Talk:Abaris

Bladud, founder of Bath, also named Abaris by the Grecians.

Attempts to equate Abaris and magic, or shamanism are reductionist, for Abaris is more of a convenient name for a whole class of eurocentric medical school values and tradition. Recently, reputed commentators, including Mihai Olteanu and Dan Olteanu have argued conclusively that ́Αβαρις: Σκύθης and Σκύθου υιός in the Suda do not necessarily mean that Abaris was a Scythian. Indeed, Σκύθης was a known figure of a foundation myth (for instance in Herodotus), and both passages converge in showing that Abaris was perhaps only the son of a certain Scythes. - - In conclusion, this enigmatic figure of the higher European antiquity was more of a legendary "wisdom-figure" than a single person or even a representative of some particular trade.