AeonsOfStrife t1_ir29qn0 wrote
Reply to comment by smittythehoneybadger in Hercules statue, approximately 2,000 years old, discovered in Greece - The Jerusalem Post by DRKILLM0NGER
It would still have been referred to most often as Heracles, as Greek was the dominant language of the eastern portions of the empire. Latin never took hold as the lingua franca of the area, so along it Heracles is more accurate to what locals (and later Romans themselves in the area) would have called it.
But I digress, it is mostly a matter of which perspective you find most personally valid.
TwoPercentTokes t1_ir2e4me wrote
The article also says Byzantine Era, and at the point they were firmly Greek Romans.
AeonsOfStrife t1_ir2fe5x wrote
Well, the early "Byzantine" era (It's just late antiquity Roman, Eastern Roman if you must) did still have Latin usage for much of it until Heraclius at an official state level. So I couldn't quite go that far as I didn't catch the exact date. Maybe you're right though, if it's post Heraclius than it would be Greek Romans.
HermanCainsGhost t1_ir2hkac wrote
It'd have to be super early Byzantine era, as Christianity was pretty solidly established after not too long - I can't imagine much support after 450, or maybe 550 at the absolute latest for a Hercules/Heracles statue.
John_Hunyadi t1_ir34vg1 wrote
It estimates around 200AD. Ya coulda just read the article…
HermanCainsGhost t1_ir3djtx wrote
Then that's not Byzantine era at all.
snkn179 t1_ir48818 wrote
Bunch of people misreading the article. It says the statue dates back to the 2nd century CE (100-200 CE), the peak of the Roman Empire. It is not stated where in the Empire the statue was originally built, as this is not known. However it was later used to adorn a Greek building during the Byzantine period around the 8th or 9th century. During this time, the locals would have referred to it as Heracles.
ieatpickleswithmilk t1_ir2mewc wrote
The article states that the statue was sculpted during the Roman era, around the 2nd century AD but last adorned buildings during the Byzantine era in the 8th or 9th century. I believe Latin was at least spoken by some people during the 2nd century since many inscriptions in Latin have been found in the city from that time period.
Ypnos666 t1_ir53ya0 wrote
The lingua franca of the East Roman Empire was Greek, throughout its history with Latin only used for administrative purposes. It would have been Herakles, son of Dias.
NordWithaSword t1_ir4ks8o wrote
2nd century AD was Peak empire, we're talking Trajan/Hadrian times.
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