Panchaia
Panchaia ( Greek παγχαΐα sc. Χώρα, "very excellent land") describes an island described by the ancient Greek philosopher Euhemeros in his work " Hierà Anagraphé ". It is assumed that Panchaia was invented by Euhemeros, and it is believed that he was based on Plato's description of Atlantis .
According to the description of Euhemeros, Panchaia is reached when one goes from Arabia Felix ("happy Arabia ") to the sea ( Indian Ocean ). It is the main island of an archipelago and is described as extremely fertile. The social structure there is strongly reminiscent of Plato's Politeia or the original Athens in Plato's Critias . The population was divided into three classes (priests and craftsmen, farmers, soldiers and shepherds). There are also reports of a strict collective economy that only allows house and yard to be private property, which in the 20th century was interpreted as an ancient forerunner of communism.
On the island, in the midst of an idyllic landscape, there is a temple dedicated to Zeus , inside of which an inscription reports on the “true nature” of the Greek gods. In truth, these are merely ordinary mortals, the first kings of this state, who in some way had rendered outstanding services and were therefore subsequently deified by humanity.
The island is also mentioned by Ovid , Tibullus and Virgil .
literature
- H. Braunert: The holy island of Euhemeros according to the Diodor tradition . In: RhM , 108, 1965, pp. 255-268.
- Marek Winiarczyk: Euhemeros of Messene. Life, work and aftermath . Munich / Leipzig 2002, ISBN 3-598-77706-X .
Individual evidence
Ovid, Metamorphosen, Book X, verse 309f .:
[…] sudatque ligno
tura ferat floresque alios Panchaia tellus, […]
Incidental translation:
And the incense drips
from the wood and other flowers bears the ground of Panchaia
- ↑ Robert von Pöhlmann: History of the social question and socialism in the ancient world II . Darmstadt 1984, ISBN 3-534-08587-6 (reprint of the 3rd edition, Munich 1925)
- ^ Virgil, Georgica II, 139.