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How old was Salome?

  • 28-07-2006 12:49pm
    #1
    metrovelvet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭


    Anyone know how old she was when she danced for Antipas? I've found conflicting research. But most seems to point to her being more of Shirley Temple than a Britney Spears lolita.


Comments

  • #2
    andy1249
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,402 ✭✭✭andy1249


    You cant compare modern times to ancient in terms of age of the individual , around that time the average life expectancy was around 30-35 , therefore 14 or 15 was middle aged and most females would have been married by then.

    Romeo and juliet were 14 or so , there are thousands of examples in history of this , you have to take into account total life expectancy and figure the age as a percentage of that.


  • #3
    metrovelvet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭metrovelvet


    Yes Im aware of that. THat wasnt my question. My question is how old was she?


  • #4
    Wibbs
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,217 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    andy1249 wrote:
    You cant compare modern times to ancient in terms of age of the individual , around that time the average life expectancy was around 30-35 , therefore 14 or 15 was middle aged and most females would have been married by then.

    Romeo and juliet were 14 or so , there are thousands of examples in history of this , you have to take into account total life expectancy and figure the age as a percentage of that.
    Not exactly true and an oft repeated misconception. Life expectancy figures for the past are skewed by the high infant mortality rate. If you made it to 40 you would likely see 60/70, so 14/15 yr olds were not "middle aged". If you want to look at the examples of history you will see many famous people in the past living into old age.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • #5
    athena 2000
    Closed Accounts Posts: 317 ✭✭athena 2000


    metrovelvet wrote:
    Anyone know how old she was when she danced for Antipas? I've found conflicting research. But most seems to point to her being more of Shirley Temple than a Britney Spears lolita.

    There isn't any specific evidence that gives Salome's age. Have you found anything particularly interesting? It is generally assumed she was most likely in her teens since she is described as a maiden. IMO I think she was exclusively a tool of her mother's anger towards John the Baptist. A young Jewish princess, dancing in front of orthodox Jews, Roman officials, and her step-father king would probably have caused far more comment if she was some kind of 'Lolita'. I vote 'Shirley Temple' doing what her mother told her to do.


  • #6
    metrovelvet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,376 ✭✭✭metrovelvet


    I've come across both and depending on her age I have two different readings of the story.

    I may just have to work with the ambivalence. Like you said, I cant seem to find anything evidential, just a lot of conjecture and guessing.

    Either way its the transformation/evolution of the story which interests me, so if she was a child then that transformation is even more dramatic.


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