Publication details
Jupiter, Kristus, Chalífa : Obrazy mocných a zrození středověku (IV.–VIII. století)
| Title in English | Jupiter, Christ, Khalifa : Images of the Powerfuls and the Birth of the Middle Ages (IV.-VIII. Century) |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Monograph |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The pagan god Jupiter Serapis, Jesus Christ and the Muslim Caliph - their faces are surprisingly close. The authors question this seeming paradox and ask: Why do “arch enemies” look almost the same? First, they seek answers in specific historical circumstances - the dramatic fall of Serapeum in Alexandria, the promotion of Christianity as a state religion, and the conquest of Syria by the Umayyad. The very way in which winners literally "steal" the faces of the losers goes back even more deeply into history, the era of tribes and shamans, when the ritual with the enemy mask was a preparation for battle or celebration of victory. But a wise ruler cannot be the one who humiliates the losers too much. What if taking face also expressed an effort to show inclusion and continuity? A look into the distant past shows how powerful images are and how important it is to understand them. It also draws attention to the common roots of Mediterranean civilizations, which - in tensions between clashes and continuity - have grown into European culture. |
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