04-26-2012, 02:21 PM
You raise an entirely valid point, but I don't think it is quite so clear cut as that when it comes to scholarly/university circles. This is really one area where there is a firm divide between academia and elsewhere. Most Universities are very well stocked to this regard. Its quite common to learn about the Eastern contribution to Greece, for example, and no one can get anywhere with Comparative Philology without a grasp of the Indo-Iranian languages due to all the similarities.
This is more a problem outside of academia. There is literally quite a hoard of book on this stuff, they just don't percolate down to the general public due to lack of interest and how specialised they are. I suppose one could argue that the education system in general is to blame but I guess than depends on where (and when you are.
Eurocentrism is a problem, sure, but a gradually retreating one.
Also good article, but two quibbles: Chess actually comes from India, I'd figured that would be fairly well known by now? and the Greeks didn't borrow "king of kings" from the Sassanids, in fact it was a common inheritance from the days when Akkadian was the principle language of the Eastern Aegean (Lugal lugalbandu I think it was, my Akkadian is...well...way worse than I need as a Homerist frankly) and if anything I'd be more likely to posit a Greek > Sassanian line of transmission due to chronology.
This is more a problem outside of academia. There is literally quite a hoard of book on this stuff, they just don't percolate down to the general public due to lack of interest and how specialised they are. I suppose one could argue that the education system in general is to blame but I guess than depends on where (and when you are.
Eurocentrism is a problem, sure, but a gradually retreating one.
Also good article, but two quibbles: Chess actually comes from India, I'd figured that would be fairly well known by now? and the Greeks didn't borrow "king of kings" from the Sassanids, in fact it was a common inheritance from the days when Akkadian was the principle language of the Eastern Aegean (Lugal lugalbandu I think it was, my Akkadian is...well...way worse than I need as a Homerist frankly) and if anything I'd be more likely to posit a Greek > Sassanian line of transmission due to chronology.
Jass
