Sanga Ilakkiyam (Tamil), Rig Veda, Mahabharata (Sanskrit), Old Testament (Hebrew) Egyptian hieroglyphs and Greek ἄρχον (Achilles, Osiris, Bhishma and Karikalan)

Abstract

The classical languages of Greek, Tamil, Sanskrit, and Hebrew consist of extensive ancient literature. Words exhibiting phonological and morphological similarities to the term 'ἄρχον' is observed across these classical literatures. In Greek this term has the meaning of antiquity, ancestry, age, and bygone eras, all pertaining to temporal scales. Conversely, the same word signifies a distinct set of meanings, including leadership, command, governance, and royalty, which are related to administrative functions. Other languages primarily associate the term with administrative roles. The semantic evolution of this word, encompassing two distinct sets of related meanings, is uniquely evident in the Greek language. The word has acquired its higher meaning, that of king, in these languages. Similarities are also found between these languages in its reference to the kings related to the meaning of the word. In this vein, the events associated with the Greek king Achilles have been juxtaposed with King Karikalan in the Sanga Ilakkiyam (Tamil), Egyptian Osiris as well as Bhishma and his family members in the Mahabharata (Sanskrit).Some of these literary figures with similar characteristics also lived as historical figures.So the research of the Greek term 'ἄρχον' has the potential to develop into not only a comprehensive linguistic analysis but also a literary study, and even more so, a historical one.