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Encyclopedia > Pillars of Hercules
The Pillars of Hercules Monument at Jews' Gate, Gibraltar
The Pillars of Hercules Monument at Jews' Gate, Gibraltar

The Pillars of Hercules is the ancient name given to the promontories that flank the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. Though it is widely accepted that the northern or European Pillar is the Rock of Gibraltar, the identity of the southern or African Pillar has been heavily disputed through history, with the most likely candidates being Monte Hacho in Ceuta and Jebel Musa in Morocco. Monument for Pillars of Hercules at Gibraltar, from my own holiday pictures File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Monument for Pillars of Hercules at Gibraltar, from my own holiday pictures File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The term promontory has several similar meanings in English, including geographical names: A promontory is a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water (e. ... The Strait of Gibraltar as seen from space. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... The Rock of Gibraltar (sometimes called the Pillar of Hercules or by its Latin name, Calpe[1]) is a monolithic limestone promontory located in Gibraltar, off the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Monte Hacho, with Ceuta harbour in the foreground. ... Capital Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked  28 km²   Population  â€“ Total (2006)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked  75,861    2,709. ... Jebel Musa as seen from Gibraltar Jebel Musa (Arabic: جبل موسى) is the name given to a mountain located in the northernmost part of Morocco on the African side of the Straits of Gibraltar. ...

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Mythological significance

The name Pillars of Hercules has its origin in Greek mythology, named after the ancient Greek hero Heracles (Hercules in Latin). The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... Hercules, a Roman bronze (Louvre Museum) For other uses, see Heracles (disambiguation). ... Hercules and the Nemean Lion (detail), silver plate, 6th century BC (Cabinet des Médailles, Paris). ...


The naming of the pillars

When Hercules had to perform twelve labours, one of them was to fetch the Cattle of Geryon in Spain and bring it to Eurystheus. On his way to the island of Erytheia he had to cross the mountain that was once Atlas. Instead of climbing the great mountain, he cut corners and put his mind to work. He decided to use his great strength to smash through the colossal mountain that used to be a colossal giant. Hercules split it in half using his indestructible mace or club (Myths vary). By doing so, he connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and formed the Strait of Gibraltar. One part of the split mountain is Gibraltar and the other is either Monte Hacho or Jebel Musa . These two mountains taken together have since then been known as the Pillars of Hercules. Hercules and the Nemean Lion (detail), silver plate, 6th century BC (Cabinet des Médailles, Paris). ... Hercules, a Roman bronze (Louvre Museum) For other uses, see Heracles (disambiguation). ... Heracles fighting Geryon, amphora by the E Group, ca. ... Eurystheus hiding in a jar as Herakles brings him the Erymanthian boar. ... For the ancient Greek city Hesperides see Benghazi. ... A development of the club, a mace consists of a strong, heavy wooden, metal-reinforced, or metal shaft, with a head made of stone, copper, bronze, iron or steel. ... It has been suggested that some sections of this article be split into a new article entitled Club (law enforcement). ... Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ... The Strait of Gibraltar as seen from space. ... Monte Hacho, with Ceuta harbour in the foreground. ... Jebel Musa as seen from Gibraltar Jebel Musa (Arabic: جبل موسى) is the name given to a mountain located in the northernmost part of Morocco on the African side of the Straits of Gibraltar. ...


The pillars as portals

The pillars are also mentioned at some places as portals, or gates to different locations on Earth. When the Carthaginian admiral Himilco was sent to explore the area of the Muddy Sea (a shallow plateau that lies to the southwest of the Pillars) his report included the words "Many seaweeds grow in the troughs between the waves, which slow the ship like bushes {...} Here the beasts of the sea move slowly hither and thither, and great monsters swim languidly among the sluggishly creeping ships" (Rufus Festus Avienus) This description accurately resembles the Sargasso Sea rather than the Muddy Sea. Image File history File links Escudo_de_España. ... Image File history File links Escudo_de_España. ... Coat of Arms of Spain The Spanish Coat of Arms is composed of six other coats of arms: First quarter, for Castile: Gules, a tower triple-towered Or, masoned sable and ajouré azure; Second quarter, for León: Argent, a lion rampant purpure(sometimes blazoned gules) crowned Or, langued and... Portal (architecture) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Himilco is a name that can refer to the following entities: Himilco the Navigator , Carthaginian navigator and explorer Himilco (general) (?-396 BC(?)), Carthaginian general Himilco was a very common name in Punic Carthage. ... Muddy Sea The Muddy Sea may be that part of the Atlantic Ocean mentioned by the Russian scholar Alexander Kondratov in his investigative work The Riddles of Three Oceans: (1) ...west of Gibraltar there is a vast area of shallow banks and seamounts where the earths crust has subsided... Avienus was a Latin writer of the 4th century. ... An image of the distribution and size of eel larvae shows the approximate location of the Sargasso Sea. ... Muddy Sea The Muddy Sea may be that part of the Atlantic Ocean mentioned by the Russian scholar Alexander Kondratov in his investigative work The Riddles of Three Oceans: (1) ...west of Gibraltar there is a vast area of shallow banks and seamounts where the earths crust has subsided...


According to Plato's account, the lost realm of Atlantis was situated beyond the Pillars of Hercules. PLATO was one of the first generalized Computer assisted instruction systems, originally built by the University of Illinois (U of I) and later taken over by Control Data Corporation (CDC), who provided the machines it ran on. ... Picture of Platos description of Atlantis Atlantis (Greek: , Island of Atlas) is the name of a legendary island first mentioned in Platos dialogues Timaeus and Critias. ...


The Pillars appear as supporters of the coat of arms of Spain. The motto Plus Ultra (Latin for further beyond) indicates the desire to see the Pillars as an entrance to the rest of the world rather than as a gate to the Mediterranean Sea. This is seen in opposition to Non Plus Ultra (nothing further beyond), the phrase inscribed in the mythological columns indicating their antique condition of border of the known world. It also indicates the overseas possessions that Spain once had. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ...


Phoenician connection

Coat of arms of Cádiz
Coat of arms of Andalusia, this coat of arms is based in Cádiz's coat

Near Gades/Gadeira (modern Cádiz, just beyond the strait) was the westernmost temple of Tyrian Heracles (Melqart), near the eastern shore of the island (Strabo 3.5.2–3). Strabo notes (3.5.5–6) that the two bronze pillars within the temple, each 8 cubits high, were widely proclaimed to be the true Pillars of Heracles by many who had visited the place and had sacrificed to Heracles there. But Strabo believes the account to be fraudulent, in part noting that the inscriptions on those pillars mentioned nothing about Heracles, speaking only of the expenses incurred by the Phoenicians in their making. The columns of the Melqart temple at Tyre were also of religious significance. Image File history File links Seal of city of Cadiz Spain. ... Image File history File links Seal of city of Cadiz Spain. ... Location Location of Cádiz Coordinates : Time Zone : General information Native name Cádiz (Spanish) Spanish name Cádiz Postal code – Website http://www. ... Image File history File links Escudo_Andalucía. ... Image File history File links Escudo_Andalucía. ... Location Location of Cádiz Coordinates : Time Zone : General information Native name Cádiz (Spanish) Spanish name Cádiz Postal code – Website http://www. ... The Triumphal Arch Tyre (Arabic , Phoenician , Hebrew Tzor, Tiberian Hebrew , Akkadian , Greek Týros) is a city in the South Governorate of Lebanon. ... Hercules, a Roman bronze (Louvre Museum) For other uses, see Heracles (disambiguation). ... Melqart (less accurately Melkart, Melkarth or Melgart (Greek disposed of the letter Q (Qoppa), replacing it with additional use of K (Kappa) and G (Gamma)), Akkadian Milqartu, was the tutelary god of the Phoenician city of Tyre, as Eshmun protected Sidon. ... The Greek geographer Strabo in a 16th century engraving. ... Cubit is the name for any one of many units of measure used by various ancient peoples. ... Melqart (less accurately Melkart, Melkarth or Melgart (Greek disposed of the letter Q (Qoppa), replacing it with additional use of K (Kappa) and G (Gamma)), Akkadian Milqartu, was the tutelary god of the Phoenician city of Tyre, as Eshmun protected Sidon. ... The Triumphal Arch Tyre (Arabic , Phoenician , Hebrew Tzor, Tiberian Hebrew , Akkadian , Greek Týros) is a city in the South Governorate of Lebanon. ...


In Dante's Inferno

In Inferno, his description of hell, Dante Alighieri mentions Ulysses and his voyage past the Pillars of Hercules (once considered the western end of the world). Ulysses justifies endangering his sailors by the fact that his goal is to gain knowledge of the unknown. After five months of navigation in the ocean, Ulysses detects the Purgatory but encounters a whirlwind that sinks his ship. The Divine Comedy (Italian: , later christened Divina by Giovanni Boccaccio), written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321, is widely considered the central epic poem of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature. ... Dante in a fresco series of famous men by Andrea del Castagno, ca. ... Head of Odysseus from a Greek 2nd century BC marble group representing Odysseus blinding Polyphemus, found at the villa of Tiberius at Sperlonga Odysseus or Ulysses (Greek Odysseus; Latin: Ulixes or, less commonly, Ulysses), pronounced , is the main hero in Homers epic poem, the Odyssey, and plays a key... Illustration for Dantes Purgatorio (18), by Gustave Doré. Purgatory refers to the Catholic doctrine of the the final purification of the elect which states that, all who die in Gods grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they... Whirlwind may refer to: An atmospheric phenomenon, see whirlwind (atmospheric phenomenon) Several aircraft, see Westland Whirlwind MITs pioneering Whirlwind computer The Whirlwinds are the mascot of Floydada high school in Texas Jimmy White, a famous British Snooker player, is nicknamed The Whirlwind due to his speedy technique of play...


In music

The Russian bard Alexander Gorodnitsky wrote a song under a similar title in 1965, while sailing past the Strait of Gibraltar on one of his many sea voyages. The song makes numerous references to Ulysses' voyages in the area and many other sections of The Odyssey The Bard (ca. ... Alexander Gorodnitsky 2005 Alexander Moiseevich Gorodnitsky (Алекса́ндр Моисе́евич Городни́цкий) (b. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... The Strait of Gibraltar as seen from space. ... Odysseus and Nausicaä - by Charles Gleyre For other uses, see Odyssey (disambiguation). ...


Elsewhere

The Pillars Of Hercules is a pub in London, with literary connections. The Pillars Of Hercules is a pub in Greek Street, Soho, London. ... An amusingly named pub (the Old New Inn) at Bourton-on-the-Water, in the Cotswold Hills of South West England A pub in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh, Scotland A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...


The Pillars of Hercules (1995) is a non-fiction account by Paul Theroux of his travels around the rim of the Mediterranean sea. Paul Edward Theroux (born April 10, 1941) is an American travel writer and novelist, whose best known work is The Great Railway Bazaar (1975), a travelogue about a trip he made by train from Great Britain through Europe and South Asia, then South-East Asia, up through East Asia, as... Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

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