, Europe, and Asia made the comparison with Hercules obvious. Indeed lex Gabinia supplemented by the lex Manilia gave him control of the world.....that Hercules was to Prometheus, Pompey was to the Roman people - both were saviours. It is interesting to note that at Pharsalus the watchword of the Pompeians was Hercules invictus over against Venus victrix of the Caesarians. The Romans seem to have been much given to likening Pompey to Alexander. To both they gave the name Magnus." On page 39 Anderson says, "In his triumph, which he celebrated as he turned his forty-fifth year, he wore the cloak reputed to be that of Alexander the Great."

Plutarch wrote the Life of Pompey, 2, in which he mentions that Pompey the Great was considered to be a very handsome man who in his youth had a striking resemblance to Alexander the Great. He apparently cultivated a hairstyle that was similar to Alexander's.

Bibliography:

Galinsky, Karl G. The Herakles Theme. Published by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Totowa, New Jersey.

Harvard Studies In Classical Philology, Vol. # XXXIX. "HERACLES AND HIS SUCCESSORS." By Andrew Runni Anderson. Published by Cambridge Harvard University Press. London: Humphrey Milford. Oxford University Press 1928.

Commodus: Hercules Romanus (Roman Hercules) and Mad Hercules

By Samuel David Ewing

Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus was anything but heroic. Like the Mad Hercules of Greek tragedy, Commodus embodied brute force, cruelty, megalomania, murder and conspiracy, greed , carnal perversions, self-indulgence, and delusions of godhood. Commodus shares with Caligula and Nero the same characteristics, they too, like the former, identified with the mad Hercules. Commodus brings only shame to the Herculean Ideal.

Commodus' career is as follows:

1. Commodus was born 31 August 161 A.D. at Lanuvium as the son of Marcus Aurelius (the previous Roman Caesar).

2. He received the title of Caesar when he was 5 years old.

3. He governed the Roman Empire with his father when he was 15 years old.

3. He received the title of Augustus with the powers of a tribune when he was seventeen years old. 166 A.D.

4. As a youth he indulged in drinking wine with friends, fighting in the arena as a gladiator, and demonstrating anti-social behavior.

5. In 177, Commodus was ruler of the entire Roman Empire. He indulged his friends and allies (the army, Praetorian Guards, and the citizens of Rome) by giving them huge sums of money.

6. Commodus made a treaty with the Northern Tribes, the Germans, in which he gave up the conquests his father had won and paid these tribes with money. This did end a war that had been going on for 20 years, however Commodus gave up his considerable advantages. 22 October 180, he came back to Rome as a mighty hero, receiving a triumph, and he was accompanied by most of the Roman military.

7. He was adored by the military and the lower classes because he gave them large sums of money as part of his strategy to rule. He was able to do this because he severely taxed the Senate. He started this program in full swing in 183. The Senate hated him for it.

8. He was described as being an exceedingly handsome man.

9. From 180-183 A.D. the Roman government operated with the efficiency that Marcus Aurelius had maintained. After this period Commodus began neglecting his civic and governmental duties, leaving the running of the government to a soldier, then a freedman. The latter became greedy for money and power. Commodus had him executed.

10. After a failed attempt on his life Commodus began a killing spree., executing members of the senate, the upper classes, even family members would end up on his hit list. He survived an attack by 3 men to take his life and poisoning him did not harm him. He would take the property and money of those he executed to finance his gladiator shows at the Roman Coliseum.

11. As Augustus he had the powers of the proconsul imperium.

12. He took the titles of Hercules Romanus (Roman Hercules), Hercules Secundus, and he believed that he was the reincarnation of Hercules. As a result of this belief he fought in the arena as a gladiator in 1000 contests with some of his opponents being cripples. In A.D. 197, Commodus was officially defied as Hercules Romanus. Herodotus mentions that Commodus ordered that he be addressed as "Hercules, Son of Jupiter."

13. He had a harem of several hundred beautiful women and an equal number harem of young men for him to indulge his carnal desires.

14. Commodus began dressing himself as the hero-god Hercules by wearing the lion-skin and cowl and he carried a massive club when in public. He would also have a lion-skin and the club set beside his throne. *The Antonines - Caesars associated themselves with Hercules on their coins, the Caesars representing themselves as Hercules who embodies civic duties.

15. During the last years of his life , he represented himself on coins and medallions as the demi-god Hercules. The bronze medallions of 191 A.D. show him as Hercules with the lion-skin and lion-head cowl. The coins represented Commodus in the likeness of Hercules wearing the lion-skin garments, armed with the bow, quiver, and arrows. This was during the time when he had the Principate, he demanded to be worshiped as a living god (Hercules).

16. Commodus-Hercules was an expert marksman with the bow and arrow, as well as an expert hunter. He enjoyed killing animals in the gladiatorial arena. He demonstrated his prowess by placing himself in the protection of an enclosed area from which he killed 100 leopards with javelins, shooting a hundred lions, bears, deer, gazelles, a tiger, five hippopotamus, and an elephant with bow and arrows. He beheaded an ostrich with his sword in the arena. He took upon himself the title of Hercules Venator (Hercules the Hunter). He had no shame in fighting against gladiators who had only wooden swords to fight him with while he used a conventional sword.

17. Commodus-Hercules, however was a great athlete with superior physical fitness. He once ran 30 races in 2 hours. His zeal for the gladiator contests and athletic events was an opportunity for him to show off his physical prowess. Michael Grant, author of Gladiators, page 98, says, "As for lion -skin and club, in the street they were carried before him, and in the amphitheatres they were placed on a gilded chair, whether he was present or not. This was all fuel to the flames of Commodus' passionate self-identification with Hercules, slayer of beasts and men; and it was on a statue representing him as the god that he inscribed his claim to have overcome 12,000 opponents in the arena." Also, Commodus was an expert in left-handed fighting with the sword. On page 101 Michael grant states, "Among other deities to whom gladiators showed especial corporate and individual devotion were Mars, Diana, and above all Hercules....." Michael Grant explains Commodus' progress from being a protégé of Hercules to becoming the god himself on page 75 -76, The Antonines, "....he definitely identified himself with Hercules, following the example of Alexander the Great.......It was the aim of Commodus, in his dedication to Hercules.....to make Hercules the mythical symbol of his rule. On his coinage Hercules appears not only as the mighty warrior and conqueror but also as the god of peace, who is the protector and companion of the ruler. But Commodus eventually came to feel that to be the protégé of Hercules was not enough. He wanted to be regarded as a divinity in his own lifetime, and so permitted himself to be celebrated as the incarnation of Hercules himself......HERCULES ROMANVS bears the name of Augustus: he is Commodus (HERC. COMMODIANVS)." Page 76, "....and Commodus' role as gladiator perfected his assimilation to Hercules.....There were many statues of Commodus as Hercules.."

Commodus was strangled to death by Narcissus, a wrestler he trusted as his friend. Narcissus had entered in conspiracy with those who were on Commodus' list for execution. He died on New Years Eve 192. He was denied godhood by the senate, however Septimus Severus, the black African Caesar gave him godhood as Divus Commodus.

Bibliography:

Grant, Michael. Gladiators, copyright and written by Michael Grant,. Published by George Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd., England.

-----------------. The Roman World. New York: The World Publishing Company. 1960.

-----------------. The Roman Emperor. New York: Charles Scribners' Sons. 1985.

-----------------. The Antonines. London: Routledge. 1984

Galinsky, Karl G. The Herakles Theme. Published by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Totowa, New Jersey.

Mark Antony: Roman Hercules and Roman Osiris (Dionysius)

By Samuel David Ewing

Mark Antony (61-30 B.C.). Mark Antony's ties to Hercules were by claim of alleged blood kinship as a descendant of the mighty hero. Of course this was a common device to claim divine ancestors just as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Augustus Caesar had done. Mark Antony's main tie to Hercules was due more to his personality, behavior, and personal appearance then to any divine entitlement. He was one of Rome's greatest generals, but, like Samson with Delilah, he made one foolish mistake too many. The last mistakes proved to be fatal. Andrew Runni Anderson describes Antony in his work, Heracles and his Successors, page 42, "Among the followers of Julius Caesar Mark Antony should be mentioned as one who essayed to play the role of successor to Heracles and Alexander. I say "essayed", because his succession to these two characters was limited to imitating them superficially....In the first place he claimed descent from Anton, a son of Heracles; it doubtless flattered him that the people thought that his features bore a resemblance to those of Heracles in his statues and paintings, and in the passage cted, Plutarch informs us that he tried to dress in keeping with the role." Page 43, "Now, Antony associated himself with Heracles in his lineage, and with Dionysus in the mode of life which he adopted, as I have said, and he was called the new Dionysus."

Some of the highlights of his career are listed here:

1. Mark Antony was born into a wealthy family of Plebeian lineage.

2. 58-54 B.C. , he studied the Asiatic style of oratory, military training, swordsmanship, horsemanship, etc. in Greece. After this military service he joined his relative, Julius Caesar.

3. He was made quaestor under Julius Caesar. He was the hero of the Romans against rebels in Judea.

4. He became leader of the Roman cavalry, 58-56 B.C. he was the hero of the successful military campaign to restore one of the Ptolemies to kingship over Egypt.

5. 54-50 B.C., Mark Antony became commander in chief of the Roman army and in 47 B.C.

Julius Caesar made him governor of Italy.

6. 48-49 B.C., Antony helped Caesar defeat Pompey Magnus in Italy. Antony commanded 4 legions.

7. 44-48 B.C., Antony was made co-consul with Julius Caesar, making him second in command of the Roman military.

8. Mark Antony joined with Augustus Caesar to defeat the murderers of Julius Caesar. Antony helped destroy the Republican forces of Brutus and Crassus at Phillipi. He regained the Roman Empire's Eastern provinces (including Egypt), re-conquering it with his 22 legions in 42.

9. In 40, he became part of the Roman Triumvirate in which Augustus, Antony, and Lepidus ruled the Roman Empire. He became ruler of the Eastern part of the empire, married Augustus' sister, Octavia, and was declared to be imperator. He aided Herod I to defeat the Hasmonean rulers in Judea. At Ephesus, the Egyptian Empire declared Antony as a god, their king, and thereby giving him enormous power.

10. The Romans, Gauls, and soldiers considered him to be a hero. At Athens he was named the New Osiris (Dionysus) at the Panathenaic Festival. By 42, he had complete power over Spain and Gaul.

11. 41-40, he became Cleopatra VII's lover. She was queen of Egypt.

12. Augustus and Antony became enemies partially due to the latter divorcing Octavia in favor of Cleopatra. He was an enemy to the Western part of the Roman Empire. It eventually became known that Antony had plans to annex the Roman Empire as a part of the Egyptian Empire. Antony allied himself with Cleopatra against Rome and he married her.

13. 32 A.D., Augustus declared war on Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Augustus defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium. Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt with Augustus pursuing them. By the time Augustus had arrived the couple had committed suicide. Antony was about 53 years old when he died. Augustus Caesar murdered Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar and her other son by Antony.

Mark Antony and Pompey Magnus claimed that they were living heirs and types of the Heracles on earth. Antony's believed that due to his family lineage that he was a descendant of Hercules. Antony's drinking, brawling, and womanizing associated him with the type of Hercules who was said to be full of bravado, a braggart, and lecher who is the hero of the ancient Greek comedies (satyr plays). Appian (B.C. 3.16) noted that Julius Caesar wanted to adopt Antony, but he changed his mind because of the latter's insistence on being a descendant of Hercules. Antony did not want to change over to the Julian lineage in which the ancestral hero is the legendary Aeneas. As a member of the Roman Triumvirate the popular belief was that Antony, as well as Augustus, and Pompey Sextus were favored by specific gods that aided them when they battled for absolute control of the empire. Neptune and Hercules were said to give their divine aid to Pompey Magnus. Apollo and Hercules were the patron gods that aided Augustus Caesar (Octavian). Hercules and Dionysus were said to give supernatural aid to Mark Antony. The ancient family lineage of Antony, the Antonii clan, was claimed to be from the extraordinary hero Anton who was the famous son of Hercules. Plutarch mentions how Antony cultivated his appearance so that he resembled the Greek Heracles as represented in Roman type. In manner, courage, physique, physical prowess, courage, and demeanor he was like Hercules. This no doubt accounted for his popularity and position in the Roman empire. Roman coins revealed Antony's lineage to Hercules the hero-god.

Arthur D. Kahn, on page 295 of The Education of Julius Caesar, states, "In the tense

and menacing atmosphere, Caesar rejoiced in the arrival of Marcus Antonius to serve as his quaestor....... Antonius was given to flamboyant posturing. With his broad forehead, heavy mat of hair, full sideburns, carefully trimmed beard framing a face of power and energy, aristocratic slightly bowed nose and muscular physique, he affected a resemblance to Hercules, from whom he claimed descent. He sometimes appeared in public wearing a lion's skin. Adding to his flamboyance was his oratory with its exuberant magniloquence in what was called the Asiatic style. Above all, however, Antonius was valorous......he was idolized by legionaries for his bravado, his willingness to share the hardships of the common soldier, his camaraderie in drinking, brawling, and whoring, and his solicitation of the comfort and welfare of his troops....."

Arthur Weigall, author of The Life And Times Of Marc Antony, explains the relationship of Antony and the Hercules Mythos:

Page 107-108, "He had grown into a fine-looking, muscular young man of strikingly noble carriage, moderately tall, exceptionally well developed, and having the shoulders and arms of a pugilist......,was now possessed of a handsome beard, which, with the thick, curly hair of his head, is powerful frame, and what Plutarch called his "bold, masculine look," made people say that he reminded them of a young Hercules........to dress for the part, often wearing his tunic girt low about his hips, a heavy sword hanging at his side, and a cloak of coarse material tossed magnificently over his great shoulders."

Page 127, "Antony, aged twenty-nine, was also having his successes in this respect; for his handsome face, much improved by the removal of his beard, his tremendous physical strength, and bold and rather swashbuckling manner he was now cultivating, made him very attractive to the other sex."

Page 136, "It was this courageousness in Antony, likewise, which together with his abilities, endeared him to Caesar. He came to Gaul with a great reputation for bravery in the field, and in many a battle in that country he had shown his heroism.......he differed from the others chiefly in respect of his Herculean strength, his mighty muscles, and a kind of studied roughness........."

Page 219, "The others, led by Cassius, had all said that as Caesar's friend, and as a man who had the army at his command, he ought to be put out of the way, especially since, "his great physical strength made him formidable"----------the fact being that Antony could have thrown most of the assassins over his head." Brutus said of Antony, "so gifted and honourable a man as Antony, and such a lover of great deeds,........"

This concludes this article on Mark Antony.

Bibliography:

Galinsky, Karl. The Herakles Theme. Published 1972 by Rowman And Littlefield Publishers, Totowa, New Jersey.

Anderson, Andrew Runni. Heracles And His Successors: A Study Of A Heroic Ideal And The Recurrence Of A Heroic Type (pages 8-58). Harvard Studies In Classical Philology, Vol. XXXIX. Cambridge University Press. London: Humphrey Milford. Oxford University Press. 1928.

Vespasian: Was Hercules Associated With The Founder Of His Family?

By Samuel David Ewing

Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasian was one of the greatest Roman Caesars in Roman history due to his practical, methodical, careful, and diligent approach to governing an empire. Furthermore, compared to other Roman emperors, his willing association with Hercules and godhood was so thin as to barely satisfy the needs of potential devotees. His career is as follows:

1. 24, Jan. A.D. 41 - he served under Claudius, the emperor. He was sent to Argentoratum (Strasbourg) with the title of Legatus Legionis II Augutae to command the legion for an attack on Britain.

2. Battle of Medway, Britain, A.D. 43 -He attacked Southern England 30 times in battle, defeated 2 tribes, and conquered the Isle of Wight. He received the ornaments triumphalia and two priesthoods from Claudius. He served as a general in Britain, Germany, Africa, and Palestine.

3. A.D. 51 - Vespasian became a consul, the highest rank he could earn in Roman politics. A.D. 63 - 64, he became proconsul of Africa. He was known for being meticulous and miserly.

4. He became senior senator at Rome.

5. A.D. 60 - Vespasian was given command to stop the Jewish revolts in East Judaea, particularly Jerusalem and Galilee. He stopped both revolts with 60,000 legionaries, auxilaries, and allies under his command.

6. July 1-Aug 19, A.D. 69 - the Roman Legions of Judaea, Alexandria, Syria, and Danube joined him in his bid to seize power over the Roman Empire. He sent 20,000 troops to Italy. He led troops from Syria to Alexandria to take all grain exports in order to make Italy surrender by hunger. He sent his son, Titus, to stop the final revolt in Jerusalem.

7. Vespasian's Danubian troops defeated Vitellius' forces at Cremona in late October.

8. His other troops arrived at Carsulae and the remainder of Vitellius' troops surrendered.

9. Dec. 22, A.D. 69, Vespasian was given all of the titles and powers/authority that belonged to a Roman emperor. The Lex de Imperio Vespasiani was a law giving him absolute power over the Roman Empire. He was the victor in three civil wars.

10. He promoted the announcement of supernatural signs that supported his right to be emperor, he acquired numerous consulships and imperial salutations.

11. A.D. 70 - He began restoring Rome and its empire in much the same way as Augustus Caesar had done.. He used sound and progressive economic methods, getting rid of tax privileges of the rich, increasing the price of various commodities, and increasing taxes in the provinces.

12. He celebrated a triumph for the Jewish War jointly with his son Titus at Rome in A.D. 70. He was 61 years of age. He lived a frugal, simple lifestyle as the emperor. He was the founder of the Flavian Dynasty of Caesars. He appointed his son commander of the Praetorian Guard.

13. He was able to rebuild Rome by a program of building on empty land, rebuilding the Capitol temple, creating a temple to Divus Claudius at Caelian Hill, building a Temple of Peace next to the Forum (Roman Coliseum). The two latter acts associated him with the Golden Age of Augustus Caesar, he was compared to Augustus Caesar, and was said to have brought another Golden Age to Rome.

14. His goal was to raise 40, 000,000,000 sesterces to rebuild the Roamn Empire. He rebuilt many cities, gave state salaries to Latin and Greek rhetoric teachers, and he built a new stage for the Theatre of Marcellus. He charged a tax for use of public restrooms.

15. He added Italian and provincial candidates to the shrinking senator and equestrian ranks. He made good relations with the Senate.

16. He punished and dismissed the soldiers of Vitellius' troops.

17. He was a man who used methodical methods of improvement with strict military discipline among his troops. He followed the wise and benevolent aspects of Augustus Caesar which continued the Pax Romana, the prosperity of the empire, he was renowned for his honesty, and efficient rule.

18. He was deified as a god, Divus Vespasian (Divine Vespasian), after his death on 23, June A.D. 79. As a god he was buried at the Mausoleum of Augustus as a Julio-Claudian emperor.

Many supernatural wonders or signs were attributed to him in the form of stories or based on some unusual occurrences to legitimize his right to be emperor and as a god in human guise:

1. Vespasian was said to have healed a blind man's eyes with spittle from his mouth and made a lame man walk by touching the man's leg with his heel. There was said to be a large group of people who witnessed these marvels. Vespasian was said to be favored by the god Serapis with healing powers.

2. Soothsayers directed the digging up of ancient vases that were found on sacred ground at Tegia, Arcadia. The vases had the likeness of Vespasian on them.

3. Vespasian was said to be practical, pleasant, with a good sense of humor, slow to anger, but having a frightening temper when provoked to wrath. Many of his subjects constantly favored him with flatteries because of his great deeds. One such flattery is that Hercules was the founder of his family. Another, was based on the investigation of the Flavian family's history. They were tracing the Flavian ancestry to the founders of Reate and a partner of Hercules who was buried at Via Salaria. Vespasian responded by laughing at their work.

4. Basilides, the prophet of the god of Mt. Carmel (the Biblical Mt. Carmel, same as Yahweh?), divined by an animal's entrails that Vespasian would be become emperor of a vast empire.

5. Vespasian was said to have entered the temple of Serapis to receive advice from the god on matters of state. It was said he had a divine vision of another Basilides of Egypt, even though the latter was 80 miles from Vespasian. Basilides in Greek means "the King's son." this was reported by Tacitus.

6. The Jews and Romans seemed to have similar prophecies that heralded the coming of a world-saviour. The world-saviour would lead a mighty army that would conquer the powerful nations due to God favoring him with everything he requires to be victorious. This saviour was said to be a man who wasof God or the gods. The prophecies were popular from the first century and second centuries onward. When the Jews saw a comet (some say Halley's Comet) in the sky around 66 A.D., they believed that this prophesized the coming of their Messiah. This sighting inspired the Jewish Revolts against the Roman Empire lead by Josephus. The Roman sacred scriptures and records described the same comet as announcing the coming of the world-saviour and ruler who would be a Roman emperor. The prophecy was said to be describing Vespasian. Suetonius states in his work, Life Of The Twelve Emperors (The Twelve Caesars): Suetonius 4.5, "There had spread over all the Orient an old established belief that it was fated at the time for a man coming from Judaea to rule the world. This prediction, referring to the emperor of Rome, as it turned out, the Jews took to themselves, and they revolted accordingly." Now, according to both prophecies the saviour would be a military saviour in charge of a vast and powerful army, he would do battle against the Roman Empire and be victorious, and he would come from Judaea to rule the world. Vespasian, a Roman general did lead a mighty army against nations, including Judaea, he came out of Judaea, and conquered the Roman Empire during 3 civil wars. Josephus, before he was captured, realized that his people had been mistaken about the saviour being a Jew. He concluded that the Jewish god (Yahweh) favored Vespasian as the saviour. Also, to save his own life and the lives of the remaining rebels, he told Vespasian that the prophecy referred to him. This pleased Vespasian, Josephus' life was spared, and he aided the general in stopping the revolt.

Vespasian came from a humble lineage and rose to rule an empire.

Bibliography:

J. C. Rolfe, ed., Suetonious, 2 Vols., The Loeb Classical Library (London: William Heinemann, and New York: The Macmillan Co.,)

Scarre, C. Chronicle Of The Roman Emperors: The Reign by Reign Record of the Rulers Of Imperial Rome, London, 1995.

THE GREEK HERACLES: HIS BLACK ANCESTRY AND LEGACY TO THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

By Samuel David Ewing

This is the second article concerning the African or Black African ancestry of the Greek Heracles as the terms are used in American society. The Greek Heracles by any definition used by American society was a black man in appearance, pedigree or lineage. He did not resemble the Aryanized guise used by Disney's Hercules, nor did he resemble the numerous sword and sandal movie actors that portrayed him such as Steve Reeves. Hercules neither looked or dressed like Kevin Sorbo who portrayed him in the 1990s. In the Archaic period of Greek culture Heracles was portrayed as a heroic black man, an African male descended from Ethiopian, Egyptian, and

Libyan-African royalty. This is also the third article concerning Heracles' ancestry according to the stories or legends promoted by the ancient Greeks. The previous articles on the Greek Heracles and Theseus, the Attic Heracles indicate that they were Black heroes.

The Ionian Caeretan Hydria, 6^th Century B.C. :

The Ionian Caeretan hydria from 6^th century B.C. has a very large section which has been entitled Herakles and Busiris King of Egypt. Martin Bernal comments on this water vessel which reveals that the Greek Heracles was shown to be a black African hero. In his book, Black Athena, Vol. # 1, pages 476-477, he says, "....."portraits of Egyptians on the Caeretan hydria illustrating the legend Bousiris (Boardman, 1964, plate 11 and p. 149). While both point out that Bousiris has black attendants and that Bousiris himself is portrayed as one on another vase, neither Boardman nor Snowden (1970, p. 159) mentions the fact that the 'Greek hero Herakles' is depicted as a curly-haired African Black! This is something that the Aryan Model is completely unable to handle. For reasons Herakles should have been seen this way, see Vol. 3." Indeed Heracles is shown as an enormous, muscular black-skinned giant with obvious negroid features common to people of African descent. Heracles is fighting against black-skinned Egyptians, the Egyptians are also of African descent, and he is battling against white-skinned or fair-skinned opponents as well. The African or Black Heracles is crushing the white skinned assailants beneath his feet and strangulating the Egyptian attackers. *This is how the Greeks of the Archaic period (6^th century B.C.) understood Heracles' actual appearance to be before the much later Hellenic and Hellenistic influence on the hero's appearance.

Bernal mentions that neither Boardman or Snowden mention the obvious fact that Heracles was shown as a black African hero. I know that this is certainly true in Frank M. Snowden's article entitled, The Negro In Ancient Greece, pages 1-8, on page 4 he describes, "Negro bodyguards marched to the assistance of the Egyptian Busiris whom Heracles laid low.," but no where does he mention that the commanding figure of Heracles is that of a black man. Snowden's article was first published in American Anthropologist, 50:31 - 44. 1948, Howard University. The facts that make up the truth on the Greek presentation of Heracles are the result of their agreement between their art and their stories about this hero. This hydria has been described as a water vessel made by Greeks in Italy. The facts of the Greek Heracles legend describe him as a black African hero of the royal line of black kings and queens, therefore it is only natural that the Greeks would see him in this fashion. Another point being that Heracles was considered to be a Greek, therefore in the early history of the Greeks, the Greeks were descendants of blacks and whites. Page 6-7, Snowden notes the history of Greek ancestry, "Crossings between Negro and whites in ancient Greece were not uncommon. Aristotle mentions a woman of Elis whose daughter by a Negro was not Negroid but whose grandson was....Mixture between blacks and whites in the Greek world is confirmed by the evidence of sculpture."

Bernal, in Black Athena, Vol. # 2, notes the abundant evidence for the Egyptian Heracles who preceded the Greek Heracles, and the latter's description as a Black. Page 270, "There are even some suggestions that he was Black. This and the association of Hry s.f/Herakles with the 'striking god' and Sesostris discussed above provides further indication of the strong likelihood that the conquering pharoahs of the Middle Kingdom played an important role in the construction of the mythical Herakles." The pharoahs of this period were of black African ancestry as they were in the majority of ancient Egypt's history. This would also include those rulers of mulatto pedigree (Afro-Semitic, Afro-Asiatic, Afro-IndoEuropean etc.). Taking another look at Heracles' lineage proves to be informative.

Maghan Keita, author of Deconstructing The Classical Age: Africa And The Unity Of The Mediterranean World, pages 149-150, points to the lineage of the Greek Heraclids (Children of Heracles) and their claim to have been descendants of the Greek Heracles. Another words, the Heraclids claimed direct descendants from Heracles, the legendary black African hero and all of the heroes of African descent in his family lineage:

".....the origins of Thebes (Boiotia) and Argos, both of which were founded, respectively, by Kadmusn(Cadmas) and Danaos (Danaas). Diodorus writes that, "Cadmus was from Egyptian Thebes (hence some correlation with the founding of Boiotian Thebes) and was responsible through his progeny, for direct linkages between the principal Egyptian and Greek mythic figures and the cults of Osiris and Dionysus. Herodotus tells us that: The common Greek tradition is, that the Dorian kings as far back as Perseus, the son of Danae (thus not including the god) are as they stand in the accepted Greek lists, and are rightly considered as of Greek nationality.....If...we trace the ancestry of Danae, the daughter of Aerisius, we find that the Dorian chieftains are genuine Egyptians. This is the accepted Greek version of the Spartan royal house......Danae, mother of Perseus......how the Greeks may have seen themselves and their relation to Africa. Danae was the great granddaughter of Danaus, the founder of Argos. The importance of Danaus begins before his immigration to Argos; and his twin brother Aigyptos were, respectively, the kings of Libya and Egypt. Some traditions link them as siblings to the king of Ethiopia as well, .....Perseus who is perceived by the Greeks to be the Dorian par excellent...arch-typal mythic hero....Perseus and Andromeda lived happily ever after. Their son Electryon, was the Grandfather of Hercules." Danaus, Aigyptos, Perseus, and the king of Ethiopia were blacks. Andromeda, princess of Ethiopia was a black African woman, Heracles parents, Alcmene and Amphitryon were of Egyptian descent , therefore, blacks. Heracles' Egyptian, Ethiopian, and Libyan family tree reveal that he was a black African prince and hero descended from a long line of heroic blacks who were Greeks. Herodotus mentions this fact in The Histories. The Dorian Heracles was a black African Greek. Heracles' lineage makes him a descendant of the Ethiopian and Egyptian tradition of the living Herus, the rulers or pharoahs. The Heracles' myth identifies the Greek Heracles as a type of Heru in the African way. The living Heru (pharoah) was the human incarnation of the hero-god Heru, who the Greeks called Horus, Hero, Heracles, and Apollo. Heracles, of course is the hero-god, a man who became a god. Thus the African tradition of rulers in Ethiopia, Egypt, and Libya of the Egyptian Heracles (HERU) was adapted into a Greek tradition that became Heracles.

Maghan Keita, on page 151, says of Heracles, "Heracles emerges as one of the most popular of heroic Greek figures, and ironically, among the best known in the modern age. It is Heracles and his descendants who lay further African claim to Greece and the Peloponnesus in their attempt to reclaim their patrimony in the return of the Heraclids (the Children of Heracles). Bernal insists that the utilization of the term Heraclids on the part of the Dorian invaders is their specific eponymic reference to an African past." The Children of Heracles (Heraclids, Dorians), were claiming that their blood line was of black African rulers and human incarnations of black African gods (Black Greeks). By this claim they alleged their right to rule the Greeks as a divine right.

If we return to the story of Heracles and Busiris, we find that it was a Greek legend that came from surviving pieces of Pherecydes. Pherecydes wrote about an Egyptian ruler (Busiris) who was descended from Poseidon and Lyssianassa. Busiris started human sacrifices of visitors to the god Zeus in order to stop a nine year famine. Heracles came to Egypt, was arrested and captured as a human sacrifice to Zeus in Memphis. This would have been the god Ammon in Memphis, Egypt. Heracles broke his bonds, killing Busiris, and the guards. Heracles was said to have stopped human sacrifice in Egypt according to this Greek story. The Greeks' story and the Ionian Caeretan hydria together further strengthen our understanding that Heracles was understood to be a black African prince.

The Children Of Heracles (Hercules), Legacy For The African Diaspora:

Certain facts become clear concerning the Dorian/Greek Heraclids (Children of Heracles) ---:

1. They were a confederation of Dorian kings and warriors who came out of Upper and Western Greece to subdue the people of Lower Greece (the South).

2. They claimed and or believed that they were lineal descendants of Heracles, from centuries of Egyptian, Ethiopian, Phoenician, and Libyan royal families, and therefore, from the gods themselves in aeons past. This ancestry made them the descendants of Black African kings and queens.

3. Sparta was a Dorian state.

4. Danaus or Danoas, ruler of the Danaan (a portion of them became the Israelite Tribe of Dan), were Egyptians (Africans of Egypt).

5. There are tribal - tie relationships between the Dorian Greeks with their Heracles and the Jews with their Samson whose source is black African.

****There is information concerning a more ancient form of the Children of Heracles which refers to the Children of Heru. The Children of Heru or Children of the Egyptian Heracles are the most ancient form of any tradition regarding Heracles. The Children of Heru speaks throughout thousands of years to all people of the African Diaspora today. Gerald Massey revealed this legacy in A Book Of The Beginnings, Vol. # 1, pages 27-28, "The Egyptians were and are the true Rut, the one primordial people who first took conscious hold of the earth and retained a knowledge of the fact. The land of Egypt is the footstool, rut; the people were the feet (rut) on which the human being first rose erect to attain its full stature. Incidentally however we learn that the Egyptians recognized the black race to be the first of created men. The people of Ra are born of the great one who is in the heavens; the Rut are born of his eye in their persons of superior men..........further he has comforted himself with a multitude who came from him in the shape of negroes, but it is expressly said "Horus has created them and he defends their souls......Har is older than Ra; his type goes back to Sut-Har, and Sut-Nub the negro god who created the Nahsi." Thus there is the oldest tradition that people of African descent are the Children of Heru or Children of Heracles (Hercules). Heru, the Egyptian Heracles is the same or identical deity that the Greeks adopted into their pantheon as Heracles and Apollo.

From Hrr To Heracles To Hercules: The Harlequin And The Hero Called Jack.

Heru was known by the ancient Egyptians and Ethiopians as Hr which was pronounced as Hor, Har, Heru, and Herukhuti. The Greeks adopted and adapted the word Hr to their use, therefore, the resulting names from it are Hero, Horus, Orus, and a contributing influence to the name Heracles. The Romans relate the Greek Heracles to one of their deities and the result was Hercules. The Egyptians made their contribution to the name of the hero we know as Hercules. Did the Egyptians create the concept and prototype of Heracles/Hercules which was adopted by other cultures of the world? Most pundits agree that these African people to were the first to create the concept/ prototype of Heracles/Hercules. Bernal comments on this conclusion in Black Athena, Vol. # 2, page 109-110, "....it somewhat puzzling that Herodotus should explicitly state that 'the name' Herakles came from Egypt. Alan Lloyd suggests that when Herodotus wrote 'name' he meant name and not just 'concept' as other scholars have argued.....the evidence is far less clear- cut and it may well be that the cautious scholars who maintain that Herodotus was merely referring to the concept of Herakles are right."

The Egyptian idea of Heru spread to Europe where it gained a strong place in European fairytales and English pantomime. Thus Gerald Massey explains on page 308, "The great Mother in her ancient type of the Dove (Columbine) and the Ancient of Days, the old father or pantaloon; the clown and harlequin are the two brothers Horus, the clown, Kar-nu (the inferior type) is the elder or child Horus, and the harlequin is Har, the younger, the spiritual type; Har of the resurrection with the power of becoming invisible, or a spirit among mortals." Gerald Massey identifies the hero of English nursery rhymes, fairytales of Jack the Giant-Killer, and character called Jack to show his origin from the Egyptian Heru. Page 330, "....Jack leaps up, or springs, as illustrated by Jack -in- the- box; or ascends by the bean-stalk. Jack is the lively lad, the spirited, full of spirit, a spirit or sprite......the Jack-a-dandy dances on the ceiling, Jack-a-thorn is the dancing will-o-wisp, Jack-in-the-green dances in true Egyptian colour on May Day......The flesh of both Ptah and Num was painted green, the hue in which the spirit of life emerges from the underworld. .....The god Ka is the more ancient Kak, whose name modifies into Ka and Hak. Akh is a spirit, lively, gay, and the word also means rise up and illuminate....An image of this is extant in our Jac-in-the-box, who is suspended on springs....with a broad smile to illuminate with merriment, being now reduced to a solar symbol for the nursery. Jack dances on May Day in green leaves, and Akha is to be verdant, green. Jack is quick, clever, sharp, hence the knave.. Akar in Egyptian is to be quick, clever, sharp, always ready.....Akh is a spirit, the creative or virile spirit in Egyptian, Assyrian, and Hebrew.....the Egyptian Ritual: "I rise up as a god from men. I prevail as ye do with that god taller than his box. I have sat in my place on the horizon.....Jack-in-the-box is an Egyptian hieroglyphic of resurrection.." This Egyptian Jack or Akh, a form of Heru is the triumphant man who has died and risen back to life as the risen Heru. The Egyptian hero-god, Ausar-Heru is reborn again from the sun and the horizon as the conscious life-force of spring renewal, the powers and vehicles of reproduction, and as the future child hero who will conquer the forces of evil.

Now, this Jack, having risen from the dead, destroying the evil forces, will judge the dead, saving the souls of the good from the burning bottomless pit, and relegating the evil-doers to its fires. Massey says, pages 331-332, "....jumps up out of his box as the young god, the sun of the spring equinox, is extant as the veritable "little Jack Horner." The divinity was represented as the young one, the Ar or Har . His place was the corner, and he described as being, in his corner or angle. Says Ra, in the last judgement, "Let the great one, who is in his angle call the souls of the just, and have them placed in their abodes near the angle. Har-khuti is not only god of the corner, he is personified as "the brilliant Triangle which appears in the shining place." And this god who rises up victorious on the horizon, spiritualized (Akh) is literally Jack Horner, for Hor is Horus, and "Ner" means victory." Massey points to the Jack Horner nursery rhyme as Heru saving the good souls or people from the fiery pit. When Jack calls himself, "What a Good Boy am I," this appropriately matches the description of the child-god Nefer, Nefer-Tum, and Khunsu Nefer-Hept. These Egyptian names or epithets describe the Egyptian Heracles. Har-khuti is Heru the Child or Younger. His Triangle or Pyramid is the symbol and appearance of the Holy Trinity of the Supreme Godhead. The Trinity in ancient African religions is Father-God, Mother-God, and Son (Sun)-God. Heru embodies them all as One (theTriangle). The Egyptians celebrated this deity by eating triangle- shaped cakes.

The question might be asked here ---What does Heru as the Akh or Jack, the child hero have to do with the Greek Heracles? This can be shown in three ways. First of all, like Heru, Heracles is a type of youth or adolescent lover of the Goddess Hera as Hebe. He acts as a go between of the relationship of the gods to mortals, and hero to Goddess. Phillip E. Slater in The Glory Of Hera, page # 338 says, "But the Heracles legend is an amalgamation of many such....In modern times, for example, the Heraclean heroes in Greek folktales are called Jack {Lawson, 1964,

p. 281}." The second factor is the striking resemblance of the Greek Heracles to the more ancient Egyptian Heru. For example, the Greek Heracles as infant child crushed two monstrous serpents sent to kill him by Hera. Infant Heracles prevailed against these monsters by his divine physical strength and confidence. The Greeks display this in their art. However, when one examines the Egyptian conception of the Heru, as I have mentioned, the pundits do acknowledge the Africans of Egypt as the originators of the Heracles/Hercules Concept. This is shown in their portrayal of the infant Heru as Har-po-Krates, Horus the Younger, who had various forms. One of his most popular forms is revealed in the Cippi of Heru (Horus). The Egyptians made round stelaes supported by a base which were placed in their homes, gardens, and in the earth as talismans of protection. The talismans or Cippi of Heru displayed Heru (Horus) as the rising solar god as child defeating the such powers of darkness (physical and spiritual) that were represented as crocodiles, snakes, adders, scorpions, oryx etc. The most famous example of the Cippi of Heru is the Metternich Stele that is the largest example of this type. Heru is shown standing on top of two crocodiles (evil forces) as if crushing them under foot, and in his hands he is grasping or crushing other animals that represent the dark forces of evil. The evil forces he has in his grasp are the serpents, scorpions, the hare, and the pig. Other animals that personified evil forces were the turtle, tortoise, snakes, the ass, the corpse-eating beetle (asphailt) and they are shown in Egyptian art. On the Cippi Heru wears the lock of Harpocrates which symbolizes the power of the Mother-God (Auset, Isis etc.) is with him to energize and protect him. Bes, an elderly solar god shines above his head as a guardian. Thoth, Ra, and Auset are there to assist him if need be. They are standing and crushing serpents beneath their feet. It should be said here that the deities that accompany Heru are embodied as a whole in Heru himself. Various forms of Heru are shown on this stelae vanquishing various evil monsters and animals. Thus we can understand how the ancient Greeks were inspired by these ideas.

The third factor concerns how the ancient Greeks thought of Heru. How Heru was the prototype, measure, and conception of Heracles and the Greek heroes. It has been established that the Egyptian Heracles existed thousands of years before the Greek Heracles. Also, that the Greek Heracles is a descendant of the Heru - as - Heracles tradition. The Greeks looked back to the African culture of Egyptians in the origins of their Heracles. Dr. Charles S. Finch III, Echoes Of The Old Darkland, page 107, "Horus, the Avenger of Osiris, is the prototype of the Hero which so abundantly populated later Greek mythology. This is evident in Afro-Khamite astronomical allegory in which Horus is the youthful solar champion who slays the Dragon of Darkness, representing the sun overcoming the darkness as it rises each morning. Iconographically, this is pictured as Horus strangling serpents, trodding upon crocodiles, and spearing the hippopotamus. Similar imagery crops up in the Hercules cycle where the infant Hercules, the Greek Child Horus, strangles two giant snakes sent to devour him and later, in full manhood, kills the nine-headed Hydra. In Egyptian, Horus is HERU, a name that comes to us through Greek as HERO - every one of the heroes of Greek myth are slayers of serpents, dragons, and monsters, all emblematic of the devouring darkness." The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, edited by James Hasting, Vol. VI, has this to say about Harpokrates (Child -Horus) page 379-380, "Thus at Herakleopolis Magna, where Har-shefi had been translated by the earliest Greek visitors into Herakles, there appeared the compound Herakles-Harpokrates who is represented om nome coins with the club of the Greek hero surmounted by the hawk of Horus, and wearing a lion's skin and a modius .......Harpokrates was the god of the lower classes and of the home." Herakleopolis Magna was the Greek name for a renowned city of Egypt and its pharoahs who were associated with the Egyptian Heracles. J. Gwyn Griffiths reports in his work, The Order Of The Gods In Greece And Egypt (According To Herodotus), page # 23, "Heracles was variously equated with the moon-god Khonsu, with forms of Horus, and with Khnum and Shu." It should be noted here that Khonsu is a form of Heru by way of the former being a manifestation of Ausar (Osiris). Heru is the reincarnation of Ausar. Khnum is said

to be a powerful form of Ausar. The four deities mentioned were all understood to be individually forms of the Egyptian and Greek Heracles by the Egyptians and the Greeks.

I end this part of the article by some quotes on the Harlequin, from Gerald Massey's , The Natural Genesis, Vol. # I. pages 414-416, "Harlequin is Har the Solar God, who went downward from the south as the sun of the underworld, the "Horus (Har) of the Two Horizons" who transformed and was the cause of the transformation which took place annually in Amenti. His black mask witnesses to the hidden sun, invisible in the darkness. His magic wand is the sign of the transformation and resurrection. "I went in as a Hawk; I came out as a Phoenix," says the Osirified in the two characters of Horus. This is the hawk-headed Khashsenuf. The Phoenix is a type of the transforming Horus, our Harlequin......."Harlequin" is Armoric for the juggler, a reduced shape of the divinity of transformation and wonder-working....Also, in the continuation of the miracle-play still performed in Brittany, the actor who represents the sufferings of Christ in the drama becomes the harlequin in the pantomime that follows, so that he plays the part of the double Horus.........At this equinox the Horus of both horizons or Har-Makhu (our Micha-El) entered the underworld to conduct the congregated souls and deliver those that were in purgatory....Harlequin is the Great One; the ruling power. The Ace takes all the tricks, just as harlequin frustrates all trickeries. The ace is the Latin as, and in Egyptian as means the Great One, the Supreme Ruler."

Herakles Kharops and Kharop Herakles:

The Greek Heracles was known in Boiotia as Herakles Kharops and Kharops Herakles. Kharops means "bright-eyed" or "flashing - eyed." Page 730 of the Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, 1981, v.4 PT. 2 states, "His eyes flashed fire (Apollod. Bibl. 2 {64}, 4, 9} and are full of fire in Eur. Syleus (TGF 2 fig.689) like a bull awaiting the attack of a lion, so that no one would buy him as a slave. They flashed fire even when he was a baby, Pind. pae. 20, 13 Snell/Machlea.....In Boiotia on Mt. Laphystion Herakles is assimilated to a local demon Charops, "bright-eyed" (Paus. 9, 34, 5; Pappadaki, N.G., Arch Delt 2, 1916, 218-260.....In Eur. Herc. 131-132 his child's Gorgon - like eyes glare is likened to his fathers....." The comparison with the Biblical, apocalyptic warrior-Christ of Revelations is probably isn't mere coincidence.

Other matters related to Herakles such as:

1. His club was said to be made of the trunk of an olive tree. Other accounts describe his club as being made of metal (bronze or iron), weighted with bronze, metal studded, and an iron club cut to resemble knots of wood.

2. In Seneca's Heracles he is given permission to use thunderbolts against evildoers.

3. His weapons are kept at his temple in Thebes for him to use at any time.

4. That he had a mighty shield made of bronze.

5. That he was 4 cubits or 4 cubits and one foot tall.

6. Greek and Roman royalty created an association with Heracles as political persuasion for their

rule. Page 728, Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae PT. 2, "(I) From Alexander through the Roman period he was readily assimilated to mortal rulers and emperors, and his story had earlier served the political propaganda of Greek states." Page 731, "Assimilation to Herakles had been a feature of the propagandist eulogies of Hellenistic kings, and Augustan poets borrow the same paradigm in writing of their heroes, mythical (Aeneas) or mortal (Augustus).....his widespread cult and Roman imperial emulation and imitation of the hero

guaranteed his presence in much Roman literature." In other words, the Black African Greek - Heracles derived from the ancient Egyptian Heracles and Phoenician Heracles had a powerful influence on Greek culture, Roman culture, and European culture.

In conclusion, when the Heracles Mythos is examined the roots of it are to be found within the ancient indigenous African cultures that spawned it as a concept. What it says to the African Diaspora and the African American community is that we are still the Children of Heru (Heracles/Hercules). Can we live up to this legacy?

Bibliography:

Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae -----Artemis (LIMC) Vol. # 4 (I), EROS -HERAKLES, Ref. No. 7760 . L 49, 1981, PT. 2. ISBN 37608 8751 1

JR., Snowden, Frank M. "The Negro In Ancient Greece." Published in American Anthropologist, 50:31 - 44, 1948

Massey, Gerald. The Natural Genesis, Vol. # I. Published by Black Classic Press, P.O. Box 13414, Baltimore, MD 21203.

Massey, Gerald. A Book Of The Beginnings, Vol. # I. Copyright by Gerald Massey. Published by A & B Book Publishers, Brooklyn, New York 11201

Hastings, James. "Graeco - Egyptian Religion." Encyclopedia Of Religion and Ethics, Vol. # 6, FICTION -HYKSOS. Charles Scribner's Sons. New York.

Griffiths, J. Gwyn. "The Orders Of Gods In Greece And Egypt (According To Herodotus)." Page 21 -23. University College, Swansea.

Trajan, The Roman Emperor Whose Role Model Was Hercules

By Samuel D. Ewing

Marcus Ulpius Trajanus was beloved by the Roman people, the army, and the Senate. He was a dynamic man who participated in mountain-climbing, hunting, exploring the wilderness, and living the life of a soldier. He was humble in regards to his extraordinary achievements which benefitted the Roman Empire and he never declared himself to be a god. He

was said to have a calm, friendly demeanor and he made himself approachable to the people of the empire. His accomplishments in increasing the empire to its largest size and influence while rebuilding Rome and Italy is said to have surpassed the deeds of Augustus Caesar.

Trajan's exploits are listed here:

1. He was born on Sept. 18, 53 A.D. of Spanish descent. He became a legionary legate and military tribune in 78 A.D.

2. He gained the praetorship in 84 A.D.

3. He became legate of the 7^th Legion Gemina in Hispania Tarraconensis. He led troops against German attacks at the Rhine and was victorious in A.D. 89.

4. He defeated the Germans at the Rhine and Danube, receiving the consulship in 91 A.D., and served the Emperor Domitian.

5. He became governor of Moesia Inferior and Germania Superior in 96 A.D.

6. In 97 A.D. Trajan was adopted by Emperor Nerva as the latter's regent and successor.

7. He was declared Imperator with tribunician authority.

8. Jan 27, 98 A.D., Trajan became emperor of the Roman Empire and Augustus.

9. He created two provinces in Germany and celebrated a triumph in 99 A.D.

10. 100 A.D., Trajan developed friendly relations with the Roman Senate.

11. The Roman people gave him the title of Optimus ("the Best").

12. Trajan organized an enormous army from troops in Germany and Britain to fight against the Dacian king, Decabalus in 101 A.D. He defeated Decabalus, ruler of Romania in 102 A.D. and received the title of Dacicus. Trajan made the defeated king a puppet monarch for Rome.

13. Trajan had to fight Decabalus again when the latter led a revolt against the Roman empire in the Danube. Trajan totally destroyed the rebel forces, sold the Dacians into slavery, and Decabalus took his own life.

14. Trajan led 11 legions into Rome to celebrate an magnificent triumph in his honor. He made Danube a province, using the gold and silver of the Dacian mines to increase the Roman treasury.

15. He built a number of architectural wonders such as the enormous Trajan Forum, the Trajan Column, Basilica Ulpia, and numerous other projects in Rome and Italy.

16. Trajan rewarded members of the senate, the upper classes, and friends in the military with high political offices.

17. He founded the curatores, imperial administrators for the purpose of supervising the financial and economic aspects of cities in Italy and the provinces.

18. He created an imperial government department devoted to helping children, orphans, and the poor of the empire.

19. He had built the famous Arch of Beneventum in Italy, 114 A.D.

20. Trajan upgraded the transport of grain supplies to Rome and throughout the empire.

21. 106 A.D., he conquered Arabia and made it a province.

22. Trajan promoted large-scale renovation, building of roads, harbors, trade routes, including the bridge which went across the Tagus River in Alcantara, Spain.

23. 114-117 A.D., Trajan conquered Armenia, Parthia, Mesopotamia, and Babylon all the way up to the Persian Gulf region. He received the title of Parthicus.

24. 114-116 A.D., he stopped the Jewish revolts in Palestine, Egypt, and Cyprus. The Roman senate officially bestowed upon him the title of Optimus Princeps ("the Best of Princes").

25. He created a giant boundary, a wall that went from the Roman provinces to Germany, from the Danube to the Rhine.

26. He made sure that art, education, and culture flourished during his reign. He had increased the size and influence of the Roman empire to its largest degree in history around 117 A.D.

27. He died August 9, 117 A.D. The senate and people made him a god, Divus Trajanus, and he was officially the divine co-ruler on earth with the supreme god Jupiter. His body was cremated, placed in a gold urn, and placed within the bottom of the Trajan Column.

Trajan never claimed divine honors while he was alive, however, he considered himself to be a protégé of Hercules, Hercules served as his role model, and inspiration. Michael Grant, explains in his book, The Antonines, page 75, "Rulers of the stamp of Gaius (Caligula), and Nero and Domitian, who wanted to be recognized as divinities in their lifetimes, had chosen Hercules as their model, since he was reputedly the first man who had become a god. Second century emperors had no such ambitions. Nevertheless, they greatly revered Hercules as a heroic personage who had dedicated his life to fighting for good against evil and who had always stood up for civilization, which it was their task as emperors of Rome to cherish and maintain. Moreover, it did not fail to cross their minds that if they faithfully modeled themselves on Hercules, they too would eventually gain the reward of deification that had fallen to him. So they applied themselves to following whatever aspect of his career best matched their own capabilities and tastes. Thus, to Trajan, Hercules was the conqueror of the world. To Hadrian, he was the great traveler. To Antoninus Pius, he was above all the redeemer who had struggled on behalf of Italy, by battling against its legendary monsters. To Marcus Aurelius, Hercules was the hero of self-sacrifice and love of humanity: the martyr to duty." There is little doubt that Trajan saw himself as a world-conqueror who was acting in the Herculean Tradition, even as a representative of Hercules.

Bibliography:

Hammond, M. The Antonine Monarchy (Rome, 1959)

Nash, E. The Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome, Vols 1 & 2. London, 1961-1962

Marcus Aurelius, Philosopher -King and Protégé Of Hercules

By Samuel David Ewing

Marcus Aurelius Caesar was born in 121 A.D. to a wealthy family from southern Spain. He ruled as the emperor of the Roman empire from 161-80 A.D. He is most known for the Meditations which he wrote under the situations of war, reflecting his favor of stoicism, his basic humanity, and that he let his son, the infamous Commodus, succeed him. He received an exceptional education especially in rhetoric and philosophy. His career is listed here:

1. He became a priest of the Salian Order when he was eight years old by order of Emperor Hadrian.

2. He was made a consul in 140 A.D. and 145 A.D. with Antoninus

3. Marcus was given tribunician authority and made Pontifex Maximus in 146 A.D.

4. Marcus received a proconsular imperium which gave him absolute power outside of Rome.

5. Marcus becomes emperor of the Roman empire. He made Lucius Verus co-emperor with himself, with tribunician authority, and the title of Augustus.

6. Marcus remains in Rome while Lucius Verus leads an army against Armenia and conquers it. He receives the title of 'Armenicus' in 163 A.D. for his victory. Marcus received the title of Armenicus' in 164 A.D.

7. 165 A.D., Lucius defeats the Parthians and celebrated his title of 'Parthicus Maximus.' Marcus receives the title of 'Parthicus Maximus' in 166 A.D.

8. Marcus Aurelius and Lucuis Verus lead an army against Media and conquered it. They celebrated their triumph together. Both were given the title of'Medicus.'

9. Marcus removed the immense national debt owed by Rome's citizenry and sold his most valued possessions to raise money in helping the people of Rome. This endured to the hearts of the common multitude.

10. Marcus increased military pay, recruiting slaves and brigands as soldiers in order to increase the size of the army. With this army he would lead a military campaign against mass German invasions.

11. Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus led Roman troops to the north to stop the German invasions in 169 A.D.

12. The two emperors defeated the Danube-Pathesus forces at the Danube as well as the Jazgyes. The Dacian region was restored in 169 A.D.

13. Marcus and Lucius defeated king Ballmarius and his army at Pannonia in 169 A.D. Lucius died of the plague.

14. Marcus favored the upper classes and the land owners who raised cattle over the lower class farmers. He also increased benefits for the senate.

15. He was very active as a legislator and restored many Roman traditions of law.

16. He created a legal system that helped the orphans, children, slaves, and widows.

17. He served as the imperial judge, giving verdicts in 230 court cases a year, and at times showing mercy to certain offenders.

18. He assigned the Juridici, 4 judges who traveled throughout Italy to promote justice, they came mainly from the rank of senators and praetors.

19. 171-172 A.D., Lightning Miracle and Rain Miracle -Marcus commanded an Egyptian magician named Harnouphis to invoke Thoth and Jupiter in helping the Romans against the Germain invaders. A fierce storm of hail and lightning struck the German tribes while leaving the Romans unharmed. The Germans were defeated. Marcus Aurelius military campaign resulted in the conquest of Germany and he received the title of 'Germanicus.'

20. He took charge of immigration into the empire so that former enemies of the state (Germans and Jazgyes) were turned into serfs for the wealthy landowners.

21. A portion of these immigrants were recruited as soldiers in the Roman army and to increase the agricultural work force.

22. He crushed the rebellion of Gaius Avidius Cassius who controlled the eastern provinces of the Roman empire in 175 A.D. Marcus had some members of Cassius' family executed and others placed in exile.

Marcus Aurelius' role in the two miracles is explained by Michael Grant in The Antonines, pages 42-43, and 47. Page 42-43, " Aurelius who in 172-3 proclaimed RELIGIO (io) AVG (usti) on his coinage...... because the inscription on the coins is often accompanied by the picture of a temple of Mercury (Hermes) in the Egyptian style, so that the Mercury was the Egyptian Thoth.....The Lightning Miracle destroyed enemy siege engines, and the Rain Miracle intervened to save Roman troops from the Germans......Thus the miracle was ascribed to Mercury (Hermes Aerios, the god of the air; the Lightning Miracle was attributed to Jupiter), although the Mercury was an Egyptian version of the God, because the Egyptian Harnouphis was supposed to have invoked his aid." On Aurelius' Column is a further description of Hermes Aerios a.k.a. Thoth, "{On the Column} the downpour is personified as a frightening and semi-human figure, with gloomy face and long beard, whose hair melts into descending streams of water.... If the personification had a name, it can only have been the name of one of the gods whose aid was acknowledged on the coinage - presumably Hermes Aerios, although the grim and alarming figure is very unlike the normal youthful wing-footed Hermes or Mercury. The god described by Dio Cassius as 'Hermes Aerios' is apparently a native Egyptian deity, Thoth, whose aid was invoked by Harnouphis." Now Thoth is an Egyptian deity in harmony with Marcus Aurelius intellectual pursuits, including philosophy, he is one of the Egyptian prototypes of the Greek Heracles too. Marcus had a strong interest in the deities of the Egyptian pantheon like Auset (Isis), for example.

Grant says on page 47, "The triumph was largely achieved, so it was said, with the help of two divine interventions, which may have taken place in 172 and which are vigorously depicted on reliefs upon the Column of Marcus Aurelius (Chapter 7 ). On the first occasion, the emperor summoned a thunderbolt from heaven by his prayers, and destroyed one of the enemy's military engines. The other story is the famous Rain Miracle (see p.42), in which a sudden downfall of rain slaked the thirst of the parched Roman soldiers, thus saving the army from the Quadi (or Cotini)." It is appropriate to mention that the emperor in the Roman tradition is the vice-regent of Jupiter, on special occasions such as triumphs, the Roman emperor is dressed to represent Jupiter incarnate in human form. Furthermore, the other god that wields the mighty thunderbolt in Graeco-Roman tradition is Heracles himself. The Roman emperor sought to either represent themselves as the living Hercules or as being Hercules-like in the manner of a protégé/successor. Marcus Aurelius took the latter route to deification that didn't have the blatant arrogance of his son Commodus.

Grant, on page 75, describes the thinking of Roman emperors as they aligned themselves with

Hercules as their life mission: "Second - century emperors had no such ambitions. Nevertheless, they greatly revered Hercules as a heroic personage who had dedicated his life to fighting for good against evil and who had always stood up for civilization, which it was their task as emperors of Rome to cherish and maintain. Moreover, it did not fail to cross their minds that if they faithfully modeled themselves on Hercules, they too would eventually gain the reward of deification that had fallen to him. So they applied themselves to following whatever aspect of his career best matched their own capabilities and tastes........To Marcus Aurelius, Hercules was the hero of self-sacrifice and love of humanity: the martyr to duty."

Marcus Aurelius has become more admired over the centuries due to his example as Plato's ideal of a philosopher-king who rules a nation. He was a stoic philosopher who wrote the Meditations. He was quite zealous in a calm determined way to promote justice, temperance, honor, and duty with a stoic outlook in his role as emperor. He was regarded as a wise man, saint, and a warrior. Marcus Aurelius died in 180 A.D. and was made a god (Divus) by the Roman senate. His deification was proclaimed on the Arch at Oea (Tripoli) and in Rome.

Bibliography:

Hammond. M. The Antonine Monarchy. (Rome , 1959)

Mithradates VI Eupator the Great: The New Alexander and New Hercules

By Samuel David Ewing

Mithradates VI Eupator the Great was born 120 B.C. from a lineage of Persian royalty that was brought up in Hellenistic culture. He was heir to the throne of Pontus, a country, located on the southern coast of the Black Sea. A summary of his career is listed here:

1. Mithradates VI became king of Pontus at 11 years of age, but was forced to flee for his life when his mother and brother usurped the throne. His mother tried to kill him. Mithradates VI found refuge in the mountains with his allies.

2. He received an education in the Greek culture of the Hellenistic period, in philosophy, and he learned to speak 25 languages. His education took place while he was in Sinope.

3. When he became a young man he conquered Pontus, imprisoning his mother and brother, and later it is said he had them executed.

4. Mithradates VI was a large, powerful man of enormous physical strength, courage, and extraordinary fighting skills. He drank small amounts of poisons everyday until his body had built a resistance to them. Poisons could not kill him.

5. He conquered the region called Asia Minor. This included the nation-states around the Black

Sea such as Mesembria, Istrus,Tomis, Kallatis, and Odessa.

6. Mi