All Questions
2,053
questions
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Was Zagreus more well known in ancient Greece?
Today, Zagreus is considered a very obscure god, only appearing in a few lines, and only in lost works. But was this different in ancient Greece? Or it was really very obscure? Some searches on the ...
- 23
3
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1
answer
61
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How did ancient cultures like Ancient Egypt justify having "non-month" days to adjust for their inaccurate calendar day count?
From asking How did the ancient cultures determine that the year was actually a fraction of an extra day beyond 365 days? I'm now wondering how cultures like Ancient Egypt, with their 12-month, 30 ...
- 445
4
votes
1
answer
58
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Is there a Donkeyskin variant that involves a tunneling magic bed?
Wikipedia reports that Griechische und Albanesische Märchen contains a Greek Donkeyskin variant that involves a burrowing bed.
In a Greek variant from Epeirus collected by Austrian consul Johann ...
- 933
3
votes
1
answer
91
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Origin of Folk-Belief that the Faithful Dead become Angels
There is a common folk-belief among Christians that the faithful dead become angels.
As noted in this related question, this belief is not only unsubstantiated by scripture, but seemingly contradicted ...
- 133
2
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3
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151
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Are there official terms in any cultures for vampire hideouts?
I've been thinking about what sorts of monsters would realistically be in a haunted house and I wound up wondering if there was an official word for the sorts of places where vampires lived. Is there?
- 21
3
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1
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Where did OSP Red's idea of the leader of the Wild Hunt being a "dead nobleman named Hackleburg or Hacklebaran" come from?
In 2021, OSP Red from the Overly Sarcastic Productions youtube channel (a mythology/history focused channel for those not aware) made a video on the Wild Hunt.
In that video she mentioned that "...
4
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2
answers
163
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What is "cemuc barley" referred to in a Sumerian proverb, and how is it related to necromancy?
I found this cryptic Sumerian proverb looking for ancient barley references:
"The cemuc barley is reserved for the necromancer."
There is an unrelated note that follows explaining how ...
1
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1
answer
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One day blinding stew - fact or fiction
I’ve been hearing a little chat about a ‘one-day blinding stew’ which purportedly causes temporary blindness. Details seem predictably hard to come by although I’ve heard rumours (verbally, can’t ...
- 111
-2
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1
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Why did Vishnu violate Vrinda, to defeat Jalandhar?
I personaly don't think he violated Vrinda as per current violation defination. I believe he violated her per ancient defination by siting with her.
-2
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1
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137
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Why is the use of Greek or Roman names inconsistent today?
Today almost all of of the gods are mostly referred by their Greek names, with Hercules and Cupid being two notable exceptions.
Is there any reason why we mostly use Hercules and Cupid, instead of ...
anon
2
votes
1
answer
93
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Did Admete go to Themiscyra?
Wikipedia (seemingly quoted directly from older encyclopedias) claims that according to John Tzetzes' commentary on Lycophron, Eurystheus' daughter Admete not only asked for the belt of Hippolyta, but ...
- 332
2
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0
answers
98
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Need help identifying a specific prophetic or cursed book of unknown origin
My mum recently told me about a book that her own mother (my grandmother) mentioned to her when she was a child. Neither of them actually had a physical copy of the book, but I'd like to know if ...
2
votes
2
answers
112
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Where did the ancient (the ones who fought the Trojans) Greeks believe the world to be?
Atlas holds up the world on his shoulders. On what does he stand?
I've heard the ancients depicted the world being supported by 4 elephants which were standing on the back of a turtle. I'm not sure ...
- 31
0
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1
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78
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According to Pastafarian myth, which day of the week is for pasta?
I always eat noodles on Friday, as do adherents of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster; see this excerpt from The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (Henderson 2006) for explanation of the ...
- 101
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1
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Are there any myths of rulers who have built and destroyed their own domains?
I have looked into many historical leaders who have, as a defensive tactic, or by the repercussions of their indulgent or careless actions, factored into some downfall of their nation or empire, such ...
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