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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2004-04 > 1081199296


From: "Todd A. Farmerie" <>
Subject: Re: POSSIBLE GATEWAY: FROM AFRICA TO EUROPE
Date: Mon, 05 Apr 2004 15:08:28 -0600
References: <c57e4f24.0403141731.5b931209@posting.google.com> <7004aa4b.0403311402.37df8950@posting.google.com> <BAIac.30928$0d.25045@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com> <7004aa4b.0404010237.6708eb70@posting.google.com> <406BE67B.1020104@interfold.com> <7004aa4b.0404011411.797b638@posting.google.com> <406C9A90.B64BDFE0@scs.uiuc.edu> <7004aa4b.0404021653.cd38565@posting.google.com> <406E4EAD.4020207@interfold.com> <7004aa4b.0404031410.37aa9a31@posting.google.com> <406F48A7.9030007@interfold.com> <7004aa4b.0404040251.583cbad0@posting.google.com> <008801c41a36$76003de0$8a0c0043@hppav> <001201c41a5f$2f4d0ad0$8f2e6744@RSmyth> <4070B217.8000806@interfold.com> <003a01c41b2d$ada53460$8f2e6744@RSmyth>


Richard Smith wrote:
> Todd,
>
> You know that I have the greatest respect for you and have the highest
> regard for your scholarship.
>
> I knew that Solomon's existence was off topic. You will note that I kept my
> message as short as possible because of its tangent. However, that was my
> point: why were people wrangling over a subject that, at its inception, was
> off topic, if not silly? I stated that I was amused. Should it have been
> less subtle?


I don't think I misunderstood you - I was just explaining why I, at
least, did not address the 'founder', while discussing the claim. I
freely admit that it is an odd state of affairs, where the discussion of
'medieval' claims of descents from ancients is legitimately on topic
(just as discussion of Arthurian claims are), but discussion of those
same ancients the pedigree leads to is not. This was done for a reason
having more to do with productive discourse (and specifically, the
inability these discussions to view the material in a manner divorced
from their religious beliefs on the subject) than historical groupings,
although based on productivity, the present discussion left much to be
desired.

taf

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