Is the Macedonian Derveni papyrus the oldest discovered book in Western history? Could be.
Written around 340 BC and discovered in 1962, the roll contains a philosophical treatise written as an allegorical commentary on a hexameter poem attributed to Orpheus that was utilized during initiations into the cult of Dionysus. It is Europe’s oldest surviving text, written during the reign of Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.
Needless to say, the scroll isn’t in great shape. Its 266 fragments are preserved under glass in Thessaloniki’s Archaeological Museum. The Orphic poem describes the origin of the gods, as Nyx (Night) gives birth to Uranus (Sky), who is followed by Kronos, who is succeeded by Zeus.
Cool artifact. From a prompt standpoint, what can you do with a text purporting to convey the origin of your world’s gods? What about a political text commenting on that story? What happens next?
