The Killing of Milthocytes in Historico-Anthropological Perspective

Authors:

Pages: 9-35
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/RWOT7086

Abstract:

Milthocytes was a leader of two Thracian revolts – one against the Odrysian ruler Kotis and another against Kotis’ son and successor to the throne, Kersebleptes. Because of his role in the second revolt, Milthocytes was executed, and according to the ancient authors, the rebel’s death came through a strange way of killing. The description of his specific execution reminds us of the bloodless forms of killing, practiced by the early societies in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australia, studied by sociocultural anthropologists. Thus, by adopting the historico-anthropological approach and, in particular, the comparative method of anthropology, this paper aims to explain the meaning of Milthocytes’ execution.

Keywords:

Ancient Thrace, Odrysians, Milthocytes, early societies, Comparative Anthropology, royal blood, blood taboo.

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