Ask The Expert - Adrienne Mayor

We are happy to announce that Adrienne Mayor a research scholar at Stanford University and bestselling author has agreed to answer questions from our forum members. Every forum member can ask one question only (to make you think hard), no follow up replies to keep the thread clean and to make it easier to go through the questions. Around the end of the month (depending how many questions we have) Adrienne Mayor will answer some of those which are best suited to her area of expertise.

From all of the questions asked we will select a winner and present one copy of

The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times

Adrienne Mayor is an independent folklorist/historian of science who investigates natural knowledge contained in pre-scientific myths and oral traditions. Her research looks at ancient "folk science" precursors, alternatives, and parallels to modern scientific methods. Mayor's two books on pre-Darwinian fossil traditions in classical antiquity and in Native America have opened up a new field within geomythology, and her book on the origins of biological weapons uncovered the ancient roots of biochemical warfare. The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy is Mayor's latest book, and won top honors (Gold Medal) for Biography, Independent Publishers' Book Award 2010. We conducted an Interview with Adrienne Mayor in 2010.

Hello Mrs Mayor and thank you for answering our questions!

In the novel Mithridates is Dead (Spanish: Mitr?dates ha muerto),Ignasi Rib? suggests that the September 11 attacks on the United States closely paralleled the massacre of Roman citizens in 88 B.C. and prompted similar consequences, namely the imperialist overstretch of the American and Roman republics respectively. After researching and writing The Poison King, is there in your opinion any merit in his suggestion?

Dorothy Vitaliano is credited on Wikipedia with coining the term geomythology back in the late 1960's a term which in recent years, following the publication of your own works on this topic, has gained an increased profile both on TV and in other publications. However in your original period of research, before the publication of The First Fossil Hunters in 2000, did you find many individuals at libraries or other institutions who had either come across the term or even if they had considered it when researching their own archives?

Professor Mayor,

Thank you for answering our questions.

To the best of your knowledge, did the 1st BCE Romans, led by generals like Pompey (against Mithridates or against Aristobulus' rebels in Judaea) or Crassus (against Spartacus' armies), and 1st CE Romans, like Praefectus Judaeae Pontius Pilate, use chemical/biological weaponry (e.g., poisoned javelins/arrows/daggers/swords/catapult rocks/ flaming catapulted rocks(?), etc.,) when attacking, siege-ing, controlling, or subduing enemies?

Constantinova

Professor Mayor,

As you've stated elsewhere you introduced I fresh view on ancient texts and looked for rationale behind the myth. Such was also the stated approach of scholars like Dumezil who also explained, on another level, the very monsters and "oddities" you've studied. While Dumezil looked for the structure you seem to have looked to the details, seeing things none saw before and keeping close to the realia where others searched for underlying links between cultures and evolutions in human civilisation.

After your work, do you think those authors looking for structure followed a sound method while examining the same text you read and do their conclusions look sound for you ? Do you intend to re-examine the evidences in such a structuralist approach ?

Professor Mayor,

Why is it that the Goddess Nemesis is sometimes portrayed as a gryphon?

To what degree do you see Greco-Roman mythology as embodying certain truths about culture, such as the collective psychology of biochemical weapons, or a misunderstood analysis of prehistoric fossils?

Dr. Mayor, it is so nice to meet another folklorist who is also interested in ancient history.

What would you say is the most common misconception the general public has about legends, folktales and myths from the ancient world?

Pursuing knowledge daily,

TammyJo Eckhart, PhD

Dr Mayor,

Thanks for your time.

Firstly, with regards to Mithridates total resistance to poison, how true would you say this is? Had he really concocted the perfect antidote or was it a case of exaggeration and the Myth of the poison king expanding over time. Secondly, if Mithridates did perfect his antidote then do we still have an examination of his pharmacology available to us and are his methods still used in anyway in todays medicine?

Thank you.

Thank you for the opportunity:

When a king such as Mithridates would parlay with a Roman envoy - what were the pomp and circumstances? Meaning, once when General Sulla had his chair placed at a higher height than a local leader; they (the locals) had the person who let Sulla arrange this killed.

Were there special Roman clothing used - food etiquette - gifts given any other protocols I may be missing ?

Thank you again.

Adrienne,

What are the top 3 myths from ancient Rome that have been solidly explained by modern analysis (be it specific scientific analysis or strong deductive reasoning).

Thanks,

Jason Golomb

Prof. Mayor,

In your latest book, "The First Fossil Hunters", you draw a parallel between ancient mythological creatures and actual fossil findings. Are you aware of any such creatures that cannot be traced back to a particular prehistoric animal thereby leading to the assumption that it might be just a figment of someone's imagination? If so, which would be, in your opinion, the most interesting ones?

Poison was obviously not only utilized in warfare; it seems to have been much more commonly used as a mean of assassination and for, more or less, voluntary suicide

Thank you for the opportunity;

...was there a special moment or incident that made you start looking in a different light about fossils in the ancient world and how the ancient perceived them...?

Professor Mayor,

Thank you for answering our questions.

 

To the best of your knowledge, did the 1st BCE Romans, led by generals like Pompey (against Mithridates or against Aristobulus' rebels in Judaea) or Crassus (against Spartacus' armies), and 1st CE Romans, like Praefectus Judaeae Pontius Pilate, use chemical/biological weaponry (e.g., poisoned javelins/arrows/daggers/swords/catapult rocks/ flaming catapulted rocks(?), etc.,) when attacking, siege-ing, controlling, or subduing enemies?

 

Constantinova

It is interesting that Pliny the Elder, writing in the first century CE, remarked on a folk etymology linking Latin "toxica" (poison) to "taxus" (yew tree), because the first poison arrows had been dipped in the toxic juice of yew-berries. Pliny also commented that belladonna (deadly nightshade) known as "strychnos" also had an old folk name, "Dorycnion," which he translated as "spear drug." According to Pliny, this old word for the plant indicated that in the long-distant past, people in Italy had treated the points of their spears with belladonna, which can remain toxic for at least 30 years. But Romans of the Republic prided themselves on valor and fighting prowess rather than ruses and sneak attack.

In gathering research for "Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs" I combed Latin literature for historical accounts of biochemical weapons and tactics. Roman historians described numerous examples of poison weaponry wielded by their enemies, but I found scant evidence for Roman generals using such underhanded arms or tactics in the 1st century BCE. Part of the reason could be bias, of course, but I believe that the Romans generally adhered to what they considered honorable rules of engagement and relied on their overwhelming numbers, superior military training and technology--and courage--to pursue victory. Pompey, Crassus, and Pontius Pilate were not implicated by any sources for use of toxic tactics (Pompey did win his great victory over Mithradates VI in 66 BCE by a surprise attack at night, exploiting a full moon to his advantage; whereas both he and Lucullus were subjected to several biochemical weapons during the Third Mithradatic War.

Sertorius, the Roman general who led the revolt in Spain, used noxious clouds of choking, blinding dust to overcome the cave-dwelling Characitani in about 80 BCE. He waited for favorable wind and had his horses churn up caustic lime powder he had heaped in front of their caves (Plutarch)

The most serious incident on the part of a Roman commander occurred n 131-129 BCE, when Manius Aquillius resorted to poisoning the water supplies of several besieged Anatolian cities during the revolt of Aristonicus. Notably, the historian Florus condemned the general's actions. His swift victory was clouded by disgrace: Aquillius had "sullied Rome's reputation by the use of foul drugs, violating the laws of heaven and the practices of our forefathers." In 9 CE, Tactius reports that a Chatti chief offered to poison the rebel leader Arminius after the Teutoburg Forest disaster, but Tiberius replied: "Romans take vengeance on their enemies, not by underhanded tricks, but by open force of arms."