05-02-2009, 02:59 PM
I came across this statement on HowStuffWorks.com :
"For a long time, hair coloring has been serious business! For example, would-be heroes of ancient Greece used harsh soaps and bleaches to lighten and redden their hair to the color that was identified with honor and courage."
Is there any truth to this? Was red hair and redheads viewed as being courageous? Or viewed as anymore special than regular haired brunettes? Did ancient greeks really try to lighten their hair to make it red or light in appearance? Also I heard that Alexander the Great has been described as "ruddy". I'm not sure if they were describing his hair or complextion and skin or both. Anybody know anything about this? I'm quite curious to know because I'm a redhead (I always felt like I looked a bit out of place as a redhead trying to pass as a Roman soldier and Greek warrior, being as they were mediterranean peoples and had dark hair and complextion)
"For a long time, hair coloring has been serious business! For example, would-be heroes of ancient Greece used harsh soaps and bleaches to lighten and redden their hair to the color that was identified with honor and courage."
Is there any truth to this? Was red hair and redheads viewed as being courageous? Or viewed as anymore special than regular haired brunettes? Did ancient greeks really try to lighten their hair to make it red or light in appearance? Also I heard that Alexander the Great has been described as "ruddy". I'm not sure if they were describing his hair or complextion and skin or both. Anybody know anything about this? I'm quite curious to know because I'm a redhead (I always felt like I looked a bit out of place as a redhead trying to pass as a Roman soldier and Greek warrior, being as they were mediterranean peoples and had dark hair and complextion)
Dennis Flynn
