Acheloios, Thales, and the Origin of Philosophy

A Response to the Neo-Marxians

Nicholas J. Molinari

• Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781803270869
• eBook ISBN: 9781803270876

Acheloios, Thales, and the Origin of Philosophy: A Response to the Neo-Marxians fundamentally changes our understanding of a pivotal moment in the history of mankind – the origin of the philosophical experience in 6th century Ionia. Through a careful analysis of the archaeological record, a close reading of hundreds of ancient sources, and a deep investigation into the various languages of our past, Nicholas Molinari demonstrates the importance of the influence of the cult of Acheloios on Thales; provides a critique of the Neo-Marxian prioritization of coined money and conflation of metaphysical cosmology and philosophy; and, most importantly, reintegrates beauty and love as philosophy's ultimate source.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Archaeology and Classical Humanities
• Contents Page
• Acknowledgements
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Fig. 1b: Obverse enlargement of the ‘Badge of Thales.’ Image courtesy of Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, background edited by author. Inv. Gulbenkian 720.
• Marx to Sohn-Rethel: Dialectical Materialist Approaches to the Origin of Philosophy
• Richard Seaford’s Contribution
• Fig. 2: Electrum stater from Ephesos, Ionia, c. late seventh century BC. Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, LLC. Triton XXIII, lot 350.
• Thales’ Principle: A Provisional Assessment
• The Emergence of Acheloios and Major Elements of His Cult
• Fig. 3: Aryballos in the form of the head of Acheloios, from Locri, early sixth century BC. Author’s drawing of an item in the Museo Nazionale, Reggio Calabria. Inv. 6139.
• The Etymology of Ὕδωρ: Pure, Sacred Water
• The Physical Evidence
• Fig. 4: Pottery fragment from Berezan featuring Acheloios, 700 to 675 BC. Author’s drawing of an item in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Inv. Б 4619.
• Fig. 5: Pottery fragment from Berezan featuring Acheloios, 700 to 650 BC. Image courtesy of Archäologisches Museum der Universität Halle. Inv. 421 (Bere 159).
• Fig. 6: Engraved gem from Falerii featuring Herakles and Acheloios, early sixth century BC. Author’s drawing of an item from Berlin-Charlottenburg. Inv. FG 136.
• Fig. 7: Relief from Sakçagözü, eighth century BC. Author’s drawing of the object in situ.
• Fig. 8: Herald’s Wall, tenth to eighth century BC. Author’s drawing of the object in situ.
• Fig. 9: Ionian askos of Cypriot style, from Emporion, c. mid sixth century BC. Author’s drawing of an object in the Museo Arqueológico Provincial, Gerona.
• Fig. 10: Bezel with engraved scarab featuring mask of Acheloios, from Marion, Cyprus, c. seventh century BC. Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, LLC. E-Auction 381, lot 692. Private collection.
• Fig. 11: Lapis lazuli Acheloios pendant, c. seventh to fifth century BC, probably from Naukratis. Author’s photo. Private collection.
• Fig. 12: Lapis lazuli Acheloios pendant (view of bottom). Author’s photo. Private collection.
• Fig. 13: Lapis lazuli bird pendant, Naukratis, seventh to third century BC. Author’s drawing. British Museum Collection. Inv. 1888,0601.58.
• Fig. 14: Naukratian aryballos in the form of the head of Acheloios, c. 560 BC. Image courtesy of TimeLine Auctions, Ltd., edited by author. Auction 012019, lot 0014. Private collection.
• Fig. 15: Electrum hekte from Kyzikos, fifth century BC. Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, LLC. CNG Auction 105, lot 186. Private collection.
• Fig. 16: Electrum sixth stater, striated type, c. 650 to 600 BC. Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, LLC. CNG Auction 105, lot 339.
• Fig. 17: Silver stater from Cyprus, c. 520 BC. Image courtesy of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Inv. Luynes.3006 (43-45-32).
• Fig. 18: Silver third-stater from Rhegion, c. 510 BC. Image courtesy of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Inv. Fonds général 1964.
• Fig. 19: Silver didrachm from Gela, c. 490 BC. Image courtesy of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Inv. Fonds général 454.
• Fig. 20: Relief statue from Sakçagözü, example of ‘classic’ oversized eye. Author’s drawing of object in situ.
• Fig. 21: Amathus Bowl, late eighth to early seventh century BC. Author’s drawing of an item in the British Museum Collection. Inv. 123053.
• Fig. 22: Gold ornament from Carchemish, c. eighth century BC. Author’s drawing of an item in the British Museum Collection. Inv. 116232 (part of).
• Fig. 24: Electrum trite, winged-daimon type, c. 600 to 550 BC. Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, LLC. CNG Auction 85, lot 435.
• Fig. 25: Electrum 1/24th stater, Milesian standard, c. 600 to 550 BC. Image courtesy of Pecunem, Auction 9.
• Philosophy Ex Nihilo?
• The Mythological Wellspring
• Fig. 26: Two manifestations of Asallúhi on either side of a woman whom they are about to cleanse, from a cylinder seal. Author’s drawing based on Winter’s original.
• Fig.27: Compilation of examples of Moses wearing a horned hat from the Aelfric Paraphrase. Image assembled from the British Library’s digital document. Inv. Cotton MS Claudius B IV.
• Fig. 28a: The Ark of the Covenant, featuring two cherubim in the form of winged man-faced bulls, kneeling in act of propitiation, with heads toward the mercy seat. Author’s drawing.
• Fig. 28b: Ephod of Yahweh? Sheet-gold ‘ephod,’ the underside including a portion of silver sheet and a ferrous fragment, with ancient repair. Image courtesy of TimeLine Auctions, Ltd. February 2021, lot 0260.
• Fig. 28c: Judaean double cornucopia on bronze prutah of Alexander Jannaeus, late second to early first century BC. Author’s photo. Private collection.
• Thales and Acheloios
• Fig. 29: Late fifth-century BC votive relief sculpture featuring the forepart of Acheloios among other deities. Image Courtesy of Antikensammlung der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz. Inv. 709.
• Fig. 30: Etruscan coffin applique in the form of a mask of Acheloios, c. fifth century BC. Image courtesy of Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung GmbH. Auction 264, lot 98. Private collection.
• Fig. 31: Etruscan mirror, mid fourth century BC. Line drawing by Cameron Fritts, from the original by F.W.E. Gerhard. Object now in the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia. Inv. 12988 (See Gerhard 347).
• Fig. 32: Etruscan mirror, late fourth century BC. Line drawing by Cameron Fritts, from the original by F.W.E. Gerhard. From the collection of Hrn. de Meester van Raveste. Current whereabouts unknown (See Gerhard 331b).
• Fig. 33: Etruscan mirror, fourth century BC. Line drawing by Cameron Fritts, from the original by F.W.E. Gerhard. Now in the Museum zu Berlin but uncertain inventory number (See Gerhard 310).
• Fig. 34: Etruscan mirror, c. fourth century BC. Line drawing by Cameron Fritts, from the original by F.W.E. Gerhard. From the collection of Prince Baberini, but current whereabouts unknown (See Gerhard 337).
• Fig. 35: Etruscan mirror, second half of the fourth century BC. Line drawing by Cameron Fritts, from the original by F.W.E. Gerhard. Now in the Museum zu Berlin, but inventory number uncertain (See Gerhard 340).
• The Thaletan Tradition from Pythagoras to Empedokles
• Fig. 36a: Mask of Acheloios, from an underground Neopythagorean basilica at Porta Maggiore, first century BC. Author’s drawing of the stucco relief in situ.
• Fig. 36b: Two masks of Acheloios surrounding centaur confronting man, from an underground Neopythagorean basilica at Porta Maggiore, first century BC. Author’s drawing of the stucco relief in situ.
• Fig. 37a: Winged nymph, from an underground Neopythagorean basilica at Porta Maggiore, first century BC. Author’s drawing of the stucco relief in situ.
• Fig. 37b: Psyche carries Eros who drinks water from a pitcher, from an underground Neopythagorean basilica at Porta Maggiore, first century BC. Author’s drawing of the stucco relief in situ.
• Fig. 38: Amber Acheloios pendant, c. late sixth, early fifth century BC, found in Southern Italy. Author’s drawing of an item in the British Museum. Inv. 1856,1226.1442.
• Sophokles’ Trachiniae: The Interplay of Gods and Souls
• Fig. 39: Arula from Locri featuring Herakles wrestling Acheloios, mid sixth century BC. Author’s drawing.
• Fig. 40a: Bronze coin from Tarsos featuring Herakles over Acheloios, c. 164 BC. Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, LLC. Triton VII, lot 329.
• Fig. 40b: Enlargement of Acheloios as a winged man-faced bull. Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, LLC. Triton VII, lot 329.
• Acheloios as the Horizon for an Understanding of Being
• Fig. 41: Parthenon reclining river god, 438 to 432 BC. Author’s drawing of a statue in the British Museum. Inv. 1816,0610.99.
• Fig. 42: Votive relief, found on the banks of the Ilisos, mid third century BC, featuring Acheloios as the throne of Zeus. Image courtesy of Εθνικό Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο (National Archaeological Museum), Athens.
• Fig. 43a: Roman Provincial Mosaic, from Zeugma, featuring Psyche and Eros, border containing many cornucopias and two heads of Acheloios. Image from Reddit, unknown source, but a faithful reproduction of a two-dimensional artwork.
• Fig. 43b: Early fourth-century BC votive relief from Megara, featuring a mask of Acheloios at the ‘banquet of the gods,’ now in the Antikensammlung der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin. Inv. SK 679 (same object featured on the back cover). Image courtesy of G
• Fig. 44: Silver tetradrachm from Gela, Sicily, c. 480 BC. Image courtesy of Classical Numismatic Group, LLC. E-Auction 389, lot 29. Private collection.
• The Sacrifice of Acheloios: A Response to the Neo-Marxians
• Bibliography
• General Index
• Index Locorum
• Back cover