The Language of Ruins

A colossal statue in Ancient Thebes, originally built to honor an ancient pharaoh but later reidentified as the Homeric hero Memnon, was a focal point for sacred tourism during the first century CE. Visitors, ranging from emperors and soldiers to provincial governors and families, left over one hundred Greek and Latin inscriptions acknowledging the miraculous sound believed to emanate from the statue at daybreak. These inscriptions reveal diverse social contexts and cultural attitudes, providing insights into sacred tourism, Greco-Roman perceptions of Egypt, and Homer's enduring legacy in the imperial era. The study offers the first comprehensive assessment of these inscriptions, highlighting their role as a site of engagement with the Greek past while reflecting contemporary historical horizons. Although Memnon's voice fell silent by the end of the second century CE, the statue resurfaced in Romantic poetry during nineteenth-century Europe.

Rosenmeyer, P. A. (2018). The Language of Ruins. Oxford Scholarship Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190626310.001.0001