Conceptions of the Watery World in Greco-Roman Antiquity

Description

This book explores ancient efforts to explain the scientific, philosophical, and spiritual aspects of water. From the ancient point of view, we investigate many questions including: How does water help shape the world? What is the nature of the ocean? What causes watery weather, including superstorms and snow? How does water affect health, as a vector of disease or of healing? What is the nature of deep-sea-creatures (including sea monsters)? What spiritual forces can protect those who must travel on water? This first complete study of water in the ancient imagination makes a major contribution to classics, geography, hydrology and the history of science alike. Water is an essential resource that affects every aspect of human life, and its metamorphic properties gave license to the ancient imagination to perceive watery phenomena as the product of visible and invisible forces. As such, it was a source of great curiosity for the Greeks and Romans who sought to control the natural world by understanding it, and who, despite technological limitations, asked interesting questions about the origins and characteristics of water and its influences on land, weather, and living creatures, both real and imagined. Cover page Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page Contents Illustrations Abbreviations Acknowledgments Maps Introduction: Conceptions of the Watery World Water’s Fundamental Importance to Life as We Know It Water as an Organizing Principle in the Greco-Roman Mediterranean Basin Modern Studies Conceptions of the Watery World Methodology Part One Interpreting the Watery Framework: Philosophy, Cosmogony, and Physics 1 Water and the Creation of the World Introduction Mesopotamian Origins Hesiod From Myth to Reason The Presocratics The Milesians Thales Anaximenes The Rejection of Material Monism Empedocles and the Four-element Theory Plato and Aristotle Plato Aristotle The Epicurean and Stoic Schools of Philosophy Epicureanism Stoicism Hybrid Interpretations: Microvoids Plutarch, “Whether Fire or Water Is More Useful” Conclusion 2 Seas and Lakes Introduction Exploring the Atlantic Pytheas Roman Initiatives Greco-Roman Conceptions of “Hydrology” Ocean Presocratics Plato Aristotle Circumambient Ocean The Nature of the Oceans and Seas Salt Density Tides Sea Depth and Levels Sea Surfaces Other Characteristics of Salt Water Currents Whirlpools Reefs Conclusion 3 The Interplay Between Water and Land: Land, Rivers, and Springs Introduction Sea and Land Rising and Falling Sea Levels Effects of Siltation Sources of Terrestrial Waters Rivers Ister Phasis30 Indus Nile Underground Rivers Springs and Fountains Paradoxical Waters Floating Islands Conclusion Part Two Explaining Watery Phenomena 4 Watery Weather Introduction Climate and the Hydrological Cycle Initiatives and Limitations Aims of Weather Prognostication in Antiquity Sources and Ancient Methodologies Weather and the Stars Red Skies . . . “Things High Up” Clouds Rainbows Thunder and Lightning Precipitation Dew Rain Frost and Snow Hail Devastating Weather Events Earthquakes Tsunamis Storms and Superstorms Historical Storms at Sea Floods Conclusion 5 Water, Health, and Disease Introduction Water-related Diseases “Typhoid” Malaria Epidemics/“Plagues” Hydrophobia (“Rabies”) Other Complaints Caused by Water Illness and Travel on Water Sailor Diseases Healing Waters, Bathing, and Hot Springs Conclusion Part Three Imagining the Watery World 6 Biological Creatures of the Sea Introduction Metamorphosis Anthropomorphism Creatures of the Deep Dolphins Seals Giant Sea Creatures Whales Sharks Cephalopods Conclusion 7 Mythical Creatures of the Sea: Sea Monsters and Sea Gods Introduction Imagined Sea Creatures Capricorn Hippocamp8 Sea Monsters Typhoeus Scylla Ketoi Skiron’s Turtle Hybrid Gods of the Deep Mermen Old Men of the Sea Conclusion 8 Water and the Divine: Unseen and Magical Forces of the Spiritual World Introduction Miasma and Ritual Purity Reading the Will of the Gods: Divination by Weather Signs and Water Magical Effects of Sea Creatures Water and Death Conclusion 9 Sailor Cults and Cults of Sea Gods Introduction Gods Who Protect Travelers on Water Poseidon Poseidon’s Temple at Sounion Apollo Aphrodite, Isis, and Venus Maritime Ruler Cult: Aphrodite and Arsinoë II Maritime Ruler Cult: Zeus/Jupiter and the Pharos Lighthouse The Dioscuri and St. Elmo’s Fire Gods of Samothrace Ploiaphesia: Rituals of the Sailing Season Sailing Rituals and Superstitions Rituals for Safety at Sea Maritime Amulets Piscine Sacrifices Conclusion 10 Conclusion Appendix Notes Bibliography Index of Places Cited Index of Authors and Sources General Index