Is there any mention of proto-Russians in the Iliad by Homer? :)

[Novosedoff]

Has anybody around here read it? 🙂

[caldrail]

Greeks and Trojans. No slavic involvement, sorry.

[Novosedoff]

10 hours ago, caldrail said:

Greeks and Trojans. No slavic involvement, sorry.

Well, this is what I thought too 🙂 till I came across the following wiki article in English (the corresponding wiki article in Russian says nothing like this at all): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrmidons

Quote

Achilles was described by Leo the Deacon (born ca. 950) not as Hellene, but as Scythian, while according to the Byzantine author John Malalas (c. 491–578), his army was made up of a tribe previously known as Myrmidons and "known now as Bulgars".^[5][6] The 12th-century Byzantine poet John Tzetzes also identified the Myrmidons with the Bulgars, whom he also identified with the Paeonians, although the latter may be intended in a purely geographical sense.^[7][8] In the 11th century, Michael Attaleiates called the Rus' Myrmidons, but this usage did not catch on.^[9]

To make it more clear, these are the folks we talk about (from the movie):

 

The interesting thing about Achilles is that some sources claim that his ashes were buried on the Island of Leuke in the Black sea (also known as the White island or Snake island - it was in the news highlights not long ago when Russian troops landed on it). There used to be a temple on the island dedicated to Achilles. His cult was somehow related to snakes, and he was considered as Snake-god (or naga) - does this remind you of the Dagon cult in Mesopotamia, or Vishnu's first avatar - Matsya?

https://www.academia.edu/7893227/The_Temple_of_Achilles_on_the_Island_of_Leuke_in_the_Black_Sea_Ancient_Civilizations_from_Scythia_to_Siberia._Leiden_2003._9_1_2._Р._1_16

PS. Btw Myrmidons translates from Greek as Ants (insects), the word clearly bears some similarity with the proto-Slavic tribe of Antes but this must be a pure linguistic coincidence, I suppose.

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by Novosedoff