Sofia Torallas Tovar | Egyptians in Athens: Following the Trails of Words

It is the year 458 BCE, and Aeschylus presents The Suppliants at the theatre of Dionysus in Athens. The plot of this tragedy brings a chorus of the daughters of Danaus to Argos, fleeing from a forced marriage to their Egyptian cousins, and Aeschylus places Egyptian words in the Greek speech of the actors. The Athenian audience had some knowledge of their southern neighbor. Not only had Herodotus and others described the marvels and rarities of the Land of the Nile, but there were also Egyptian born residents in Athens working at the harbor and the markets. Sofia Torallas Tovar joins us for a lecture that invites you to hear the ancient Egyptian voices in Athens, by exploring The Suppliants and other sources that attest to the linguistic contact between Greece and Egypt before Alexander’s conquest.
The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures welcomes Sofia Torallas Tovar, Professor of Classics and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, University of Chicago, for this Members Lecture.
Our lectures are free and available to the public thanks to the generous support of our members. To become a member, please visit:
bit.ly/2AWGgF7
2022, ISAC
Music credit: bensound.com

[@michaelworkman4057]

I've long argued for a greater place for Egypt in current "Western history" curricula. I believe that lectures like this and the works and scholars featured contribute a lot to this, as I think many agree that Egypt and other civilizations in Africa and elsewhere have contributed greatly to all current civilizations. Partly this was certainly due to ignorance, but as we all learn more I think it's of vital importance and great benefit to all to apply this knowledge to our teaching of history today. Thank you all for doing so much more for this to happen, it's very exciting and fascinating!!

[@stevenv6463]

This is a fascinating lecture and topic. It reminds me of the Egyptianisms in the Joseph story in Genesis.

[@christianfrommuslim]

In addition, the diversity that culture encourages my hypothesis that the monotheism and culture of Jews in Athens, as a result of their dispersion in the 7th century B.C.E., greatly influenced Greek thought in the 5th C B.C.E. This is especially evident in Socrates ridicule of the Greek gods and conjecture on what a real God would be like.

[@christianfrommuslim]

Interesting! QUESTION: Does anyone know if similar work has been done with Hebrew words and influence in Golden Age Greece? My hypothesis is that the monotheism and culture of Jews in Athens, as a result of their dispersion in the 7th century B.C.E., greatly influenced Greek thought in the 5th C B.C.E. This is especially evident in Socrates ridicule of the Greek gods and conjecture on what a real God would be like.