New Heroes in Antiquity - 9780674035867

Jones (classics and history, Harvard University) traces the term "hero" through Greek and Roman antiquity to the early Christian era. While the word remained the same, the meaning altered considerably. In Homer, a hero was one who fought and died for his cause, both among the Greeks and the Trojans. This was followed by local celebrations of warriors who had died in battle, although they might not be widely known. The term spread to include warriors who survived with honor and patriots who had never taken up arms. Eventually it included athletes, artists and public benefactors. Tomb inscriptions indicate that people began commemorating family members as heroes, so much so that some scholars have suggested that, in this case, it just means dead. Jones argues that it still had the meaning of a virtuous person. The deification of Hadrian's special friend, Antinoos, who died in Egypt, is a late example of a failed attempt to create a new hero. The Christian use of the word "hero" to describe martyrs has made some think that the cult of saints is just a continuation of the cult of heroes. Jones believes that is not the case but that Christian scholars continued to admire the heroes of Greek myth and enjoy the stories about them. This series of lectures provides new insight into a term taken for granted by most historians. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)