Ra'qedyet

An historical poem

“Ra'qedyet, or Râ-Kedet, was the original name of the city of Alexandria on the northern coast of Kemet, before it was renamed by Alexander the Great. Ra'qedyet is believed to have existed about 700 to 1000 years before Alexander even came to that site. The logic now is not that Alexander built his city on the same site as Ra'qedyet, but that he used an already flourishing city and simply expanded upon it!” " From Ancient Worlds, an online website: http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Places/Property/1034345”

Tell me more…

I want to know…

What came before…

Before Alexander’s hell-bent stamp

Upon cultures already ancient 

when his own still cowered in caves

Tell me about it…Tell me more…

Tell me… tell me… tell me, please

Of ancient Ra’qedyet

Like ill-fated Takht-e-jamshid

where Alexander rested his feet…

Yes… he rested his feet…

His feet upon Xerxes’ table.

Fair Parsa’s palace burned to ruin…

it’s native name lost in time…

It’s city recalled forevermore…

by Greek arrogance… Persepolis!

Of all Carians, given up in fear…

Given over by their Queen Ada.

Anatolia laid wide… laid bare

Before Alexander’s gluttonous march…

His stamp left hither and yon… 

A people entire… forgotten… gone

Ground ‘neath his inexorable march

His lustful ego used to erase Caria

Histories trampled, societies wasted…

reaching farther, ever further…

veneered by every raped culture,

burying history 'neath his avarice

from Anatolia to the Punjab

where King Purushottama lost…

lost even his name to Alexander…

left a client king named Porus.

Grinding on… grinding down 

like so many others…

Anatolia, Achaemenid, Babylonia, 

Egypt, Punjab, and more

From Alinda to Babylon, Parsa, to Jhelum 

and more and more and ever more.

Never too much… never enough…

Till death at last embraced his lust.

He built his city hailed through th’years…

Crushing… o’erlaying atop Ra’qedyet…

Ra’qedyet from ancient Pharo’s lines…

Lost in Alexandria… stamped out.

All that remains… a sad and silent jumble

Ruins ‘neath ruins ‘neath a briny sea…

At th’Nile’s mouth, it’s fate ’twas sealed

So he might stamp his name ‘cross the world

A mighty nation prospered…

before made a warning for the future…

Now sad and silent jumbled ruins.

In the ruins of ancient Alexandria

lay ruins yet much older still

‘Neath th’magnificent capital of Ptolemy,

Alexandria app Aegyptum… Alexandria Beside Egypt.

It’s birth razing Ra’qedyet’s life…

That long before haven of sailors.

Tell me of the histories lost…

Tell me the stories of “the Great”

How his exploits are to be lauded,

ever to be praised and applauded…

Of the lessons we should learn…

the warfare that should burn.

Tell me of the histories lost…

lost in th’onslaught of Alexander… 

Lost when he put them to the death.

Tell me more…

I want to know…

What came before…

Before Alexander’s hell-bent stamp

Upon cultures already ancient 

when his own still cowered in caves

Tell me about it…Tell me more…

Tell me… tell me… tell me, please

Of ancient Ra’qedyet

Tell me the glories of Alexander

of his “Great” folly of death and debt.

by D. Denise Dianaty

Author's Note

A little something on Alexander the "Great."

Reviews

[R Smith]

A little something!! its an epic something, I was not sure about the theme at first but this lesson has taught me something I did not know and now I have to read about these countries that were there before Alexander, not that i even know about him, thank you for feeding my craving for the truth in history, history is the truth of the historian, it depends from where he comes, its good you have written this to enlighten us who do not know the full story thank you :)

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. I'm honored you found meaning in my perspective.

Actually, my perspective changed many years ago, when my husband talked about Takht-e-Jamshid. He told how, in Iran, Alexander is considered a villain and a barbarian. Then, recently, I saw a History Channel program about archeological finds beneath the ruins of Alexandria under the waters of the harbor. They were saying how those much older ruins were of the city that was already there when Alexander had his city built. The stuff they found led them to the conclusion that Ra'qedyet (or Rhacotis) was much more developed that scholars had believed for two millennia. I wanted to know more about it, so I tried researching it. There's nothing in my local library and precious little to be found on the Net. But, it the search for Ra'qedyet, I stumbled upon all these other names and places that were buried under Alexander's relentless march to conquer the known world.

[Lyn Anderson]

I like this, giving a personal touch to an historical piece -- Personally, I can't see changing it. I like the form too, it works well, and the additions of things like th' create a certain historical feel.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. I think it's finished. I'm ruminating upon it. I might make a few tweaks of something inspired is suggested. But, the content is complete.

[Frieda P]

Well crafted, I need to brush up on my history. The story within is vibrantly told, albeit also tragic.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. If you look at the historical record of Alexander the Great, trying to see it from the perspective of the conquered, it's incredibly tragic. And, we're still dealing with the fractured cultures he left to posterity. My husband is Persian and from their perspective, Alexander is an incredible villain.

[realmwriter]

I know nothing of history to this extent and clearly I have a lot to learn but I do know a little of the arrogance of the Greeks. I have experienced that first hand. Either way I found this to be an intriguing read.

[MomzillaNC]

Thank you. I've spent this several past weeks researching this one. I was watching a program on the latest archeological work in Alexandria. They said they'd found the ruins of Ra'qedyet beneath the ruins of Alexandria in the harbor; they went on to explain how the very existence of Ra'qedyet had been in question for two millennia. I wanted to know more, so went to researching it. I found precious little about the ancient harbor city, and in researching, found many, many, many more ancient cities and people obliterated from history by Alexander "the Great's" relentless march.

[realmwriter]

Yeah, when a man wipes out an entire people or peoples, he is called great but when it is only a few or perhaps one or two, he is called a murderer, a psychopath. Alexander "the Great" wasn't so great in my opinion. But I, like you, know little of him. Though it seems to bare out in what you said here, that the man was a tyrant.

[MomzillaNC]

It's the nature of conquerers: an ego that can only be tyrannical.

[realmwriter]

That is it right there isn't it.

[Rene Salinas]

What a view into history this has been, very entertaining. Sadly, I felt melancholy and a little sadness which is peculiar even when the change of streams of conciousness or thinking or cultures is something that in the great schemes of things was needed widely accepted as well by most historians. Not only did it go from Isis to - Sophia metaphorically speaking but the potential of new ways of thinking which followed road contruction, sweage oh, so many things. Becuase when it is all said and done; What did the romans ever do for us? Quasi satirical and humorous "Life of brian" angle is just that as they literally built the foundations of what we have over here. Not even to mention what was lost in terms of knowledge in Alexandria which hurts just thinking about it. But the streams continued and here we are today. Not sure then if I relate to the melancholy side of things.

God knows it would be difficult to get around "Walking like an Egyptian". (wissles)

Thankyou

[MomzillaNC]

Truly… what did the Romans or the Greeks ultimately do for us. Our world is still fracturing along the fault-lines they carved across the historical landscape so long ago.

[Rene Salinas]

Oh, you seem serious abou the question my Dad was/ is among many thing a historian the serious implications or the word Truly ... would lead to hours of knowledge and I am afraid I wouldn't be qualified to comment on history hence my comment imbued by humour.

[MomzillaNC]

That's okay. I'm just honored you found interest in my meandering interests. If you've read much of my stuff, it can be all over the place. I seem to find inspiration everywhere… even in the silliest themes: such as my poem "Blurble, Glarf… " written just to break my writer's block. But, this poem, I made a concerted effort involving weeks of research.

[Rene Salinas]

Ha, I am the opposite I never wirte about myself as such I always write about what I read and learn in fact after a few hundred writings I had to write one intentionally about myself. I hate sharing stuff !I find it difficult.... You made me smile third time this year.

[MomzillaNC]

Happy to spread a little joy. "Embrace the joy," I always say. For just plain laughs, read "Blurble, Glarf… "

[Rene Salinas]

On my way...