Ask CALLIOPE Q&A page two

QUESTION: Who was Ramesses?-Skippy, Web post

Dear Skippy,

There are many Ramesses in Egyptian history, but the most famous of all is Ramesses II, also known to history as Ramesses the Great. Ascending the throne at age 25, Ramesses set out to restore Egypt to the size it had once been. Since the reign of tAkhenaten about 70 years earlier, the country had shrunk in both area and power. Ramesses [reconquered] lands in Palestine and signed a peace treaty that ended the Libyan raids of and SyriaEgypt. Aside from his military ventures, he was also responsible for [a] great many building projects, including the temple at Abu-Simbel. Ramesses died at the age of 90 after ruling for approximately 67 years. His accomplishments secured his title as one of the greatest pharaohs in Egyptian history.

QUESTION: What's a mandala? -Beth, Web post

Dear Beth,

The word "mandala" means "circle," and it is used as an aid in meditation. As a representation of the realm of a Buddhist's holy being, a mandala is ultimately a map of a person's inner being. The mandala image helps the person meditating to concentrate-first on the whole circle and then slowly narrowing down the field of vision to focus only on the center. Mandalas may be painted, created from colored sand or chalk, or sculpted using materials such as butter or dough.

QUESTION: What's the importance of studying ancient world history?-Rock, Web post

Dear Rock,

The renowned Roman statesman and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero once wrote, "To be ignorant of what happened before you were born is to always remain a child." Studying history"-ancient and not-so-ancient"-helps us gain a clearer picture of the world around us. In Europe during the Renaissance (between 1490 and 1632), Cicero's statement had many believers, and the study of ancient texts became more popular than it had been for centuries. Why not try a test yourself. You might read Cicero's defense of the poet Archias. Or, branch out beyond Europe, to China perhaps, and read a few of the Chinese philosopher Confucius's teachings. Then, relate the thoughts to today and how they might help a particular problem-yours or the world's!

QUESTION: What are the Symplegades? -Mary Beth, 10, Web post

Dear Mary Beth,

In Greek and Roman mythology, they were two enormous rocks near the western end of the Black Sea that crashed together to crush anything or anyone passing between them. When the Greek hero Jason approached the waterway in his ship [the] Argo, he sent a bird to fly between them first. Then, as the rocks opened, Jason maneuvered his ship through the opening before the rocks could reposition and close shut again.

QUESTION: What is the Three Gorges Dam, and why are archaeologists concerned about it? -Vera, Web post

Dear Vera,

The area known as the Three Gorges is the most famous section of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River, one of the most dangerous waterways on Earth. It consists of three steep, deep, narrow passes or gorges in the high mountains of western China. Through the years, countless numbers of people have been killed when the river has overflowed its banks. The reason for building the dam is to "tame" the wild Changjiang and make it safe for those living and farming on lands near the river. Construction of the dam, however, will shift large amounts of water, some of which will flood surrounding areas, including hundreds of historical sites. Since 1994, 1,200 Chinese archaeologists having been working almost non-stop to record and preserve as many sites, buildings, and artifacts as possible.

QUESTION: What is so important about the Book of the Dead? -Martin, Web post

Dear Martin,

The Book of the Dead is not a book at all, but a collection of magical spells, prayers, and rituals written on sheets of papyrus and accompanied by illustrations. The papyri were placed in the coffin with the mummy to help the deceased pass through the dangers of the underworld and attain a life of bliss in the Field of Reeds. The texts date back to the New Kingdom (1570 to 1070 B.C.) and explained how to act and what to say to the gods. Usually, a person would hire a scribe to write out the "book" before he or she died. The richer you were, the better scribe you could hire. Those who could not afford a scribe had to rely on prewritten texts and hymns. The Book of the Dead is important because it helps us understand how the ancient Egyptians viewed life and death.

QUESTION: Did the Romans use cinnamon and pepper? -Dawn, 12, Web post

Dear Dawn,

Yes! Cinnamon and pepper have been used to season food for thousands of years, but many peoples have had to import both. Cinnamon was found in China and pepper in India. As early as 1450 B.C., Egypt was importing cinnamon. By the first century A.D., the quality of a Roman meal depended, to a great extent, on the spices used. Spices helped preserve food at a time when refrigeration did not exist.

QUESTION: How did American freedom and American intolerance grow during the American Revolution? And what freedoms did America want? -Maya, Web post

Dear Maya,

As the colonists became accustomed to self-rule, they began to resent not only being taxed, but also being governed-without any say-by a parliament that was an ocean away. Soon, the battle cry -"No taxation without representation"- was being heard throughout the colonies. Those who supported revolution sought the same rights originally outlined in the Magna Carta, a charter England's King John had signed in 1215 that guaranteed certain civil and political freedoms. The basic rights were freedom of religion, no taxation without representation, and justice. The United States Constitution is modeled after The Magna Carta and is a symbol of freedom.

QUESTION: What are the names of the seven hills of Rome -Brady, 12, Web post

Dear Brady,

Caelian, Qurinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Capitoline, Aventine, and Palatine. Why in this order-because it's easier to remember! Just have the first letter of each word in the following phrase help you remember the name of a hill: Catch Queen Victoria eating cold apple pie.

QUESTION: What was the Trojan Horse?-Maureen, Web post

Dear Maureen,

The Trojan horse is thought to refer to a

battering ram encased in a wooden superstructure. The ancient Greeks may actually have used such a tactic in battle, but the Trojan one is legendary. Legend says that Paris, the son of Troy's king, kidnapped Helen, the wife of Sparta's king. Helen's husband then rallied the Greeks'-the start of the Trojan War. After nine years of fighting the Greeks pretended to sail home, but left behind a huge wooden horse. The Trojans brought the "gift" inside the walls of the city, only to cause their defeat when the Greek warriors concealed inside the gigantic horse spilled out at night and open[ed] the gates to Greek troops waiting outside the city. It was this incident that gave us an expression you may have heard-"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." To learn more about the war, check out Homer's Illiad and Odyssey.

QUESTION: Egyptian pharaohs are pictured holding a crook and flail. Why? -Morgan, Web post

Dear Morgan,

The crook (in design, it looks like a shepherd's staff with its hook shape at one end) represented the pharaoh and his responsibility to protect and guard the people of the Nile River region, the way a good shepherd guards his flock. The flail (in design, it looks like a whip) represented the power of the Egyptian pharaohs. Thus, it was only natural that sculptors would fashion statues of deceased pharaohs holding the crook and flail. Further, as the dead king was identified with Osiris, the Egyptian god of the dead, statues of Osiris always portrayed him holding the crook and the flail.

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Updated: 12/4/08 10:40 pm
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