Chemical Warfare in Ancient Greek Ionia: Mass Intoxication With Hecate’s Deleterium-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Chemical Warfare in Ancient Greek Ionia: Mass Intoxication With Hecate’s Deleterium

Published:2023-04-06 Issue:5-6 Volume:188 Page:116-119
ISSN:0026-4075
Container-title:Military Medicine
language:en
Short-container-title:

Author:

Tsoucalas Gregory¹^ORCID,Symvoulakis Emmanouil K²,Michaleas Spyros N³^ORCID,Tzatzarakis Manolis N⁴,Karamanou Marianna³^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of History of Medicine and Medical Deontology, School of Medicine, University of Crete , Heraklion 71003, Greece

2. Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete , Heraklion 71003, Greece

3. Department of History of Medicine and Medical Ethics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens 11527, Greece

4. Laboratory of Toxicology Science and Research, School of Medicine, University of Crete , Heraklion 71003, Greece

Abstract

ABSTRACT The rich land of Erythrae in the coast of Asia Minor attracted the attention of the Ionian king Codrus. An oracle demanded the presence of the murky deity Hecate for him to conquer the city. Priestess Chrysame was sent by Thessalians to set the strategy of the clash. The young sorceress poisoned a sacred bull who turned mad, later to be released toward the camp of Erythraeans. The beast was captured and sacrificed. In the feast that followed, all ate a piece of his flesh and went crazy, stimulated by the poison, an easy prey for the army of Codrus. The deleterium used by Chrysame is unknown, but her strategy shaped the origin of biowarfare.

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,General Medicine

Link

https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article-pdf/188/5-6/116/50342411/usad052.pdf

Reference40 articles.