Talk:Abaris

Bladud, founder of Bath, also named Abaris by the Grecians.

Attempts to equate Abaris and magic, or shamanism are reductionist, for Abaris is more of a convenient name for a whole class of eurocentric medical school values and tradition. Recently, reputed commentators, including Mihai Olteanu and Dan Olteanu have argued conclusively that &#769;&#913;&#946;&#945;&#961;&#953;&#962;: &#931;&#954;&#965;&#769;&#952;&#951;&#962; and &#931;&#954;&#965;&#769;&#952;&#959;&#965; &#965;&#953;&#959;&#769;&#962; in the Suda do not necessarily mean that Abaris was a Scythian. Indeed, &#931;&#954;&#965;&#769;&#952;&#951;&#962; was a known figure of a foundation myth (for instance in Herodotus), and both passages converge in showing that Abaris was perhaps only the son of a certain Scythes. -		 -	In conclusion, this enigmatic figure of the higher European antiquity was more of a legendary "wisdom-figure" than a single person or even a representative of some particular trade.