Diane,
Well, you're probably right. It's wandered off a bit. But here is my point. We have a Hellenistic comparison, let's say. What is there in the VMs that the comparison is based upon? It is the perception of visual similarity. Something in the VMs looks like something that can be found in Hellenistic sources. Various comparisons have been made. Some have been quite similar, though I'm no expert, and others not so much. So my question is whether subjective, visual similarity is all that there is to be found in this particular, or any general, Hellenistic comparison? Is there anything more?
Compared to what?, one might ask. For example? And this is where the Fieschi identification functions as a demonstration of the combined use of visual similarity and specified location, and it's in the VMs and not hypothetically and somewhere else. Then, if the intent was to represent Cleopatra, she would have the matching headdress, and could be sitting on a barge or be holding an asp or hiding behind a pyramid or something.
So the matter does not apply to Hellenistic investigations exclusively, but to all investigations in general. What are the criteria of judgement and how can validity be determined? How much visual similarity is enough? Wouldn't objective criteria be a useful supplement in any proposed identification?
Well, you're probably right. It's wandered off a bit. But here is my point. We have a Hellenistic comparison, let's say. What is there in the VMs that the comparison is based upon? It is the perception of visual similarity. Something in the VMs looks like something that can be found in Hellenistic sources. Various comparisons have been made. Some have been quite similar, though I'm no expert, and others not so much. So my question is whether subjective, visual similarity is all that there is to be found in this particular, or any general, Hellenistic comparison? Is there anything more?
Compared to what?, one might ask. For example? And this is where the Fieschi identification functions as a demonstration of the combined use of visual similarity and specified location, and it's in the VMs and not hypothetically and somewhere else. Then, if the intent was to represent Cleopatra, she would have the matching headdress, and could be sitting on a barge or be holding an asp or hiding behind a pyramid or something.
So the matter does not apply to Hellenistic investigations exclusively, but to all investigations in general. What are the criteria of judgement and how can validity be determined? How much visual similarity is enough? Wouldn't objective criteria be a useful supplement in any proposed identification?