Black Egyptians

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

well yeah it's strange: because it wasn't an argument: it was me getting puzzled about the way the thread was going; either way, I should have been more clear, and careful. especially since you put it that way. to be clear, I was only addressing the methods used, not the conclusion. I wasn't trying to imply anything untoward.




strictly speaking, it wasn't really aimed at you. It was more a comment on the way some people were going about this: I was expecting a more disinterested discussion. if it came across as insincere to you accordingly, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time.

EDIT: for the record: I really liked the genetic stuff

@ unbreakable: read my post in full: I think you will get what I'm aiming at: it isn't so much what you're citing, or how much (and no, there's no such thing as too much), it's how you're using it. it will do you no good to use neutral traits in studying appearance, and you run into sampling problems with the artwork.

as to the analysis? it is pretty clear that this only goes as far as the middle kingdom--if you are correct. there is a break in continuity in the New Kingdom (that's according to the paper proper), caused by migration (starting I assume with the Hyksos). This would mean, at least for the mod, that Egyptians will not look like they did in say, the Old or middle kingdoms.

I'm very busy, and haven't had time to check this thread or do a lot of reading.

However, the point about the mod's accuracy is important. By 272 BS the Ptolemies, decendents of one of Alexander's Macedonian generals were the rulers of what we now call "Egypt". Central to the wars of the Sucessor Kingdoms were their claims to "Greekness" as well as "Macedonianness". Ptolemy's armies were, like his rivals, composed primarily of troops of Greek and Macedonian origin, with a healthy smattering of Thracians and Celts who acted as irregulars or other mercenary roles. The point is, Ptolemy was not remotely African and his descendants would have sought to maintain their Greekness, not dilute it, and by and large so would his soldiers.

So, while the debate about who "the Egyptians" were may be important it has little direct impact on how we depict the Macedonian units available to Egypt in EBII, if at all.