Description of the Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains: Through ancient sources, the oldest reference we have received about the Atlas Mountains came from Herodotus. Who lived in the fifth century BC. This is in the summary he devoted to the Libyans in his book “History.” It is a brief reference in which he describes the Atlas as a mountain rounded on all sides. Its peak is so high that it cannot be seen and it is covered with snow all year round. Then he tells us that the people believe that this mountain is considered a pillar of the sky. According to the writer, the mountain is located in the hot areas of Libya. The name Libya was given by Greek writers to the African continent
Regarding Roman writers, we stop at Pomponius Mela, who published his geographical book around the year 40 AD. He describes the Atlas Mountain as being very high. Pointing out that people think that its peak penetrates the clouds, touches the stars, and connects to the sky. It places the location of the Atlas in the desert areas separating Mauritania and Western Ethiopia. Western Ethiopia among the ancients was identical in its name and meaning to the country of Sudan in later eras.
With Pliny the Elder. He died in the year 79 AD. The picture is relatively clear from the atlas, as the writer provides the following description of the mountain: “The mountain stands out in the middle of the sand; It is very high, desolate and bare on the side overlooking the ocean. Which is called the Atlantic after the mountain, but dense forests cover it on the front overlooking Africa. Flowing eyes emanate from him, It abounds in fruits of all kinds,” he added, “The distance that separates us from the Atlas is unknown.”
Pliny indicated that he obtained this information from famous writers, whose names he did not mention. Then he continued talking about the mountain, based on the historian Polybius, who lived in the second century BC. Pliny confirmed that this historian made a trip around Africa after the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC. M.. Then I stated the following: “Polybius narrates, based on information derived from the people, saying:
“There is a distance of approximately 150 miles (220 km) between the city of Salé and the Asana River (Oum Er-Rbia).
After Asana there is a river called Foot (Tensift). At a distance of 200 miles from this river, there is Mount Atlas, which the people call Adiris.
Then the writer presented a description of Mount Atlas based on what the Roman leader Suetonius Paulinius saw on the trip he made across the Atlas around the year 44 AD. The writer confirmed that Paulinius was the first Roman commander to penetrate the Atlas within ten days of walking, without mentioning the place from which this commander set out.
It is clear from the information received in this regard that the Roman commander penetrated the eastern regions of the Moroccan Atlas chain, up to the source of the Kir River, which was mentioned in the text by that name.
As for the geographer Ptolemy, who lived in the second century AD. The Atlas mentioned twice the mountains of small North Africa at 6 degrees longitude. And the latitude is 33.6. In the extreme southwest, the High Atlas is mentioned at longitude 8 degrees and latitude 4 (726.3).
Finally, we find the writer Pausanias in the second century AD. Talking about the atlas.
Although it is a high mountain, its summit connects to the sky, it has many forests and valley sources, and it has a mountainous front connected to the ocean.
The Atlas Mountains, especially among Roman writers, were associated with the idea that the abundant water that flowed from these mountains disappeared into the desert to produce the sources of the Nile River. We find this idea in Strabo when he says: “There are those who believe that the Nile originates from the Moroccan outskirts.” As for Pliny the Sheikh. He confirmed that the Moorish king Yuba II (ruled between 25 BC and 23 AD) researched this topic a lot. He concluded that the sources of the Nile originate from the Atlas Mountains. This idea remained popular until the late Roman era. This was echoed by Dion Cassius in the third century AD and Paul Orosius in the fifth century AD.
As a legendary character:
We derive our information in this regard from writers who were interested in ancient mythology, the most important of whom was Diodorus of Sicily, who lived in the first century BC. In his third book, he presented a comprehensive account of the subject. Confirming that he learned it from the priests of Egypt during his visit there.
We learn from the writer that Atlas is a son of the god Uranus, and that he assumed kingship in the western regions of Libya connected to the ocean. Confirming that Amalek gave his name to his subjects, who were known as the Atlanteans. He also gave his name to the highest mountain in his country. The writer added that King Atlas was an expert in astrology. He was the first to discover the idea of a spherical Earth.
According to the writer, this idea led to the belief that Atlas carries the universe on his shoulders.
The writer also pointed out that one of the sons of Atlas, called Hesperus, was one day on the top of Mount Atlas, observing the movement of the stars. The wind blew him away and he disappeared forever. Then he talked about the seven daughters of King Atlas. Which are called the Atlantides after their father. Or the Hesperides, named after their mother Hesperus. The writer did not mention the personal name of each of the seven daughters, but then added: “By the marriage of the Hesperides with the gods and heroes; Be
The human race and reproduction.” Then he talked about the Gardens of the Hesperides, attributed to the Daughters of Atlas. And about the golden apples that abound in these gardens.
In the fourth book, which the writer devotes to the heroic deeds of Hercules. He explained that the twelfth and final act. He commissioned Hercules to bring golden apples from these gardens.
Here the writer worked hard to discuss the meaning of these wondrous fruits. He explained that some people believe
There are indeed golden apples in these gardens; Which was guarded by a dragon. Others thought that the Hesperides had flocks of sheep and were called golden apples, because their color was similar to the color of gold. Perhaps the writer leans towards this last opinion by saying that the word melon in Greek means both apples and sheep.
During Hercules' mission to bring these apples, the writer told us that the Greek hero encountered pirates sent by the Egyptian king Busiris, who kidnapped the daughters of Atlas. So Heraclius killed them and returned the daughters to their father, so Atlas honored him by giving him what he wanted (i.e. golden apples).
The writer also spoke about the Atlanteans, subjects of King Atlas, as the most civilized people in Libya. They settled in a prosperous country and had many cities, including a city called
Kearney then pointed out that the Libyan myth holds that the gods were born in the land of the Atlanteans. In his opinion, this matches what is known in Greek mythology since the poet Pomeronin, and there are references to most of the issues mentioned in Diodorus of Sicily’s novel about King Atlas. According to other writers who preceded him or lived after him. For the Atlanticists. Herodotus mentioned them when he spoke about the Atlas Mountain. However, their name is derived from this mountain. In connection with Herodotus's account. Pausanias has a special opinion on this issue. According to him. The Atlanteans are those whom Herodotus called the Nasmonians, but he was wrong because Herodotus mentioned them as two different, separate, and geographically distant peoples. Explaining that others called them the Lexians, who settle in the areas adjacent to Mount Atlas. As for the king of Atlas, it was first talked about by the Greek philosopher Plato in the fourth century BC.
In his novel about Atlantis, located on the Atlantic Ocean. The writer confirms that his information is derived from the Athenian lawgiver Solon (7th century BC), who transmitted it from the priests of Egypt. Plato explained that its kings established an empire that extended its influence over all of Libya and outside and inside Heraclius’ baptism, as far as the country of Tarhenia (currently Italy).
Of interest to us from Plato's account of Atlantis is his mention of Atlas as the eldest son of Poseidon. Who had dominion over Atlantis when the gods divided the world. Plato informed us in this context that King Atlas assumed sovereignty over all the princes. His name was given to the island, its mountains, and the ocean. He added that Atlas succeeded many people and established a system of government in which the position of king was for the eldest.
After Plato, we stop at references to three of the most important Roman poets. The first of them was the poet Virgil, who lived between 70 and 19 BC. Birth. He indicated that Atlas was a star scientist. In the narration of the poet Aufidius, who lived between 43 BC. And 17 AD. In his talk about the Greek hero Percy’s tour in Libya, he explained that he arrived in the Kingdom of Atlas at sunset. The poet defines Atlas as superior to humans in his extraordinary stature: and that his dominion included all the western regions of the world. As well as the sea surrounding Baha and the fact that he owns thousands of herds of sheep and cows. It has gardens whose trees are full of golden fruits. It is surrounded by tall walls guarded by a huge dragon. The poet tells us that Percy asked Atlas for hospitality. When he refused; The hero took his anger out on him. Which caused Atlas to deform and turn into a mountain. (Golden apple probably refers to the golden-yellow fruits of the Argan tree.)
As for the poet Seleus Italicus. Who lived between 25 and 101 AD: In his epic, he drew a three-dimensional image of Atlas in the form of a human, saying: “This lofty Atlas, if he moved his shoulders, the sky would collapse.” His cloud-crowned head holds the stars; His high neck always holds the dome of the sky. His beard is covered with the bitter cold. His forehead was shadowed by the shadows of the pine forest. His stomach is stripped and burrowed by the winds, and his mouth is filled with sweeping valleys. And its sides are struck by the crashing waves.”
the reviewer
*Atlas of Greek Mythology, Encyclopedia Britannica (in English)
* www.greekmythology.com (in English)Atlas.
*The Library of Apollodorus by Apollodorus, Book One, Chapter Two, Paragraph 06.
*Plato, Critias 113c–114c.