| The Phoenix is an example of the staying power of | | | | embalms and stores the ashes of the old phoenix in |
| symbols of that time through today. Here is an | | | | an egg of myrrh. This egg is then deposited in the |
| overview of its use and symbolism in ancient Greece. | | | | Egyptian city of Heliopolis (Greek for the "city of the |
| The Role of the Phoenix In Ancient Greece | | | | sun"). The phoenix can also regenerate parts of its |
| In Greece history, there are many different figures that | | | | body when wounded, further continuing the properties |
| play important roles. At the top of these creatures | | | | of regeneration and rebirth. The Egyptians closely |
| spoken of in Greek writings are the gods and | | | | associated the phoenix with fire and the sun, and he |
| goddesses, who live on Mount Olympus and oversee | | | | was often seen with the sun god Ra. |
| many aspects of everyday life. Then there are the | | | | The Greeks adopted the phoenix from the Egyptians, |
| creatures, beasts and mortals that fill out the rest of | | | | first using their term for the bird, bennu, and then |
| the roles in the myths. One of these creatures is the | | | | adapting their word for the color crimson (and the |
| phoenix, a most famous bird. | | | | name of a city) Phoenicia, into the name phoenix for |
| The phoenix is a mystical firebird that is seen in many | | | | the bird. They associated the bird with their sun-god, |
| cultures, not just Greek society. The originating culture | | | | Apollo, and said that the bird resided in Arabia next to |
| that started the myth of the phoenix is the ancient | | | | a well, where it bathed and sang. The Romans also |
| Egyptian culture - and all other myths regarding the | | | | continued the tradition of the phoenix - they changed |
| phoenix seem to have sprung from this one. The | | | | the image of the bird to look more like a peacock or |
| phoenix is a sacred creature, a firebird that is said to | | | | eagle. |
| live for 500 (or 1461) years, depending on the specific | | | | While the Greeks were not the first culture to have |
| culture. It is colored crimson and gold, and is much | | | | the phoenix featured in their myths, they were also not |
| larger than other birds. At the end of its life span, the | | | | the last. The Romans, later Greeks and even Russians |
| phoenix, Greek bird of regeneration, is said to build a | | | | all revered this bird. Hypothesized to represent either a |
| nest of cinnamon sticks, and light them on fire; | | | | true bird that lived on hot salt flats (said to be to hot to |
| consequently, both the nest and the bird burn to ashes. | | | | survive on) or the total eclipse of the sun, the phoenix |
| A new baby phoenix rises from these ashes, and | | | | is a major part of many myths and legends. |