Essays

De andere barbaar: De Skyth in het oeuvre van Loukianos

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Abstract

This article provides insight into the representation of Scythians in three orations of 2nd-century sophist Lucian: The Scythian, Toxaris and Anacharsis. The research is embedded within the broader discussion of the topic ‘the Other’, with emphasis on barbarians and the Greek-barbarian antitheses in ancient Greek literature, and touches on the topic of Scythians by focusing on their literary representation. Relying on a close reading of the three texts, insight is provided into the representation of the Scythians. The analysis suggests that stereotypes, (the struggle for) the dominant perspective and the principle of reverse mirror imaging are of importance when Scythians are represented in Lucian’s works. Although the scope of this study is limited to the three orations in which Scythians are central characters, it is nonetheless demonstrated that ‘the Other’ is a relative and reflective concept.

How to Cite:

Gielen, A., (2011) “De andere barbaar: De Skyth in het oeuvre van Loukianos”, Tetradio 20(1): 8, 163–190. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/tetradio.91812