Thracians. “The biggest anonymous” of history

After  Herodotus, Thracians adored ,,Ares, Dionysus and Artemis”;nevertheless their kings worshiped ,,Hermes”. With this information in mind that became more enigmatic through a Greek interpretation, it has been tried to reconstruct the Thracians pantheon .From Homer to Vergiliu, tradition considered Tracia as being the homeland of Ares, the god of war. On the other hand, Thracians were famous for their war skills and their difference in the face of death ;therefore, it could be admitted that the God like Ares was the head of their pantheon .However, I saw, that the old German  God, Tiwaz, was assimilated by romans  with Mars.It is possible that Ares, was a sky God in the beginning hen he became the God of storm and war. In this case ,Artemis, would have been chthonian  divinity, the Thracian corespondend Bendis or Kotyto(Kotys); Herodotus would have named her Artemis(instead of calling her ,,Demeter”,for example)because of the wild nature Tracia’s forests and mountains.

If this ,,reading” is accepted, it can also be assumed, the existence of Thracians, the exemplar myth of hierogamy between the God of storm and Mother-Nature; ,,Dionysus” would be the result of this union. Greeks knew the Thracian name of Dionysus: the most common were Sabos and Sabazios.The Thracian cult of Dionysus reminded the ceremonies that were being performed during the night,in the mountains, at the light of the torches; a wild music(sounds of pounding in the bronze boilers, whistles)urges the faithful to scream cheerfully in a circular dance, furious and whirled. Especially to those women that are dedicating towards exhausting and disorganized dances; their costume was strangely  they would wear ,,bessares” ,long waving robes made out of fox skins; on top of those deer skins, and probably on the head, antlers.In their hand they would hold the famous snakes of Sabazios,daggers.Lead to paroxysm, to”sacred madness”, they would choose animals for sacrifices, and rip them into pieces, tearing and eating their raw meat .Through rituals they committed the identity with the God; the participants were called now Sabos or Sabazios.

Bibliography : History of religions , wrote by Mircea Eliade

Publishing : UNIVERS ENCICLOPEDIC
Ispas Sorin  cls XII E
Ispasoiu Dan cls XII E
National College Octav Onicescu

Zalmoxis and “capturing”

The same historian says that the Dacians are the bravest and most righteous of the Thracians “. “They think they’re immortal,” continued Herodotus, and this is the way: “Their belief is that they do not die and that he who perishes goes Zalmoxis, a divine being, some call Gebeleizis same divine being.” The first and last time his name appears in the literature Gebeleizis. Another renowned Tomashek Teona a Thracian god Zbelsurdos parallel, Zbeltiurdos. As Zbelsurdos, Gebeleizis as a storm god, or rather an ancient god of heaven, if you follow the Walde-Pokorný and Decev. After a ground reports sent to Zalmoxis sacrificial ritual that will hold on, Herodotus adds: “These same Thracians, sometimes, when thunder and lightning, Sloboda arrows in the air against the sky, amenintadu him this god: for they do not believe that there is no other God than theirs. ”
Most valuable information are made by Herodotus in connection with the myth and cult Zalmoxis. After the Greeks had learned from the Hellespont and Black Sea, was an old Zalmoxis slave of Pythagoras, “released, he had gathered many riches and rich, would be returned to his country. How Thracians lived in poverty and were more likely to be without knowledge, Zalmoxis I started to civilize. “He made it I shall build a reception hall in which he received in hosting the most famous figures of his fellow citizens, during the feast teaches them that neither he nor his comesenii or their descendants will not work, but will reach in a place where they will live for ever and will enjoy perfect happiness. ” Meanwhile, “he was asked to make a home I is the underground” in which “came down and lived for three years. Thracians have regretted it and I cried like a dead. In the fourth year came before them: and so what became of thought said Zalmoxis {…}. As far as I’m concerned, adds Herodotus, the red bag I’m not refusing to talk about the house is underground, and do not even think too much, but I think this is much Zalmoxis years in which he lived before Pythagoras. As he was a man or that it was a divine being of the country Dacians, let it. ” {Cf Romanian translation: “and then earning his freedom would be gained and much wealth, acquiring property, it’s back among the rich. How Thracians led a life of deep poverty and were deprived of knowledge, Zalmoxis it […] I asked to build a reception hall where-I-I banquet hosted by the leading citizens, during feasts, he teaches them that no nor his guests nor their descendants will not die forever, but will only move in one place, living for ever, will get all the goodies. During his time as guests feast their words and so I had to make a house is underground. When her house was ready, got the mijlocultracilor unseen, where hidden status for three years. Thracians stealing filled with regret after him and mourning him as dead. In the fourth year, but appeared again in front of the Thracians and so striking to believe all the words lui.Iata Zalmoxis to tell (students) that would have made it. As for me, no doubt ask, do not fully believe what is said about him and his home under the ground, moreover, considered that this Zalmoxis lived long before Pythagoras’s. Whether Zalmoxis was but one man was either co (indeed) the parity Getae any god, ill as well.}
In the early era, Strabo shows a new version of the myth of Zalmoxis, relying mostly on documentation gathered by Posidonius. Zalmoxis was a slave of Pythagoras, but what that ear has learned from his master is not the doctrine of immorality, but some things on the stars, “meaning science of predicting future events after the heavenly signs. Strabo adds to this a trip to Egypt, land of magic par excellence. Thanks to his prestige and his astronomical science and prophetic magic, manages to be associated Zalmoxis ruled the country for the king. The high priest and prophet of “the most revered god in their country,” retired Zalmoxis cave atop a sacred mountain Kogainon, where I received not only the king’s servants sip it, and, later, they I “s addressed as a god. ” Strabo adds, “they ruled over Getae Burebista, an honor it was Deceneu, and in it one way or another, Pythagorean rule of abstinence to eat with creatures who keep it alive still, as it was preached by Zalmoxis .

Bibliography : History of religions , wrote by Mircea Eliade
Publishing : UNIVERS ENCICLOPEDIC
Texts translated from History of Religions by:
Ilie Nicoleta cls XII E N.C.O.Onicescu
Tolea Cristina cls XII E E N.C.O.Onicescu

Herodotus about Dacians

Herodotus says that the Dacians are the bravest and most righteous of the Thracians “. “They think they’re immortal,” continued Herodotus, and this is the way: “Their belief is that they do not die and that he who perishes goes Zalmoxis, a divine being, some call Gebeleizis same divine being.” The first and last time his name appears in the literature Gebeleizis. Another renowned Tomashek Teona a Thracian god Zbelsurdos parallel, Zbeltiurdos. As Zbelsurdos, Gebeleizis as a storm god, or rather an ancient god of heaven, if you follow the Walde-Pokorný and Decev.
Most valuable information are made by Herodotus in connection with the myth and cult Zalmoxis. After the Greeks had learned from the Hellespont and Black Sea, was an old Zalmoxis slave of Pythagoras, “released, he had gathered many riches and rich, would be returned to his country. How Thracians lived in poverty and were more likely to be without knowledge, Zalmoxis I started to civilize. “He made it I shall build a reception hall in which he received in hosting the most famous figures of his fellow citizens, during the feast teaches them that neither he nor his mess or their descendants will not work, but will reach in a place where they will live for ever and will enjoy perfect happiness. ” Meanwhile, “he was asked to make a home I is the underground” in which “came down and lived for three years. Thracians have regretted it and I cried like a dead. In the fourth year came before them: and so what became of thought said Zalmoxis {…}. As far as I’m concerned, adds Herodotus, the red bag I’m not refusing to talk about the house is underground, and do not even think too much, but I think this is much Zalmoxis years in which he lived before Pythagoras. As he was a man or that it was a divine being of the country Dacians, let it. ” {Cf Romanian translation: “and then earning his freedom would be gained and much wealth, acquiring property, it’s back among the rich. How Thracians led a life of deep poverty and were deprived of knowledge, Zalmoxis it […] I asked to build a reception hall where-I-I banquet hosted by the leading citizens, during feasts, he teaches them that no nor his guests nor their descendants will not die forever, but will only move in one place, living for ever, will get all the goodies. During his time as guests feast their words and so I had to make a house is underground. When her house was ready, he hided there unseen, where hidden status for three years. Thracians stealing filled with regret after him and mourning him as dead. In the fourth year, but appeared again in front of the Thracians and so striking to believe all the words lui. Zalmoxis to tell (students) that would have made it. As for me, no doubt ask, do not fully believe what is said about him and his home under the ground, moreover, considered that this Zalmoxis lived long before Pythagoras’s. Whether Zalmoxis was but one man was either co (indeed) the parity Getae any god, ill as well.}
In the early era, Strabo shows a new version of the myth of Zalmoxis, relying mostly on documentation gathered by Posidonius. Zalmoxis was a sclave of Pythagoras, but what that ear has learned from his master is not the doctrine of immorality, but some things on the stars, “meaning science of predicting future events after the heavenly signs. Strabo adds to this a trip to Egypt, land of magic par excellence. Thanks to his prestige and his astronomical science and prophetic magic, manages to be associated Zalmoxis ruled the country for the king. The high priest and prophet of “the most revered god in their country,” retired Zalmoxis cave atop a sacred mountain Kogainon, where I received not only the king’s servants sip it, and, later, they I “s addressed as a god. ” Strabo adds, “they ruled over Getae Burebista, an honor it was Deceneu, and in it one way or another, Pythagorean rule of abstinence to eat with creatures who keep it alive still, as it was preached by Zalmoxis .

Juliano Isa –Cls XII B
National College Octav Onicescu

Prehistoric pre-Christian religions in Dacia

Since the oldest times mankind tried to find out what are his or environment origins. The answers depending of ethic background and degree of spiritual evolution made possible the appearance of myths which tried to explain the phenomena and enigmatic events with a spatial or temporal nature which happened in man’s existence, in nature or universe, about human or cosmic destiny, things that before that were explained using the supernatural.
It’s interesting to observe the fact that although the world civilizations were dispersed and they made contact later, the myths have commune themes like creation of the world or food.
Gradually, the myths gave birth to religions, especially through a religious ceremony followed by creation of specific institutions (church).
Geto – Dacians had a monotheistic religion. They worship Apollo (also known as Char-Ystos, the son of the sky) and after they moved to Orpheum, considered the founder of the first true religion (the first with a book) with a cosmogony and a theory of saving and anthropogenesis well formulated. According to this cult, man carries with him the original sin (idea which appear later in Christianity), that must be served by sufferings, man soul being imprisoned in body just like in a prison. To stop the reborn, release the soul and find the salvation (similar to the Buddhist idea of metempsychosis), he must live a moral life, without animal food and practice the prayers and the purification rituals.
Orpheus cult influence was manifested to the ritual and Christian iconography, in many paintings of the catacombs, Christ being depicted as Orpheus in the depiction of ‘the Good Shepherd.’
Christianity was precisely a great enemy for the mysteries because it has much affinity with these cults.

Bibliografie: Istoria credintelor si ideilor religioase – Mircea Eliade
Editura: Univers Enciclopedic
An de aparitie: 2004

Enculescu Brian- cls XI E
National College O. Onicescu