Apopudobalia

Apopudobalia is in the first edition of the reference work 's New Pauly Classical Studies ( Volume 1, column 895 ) contained fictitious encyclopedia articles ( a so-called "U -Boot" ). The article was written by the then graduate and today Professor of Ancient History Mischa Meier. The intentional incorrect entry is now considered one of the most famous "U- boats " of modern lexicography.

Content

According to the dictionary entry is Apopudobalia an ancient sport that is mentioned already in the " Gymnastika " of the " Achilles Taktikos " in the early 4th century BC. His revolutionary character gets the item by the assertion that Apopudobalia could be considered as a forerunner of the modern football game, thus the generally held view, English had invented the world's most popular ball game contrary.

The article continues to read that the sport have been found in the late Hellenistic period their way to Rome. Here is the new physical actuation allegedly found so many followers that already should have been listed " in the ps. - Ciceronian treatise De viris illustribus (3.2 ) " the most prominent Apopudobalonten. Until the 2nd century Apopudobalia had been circulated by the Roman legions as far as Britain, where the sport has been successfully worn for the second time in the world in the 19th century. The unusual fact that it apparently despite the great popularity of the sport from the 4th century is no more evidence for Apopudobalia to modern times, is ( Tertullian ) explained by the reluctance of early Christianity.

Naturally, difficulties may seem to find further information on the subject, when it is considered that the entry is invented completely free to Apopudobalia and any scientific basis in fact.

" Apopudobalia " is an ancient Greek art translation for "football", which also violates the rules of Greek word formation. Reference is made to a " Festschrift M. Sammer " - issued by an A. Pila ( = A Ball) - which is recommended as " fundamental ", and on the top of a B. Pedes ( = two feet ) in " Zschr. of Ancient and Sports 4, 1995.1 to 19 ".

In the meantime, this thread is spun out by similar pseudo-scientific commentaries.

Background

The idea for writing the fake Apopudobalia article came Mischa Meier spontaneously when he created numerous articles for the New Pauly for his former professor. The Metzler Verlag was the originally lemmatised joke articles due to significant time pressure on the part of the editors after printing and publication of the first edition on, as professional criticism arose in the wrong word formation, but does not detect the ironic undertone. The publisher threatened Meier then to let destroy the already printed copies at his own expense, but left after positive feedback amused by various historians of the project from. A statement issued in 1997, according to a company spokesperson you wanted to " build humanistic traditions [ and ] some humor " to bring in.

The article is not included in the English version of the New Pauly, however, drew the Brill publishing house temporarily the insertion of an alternative joke article into consideration.

Reception

The Article is written by Stephan Geiger in science satire " Socrates crosses! A little history of philosophy of football, " cited as important and pioneering research performance.