Cumin seeds in Greeks history

Cumin seed or Cuminum cyminum, is another of the herb spices which historically predates the Christian Era. It was one of the main spices use in ancient Greece.

Cumin was certainly grown in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs, where it was used in the embalming process, as well as to flavor many savory dishes. The ancient Greeks probably imported cumin form Egypt.

The ancient Greeks kept cumin at the dining table in its own container, very much like salt and pepper today. Cumin was introduced to Greece from Ethiopia and a spice used to flavor meats by those Greeks who come from Smyrna. Geeks used cumin medicinally as a digestive aid, and in cosmetics to create a wan, pale, pallid complexion.

Greek kitchens of antiquity value cumin as a good substitute for black pepper which was very expensive and not widely available. They also ground cumin seeds with bread, water or wine.

While they enjoyed eating it, the ancient Greeks also considered cumin a symbol of meanness ~ a miserly person was said to be a “cumin splitter”.
Cumin seeds in Greeks history

Herodicus of Selymbria

Herodicus of Selymbria, Thracian physician famous as the first person use of therapeutic exercise for treatment of disease and maintenance of health.

Herodicus was described as gymnastic master also as athletic trainer in Selymbria, on the northern coast of the Propoints, is credited in medical history with having understood how diet affected both health and illness, and with having originated one of the three branches of ancient therapeutic: dietetics, alongside pharmacology and surgery.

In Plato’s Republic Herodicus is said die in old age. Plato satirizes Herodicus as the inventor of contemporary ‘pampering medicine’ he was an athletic trainer with chronic disease. He mingled medicine and gymnastic and spent his life tending his disease and keeping himself alive.
Herodicus of Selymbria

Biography of Hippocrates

Hippocrates of Cos, a Greek physician already renowned by the time of Plato and Aristotle, remains an elusive historical figure despite his fame as the founder of scientific medicine.

Hippocrates was born on the Greek island of Cos, to Heraclides, a physician and Praxitela, daughter of Phenaretis in year of 460 BC. He learned medicine from his own father and grandfather. He also studied other subject with Democritus the Abderite and Gorgias of Leontini.

Democritus was famous Greek materialist philosopher while Gorgias was famous philosopher and rhetorician at that time.

Hippocrates also trained at asklepieion (healing temple) of Kos and took lessons from Thracian physician Herodicus of Selymbria.  Herodicus was Greek physician famous as the first person use of therapeutic exercise for treatment of disease and maintenance of health. Herodicus was described as gymnastic master. Hippocrates seems to have traveled extensively in Greece and Asia Minor throughout his career, teaching and practicing medicine.

Hippocrates returned to Kos and established a school of medicine that became renowned in the ancient world.

Hippocrates later became a famous physician and teacher of medicine. He was regarded as the greatest physician of his time. He based his medical practice on observations and on the study of the human body.

Hippocrates was apparently the first to systematize the existing knowledge and procedures and to ground medical practice in solid observation rather than theory.

Dismissing the common view that illness was caused by disfavor of the gods or possession by evil spirits. Hippocrates believed that sickness had a rational, physical explanation.  Hippocrates was the first to give the physician an independent standing, separate from the cosmological speculator, or nature philosopher. Hippocrates confined the medical man to medicine.

He soon developed an Oath of Medical Ethics for physician. All new doctors coming out of the ancient Hippocrates school would take the Hippocratic Oaths. He died in 377 BC at the age of 90 years old. Some says at the age of 83 or 106 years. He lies buried between Gyrton and Larissa.

More than 60 extant works were attribute to him in antiquity and are now known as the Hippocratic Corpus.
Biography of Hippocrates

History of painting art in Greece

The earliest settlers of Greece probably learned painting from the Phoenicians and employed it after the Egyptian, Assyrian, and Phoenician manner, on pottery, terra-cotta slabs and rude sculpture.

The Greek myths and legends were a vast source of subjects for narrative painting. These tales, many of which can be traced back to the Akkadians, were the result of mixing Doric and Ionic deities and heroes into the pantheon of Olympian gods and Homeric sagas.

Certain themes were taken from the ‘Iliad’ and the ‘Odyssey’ as frequently shown as, afterward, the Annunciation in Italian Painting.

The traditional subjects, the Centaurs and Lapiths, the Amazon War, Theseus and Adriane, Perseus and Andromeda, were frequently depicted.

The vase painting arose 900 BC with the Geometric period. Figures were black silhouettes formed by circles, triangles and squares.

In Archaic black and red figure vase painting males and females are presented in mythological or everyday scenes.

According to the literary sources Greek wall painting did not come into its own until about 475 – 450 BC after the Persian Wars. During this period artist gradually discovered how to model figures and objects and how to create a sense of spatial depth.
History of painting art in Greece

Crete wall paintings

The art of Crete on the Minoan period, form 2800 to 1000 BC, shows little interest in narrative. Human appears in vase paintings and frescos from about 200o BC.

During the Middle and Late Minoan periods Crete forged external relations and established contacts, in particular with lands in the eastern Mediterranean.

The technique of wall paintings which flourished in palatial Crete and was diffused throughout the Aegean, must have been introduced to Crete from Syria or Egypt.

When the Old Places at Knossos, Festos and Malia were established shortly after 1900 BC, the finest craftsmen were called in to work on the first great public monuments in Cretes and the first true Minoan art appeared.

The floating world of Minoan wall painting was an imagination creation so rich and original that is its influence can be felt throughout Minoan art during the era of the new palaces.

The finest art of the Agean Bronze Age was produced during the period of the New Palaces, 1799 to 1400 BC, and is best represented by the wall paintings that adorned the space and surrounding houses at Knossos.

Knossos, the largest palace, sprawled across 3 acres. It was built around a large central court, probably used for public ceremonies.

Bronze Age ceramics on Crete were generally colorful and with cheerful motifs, after inspired by the sea. Naturalistic decorations of pottery came to the fore in the middles of the Minoan period, with paintings of animals, birds, and flowers; fish, squid, birds and lilies were common motifs.
Crete wall paintings

Greco-Turkish War 1920-1922

The allies were confident that they had completely over powered the Turks and proceeded ruthlessly to implement their pre-planned schemes. They instigated Greece to occupy Izmir and recognized the rights of Greece over Southern Albania, Thrace, Istanbul and Western Anatolia.

In 1919 the Greeks landed in Smyrna and the following year began ambitious military campaign to extend Greek territorial holdings into those portions of Western Anatolia having significant numbers of Greeks.

Accordingly Greece started preparations to make attack on Thrace. Under the pressure of the Allies, the Caliphate was not prepared for confrontation. The nationalists were in Ankara where from, it was not possible to depute the army.

Mustafa Kamal responding to Greek ambitions, allied support o f the Christian countries and western imperialism, had take advantage of and channeled Turkish nationals against both the Greeks and the Caliphate.

The Greeks after occupation of Adrianople and Izmir resorted to unprecedented tyranny. The Allies appointed a Joint Commission of Inquiry. The commission expectedly held Greece responsible for exceeding the limits of the civilized Government.

The commissioned proposed that, Greece should vacate Anatolia and hand it over to the Allies. While these matters were considered, Greece with the help of British and French fleets proceeded again Nationalists.

The Nationalists initially heavily outnumbered and disorganized, reorganized into a strong fighting force and regained the territory taken by Greece, Because the war had been fought largely to regain Muslim lands taken by Greece forces, the Turkish victory increased Pan-Islamic feeling in many Muslim countries.

The Allies met at London. The object was merely to gain time. Soon after Greece made fresh attacks in Asia Minor, the nationalists again confronted and defeated the Greeks. In 1921, Prince Andrey, brother of the Greek King Constantine was killed in the battle.

By the spring of 1922 Mustafa Kamal had routed the Greeks. The settlement that followed provided for the compulsory exchange of Greek and Turkish populations. Some 1.3 million Greeks were moved from Turkey to Greece and 500,000 Turks from Greece to Turkey.

Greco-Turkish War 1920-1922