History · 25 · The Soldier
Make a name: a son, or a glorious death
In the ancient world, a son carried on your name and tended your grave. Without one, you could make a name through heroic feats in battle.
Glory in death was the warrior's consolation.
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Ramses II praised names made in battle. An Assyrian commander's doomed troops vowed to die 'with an excellent name.' Achilles chose a short, glorious life over a long, obscure one. A Babylonian king even honored fallen soldiers who had no sons to remember them.
Bible reference: 2 Samuel 14:7
Source: Why the Bible Began, pp. 394–396
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