Friends, welcome back to yet another edition of Inside the AncietWorlds Studio. Tonight, I have a very special guest in the Studio, who has been a friend of mine here at AS/AW since 1997. When I asked one of Babylon's scribes, Leah Enkidu, to tell us a little about fellow scribe and our guest, Apiladey ApilSin, she pointed out the vast amount of time and energy that he has given to Babylon, esp. his academic research over at the KashBowl...

"The 'Mooch' of Babylon...lol
We are so lucky to have Apiladey here. Besides his endless wealth of information on Mesopotamia, he has a wonderful and wicked sense of humor. I've known Apil for a few years, but since we have been here,I have had a chance to talk with him more and get to know him better. He is always willing to lend a hand or solve a problem. If he wasn't here, the KashBowl would be a dull place...lol

And now, Dunces, let us welcome to the Studio the man who is one of the most respected individuals here at AW...His knowledge, wisdom and humor are found not only throughout Babylon but throughout the whole Ancient Worlds community...He is the head of the Encyclopedia Babylonica as well as The Flooding of the Black Sea...My Dear Friend: Apiladey ApilSin



Marduk: What is your favorite city here at AW other than your own?
Apil: I wouldn't really say I had a favorite amongst the rest of them. I know a bit about all of them, and no ONE city stands out amongst the rest. I have friends in all the cities. Luckily for me, the cities always get along here. People may have arguments, but the entire cities always get along. If I had to choose one over the other, I'd be in a bad way. I always pretend to hate whatever city beats us in the trivia quizzes, claiming that they bribed the judges or got a hold of the answers in advance, but that's just kidding. Deep in my heart, I know that if Babylon didn't win the trophy, it wasn't the fault of the judges or the other city.........IT WAS THE FAULT OF THE BLASTED GODS WHO DON"T RECOGNIZE OUR NATURAL SUPERIORITY!!!!!


Marduk: Which group would you rather join, the Rostra or Lex Romana?
Apil: Yeesh, asking me to choose one over the other again. You didn't tell me this interview was gonna have to offend half of AW. I'll have to get an unlisted messenger pigeon cage. Well, one can't very well live ones life without the rule of law, but how does one live their life without humor. Lex Romana would get one through life, but that life wouldn't be worth living without the Rostra. When I first joined AS, I loved the respect I got by posting Lex Romana flavored posts and series, but you can't just live on respect. You need a bit of community too. Joining groups like the Rostra weaves your life in amongst the lives of other members. It makes you feel like the house that Lex gave you has become the home that Rostra made it. I'd have to say on the scale from one to the other, I'm about 60% toward the Rostra type. Am I being non-committal enough for ya?


Marduk Who is your favorite ancient historical character?
Apil: I have two. One is Hannibal, who, without any help from his homeland, beat every army but one that Rome sent against him...except the last. The last battle might have turned out differently if the ships his cavalry was in hadn't been blown clear down the African coast. Then within the last couple of years, I developed a great appreciation for King Hiram of Tyre. When he became king, Tyre wasn't even a second rate town. It was a tiny town on the coast of Phoenicia, only mentioned in a few ancient writings. During his reign, he built the island city of Tyre by joining two islands with fill dirt, built the massive walls, built three temples, had the first cisterns known to history built there to hold collected rain water, built the largest trading fleet and the largest navy in the Mediterranean and discovered and brought to all the civilizations the tin from Spain needed to make bronze. In his lifetime he took an insignificant town and made of it the most powerful city in the Mediterranean. Many people know that Hercules/Heracles was based on the Tyrian god, Melkart. Not many people know that there is a good chance that Melkart was a deification of Hiram. Both Hiram and Hannibal were phenomenal men.


Marduk: Where would you have wanted to live in the ancient world?
Apil: In the ancient world? *Chuckle* My diabetes would have killed me by age 19 in the ancient world. Were it not for that, I would choose someplace green. I kind of like the idea of the Turkish highlands. They were so mountainous that armies seldom invaded, and so many foods were native to there. Aside from the mainstay of wheat, there were also apples, pears, plums, cherries, quinces, pomegranates, medlars, pistachios and almonds. Peace and produce....that would be all I'd need. Oh yes, a woman too. Granted, they might be hard to find in the mountain country........well, do you remember the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?


Marduk: What profession would you have attempted in the ancient world?
Apil: Hmmm, tough question. I'd say king, or general, but they never live very long. I wouldn't choose the working class either, no matter how nice the job might seem. They are just too easy to replace. I'd want a job which gave me lots of security and wealth. Maybe a goldsmith or silversmith. They were the most highly skilled of the metalsmiths, and couldn't just be replaced from the rank and file metalsmiths. If the land was conquered, these people were never killed. If the land wasn't conquered, these people were always well paid.


Marduk: If you could show Julius Caesar around today, where would you go?
Apil: Well Dang! Eirene already got Caesar's in Atlantic City and caesar's salad. I guess I'd take him to a hospital for a caesarian. Naw, I guess that wouldn't work. I think he'd be amazed if I took him in an airliner over Rome so he could see the size of ancient Rome compared to the city today. That is, if I could get him into the airliner and keep him there once the engines started. Once we got into the air, the rest of his hair might fall out.


Marduk: Have you read A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole?
Apil: Not until it comes out as a Classics Illustrated. I don't read any fiction and the only non-fiction I read has to be about ancient times, gardening, tropical fish, or camping.


Marduk: What movie out of this list is your favorite? (Ghostbusters, Gladiator, Groundhog Day, Gone With The Wind, Goonies, Army of Darkness, Legend, Willow)
Apil: I'd say Ghostbuster, followed by Willow and Legend. Legend only makes the grade because of the quality of the demon. None of my choices are favorites because of the quality of the acting. Just by how far they can take me in laughter or escapism.


Marduk: What is your favorite curse word?
Apil: Ha! It'll really shake you up. "Blast" is my most recent favorite. "Dang" was my previous one. I was a wallflower in my schooldays, and since curse words attract attention, I never used them. Then in adulthood, I just never got out of the habit.


Marduk: What is your favorite holiday?
Apil:: That's easy.......Christmas. I love the spirit of giving. Of families getting back together. Of people smiling at other drivers on the freeway rather than flipping them off. I just wish the spirit lasted more than a week or so.


Marduk: If you could talk to Plato for ten minutes, what would you talk about?
Apil: Could I choose which ten minutes? I'd love to have talked to him for ten minutes during a history exam in college. If not then, I guess it would be some relaxed time during which I could discuss the only philosophies of which we have learned much more in recent times. Those concerning the environment and the dwindling treasure of unspoiled nature - those who want to protect it and those who want to abuse it.



Again, it was an honor to interview such an intelligent and humorous individual who lives up to the ideals of A Confederacy of Dunces, and I wish you, Apiladey, the best of luck in all that you attend to here at AncientWorlds. Next week at Inside the AncientWorlds Studio, we will be interviewing someone from that mysterious city of Celtia. See you turkeys later.