Article Review
The article “Samothrace, the sanctuary of the Great Gods and its mysteries” was written by Georges Roux in 1981. Through a thorough reading of this article, it is clear that it focuses on the history of Samothrace, mainly on the sanctuary of the Greats Gods and the mysteries associated with the sanctuary. The author begins his paper by providing a brief description of Samothrace’s geographical location and describes its physical features, including the size of the Island. The author also provides a short history of the island on how it came to get the name Samothrace. Roux provides enough information on the strengths and weaknesses of the island.
Some of the strengths mentioned include the small coastal plain in the northwest that is good for growing food. The people who lived there could only find a few grasslands for their goats and sheep, wood for building in the woods, which was more abundant in the earlier days than it is now, and magnetic iron ore that was used to make the rings that initiate wore on their hands because of its mystical entity to attract. Samothracians excelled at sailing and throwing javelins and gained fame at the Battle of Salamis.
Roux also explains how the Sanctuary of the Great Gods becomes a national shrine for the Macedonians. A young prince from Macedonia came to the sanctuary of the Great Gods to learn about the mysteries. There, he met a beautiful princess from Epirus. He became infatuated with her and married her, and Alexander was born to Philippe and Olympias. From then on, Macedonia and Samothrace in the north became the most important places for Hellenism. Roux provides the divine hierarchy of the ‘Great Gods’ and describes all the gods of the Greek pantheon who were also honored by the city. Samothrace’s glory and wealth in ancient times came more from its Great Gods than its people. The article also provides information about the introduction of Christianity by Saint Paul.
The author also provides the differences between the mysteries of Samothrace and Eleusis. Several unique aspects set the Samothrace mysteries apart from the Eleusinian mysteries, after which they gained some popularity, if not prestige. For instance, Whereas the Eleusinian initiation was only open to those of free status who could speak Greek, the Great Gods of Samothrace accepted initiates of any race, gender, age, or class. The author further describes the architectural features of the sanctuary of the Great Gods. Roux can describe the place where initiation ceremonies used to take place. The sanctuary is separated into three sections by the relief from east to west.
The two lateral zones, to the east of the hill’s crest line and the west of the western branch of the torrent, contain relatively modern structures that are only tangentially relevant to the cult’s celebration: to the east, toward the city, the beautiful propylaea of Ptolemy II and the enigmatic circular area dominated by the no less mysterious construction consecrated by Philip III and Alexander IV; to the west, the sizeable Doric portico lined with statues, the theatre, the monumental Victory fountain, numerous banquet halls.
Roux (1981) discusses the rooms in the sanctuary and their significance in his article. These rooms include the ‘hestiatorion,’ the ‘Hieron,’ and ‘building 14’. For instance, building 14, placed as it was in the very center of the sacred space, must have played a pivotal role in the rituals of initiation and devotion.
The temple of the Great Gods and the site of the final initiation also emerge as the prototype, in the womb of the pagan world, of the future Christian church, an aspect of its significance that the author has emphasized from both the religious and architectural perspectives. Towards the end of the article, the age of maximum monumental splendor at the sanctuary is reflected in the few monuments we have briefly described. Based on information from the report, the Roman period was nevertheless a prosperous time for the temple in terms of religious activity, not building. There was no detriment to the “Anactoron” throughout this period.
The Usefulness of Article in Writing the Final Work
The article will help write the final work because it is rich in both primary and secondary information needed. The report provides information on the geographical location of the Island of Samothrace and its history of the Island of Samothrace. Therefore, the article information helps provide the details necessary for the first section of the final work. Using the article, the final result will be able to answer the questions; where is the island, and a short general description?
The report also provides information revealing that the population residing in the highland is essential for the result. The information includes the size of the highland, the source of food and shelter, strengths and weaknesses of the island. The article reveals that the island’s total land area is only 180 square kilometers, less than one-ninth the size of Mytilene but equal to half of Thasos. The island also has fewer local resources; there is only a small coastal plain for growing food, the land is a mountainous block with few pastures for their goats and sheep; wood for construction in a forest that once thrived but now barely survives, and a magnetic iron ore that was used to make the rings.
Moreover, the article is useful because it discusses the prominent people who led to religious syncretism, which will probably give rise to this mystery cult of Samothrace. Therefore, the information will be relevant to the final work section of the syncretism of peoples. These people include the prince of Macedonia, who met the princess of Epirus during his initiation ceremony in the sanctuary of the Great Gods. Philippe and Olympias married, and they had a son Alexander. Due to this marriage, Hellenism’s epicenter shifted northward to Macedonia and Samothrace, and the Macedonians began to see the Sanctuary of the Great Gods as a kind of national shrine.
The article is also useful because it is a reliable source to provide names and information of famous insiders, which will help handle the famous insiders’ section of the final work. Therefore, the information will summarize well-known figures who likely underwent Samothracean initiation. All of Ancient Greece observed it as a holy day for the Mystery religion. Many notable persons were initiated into the mysteries, including the Spartan commander Lysander, the historian Herodotus, and many others from Athens. Both Plato and Aristophanes make references to the temple in their works. Famous insiders also include Adaios, son of Corragos, Macedonia, who had dedicated the construction of the Doric entablature to the Great Gods in the second half of the 4th century.
The great Greek architects of that period also can be considered famous insiders since they constructed and modified the monuments and the sanctuary of the Great Gods. Queen Arsinoe is also a famous insider who is discussed in the article and had also been initiated in the mysteries of Samothrace. The Genoese family of the Gattilusi is also mentioned as the famous insider.
The article is also helpful in completing the final work because it discusses the spread of the cult of Samothrace and the locations of several shrines. Therefore, the article is important since it provides information useful to complete the section on the diffusion of the cult of Samothrace. According to Roux in his article, after Phillip II’s coronation in the Hellenistic era, it became a Macedonian national sanctuary, where Alexander the Great’s dynastic successors competed in displays of lavishness (Roux, 1981).
Throughout the Roman era, it served as a significant religious hub. After Hadrian’s visit, Varro elaborated on the mystery. At the end of Late Antiquity, when the temple was likely closed because the late Roman Empire was persecuting the pagans, records of the religion began to disappear. Some of the shrines found are; the temple of Athena Nike, the mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the temple of Athena Pronaia, and the temple of Apollo at Delos.
Consequently, following the discussion above on the review of the article by Roux (1981), it is evident that the information provided makes the source reliable for completing the final paper. The review has summarized the article and explained how the source is reliable in completing the final paper. The article has provided information about the island of Samothrace’s history, location, population, the syncretism of peoples, the famous insiders, and the diffusion of the cult of Samothrace.
Reference
Roux, G. 1981. « Samothrace, le sanctuaire des Grands Dieux et ses mystères », Bulletin de l’Association Guillaume Budé 1. 2-23.