Roxane

Discuss Alexander's generals, wives, lovers, family and enemies

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Alita
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Post by Alita »

Vergina Sun wrote:Yet another idea of mine shot down. Don't worry, I enjoy learning. :)
Anyway, I do believe that fair haired people were around for quite a long time. If you feel like reading about the first blondes (yes I've done some research!) here's an article:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 735078.ece

I'll try to do more research later. Oh and I definitely agree that Alexander probably did mix the pot even more!
I've checked out the theory presented in the book authored by the 69-year-old blonde. I'm not sure how much credence we should give to someone who speaks of getting a sore bum from so many pinches due to being blonde.

Btw, half my family are Assyrians and we have red and blonde hair going back for millennia. Europe does not have the corner on blonde hair.
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Vergina Sun
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Post by Vergina Sun »

I honestly wasn't trying to persecute anyone. Sorry if I did. :)
Anyway, I am a strong believer in blond-haired people not being found in only Europe. I hope I didn't upset anyone by saying anything otherwise.
Semiramis
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Post by Semiramis »

Not at all Vergina Sun. Your ideas are definitely worth considering. That article however... for me... from a scientific point of view...made absolutely no sense... I read a lot of anthropology/genetics/evolution papers in my line of work (genetics), but this one was kinda beyond me. It didn't seem to follow any scientific principals, logic, or offer explanations for it's claims. Was it actually published in a peer-reviewed journal?
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Vergina Sun
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Post by Vergina Sun »

After a closer reading where I didn't regard the publisher, I too must admit it was a bad article. I don't know why Times published it. Sorry again.
Semiramis
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Post by Semiramis »

I don't know if you can avoid them all no matter how careful you are Vergina Sun. Modern day 'just so' stories regarding these matters is still the rage. Ever since genes came along, social conditioning just doesn't get the credit it deserves. :) They should certainly have more stringent measures for what should be published. But you know how the media are.. It has the words sex and blond in it. Away we go! :)

I agree with some parts of the article such as mutations for light hair/eyes/skin would not spread in Africa. But I didn't understand how it went from that fact to the idea that sexual selection is responsible for hair colour varieties in Europe. It forgot to mention that a mutation that stopped/reduced the production of melanin pigments would have been selected against in sunny sub-Saharan Africa. It's not a coincidence that places with a mostly light skinned population and high UV levels also have the highest skin cancer levels (eg. Australia). Whereas, these mutations that produce lighter phenotypes could actually survive in colder parts of the world such as Northern Europe, Northern Asia etc. Why oh why didn't they just go for the simplest explanation rather than churning out lines such as "Film star blondes such as Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Sharon Stone and Scarlett Johansson are held up as ideals of feminine allure." :roll:
ruthaki
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Roxana

Post by ruthaki »

I hope I can do her justice in my HF novel "Shadow of the Lion." She's certainly one of those most interesting characters to write and develop. There isn't a lot known about her, most is speculation I suppose, but her spirit and temperament were noted and she was compared to Alexander's mother in this respect.
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Vergina Sun
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Re: Roxana

Post by Vergina Sun »

ruthaki wrote:I hope I can do her justice in my HF novel "Shadow of the Lion." She's certainly one of those most interesting characters to write and develop. There isn't a lot known about her, most is speculation I suppose, but her spirit and temperament were noted and she was compared to Alexander's mother in this respect.
I certainly look forward to reading your book. Has it been released in the United States?
ruthaki
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Roxane

Post by ruthaki »

Hello Virginia Sun, I have been working on this novel for a very long time and finally I'm seeing the light at the end of the long, long tunnel. Because it is a complex story and I wanted to try to stick as closely as I could to the historical facts although I am writing fiction and can speculate on characterizations etc, it has made it more complicated. I've had a lot of support and help from Greek scholars and classical scholar friends who I met while living in Athens. I've taken the time to visit as many of the sites in Epiros, Macedonia and some in Turkey so I could get a real feel for the land too (as I tend to be a visual writer).

But no, it isn't published yet. That I finish it and send it off soon is my biggest dream and hope so at the moment I am working diligently to finish it. One thing about any story about Alexander, the subject never dies as there always proves to be an interest in this remarkable man. (I have personally been studying about him since I was 16 years old and at that point in time, that's a whole lifetime!)
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Vergina Sun
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Post by Vergina Sun »

Congratulations, you're almost there! I'm sure you've put a great deal of effort, and the result will be amazing. I hope you've had a wonderful time visiting all the sites. I still look forward greatly to reading your book. :D
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