Climate during the classical period

[Klingan]

Well, I didn't really want to go completely off topic in this thread so I figured that a new post would be useful.

 

Anyway, what is your opinion on the climate during the classical period? Do you think that it was any different, and then how and why? What sources do you take into account?

Edited November 7, 2010 by Klingan

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

It certainly was different and underwent changes during the period under consideration. As we know, we had climate changes between the middle-ages and now, a period about as long as the one between Athens' glory and the fall of Rome. We also have indications of those climatic changes in references to events that could not have taken place in the conditions we currently know : for exemple the North African area was probably much more green than now, and the desert no so dry, especially in southern Algeria and in Tunisia for exemples.

 

As to where I'd look for informations as recorded by the ancients, for the classical period, I think I'd look first in Pliny to see what he had dug in the authors that came before him. I'd also look into Pliny's description of Germany to see if he gives us clues. But other than that I wonder if the Suda might not be one of the best sources because it would comment references with later comparisons, and could thus provide us with an idea of the changes.

 

Yet the best source would probably not be in the texts but in the ice cores dug in Sweden, Greenland and the Poles.

 

(If you'd want some earlier informations, it could be interesting to look into the chronicles of the ancient middle-eastern empires and what information we can gather from the study of the nilometers in Egypt, which migth even extend to the Ptolemaic period (and the roman period at Philae ?). Manethon might hold some informations for Egypt, and we have many chronicles from Assyrian and Persian sources which could help us with those issues until at least the 4th or 5th century BC)

[Klingan]

It certainly was different and underwent changes during the period under consideration. As we know, we had climate changes between the middle-ages and now, a period about as long as the one between Athens' glory and the fall of Rome.

 

Do you have any reference's (modern studies) to prove that it has changed (I'm not doubting you, I'm just cautious when dealing with the classical climate)? I've read in several modern works that it was more or less the same as today (Garbrecht 1987, 18; Hodge 2001, 4 (however adding that it might have been considerably different at specific localities); Murphy 2006, 160, who mentions two recent investigations claiming that the climate has not changed very much).

 

We also have indications of those climatic changes in references to events that could not have taken place in the conditions we currently know : for exemple the North African area was probably much more green than now, and the desert no so dry, especially in southern Algeria and in Tunisia for exemples.

 

I would agree, in general, North Africa seems to have had a quite different climate.

 

As to where I'd look for informations as recorded by the ancients, for the classical period, I think I'd look first in Pliny to see what he had dug in the authors that came before him. I'd also look into Pliny's description of Germany to see if he gives us clues. But other than that I wonder if the Suda might not be one of the best sources because it would comment references with later comparisons, and could thus provide us with an idea of the changes.

 

Sounds like good sources. I should probably also take a look at Pliny the Elder.

 

Yet the best source would probably not be in the texts but in the ice cores dug in Sweden, Greenland and the Poles.

 

Damn it, we don't have any ice cores here in Sweden do we? It's not THAT far up north

 

(If you'd want some earlier informations, it could be interesting to look into the chronicles of the ancient middle-eastern empires and what information we can gather from the study of the nilometers in Egypt, which migth even extend to the Ptolemaic period (and the roman period at Philae ?). Manethon might hold some informations for Egypt, and we have many chronicles from Assyrian and Persian sources which could help us with those issues until at least the 4th or 5th century BC)

 

Herodotus could perhaps be useful here and perhaps Linear B tablets.