Lesson plan
Etearchus
Etearchus was the King of the ancient Cretan city of Axus or Oaxos, flourishing in the early 7th century BC. According to Herodotus, at one point Etearchus, influenced by the slanders of his second wife, believed that his orphaned daughter Phronime, from his first marriage, was leading a shameful life. He handed her over to Themison, a merchant from Thera (now known as Santorini), with a sworn promise to the gods that upon his return to Santorini, he would throw her from his ship into the sea. Indeed, Themison took the young princess but, upon his return, did not want to kill her nor break his divine oath. Therefore, he tied her with a rope and threw her into the sea, then pulled her back onto his ship. Upon reaching his homeland, he presented her to Polymnestus, the ruler of Thera. Polymnestus, admiring her beauty, kept her with him and later married her. They had a son, Battus I or Battus, known in history as the founder of Cyrene and as the first Greek king in Africa, founder of a dynasty.
Article summary
Etearchus was the King of the ancient Cretan city of Axus or Oaxos, flourishing in the early 7th century BC. According to Herodotus, at one point Etearchus, influenced by the slanders of his second wife, believed that his orphaned daughter Phronime, from his first marriage, was leading a shameful life. He handed her over to Themison, a merchant from Thera (now known as Santorini), with a sworn promise to the gods that upon his return to Santorini, he would throw her from his ship into the sea. Indeed, Themison took the young princess but, upon his return, did not want to kill her nor break his divine oath. Therefore, he tied her with a rope and threw her into the sea, then pulled her back onto his ship. Upon reaching his homeland, he presented her to Polymnestus, the ruler of Thera. Polymnestus, admiring her beauty, kept her with him and later married her. They had a son, Battus I or Battus, known in history as the founder of Cyrene and as the first Greek king in Africa, founder of a dynasty.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.