The massive Royal Palace of Caserta (Reggia di Caserta in Italian) is situated in Caserta, capital of Campania in southern Italy, and makes the largest of its kind to have been constructed during the 18th century across Europe, the swansong of Baroque as it has been dubbed.
It further shapes the largest former royal residence as it served as the main quarters of the Kings of Naples, formally the Kingdom of Sicily at the time, that were part of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon (France).
Construction of the palace started in 1751 under Dutch-Italian architect Luigi Vanvitelli on account of King Charles VII of Naples, who nonetheless never got to live there as he left to become King Charles III of Spain in 1759, and was only partially completed for the latter’s third son and heir Ferdinand IV of Naples.
It was largely modelled on its counterpart of the Versailles (France) intended to serve as both a royal court and administrative centre while placed in a location well-protected from a potential seaborne invasion as well as away from ever trouble-brewing Naples, with barracks of troops even accommodated within the palace.
The project took decades to complete and well beyond Vanvitelli’s own lifetime (died 1773), taken up by his son Carlo and then other architects in his wake, whose envisaging of the palace was never entirely fulfilled.
Today’s edifice bears a rectangular shape of a massive 247 x 190m in dimensions that comprises four sides interconnected by two orthogonal arms while it boasts no less than 1200 rooms, 56 staircases, 1026 fireplaces allocated between five storeys as well as a sizeable library and a theatre patterned on Naples’s historic Teatro San Carlo.
Out in the grounds, a picturesque large Baroque park stretches over around 11 acres beyond the back side of the palace, featuring a botanical English garden in the upper section, lining a long alley of fountains and cascades such as the Fountain of Diana and Actaeon or the Fountain of Venus and Adonis either side.
The palace made a filming location as the set for the Naboo Palace of Theed City in the movie “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” in 1998.
Attica is a region that nowadays covers the entire Attic Peninsula and forms a nomos, the equivalent of a county, that encompasses primarily capital Athens and its metropolitan area as well as surrounding towns but traces a long way back in time as a historical area.
That is actually the Latin form of the name that was ‘Αττική’ (pronounced as Attikḗ) in Ionian/Attic, probably also ‘Attica’ in wider Doric, during the Classical era but widely acknowledged as a pre-Hellenic etymon (a borrowed word), yet with the addition of the suffix ‘-a’ rather than formally presented ‘-ica’ in my view.
Why is that? Well, I am most confident that the name derives on the Phoenician and Semitic ‘Atiq’ or ‘Attiq’(1) (identical to ‘Attic’ in sound) which means ‘old, ancient’ as both the region and Athens present an apparent rich such heritage.
Something further backed up by the name Utica or Uttica which is a rather peculiar ‘Romanization’ of the name ‘Atiq’ (or ‘Attiq’) for the once Phoenician port and city that long preceded and lay near Carthage, meaning ‘New City/Town’ in contrast, in what is nowadays Tunisia.
For that matter, ancient writers considered Ut(t)ica, which ought to have been ‘At(t)ica’ (unless ‘u’ was voiced as ‘a’ in an exception), as apparently the oldest Phoenician port/city in north Africa, hence the name meaning ‘old or ancient,’ established at least around 1100 BC if not earlier.
Consequently, the name ‘Attiq’ for the region that lies in nowadays Greece would apparently signal that it was the oldest Phoenician ground or at least among the oldest on the mainland.
The Phoenician presence is evidenced by the mention of the Gephyraei that settled in Athens in very old times by Herodotus and other ancient historians while Actaeus, the legendary first king of Athens (though the city didn’t carry that name yet), is connected to the Akkeoi (and not Akhaioi(2)) who apparently descended from the Phoenician city of Akke (or Acre) as their name suggests.
Not only that but a daughter of his was named Phoenice (or Phoenike) after whom he named the Phoenician letters(3) according to the legend where the word/name ‘acte,’ from which his name derives meaning ‘coast (man),’ is most likely Phoenician itself and follows the same pattern as ‘acre,’ ‘agre’ and ‘akke’ which are Phoenician, with a potential earlier Akkadian origin, as I have shown.
He was said to have ruled over a city or region named ‘Acte/Akte’(4) (coast) but whether that concerned Attica or some other place is obscure. There has got to be said that ‘Chalcidice’ (modern Chalkidiki), a name of also Phoenician root, in north nowadays Greece was earlier named ‘Acte’ and entertained a number of Phoenician colonies itself as well.
Finally, the account of Pausanias that Attica got its name from Atthis(5) (or Athis, rendered as ‘Attis’), daughter of later king Cranaus, is likely misinterpreted by modern historians whereas he may have actually meant to link it to that of later Athens, as it suggests itself.
Come to that, yet, the city retained the name of Cecropeia during the reigns of at least the four kings that followed her father as the story goes.
Moreover, her name sounds definitely Phrygian (Attis) or Lydian (‘Atthj’) and so does her father’s predecessor Cecrops, a similar pattern to Phrygian king Pelops after whom Peloponnese was named, who was also linked to the Caucones, a Caucacian peoples that are named among the early dwellers of Attica.
(2) ‘Akhaioi’ is given as a variation of ‘Achaeans’ who simply didn’t exist at the time, while the pronunciation of the former would be different to ‘Akkeoi’ as well.
(3) That strongly suggests that, in order to name the Phoenician letters after his daughter, Actaeus came from Phoenicia where their (apparently a version of the Proto-Canaanite given the era referred to) script/alphabet emerged.
(4) There was apparently such a Phoenician city, also named Actica (on the same pattern as Attica), somewhere on the coast of the Levant but its location is unknown (maybe Lebanon).
(5) n which case, the region would have been called rather ‘Attheia’ (pronounced as ‘At’ea’).
A version of the story has Actaeus name the region as ‘Attica,’ which suggests that it carried that appellation before Atthis came along.
November 8 counted a long 176 years since Bram Stoker, the author of worldwide famous horror novel ‘Dracula’ published in 1897, was born.
Stoker was Irish, born in the affluent suburb of Clontarf in northern Dublin, and his actual first name was Abraham just like his father.
During his lifetime, he was more known as a personal assistant of English stage actor Sir Henry Irving as well as business manager of Lyceum Theatre, Covent Garden in London, which was owned by the latter.
He worked as a theatre critic on account of Irish newspaper ‘Dublin Evening Mail’ in his early days, drawing plenty of attention for his quality reviews, and it was a favourable write-up of Irving’s ‘Hamlet’ at the Theatre Royal in Dublin that led to an invitation to a dinner and their long friendship.
In 1878, Stoker got married to noted belle Florence Balcombe, formerly suited by his acquaintance Oscar Wilde, and together they moved over to London where he took up the post of acting manager before he turned business manager for the Lyceum.
Despite health issues as a child, he came to distinguish himself and competed in several sports including rugby as a student at Trinity College, Dublin, between 1864 and 1870 come to that.
It was apparently a visit to Whitby, North Yorkshire, in 1890 where he got inspired into writing ‘Dracula’ which shaped his seventh and signature published book, coming out on 26 May 1897. The novel was well-received at the time but it was only posthumously that met with immense success.
Also a member of the literary staff of Daily Telegraph, he authored other horror novels such as “The Lady of the Shroud” (1909) and “The Lair of the White Worm” (1911) later in his life.
Quite Intriguingly, Vlad III Dracula the Impaler, the Voivode (warlord) of Wallachia that inspired him into his fictional main character and landmark story, was likely also born on November 8 probably some 416 years apart!
The name Dracula, which Stoker likely stumbled on while on holiday at the Whitby public library in 1880, actually means ‘son of Dracul (or the Dragon),’ a sobriquet (nickname) that his father earned as a member of the Order of the Dragon.
Η πορφύρα ήταν η περίφημη και περιζήτητη σε όλη τη Μεσόγειο βαθυκόκκινη-μωβ φυσική βαφή που παρήγαγαν και εμπορευόντουσαν, σε επίπεδο μονοπωλίου, οι Φοίνικες αλλά και Καναανίτες γενικότερα στην περιοχή του Λεβάντε (Μέση Ανατολή) από τα βάθη της αρχαιότητας.
Η χρήση της, μάλιστα, πιθανώς ξεκίνησε από τους Φοίνικες τουλάχιστον από το πρώτο μισό του 16ου αιώνα π.Χ. και το ίδιο τους το όνομα, που είναι βασικά εξώνυμο (δεν το χρησιμοποιούσαν οι ίδιοι άλλα άλλοι σε αναφορά με αυτούς), φαίνεται να προέρχεται από αυτή, με τη Φοινίκη μάλλον να σημαίνει ‘Χώρα του Πορφυρού.’
Τη χρωστική ουσία για τη βαφή αυτή παρήγαγαν διάφορα είδη θαλάσσιων σαλιγκαριών της οικογένειας Muricidae, γνωστή επίσης από πολύ παλιά ως Murex, και η εξαγωγή της ήταν ιδιαίτερα απαιτητική καθώς χρειαζόντουσαν δεκάδες χιλιάδες από αυτά αλλά και πολύς χρόνος όπως και ιδιαίτερα απαιτητική κατεργασία, που μόνο οι Φοίνικες γνώριζαν, για να αποκομιστεί και σε ικανοποιητικές ποσότητες.
Σε συνδυασμό και με το γεγονός ότι δεν ξεθώριαζε αλλά αντιθέτως γινόταν πιο λαμπερή με την αλλοίωση και το φως του ήλιου, η βαφή αυτή έγινε γρήγορα εξαιρετικά ακριβή αλλά και είδος πολυτελείας που μόνο βασιλείς, αυτοκράτορες και ευγενείς μπορούσαν να αντέξουν οικονομικά ενώ τα ίδια τα ενδύματα που ήταν βαμμένα με αυτή ήταν σύμβολα δύναμης και εξουσίας.
Γι αυτό και εκτός από Πορφυρό της Τύρου (Tyrian Purple), δεδομένου ότι η Τύρος αποτελούσε τον ‘πυρήνα’ της παραγωγής της, η βαφή αυτή έγινε γνωστή και ως βασιλικό πορφυρό ή αυτοκρατορική βαφή ενώ το μονοπώλιό της αποτέλεσε πηγή πλούτου για τους Φοίνικες που έγιναν μια εμπορική υπερδύναμη της εποχής για αιώνες.
Θα πρέπει εδώ να σημειωθεί ότι ‘πορφύρα’ δεν ονομαζόταν μόνο η βαφή αλλά και τα σαλιγκάρια που την παρήγαγαν καθώς και τα ενδύματα που ήταν βαμμένα σε αυτή στο σύνολό τους.
Αν και η λέξη ‘πορφύρα’ αποδίδεται ως ελληνική, η αλήθεια είναι ότι δεν έχει ελληνική ετυμολογία κάτι που σημαίνει ότι έχει έρθει από αλλού και θα έλεγα ότι είναι ξεκάθαρο, όπως και για την αντίστοιχη λατινική ονομασία ‘purpura,’ ότι αντιπροσωπεύοντας ένα καθαρά εισαγόμενο προϊόν και έννοια αυτή απλά αποτελεί προσαρμογή του ονόματος από τη χώρα στην οποία παραγόταν, τη Φοινίκη.
Μάλιστα, παρουσιάζει την ίδια δομή με το όνομα/λέξη ‘Γέφυρα’ (η πανάρχαια ονομασία της Τανάγρας) που έδειξα πριν από μερικούς μήνες σε άλλο post ότι είναι Φοινικική/Σημιτική σε μια (ηχητική) μορφή ως ‘ge-`p(h)ur,’ όπου το ‘ge-‘ δηλώνει ‘σύνδεσμος/πέρασμα’ ενώ το ‘-p(h)ur’ σημαίνει ‘περιοχή,’ κάτι που αντανακλάται στην προφορά ως πιθανώς ‘Γκε-πούρ-α’ στα αρχαία ελληνικά.
Στο συμπέρασμα αυτό κατέληξα από το παρόμοιο όνομα της πόλης Ge-shur, που χαρακτήριζε και ένα μικρό βασίλειο γύρω της ανατολικά της Θάλασσας της Γαλιλαιάς, που επίσης σημαίνει ‘γέφυρα/πέρασμα’ και δεδομένου ότι ‘shur’ σημαίνει ‘φρούριο/οχυρωμένη πόλη’ (παρεπιπτόντως η σημιτική προφορά του ονόματος της Τύρου) το πρώτο συνθετικό ‘ge-‘ υποδηλώνει την ιδιότητά της ως ‘σύνδεσμο/γέφυρα.’
Να σημειωθεί ότι το ‘γέφυρα’ είχε πολύ ευρύτερη σημασία στην αρχαιότητα και χαρακτήριζε κάθε μέσο/περιοχή που συνέδεε δύο μέρη, όπως έκαναν και οι δύο πόλεις συνδέοντας περιοχές στην αρχαιότητα.
Κατ’αντιστοιχία, η πορφύρα στα αρχαία ελληνικά θα προφερόταν ως ‘πορ-πούρ-α’ που αντανακλά μια σημιτική (ηχητική) μορφή ως ‘por-`p(h)ur’ το οποίο εμφανίζει και πάλι το συνθετικό ‘-p(h)ur-‘ στην ίδια θέση σημαίνοντας ‘περιοχή’ με το πρώτο ‘por-‘ να παρέχει τον χαρακτηρισμό ‘κόκκινωπό/βαθυκόκκινο’ προς τη σημασία ‘βαθυκόκκινη περιοχή’ για τη λέξη.
Κάτι που αντανακλάται και στην λατινική μορφή ‘pur-pur-a’ καθώς ‘pur’ στα σημιτικά σήμαινε ‘φλόγα’ αλλά και ‘βαθυκόκκινο’ ενώ ο Φίλων της Αλεξάνδρειας, ένας Εβραίος φιλόσοφος του 1ου αιώνα π.Χ., κάνει λόγο για ένα Φοινικικό θεό της φωτιάς με το όνομα αυτό (Pur, που σημαίνει ‘φλόγα’) ως μια πρόσθετη απόδειξη για τη σημασία της λέξης/συνθετικού.
Τα πρώτα συνθετικά ‘pur-‘ και ‘por-‘ στην λατινική και ελληνική μορφή, και με το αντίστοιχο ιταλικό να είναι ‘por-por-a,’ επίσης αντανακλούν την κλασσική ανταλλαγή του ‘-ο-‘ και ‘-ου’ ως ήχου σε συλλαβές είτε σε ινδο-ευρωπαϊκές ή σημιτικές γλώσσες στην Εγγύς Ανατολή – όπως το ‘Khur-‘ ή ‘Khor-‘ που σημαίνει ‘ήλιος’ ή ‘νέος/γιος’ στο Khur-ri ή Khur-rite (Κούροι ή Κουρήτε(ς)) για τους Hurrians – θα πρέπει να πούμε.
Τέλος, μια επιπλέον απόδειξη για την ερμηνεία μου ως ‘βαθυκόκκιινη περιοχή’ για το ‘πορφύρα’ αποτελεί και η δερματική πάθηση που φέρει αυτό το όνομα και χαρακτηρίζεται από βαθυκόκκινες και μωβ κυρίως κηλίδες που εμφανίζονται στο δέρμα, ιδίως στα πόδια και τους γλουτούς.
Βέβαια, ένα ερώτημα που προκύπτει από τα παραπάνω είναι αν το ‘πυρ,’ που προφερόταν ως ‘πουρ’ από τους Έλληνες (όπως ήταν και στη Φοινικική γλώσσα δηλαδή), είναι όντως ινδο-ευρωπαϊκή (όπως θεωρείται) ή αντιθέτως σημιτική λέξη σε προέλευση.
Οι Έλληνες έδειχναν πάντως να θεωρούν ότι ήταν Φρυγική, με την ίδια ακριβώς ορθογραφία και προφορά, αλλά οι Φρύγες ενδέχεται να την πήραν από τους Φοίνικες όπως και το αλφάβητο στο οποίο βάσισαν το δικό τους.
Και, από την άλλη πλευρά, σε πολλές περιοχές όπως η Αττική, η Βοιωτία, η Εύβοια, η Κρήτη και πολλά νησιά του Αιγαίου υπήρχε έντονη παρουσία των Φοινίκων επί αιώνες που σίγουρα άφησε μια ‘γλωσσική κληρονομιά’ που πολλές φορές είναι εμφανής.
The Smetana Hall is a noted concert venue that is housed in the Municipal House located on the Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky in Czech), on the very border between the Old and the New Town, beside the trademark gothic Powder Gate (Prašná brána) in central Prague.
The Hall, named after ‘the father of Czech music’ Bedřich Smetana, and its housing civic building was designed by architects Osvald Polívka and Antonín Balšánek in the Art Nouveau style, with construction beginning in 1905 before inaugurated seven years later in 1912.
It was actually built on the very site of the Royal Court Palace, the house of the Kings of Bohemia for a little over a century before abandoned in 1485, which was demolished at the dawn of the 20th century.
The current edifice actually accommodated the Czechoslovak Declaration of Independence in October 1918.
The renowned Eastern Columbia Building, or otherwise Eastern Columbia Lofts, shapes a magnificent sample of Art Deco architecture and lies on South Broadway within the Broadway Theatre District and the Historic Core in Downtown Los Angeles, California.
The thirteen-storey edifice was designed by Claud Beelman and was completed within just nine months in September 1930 as the headquarters of the Eastern-Columbia Department Store, crowned by a decorative four-side clock tower to a total height of 80m (264ft).
It was built of steel-reinforced concrete and coated with glossy turquoise terracotta tiles trimmed with blue and gold that along with its prominent clock tower help stand out for miles whilst its façade is adorned with chevrons, zigzags, sunburst patterns and other motifs.
Among others, it has featured in films such as ‘Predator 2’ and ’12:01 PM” as well as the pilot episode of the eminent TV series ‘Moonlighting’ starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis
Breaking through History 